Use It Up!!. . .Avonlea for Mojo Monday #300

I've been cleaning out my scraproom and discovered I have so much more paper and embellishments left from scrapbook workshops than I ever imagined. Before I add to the collection with the newest items being released on August 1st from Close To My Heart, I thought that during the month of July I'd show projects I'm making to USE IT UP!! I plan to highlight stamp sets, paper, and embellishments that are being retired. (Check out the retired list I posted earlier today-some of the items I used are already on the "Unavailable" list.)

The first card uses Avonlea papers and the Mojo Monday sketch for this week. I wanted to add more texture, so I found that the green panel fit one of my 5" x 7" embossing folders, Cuttlebug "Mary Ann."

I rotated the sketch 90 degrees clockwise. The Avonlea papers were matted on Chocolate cardstock and all papers were scissor distressed, highlighting the white core. I added some purple pansy cardstock for the sentiment mat that I cut using Cricut Artiste (Accent 3 Shift "B" at 2.5"). I had really overlooked the sentiment in the past because I had it filed away with my Christmas stamps instead of my Faith stamps. It is such a beautiful verse of encouragement that can help in many situations. Trusting God with ALL of my heart to work out situations is not an easy task as an adult. Having faith like a little child, envisioning Him as a father, reaching out a little hand to take His to be led where He takes us, gives me new perspective.

Other retiring embellishments include the Chocolate Waxy Flax and silver edged button that I placed on top of the already retired Petal (lavender) button and the lace flower which I placed on a circle that I cut out of one of the patterned papers in the Avonlea pack. The Stamp set is called "Everlasting Life."




I hope this project will help you USE IT UP, too!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks #149 - dry embossing (green panel Cuttlebug "Mary Ann")
Charisma Cardz #26 - lace (the lace flower)
Crafting with Dragonflies #5 - vintage with layers and lace (lace flower)
Creative Fingers - Anything goes
Creative Stamp Friends - Circle, button, and lace (lace flower)
Inky Chicks #7 - Anything goes
Mojo Monday #300 - sketch
Scrapper's Delights  - die cuts and punches (from Cricut Artiste)
Sister Act Card Challenge #14 - Anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #87 - anything goes/ scripture


 

Going, Going, Gone

Here's a list of the products that will no longer be available after July 31, 2013.  If you see something you meant to get, but hadn't yet, you can shop for them at the shopping tab above. I found some unbelievable bargains at the tab called "While Supplies Last."

Spring 2013 Retiring List: 1/9/2012
Part	Description		Category		Family
Z1366	Brads Metal Assortment		Accessory		brads
Z1410	Antiqued Copper Designer Brads		Accessory		brads
Z1704	Pewter Badge Buttons		Accessory		Buttons
Z1703	Wooden Badge Buttons		Accessory		Buttons
Z1821	Buttons Black Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1371	Buttons Blue Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1370	Buttons Pink Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1358	Buttons Basic Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1369	Buttons Red Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1372	Buttons Green Assortment		Accessory		Buttons
Z1773	Color-Ready Noted Canvas Shapes		Accessory		Color Ready
Z1718	Color-Ready Garden Wooden Shapes		Accessory		Color Ready
Z1450	Cork Color-Ready Alphabet		Accessory		Color Ready
Z1719	Color-Ready Evergreen Cork Shapes		Accessory		Color Ready
X7164C	Buzz and Bumble My Stickease® Assortment		Accessory		Complements
X7155C	Avonlea Complements Canvas Shapes		Accessory		Complements
X7167C	Later Sk8r My Stickease® Assortment		Accessory		Complements
X7166C	Claire Complements Canvas Shapes		Accessory		Complements
X7156C	Clementine Complements Canvas Shapes		Accessory		Complements
X7157C	Dakota Complements Silver Foil Images		Accessory		Complements
X7159C	Scholastic My Stickease® Assortment		Accessory		Complements
Z1326	Sparkles Red, Pink & Purple Assortment		Accessory		embellishment
Z1327	Sparkles Blue & Green Assortment		Accessory		embellishment
Z1710	Just Blooms® Paradise Paper Flowers		Accessory		Flowers
Z1612	Paper Clip Pins		Accessory		foundry
Z1755	Posh Journaling Spots		Accessory		Journaling
Z1734	Irresistibles™ Persnickety Journaling Spots		Accessory		Journaling
Z1831	Buzz and Bumble Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1813	Claire Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1810	Later Sk8r Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1748	Brocade Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1794	Cottage Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1766	Memo Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1780	Wrangler Assortment		Accessory		Level 2
Z1487	Mini Medley Accents Pewter Collection		Accessory		mini medley
Z1697	Mini-Medley Accents Smoothie Collection		Accessory		mini medley
Z1489	Mini Medley Accents Olive Collection		Accessory		mini medley
Z1798	Black Tulle Ribbon		Accessory		Ribbon
Z1088	ChocolateWaxyFlax		Accessory		Ribbon
Z1089	BlackWaxyFlax		Accessory		Ribbon
Z906	BambooWaxyFlax		Accessory		Ribbon
Z1081	ColonialWhiteWaxyFlax		Accessory		Ribbon
Z1096	EmbroideryFlossNeutralAssortment		Accessory		Ribbon
Z1347	12 x 12 Post Bound Album- New England Ivy		Album		album
Z1827	My Creations™ Paper Pouch - Small		Crafts		gift
Z1828	My Creations™ Paper Pouch - Large		Crafts		gift
Z1740	My Creations® Bookmark Album		Crafts		My Creations
Z1739	My Creations® Milk Carton		Crafts		My Creations
Z1774	My Creations® Canvas Journal		Crafts		My Creations
Z1736	My Creations® Mini Banner		Crafts		My Creations
Z1267		Paper/StampOrganizer8.5x11(3)		organization
Z4200		AccessoriesOrganizer		Organization
Z4136		ExclusiveInksOrganizerCarryingCase		Organization
Z1474	6" x 6" Kraft Die-Cut Cards & Envelopes		Paper Product		cards
Z1724	6" x 6" Kraft Envelopes		Paper Product		Cards
Z1412	10-Things Pocket		Paper Product		cards
Z1722	4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Kraft Envelopes		Paper Product		Cards
Z1723	5" x 7" Kraft Envelopes		Paper Product		Cards
Z1721	3" x 3" Kraft Envelopes		Paper Product		Cards
X7155B	Avonlea Paper Packet		Paper Product		Level 2
X7157B	Dakota Paper Packet		Paper Product		Level 2
X7156B	Clementine Paper Packet		Paper Product		Level 2

July 4th Independence Day

Yesterday we celebrated Independence Day. When I visited Washington, DC a couple of years ago, I was impressed by the number of references about God on monuments and buildings. Our founding fathers recognized the importance of God's leadership and protection in establishing our nation. My prayer is that our leaders today will acknowledge the importance of making decisions with God's guidance. His Word, prayer, and His Spirit continue to give us a blueprint for life on an individual basis as well as nationally.  The card I made yesterday uses a wonderful, encouraging verse, 1 Corinthians 15:13, New International Version (NIV):

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

 

I used the image and verse from the Our Daily Bread Designs stamp set, "Not Forgotten."

 

 

The paper is from the Bo Bunny "Anthem" collection. I used scissor distressing on the edges for a rough, masculine-type appearance. The twill, kraft corrugated stars (inked with CTMH Moonstruck), and metallic Durables are from Close To My Heart. I cut the blue and white star and the two Bazzill sentiment mats using Cricut Art Philosophy. I used Copics to color the image: B26, B28, R89, W1, N2, E00, E43.

May God give you direction, courage, and strength in all you do as you seek to follow Him. May you also pray for the leaders and military of your own country to be directed by God in their decisions.


I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting by Designs - Show the colors of your country
DL Art Thankful Thursday #112 - Patriotic
Inky Impressions #115 - Red, white, and blue
Little Miss Muffett #64 - Seeing Stars
MilkCoffee - Use the colors of your flag
Our Daily Bread Designs SLC #160 - Red, white, & Blue or patriotic
QKR Stampede #46 - Rock the Red, White, & Blue
Simon Says Stamp - Patriotic
Sweet Pea Stampers - for the men/boys
Totally Papercrafts #174 - for the boys
Word Art Wednesday #87 - anything goes with Scripture or encouraging verse

These words written by Thomas Jefferson on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial are part of the beginning and end of the Declaration of Independence.

Load of Birthday Blessings Masculine Card

I live on a farm near Kansas City, Missouri. This year God has blessed us with enough rain that we are no longer in a serious drought like we were last year. It's wonderful to drive past fields flourishing with corn, soybeans, or grasses ready to be cut for hay.

I made this masculine birthday card that's perfect for our area farmers.  I used one of the newer digi stamps from Clearly Digi Stamps. The set is called "Construction" and has some "punny" sentiments. The images are great for masculine cards. Since I needed a birthday sentiment, I concocted and printed my own using Word. I used a play on words using the idea of the front-end loader and a load of blessings. You are welcome to save and use my sentiment jpg if desired. Just click on it to get the larger version, then right click and do a save as. When you're ready to print you can resize it to 2" or the desired size. I simply drew a cloud shape around mine with a Copic marker before cutting it out.

I chose this week's sketch from Feeling Sketchy so that I could use some masculine papers from CTMH several years ago.

 

I used the pre-colored loader for a fast card and mounted it on brown striped paper that I hoped looked like a plowed field. I added the blue strip for sky, but sanded it so that it mildly resembled light clouds. That's what I love about Close To My Heart papers - they have a white core that can show through with distressing. I used the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the 4.5" circle for the background.

 

 

To add to the masculine feel, I used brown hemp, corrugated bracket and CTMH metallic durables.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Craftin Desert Diva's Linky Party - On the Farm
Crafts 4 Eternity #130 - Heavy Metal (CTMH Durables)
Daring Cardmakers - Forgotten Treasures (Masculine CTMH "Sarsparilla" paper I bought summer 2008 and filed it away for future masculine layouts. It's time to use it!)
Feeling Sketchy #64 - sketch
The Crafty Blogger's Network Challenge #13 - Metal (CTMH Durables)