From Clothing Tags to Gift Tags---Join the Upcycling/Recycling Optional Theme in our Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create!

Hello there, Crafty friends! Today, I'm featuring another project for our Monthly Challenge at 613 Avenue Create.  As always, it's Anything Goes with an optional theme of Reuse/Recycle/Upcycle.  You see, I usually throw clothing tags after I made sure that I wasn't going to return the merchandise back to the store for imperfect fit or damage.   But for some reason, I found four tags hiding in the drawer which would be perfect for our optional theme.  What better way  than to transform them into something not only beautiful but useful.  Honestly, I'm not a big recycle/upcycle crafter so, I have to fully trust the Lord for some inspiration here. 

As I looked on the before and after photos of the tags I made, God revealed something in my spirit that filled me with gratitude towards Him.  He showed me how we were once like useless (meant for trash) clothing tags!    He had to save us and then transform us to a fabulous, one of a kind creation that is set aside for His purpose.  We were born into this world in Adam and because of his disobedience, everyone born from his lineage are doomed to destruction. Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  There was nothing mankind could do to change that reality.  The payment for our redemption required a Man without Sin.  Yet, there was none.  Only God was without Sin.

I would like to share what Gotquestions.org wrote that would explain further why Jesus was the Only One qualified to save us.  It says, "The Bible is clear about the divine nature of the Lord Jesus Christ (see John 1:1-14). Philippians 2:6-7 says that, although Jesus was "in very nature God, He did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Colossians 2:9 says, “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Jesus is fully God and fully man, and the fact of His incarnation is of utmost importance. He lived a human life but did not possess a sin nature as we do. He was tempted but never sinned (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15). Sin entered the world through Adam, and Adam’s sinful nature has been transferred to every baby born into the world (Romans 5:12)—except for Jesus. Because Jesus did not have a human father, He did not inherit a sin nature. He possessed the divine nature from His Heavenly Father.  Jesus had to meet all the requirements of a holy God before He could be an acceptable sacrifice for our sin (John 8:29; Hebrews 9:14). He had to fulfill over three hundred prophecies about the Messiah that God, through the prophets, had foretold (Matthew 4:13-14; Luke 22:37; Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2).

Since the Fall of Man (Genesis 3:21-23), the only way to be made right with God has been the blood of an innocent sacrifice (Leviticus 9:2; Numbers 28:19; Deuteronomy 15:21; Hebrews 9:22). Jesus was the final, perfect sacrifice that satisfied forever God's wrath against sin (Hebrews 10:14). His divine nature made Him fit for the work of Redeemer; His human body allowed Him to shed the blood necessary to redeem. No human being with a sin nature could pay such a debt. No one else could meet the requirements to become the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (Matthew 26:28; 1 John 2:2). If Jesus were merely a good man as some claim, then He had a sin nature and was not perfect. In that case, His death and resurrection would have no power to save anyone.  Because Jesus was God in the flesh, He alone could pay the debt we owed to God. His victory over death and the grave won the victory for everyone who puts their trust in Him (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 17).

 

Now, can you see how my simple upcycled project parallels to the working of God in a believer's life?  We take the trash, transform it and give it a new purpose.  We create because God is a Creator.  Through the Cross of Christ, He gave everyone who trusted in Him a total makeover inside and out resulting in a radiant finish (Justification by Faith)  fit for the King's use (Sanctification by Faith). God is a Great Teacher  and I love it when He communicates  with me the deeper things of life by using the everyday mundanes.  And  to think that many souls out there are convinced that God doesn't speak to His people?   How sad and foolish they are!  The truth is they couldn't hear from God because they don't belong to Him in the first place!  They boast about their religions, their charitable affiliations and contributions which would have no real/eternal value for them.  They are spiritually deaf to His voice, blind to the Truth, and outsiders to God's Kingdom because they rejected Christ--the Only Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).  Everyone who belongs to Christ is led by voice of the Holy Spirit whom God placed inside our hearts.  We know that  God speaks to His people in many ways---a gentle voice, dreams and visions, reading of His Word, toggle/prodding in the heart, lessons seen/learned from nature or even people, word/advice from other believers and so much more.  And yes---even in creating paper craft projects!  God is not limited by anything.  As we conform ourselves to His Word, we become more and more sensitive to His move and His voice.  All glory to His Name!

For this upcycled tags. I used a variety of embellishments from different companies.  I love to stamp and color images to embellish my cards so these store bought embellishments had been in my stash for quite sometime.  But since I rushed to submit this project for this Challenge, I had to utilize these ready made embellishments.  It saved me a lot of time.  I'm so happy it turned out great.  So from now on, I would surely save all the sturdy and beautiful tags from future clothing  purchases...LOL 

 

 UPCYCLED FROM CLOTHING TAGS TO GIFT TAGS

 CLOTHING TAGS BEFORE UPCYCLING

 UPCYCLED GIFT TAG 1

  UPCYCLED GIFT TAG 2

  UPCYCLED GIFT TAG 3

 UPCYCLED GIFT TAG 4

This Project is entered into the following Challenges:

Crafty Creations---ATG
Crafty Gals---ATG
Inspiration Destination---ATG
Inspire-Create---Animals
Moo-Mania---Spring
Simon Says Stamp---ATG
Crafty Addicts---ATG/All Loved Up
2 Crafty Critters---ATG with Critters
A Bit More Time to Craft---ATG
A Perfect Time to Craft---ATG
Animal Friends---ATG with Animals
Create with TLC---ATG
Classic DT---ATG
Crafter's Cafe---Recycling
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Crafty Animals---ATG/Animals
Crafty Girls Creations---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Papers
Creatalicious---ATG
Create and Inspire---ATG
Eclectic Ellapu---Spring is Coming
Fabrika Fantasy---Spring
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Sunsational---ATG


This it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge.  If you want to be challenged (like I was), take on the Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it.  Can't wait to see what you create. While the Ark of Grace is still accessible for everyone today, God is still in the business of transforming the worthless trash of this world to something shiny, beautiful and purposeful.  If  you want a real meaning to your life, know who you really are in Christ and your true purpose in this world.  If you're being led in your spirit, ask Jesus to come into your life, repent of your Sin,  confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior and begin reading His Word.  You will surely hear His voice in no time!