Keeping it Simple - by Sarah Anderson

When people first discover bible art journaling, they often ask what materials they need to do it.  I find this a difficult question to answer as I guess you can almost use any art material there is (oil paints would prove tricky I imagine!!).  Another common question is about the minimum amount of resources,  the 'if you were stuck on a desert island what would you take' line of thought, to which I easily reply - my trusty fine black Bic biro, and a pencil!

Don't get me wrong, I adore colour, and art shops are one of my happy places, where I breathe in the smell of paper and paint, and stroke the coloured pencils; and I love that my bible is full of colour where I've played with the materials I love such as rubber stamps, gelli plate prints, watercolour, spray inks, distress inks ....  

But it's also full of simple lettering using my favourite pen.  This leaves a gorgeous crinkly texture to the pages, encourages me to spend time pondering the verse as I embellish the words, and is pleasing to my eye as I adore lettering.

I get lots of inspiration from Instagram, and have learnt the different types of lettering that I like over time, gaining in confidence with each verse!

Lettering is all about practice.  In the long summer holiday after my O levels I spent a lot of time in the library practicing my handwriting as I hated it.  The ascenders and descenders leaned this way and that without consistency.  I now have handwriting I really like (I'm sure being a Reception teacher before computers also helped as I was constantly writing out letters for children to overwrite or copy!) and sometimes I just emphasise my normal handwriting a bit more in the margins of my bible.

I am currently practicing these fancy 'r's.  I discovered this lettering style on Instagram and I enjoy writing a word out in pencil, then drawing around it with my biro (the only reason I'd have a pencil on my desert island!!!).

There really are no rules in bible art journaling.  It's about using the art practices you like and enjoy within the pages of your bible, and finding that through these processes you take in truth from God's amazing word.  There is a lot of joy in learning new practices and techniques and having fun with them in the pages of your bible, and for me, one of those is as simple as lettering with a fine black Bic pen!!

#31 days of adoration, Lettering a verse a day by Sarah Anderson

Last year I successfully completed the #100dayproject over on Instagram.  You choose to do something for 100 successive days and I chose to art journal everyday.  

I still can't believe I stuck to it as I'm not usually great at these things.  

I also tried #30daysofbiblelettering but only managed about a week.  

One of the big differences that affected the success and failure of these two challenges was that I always had the minimum amount of time to complete the art journal task - 10 mins, but not always the lettering, which would take at least 30mins.  I could choose to spend longer on the art journal but couldn't minimise the time on the lettering (bigger page as well as higher expectations of illustrating verse or spending significant time on fancy lettering).

This January I have challenged myself to art journal everyday.  I find it great for my emotional well-being and I feel so relaxed after doing it. I decided that I also wanted to have another go at lettering a verse a day.  This is partly because my journaling bible isn't with me at the moment (more on that next month) and I didn't really want to start a new one! I also wanted something from the bible to 'ponder' each day.

Two things have kept me on track so far.  I planned to just write out the verse in a diary, with a nice fountain pen.  This only takes a few minutes, so is achievable everyday, but if I have more time I can embellish the pages.  The challenge involves a lot of Psalms so I'm also reading the whole Psalm (usually in the Passion Translation) the verse is taken from.

The second thing keeping me on track is a few verses I read in The Passion Translation from 2 Peter 1 that have had a huge impact on my thinking.

God's Generous Grace

"Everything we could ever need for life and complete devotion to God has already

been deposited in us by His divine power.  For all this was lavished upon us through

the rich experience of knowing Him who has called us by name and invited us to

come to Him through a glorious manifestation of His goodness.  As a result of this, He

has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power 

of these tremendous promises you can experience partnership with the divine nature,

by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.

Faith's Ladder of Virtue

So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness,

and to goodness add understanding,

and to understanding add the strength of self-control (inner strength).

and to self-control add patient endurance,

and to patient endurance add godliness,

and to godliness  add..."

Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them

in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in

your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately...."

2 Peter 1:3-8

[my emphasis]

I don't have to 'try hard' to have self control or self discipline, I already have it!!  God has already given me the strength I need to do the things I find hard but are good for me (like healthy eating!!).

So a combination of sensible expectations of how long I can spend on something to always ensure it happens in my day, and the knowledge that God has given me the inner strength to have the 'umph' to both art journal daily (for my emotional and mental well being) and read/write out part of the bible daily (for my spiritual/mental well being), is proving successful.

I really encourage you to take hold of these verses and know that you have all that you need to be who God made you to be, without striving, but resting in the truth.

I'm working in a passport sized traveler's notebook.   Just holding it gives me pleasure which means I want to work in it (another means of encouraging myself to write a verse a day).  For the month of January I am using Sara Hagerty's (from @everybitterthingissweet on Instagram) list of verses on adoration.

Step by Step to making a Joy Shaker Pocket by Sarah Anderson

I adore glitter, and shinies, and fell in love with the idea of joy shaker pockets after seeing them on Celeste's Instagram @precious.to.me.  These little packets of sparkle fill your bible and/or planner with happiness!

I've put the first joy shaker pocket I made with this verse, which I've written as a prayer, in Romans, and used glittery tape to attach it to the top of my bible page.  So how do you make them??

The first thing you'll need is a cellophane packet.  I used this packet from some adhesive gems I purchased but you could use one from a greetings card, stamp set or a cellophane CD cover.

Cut a piece of coloured card to fit inside the packet.  I used card I'd painted, sprayed, stencilled and stamped on both side.  You could also use double sided scrapbook paper.

I stamped the word 'joy' on the front in black ...

..and repeatedly in aquamarine on the other side.  By stamping until the stamp runs out of ink (rather than inking the stamp each time you stamp) you get added texture as the word lightens.

Slide the stamped card into the pocket ...

... and collect together a selection of 'shinies'.  I found the glitter in Poundland, tiny star confetti in Tesco (other supermarkets are available!) and star sequins in Rymans.  In my first shaker pocket I used sequins from Hobbycraft.

Fill your pocket with a selection of glitter and sequins ...

... and seal with glittery tape.  I found this in Tesco (other supermarkets are available!) in the gift wrap section.

I added this shaker pocket into Nehemiah.  I journaled this page last week and whilst I was adding the shaker pocket decided it needed some sparkle so added some Stickles.  This is a glue containing ultra fine glitter and is one of my favourites.  You'll find it in Hobbycraft.

I hope this has inspired you to fill your bible with glitter and shine, and hunt out those verses about joy.  And I pray that our God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.