Something about a new year always inspires me. It’s a new chance, a new beginning, and an opportunity to try new things. I’ve been reading some about choosing “One Little Word” that sets the tone for your entire year. With 2019 bringing some big changes to my family (my twins are headed to kindergarten!), I decided that the one little word I need to embrace this year is “Leap”. Change is hard for me, and taking risks certainly is not in my nature. But, I know in my heart that it is time to try something new, so here it goes….
Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and think about what could go right!
It’s always been my dream to share my love of craftiness, primarily through bible journaling, memory keeping, and art journaling. I’m by no means a professional artist, but I as I like to explain to my husband, “I just like pretty things.” 🙂
About Me
My name is Elisa, and I’ve been married to the love of my life for the past 10 years. My husband is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known, and he continually inspires me to be a better person and encourages me to chase my dreams. He’s just the best. We have three sweet, if not loud, kids. My daughter is nearly 8, and my identical twin sons will be 5 at the end of February. Our world is loud, colorful, and full of life. As an introvert surrounded by a family of extroverts, crafting has become my solace, my place of peace in this crazy life. It has been great for my mental health, my spiritual journey, and my overall happiness. And, I’m a firm believer that making time for yourself is something that every mom needs to be doing!
Bible Journaling
I discovered Bible journaling about 3 years ago, and it has absolutely shaped my faith journey and my relationship with God. Being able to connect with God in a my own creative language has really freed me up to dive deeper, investigate tough questions, and connect with His Word in a way I never knew was possible. While I read and study in a more traditional way during my daily quiet time, I choose to spend a chunk of my creative time every day reflecting and connecting on a deeper level by creating art work within the pages of my Bible. I believe everyone’s walk is completely unique, but I plan to share some of the processes and projects I have in the works in hopes of igniting a new spark in your faith!
Memory Keeping
I started scrapbooking all the way back in high school. I managed to keep up traditional scrapbooking throughout college and graduate school. I fell in love with the process of using colorful supplies to really highlight some special moments in my life. And, the time spent reflecting on events by preserving those pictures is something I have always treasured. After my daughter was born, life became busier, and I transitioned from traditional memory keeping to digital memory keeping, to no scrapbooking at all. I pour so much energy into my kids, the thought of churning out 12×12 pages seems overwhelming. But, I recently discovered traveler’s notebooks and have since fallen in love! I love the ease and speed that I can make pages. I document quickly and simply, but still capture the unique moment. So, as my kids start to get older, I am starting to embrace my role as the family memory keeper once again! I’m pumped to explore what has changed since I last scrapbooked on a regular basis and to connect with other memory keeping moms out there!
Art Journaling
This is a completely new creative outlet that I am excited to explore. As a Type A, overly organized planner, art journaling does not come naturally to me. But, it is so invigorating to operate without any rules! Just playing with vivid paints, intriguing textures, and meaningful words really inspires me. So, while my first attempts are certainly amateur in nature, I think pushing myself outside of my comfort zone is just what I need to grow. And, I hope it inspires you to push out of your comfort zone, get messy, and make some beautiful mistakes!
Thanks for reading, and I can’t wait to get started!
Keep it creative!
-The Scrappy Wife
Great first post! I’m excited to read more!
Thanks Delaina! I’m excited too 🙂 Let me know if you have any ideas for things you’d like for me to write about!
What an inspiring blog, Elisa! I enjoyed reading about your creativity. I look forward to the next post from Scrappywife.
Thanks for checking it out Carol!
Two thumbs up. You have to keep trying and learning new things or life gets very boring.
True story! It’s easy to just fall into a rut and not push yourself….this is certainly out of my comfort zone!
yay, go you! i’ve never done a word before but this year i chose progress. trying to learn to ignore my inner perfectionist and be content with progress towards big goals throughout the year. (and what are you going to do with yourself in the fall with the boys at school???)
Progress is a great focus word! I can’t imagine what it will be like when the boys go back to school, but it is definitely time for me to start figuring out what my plan will be!
yay, go you! what are you even going to do with yourself once the boys start school in the fall??
This sounds perfect and I can’t wait for you to post more!
Thanks Julie! I hope you enjoy some of the upcoming posts 🙂
Hello….do you have a YouTube channel? Do you have process videos? I am a visual learner, as you might guess ❤️and I have just recently discovered bible journaling and enjoy your blog…Jana
I don’t…it’s just not a skill I have yet, but I’m hoping to explore it a bit as I get into the groove with this blog. Bible Journaling is fantastic, you will love it!