I used to have a very negative feeling about using printable files in my Bible journaling. To me, it felt like cheating. It felt like if I were not creating an entry completely from scratch, than the time spent with God was not as authentic. That was in the beginning of my Bible journaling days, when I was much more focused on the end product. I now realize how much more important it is to embrace anything that calls to you in a creative way and makes it easier for you to spend time in the Word. Whether it be an adorable printable that really speaks to you or a certain craft supply that gives you a spark, all of these things are just tools that help you express your faith!
Recently, I purchased Shawna Clingerman’s new printable set from Illustrated Faith called “Wait out the Wilderness”. Shawna creates a special set every September that focuses on mental health, and her sets always speak to me! I grabbed this one because I have been dealing with some serious anxiety for a while now. My life is in major transition as all 3 of my kids are in school for the first time, and it is time for me to figure out what I want the rest of my life to look like. The Bible continually urges us to let go of these anxieties and worries, so I am leaning in to prayer to not only get through this time, but to begin thriving in my life! Check out my process over on my YouTube channel:
Perhaps the largest obstacle to overcome when working with printable is actually cutting out the pieces! This seems like an obvious step, but is often overwhelming because of the sheer amount of cutting it involves. Here are some of my tips to make “fussy-cutting” a more enjoyable activity:
- Put on some great music or your favorite TV show!
- Cut in batches…its more fun to cut out the pieces BEFORE you sit down to journal!
- Good scissors matter…invest in some great ones!
- Move the paper, not the scissors!
- Let go of perfection….this might not correlate directly with fussy-cutting, but it is a lesson I need to tell myself over and over.
This entry, focused on 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, came together very easily. I began with a simple technique that is one of my favorites for creating a background to a page. I swiped a couple of different colors of acrylic paint on to my page using an old paint card. You can also use an old gift card or credit card. I focused on three different areas of the page, moving the color around the page, and creating anchors for the printables to be adhered down.
The next step for me was adding a little detail to my cut-outs. You can definitely use the printable images “as-is”, but I generally like to add a little something to make them more personal. In this case, my “little something” happened to be clear NUVO drops with glitter! I added a clear glitter glaze over top the mason jar and all the butterflies. This little bit of sparkle helped these elements really jump off the page.
Once the elements were personalized, it was really a matter of arranging them on the page. My idea was to have the butterflies escaping the jar, representing growth and new life. Playing with the layering of the different cut-outs was fun and challenging. I loved every bit of this set, so it was hard to decide what to include. After I secured the elements on the page, I added journaling and the page was done!
Do you use printables in your journaling? Who are some of your favorite digital artists? Let me know in the comments below!
Keep it creative,
-The Scrappy Wife
Supplies Used: