Help, I Messed It Up! (What to Do About Mistakes)

My Dearest Bible & Art Journaling Friends,

Spoiler alert:  “Mistakes” happen. We can call them “oopsies”, “unintended outcomes” or even “happy accidents” (just like Bob Ross said). Whatever we call them, they are a fact of life.

Today I decided to focus on this important basic concept we must master to preserve our sanity when Bible journaling: Know what to do when something goes wrong. 

Page from Women of the Bible “Better Together” Kit from DaySpring

I worked on this page to feature in the DaySpring Bible Journaling group featuring the Women of the Bible “Better Together” kit (featuring Huldah’s story – amazing!). As I worked through it, I used some little teardrop-shaped inkpads I’d purchased recently to make this flower and used a simple yellow crayon to do the center.

Disaster! It soaked through! (Spoiler alert: It’s not a disaster. It’s ok! No, really… it’s actually ok!

I was happy with the outcome for such a simple page technique until… disaster! It. Soaked. Through. And isn’t that everyone’s greatest fear with ink pads? If it soaks through, it’s surely ruined, isn’t it?!?  (Spoiler alert: NO, it is most certainly NOT ruined. 😀)

Allow me to share the single greatest piece of advice I try to heed for myself when an “unexpected outcome” happens and I get a result about which I’m not immediately happy.

Here’s the secret: DON’T PANIC! Take a deep breath. It will be OK. (And say it with me again, friends, “It doesn’t have to be perfect!“)

Who remembers the wonderful, kind voice of Bob Ross (and his legendary afro)? Remember that he said that there are no mistakes in artwork, only “happy accidents”? I challenge each of us to see this sort of thing as exactly what Bob Ross said; it’s a happy accident!

Yes, the ink soaked through on one of my pages, right? So. What. It’s not a big deal. Instead of panicking and telling myself (and others) how “I messed up my page,” I challenge each of us to find a way to make it awesome!

For instance, here are just three quick ideas I could use for the back side of this page (and have used with other “happy accidents” in the past):

1. Use paint and/or ink over the soaked-through portion to intentionally do a similar flower design on the back side also. Take that, “mistake”!
2. Cover with absolutely anything – die-cut decorations, stickers, or some fun and beautiful washi tape. All of these can look amazing!
3. Add splashes of bold acrylic paint here and there on the page and on top of the ink here as beautiful background for another page.

Most important tip for your “happy accidents”: Dont. PANIC. It can always be fixed.

And you know what else? God always shows up for me every time.

I have had ink and paint soak through. I’ve torn pages, stamped words upside down, and smeared things I thought would be impossible to fix. But God shows me every single time that he can make all things beautiful. All. Things. And time spent in His word is more beautiful to him than any design I put on the page anyway, don’t you think? ❤️

So, let’s have some grace for ourselves. When it doesn’t look as expected, just go with it and call it a “happy accident”!

Big hugs,

Melody

P.S. Here’s a personal challenge from me: On your next Bible journaling page (even if it’s your first!), I challenge you to say 100% of nothing negative about it, even to yourself, and not even silently. Criticize nothing. Apologize for nothing. Celebrate the beauty of the time you spent in the Word! Your art is beautiful to Him, and you CAN do this. I believe in you! ❤️

P.P.S. Just getting started Bible Journaling? Find supplies and resources at DaySpring here.  Looking for more great articles on Bible Journaling? There are some awesome choices on DaySpring as well. Try these. And if you’re just getting started, I recommend starting with the basics, like 7 Easy Steps to Start Bible Journaling. Enjoy!

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

New Kits & Workbooks & Journals, Oh My! (My Recent Supply Favorites)

Hey y’all! Thanks for joining me on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group and (in)Courage’s Women of Courage Online Bible Study on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and of course here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

I get oodles of questions about supplies we’re using in the group and in the studio, and I wanted to share those with you. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, feel free to leave a comment with a question! Happy to help any way I can.

First, let’s review some of the posts! You’ll find the supply list below.

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We used some fun and beautiful Bibles, journals and Bible accessories! One of my faves was the new Written on My Heart: Bible Study Notes Journal by Shanna Noel (which you’ll see below). I’ve discovered this is perfect for taking notes at a Bible study or during a sermon, and it made it so, so easy for me to organize my thoughts on the page and still allowed me to make it fun and creative.  Five stars on this one!

Bibles, Journals, Books & Bible Accessories I Used This Week:

• (in)Courage Devotional Bible (blue)
  Beautiful. I’m loving this! Contains the devotions we’re studying in the Women of Courage Online Bible Study.
  The gray hardcover is also so lovely!
• Illustrating Bible
  I adore this and unfortunately it’s sold out as of this writing. BUT – good news! – a new design is on the way in the coming weeks. Follow the link and enter an email address to be notified when it’s in stock.
• Hope in His Word – Illustrating Bible Cover. This cover makes it easy to carry the Illustrating Bible and the supplies for it – even when it gets as full as mine.
• Illustrating Bible, Genesis to Revelation Bible Tabs. Perfect for the Illustrating Bible. Understated and elegant.
• Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling by Shanna Noel. I will be using this for quite some time! Fabulous ideas and includes try-it-out-first pages.
• 100 Days of Bible Promises and 100 Days of Grace and Gratitude, both by Shanna Noel. My favorite feature: perfect paper for creative journaling.
• And my new favorite thing: The aforementioned Written on My Heart: Bible Study Notes Journal from Shanna Noel.

Kits:

I was so blessed to do the video preview of the new kit, which just released the week of Feb 19! This is the second kit in the Women of the Bible series called “Friendship on Purpose“, and I just love it! 

• Women of the Bible Kits:
  • January release: Better Together:
  • February release: Friendship on Purpose
  • Both pair beautifully with the Women of Courage Online Bible Study and the associated (in)Courage Devotional Bible. (Note: Neither are required for the study! They just follow along with it very well.)
• The Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit:
  I can’t say enough good things about this starter kit. It’s full of all the supplies you’ll need to start and even comes in a super cute storage box.

Other Supplies:

Just a few other tidbits!

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

Not seeing what you need in this week’s list? Shop all Bible Journaling supplies here.

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! 

 

 

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit.  Great devotionals, plenty of supplies, cute storage box and right around $50 so shipping is free also. Super easy!

For great articles on getting started, I highly recommend checking out the library of Bible Journaling articles on DaySpring.com! You’ll find everything from beginner basics there to tips for hosting a Bible journaling get-together with friends – no artistic skills required! 

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

Highlighting Scripture: Start Painting in Your Bible in Just 10 Minutes!

Hey, friends, just wanted to share a quick video I put together tonight at the Flippy Doodle Studio featuring some of the techniques from the book “A Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling” by Shanna Noel, available from DaySpring.

I know, I know – painting in your Bible can be scary when you’ve never done it before! But trust me when I say you CAN do it if you want to.

Take a deep breath, and be brave. I believe in you!  This video is less than 10 minutes long, and I promise this technique is so easy you can do it right away!  Check it out on our YouTube channel below:

Check out the video on the Flippy Doodle YouTube Channel!

A supply list follows if you’re looking for any supplies! Enjoy, friends.

My favorite supplies:

• (in)Courage Devotional Bible (on SALE as of this writing!)
• A Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling” by Shanna Noel
• Illustrated Faith high-viscosity Pebeo acrylic paints
• Illustrated Faith Oh My Heavens Alpha Stickers
• Illustrated Faith – Journal It Pen Pack, Set of 5

Questions? Share them below! Have fun, and let’s get creative!

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

My Goody List: Supplies from Bible Journaling Posts Week of Feb. 8

Hi friends! Thanks for joining us this week on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group and (in)Courage’s Women of Courage Online Bible Study on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

With so many questions about supplies and where to get started, I wanted to share my supply list with tips and favorites from this week! Photos of the Bible Journaling pages posted are here, and supplies are all available at the links below.

My big Illustrating Bible!

First, a big BACK IN STOCK ALERT:
If you are among those who were waiting for the Illustrating Bible, as of this writing it is back in stock in very limited quantities. (Shipping is free!)

It’s expected to sell out quickly, though, so grab it if you can! (I grabbed my second one this week and can’t wait to get started in it.)

Yes, I have already almost filled one of these… I adore it!

 

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Bibles, Journals, Books & Bible Accessories I Used This Week:

• (in)Courage Devotional Bible
  Beautifully written devotions and just enough space for journaling on each page. Also contains the devotions we’re studying in the Women of Courage Online Bible Study!
• Illustrating Bible
  Oh-so popular and for good reason! What I love: Huge, spiral-bound, and very heavy paper that is perfect for journaling!
• Hope in His Word – Illustrating Bible Cover. Protects my Illustrating Bible and helps me carry enough supplies to work in it but also works well when it gets very full (as you’ll see in the photos that mine obviously is)!
• Illustrating Bible, Genesis to Revelation Bible Tabs. Perfect for the Illustrating Bible.
• Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling by Shanna Noel. I will be using this for quite some time. The ideas are fantastic, and I love that there is space for me to try things out before committing it to my Bible page.
• 100 Days of Bible Promises and 100 Days of Grace and Gratitude, both by Shanna Noel: Such wonderful and uplifting devotionals with perfect paper for creative journaling.
• And stay tuned for my new favorite thing: Written on My Heart: Bible Study Notes Journal from Shanna Noel. You’ll be seeing more of this soon…

We are going to have so much fun with this beautiful journal for Bible Study notes!

Kits:

A bit of my 1st page from the Women of the Bible – Better Together Kit

• The new DaySpring Bible Journaling Kit – Women of the Bible – Better Together:
  Pairs beautiful with Women of Courage Online Bible Study and the associated (in)Courage Devotional Bible. (Note: Neither are required for the study! They just follow along with it very well.)
• The Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit:
  I can’t say enough good things about this starter kit. It’s full of all the supplies you’ll need to start and even comes in a super cute storage box.

Other Supplies:

Fly Free Clear Stamps on Illustrating Bible page

• Illustrated Faith Fly Free Clear Stamps (butterflies). So beautiful. I love to color them in with colored pencils!
• Illustrated Faith – Shanna’s Favorite Paint Set & Paint Cards. I love this paint and it last f-o-r-e-v-e-r. If you have never tried high-viscosity acrylics, they work beautifully on a Bible page.
• Be Bold Bible Mat *Included in the Starter Kit if you happen to grab that instead!
• Illustrated Faith – Topics – 47-Piece Tabbies. I love adding tabs to the top of my page with the topic or keywords from my study.
• Illustrated Faith Homespun Alphabet Clear Stamps
  Big, fun, chunky letters! Also pick up the acrylic block if you don’t have one.
• Bright Hearts Enamel Stickers: I really like to add some depth and dimension to my pages, and these enamel heart stickers are bright, cute and just a little puffy to stand out on the page.
• Illustrated Faith – Remind Me of Your Love Washi Tape. Because you can never have too many hearts on the page.
• Illustrated Faith – You are Loved – Clear Cuts Pad. The more I play with these clear cuts, the more I love them.
• Misc decorative papers and stickers purchased at Hobby Lobby.
• Clear, printable sticker paper available anywhere in-store or online where you purchase printer paper.

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

Not seeing what you need in this week’s list? Shop all Bible Journaling supplies here.

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! And as you’re working on your art and Bible journaling pages, remember this: It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just enjoy.

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit.  Great devotionals, plenty of supplies, cute storage box and right around $50 so shipping is free also. Super easy!

For great articles on getting started, check out the library of Bible Journaling articles on DaySpring.com while you’re at it!

 

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

My Goody List: Supplies From This Week’s Bible Journaling Posts

Hi friends! Thanks for joining us this week on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

I wanted to share my supply list and favorites from this week! (And maybe a recommendation or two.) Photos of the Bible Journaling pages posted in the group are here, and supplies are available at the links below.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit. It has plenty of supplies to get you started – even a great devotional to help you get in touch with your inner artist, even if you don’t think she’s in there! And the supplies are fantastic right down to the cute clear stamps and the pen that writes beautifully in your bible. It’s around $50, so the shipping is free also. Easy-peasy.

 

Bibles, Journals & Books I Used This Week:

My big Illustrating Bible!

• (in)Courage Devotional Bible
  I love that this Bible has beautifully written devotions, just enough space at the bottom for journaling on the pages of scripture, and it’s just a beautiful Bible.
• Illustrating Bible
  Oh-so popular and for good reason!
  What I love: It’s big – basically 10” x 10” square – and is spiral-bound with paper that is 75%-ish heavier than other journaling Bibles, so it’s great for paint (even watercolors), stickers, and all sorts of creative journaling. I joke that it’s as big as a newborn baby when you get it, but mine is now so full it’s basically a toddler!
• Crossway ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible – Interleaved (Sometimes I call this my “Legacy Bible”.). The leather is so rich and luxurious, and I love that the more it is battered and used, the more beautiful it becomes. The leather cord that ties it shut makes it easy to wrap up a small handful of supplies to take along also, so I often wind up carrying this one to church.
• Large Print (!) Summer Garden ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible: This is just a large-print version of the ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible so many of us have used for years… and with a beautiful cover. I often use this Bible when I teach. It has the standard 2″-ish margins that make journaling easy, but the print is larger, so easier on the eyes.
• Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling by Shanna Noel. I am having such a great time with this workbook and learning so much. Definitely worth it for beginners and Bible Journaling veterans alike.
• 100 Days of Bible Promises by Shanna Noel: Such a wonderful and uplifting devotional, and I’m getting so much out of it! My favorite feature: this heavy paper is perfection for creative journaling.

Kits:

A bit of my 1st page from the Women of the Bible – Better Together Kit

• The new DaySpring Bible Journaling Kit – Women of the Bible – Better Together:
  I adore this kit already – the first one with the Women of the Bible theme. I love the elegant feel, and the devotions really encourage me to study these women from the Bible so much more deeply. Pairs beautifully with the (in)Courage Devotional Bible.
• The aforementioned Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit:
  I can’t say enough good things about this starter kit. It’s full of all the supplies you’ll need to start and even comes in a super cute storage box.

Other Supplies:

“Beauty for Ashes” Page – 100 Days of Bible Promises

• Illustrated Faith Homespun Alphabet Clear Stamps
  I love these big, fun, chunky letters! Also pick up the acrylic block if you don’t have one. (Tip: In a pinch, I have been known to use the plastic lid from my stamp pad in place of the acrylic block – especially when I have temporarily misplaced my block. As sometimes happens…!)
• Illustrated Faith Focusing on God Tip-Ins
  I like like to add these to my journal or Bible with washi tape. Best of all, if you’re using a standard journaling Bible, these are designed to fit in the margin perfectly. (They’re still great in other Bible versions though, as you’ll see from my posts this week!)
• Black Eyed Pea Alphabet Stickers: Card stock alphabet stickers that match the clear stamps above.
• Bright Hearts Enamel Stickers: I really like to add some depth and dimension to my pages, and these enamel heart stickers are bright, cute and just a little puffy to stand out on the page.
• Misc decorative papers and stickers purchased at Hobby Lobby.
• Clear, printable sticker paper (my new obsession) available anywhere in-store or online where you might purchase printer paper. I love that it’s a little translucent so you can usually still see what’s behind the sticker once it’s placed on the page.

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

 

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! And as you’re working on your art and Bible journaling pages, remember this: It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just enjoy.

My Illustrating Bible at the Flippy Doodle Studio.

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.