Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

The Blessed Is She Bible and Bible Journaling Tools

(Note: If the Blessed Is She Catholic Journaling Bible happens to be sold out in the BIS shop, you can also purchase it through Amazon.)

When I received the new Blessed Is She Catholic Journaling Bible at Christmas, I was ecstatic and a little nervous. Although I am a planner lover and enjoy decorating my planner, I have never tried a journaling bible. Sure, I would jot down notes in the margins but that was it. I went on Instagram and scanned a few hashtags involving bible journaling and definitely felt like I was in over my head. I don’t water color or draw well and I’m a newbie at hand lettering. What if I mess up? Should I even be drawing in a Bible? Finally, I decided to just give it a try and let the Holy Spirit speak to me as I color. He reminded me to not be afraid to try new things. I may discover something new to love. So, with an Amazon gift card in hand, I scanned the online aisles and purchased some accessories to use on this journaling journey.

(NOTE: Revolution of Love is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I purchased these items on my own and am sharing my honest opinion about them.)

Here are the items I started with…

Scripture Ribbons

I purchased Design One Scripture Ribbons for less than $10 because I like to be able to keep track of different books in the Bible – favorite passages, books I am studying or a Gospel reading I will write about soon. The ribbons will help me to keep track.

The ribbons were attached to a white piece of cardboard that you could slip into the spine on the Bible. However, you were supposed to pull off the brown covers to reveal the sticky side of the ribbon then press the adhesive to the inside of the book spine. This may have worked well with a book wider than this bible but the ribbons kept sticking to the inside of the spine before I could push them down far enough. I tried to pull the ribbons back out but they were sticking everywhere and I landed out yanking a few right off the cardboard holder. What a mess.

To correct it, I finally go the cardboard and sticky ribbons out and fixed it so the ribbons were back on the cardboard with no exposed adhesive. I slid the cardboard back into the spine and because it was a perfect fit, I did not slip out. I have been using the ribbons for a couple weeks moving them around and rearranging them in the pages and they work great. So while I do recommend these ribbons, for this particular bible, I suggest slipping it into the spine with the adhesive covers still on the ribbons. They should stay in place without a problem.

Pens

Normally, when I write with pen, I prefer to use these:

However, I didn’t feel comfortable writing in my new Bible with pen that may bleed through and in which I could not erase my mistakes. I decided to leave that to the professionals! My fellow Blessed Is She sister Samantha is my go to girl when I want to learn more about pens. She tested out her favorites in the new journaling bible and shared her thought in Blessed Is She’s blog post – Everything You Need to Know About Catholic Bible Journaling (Tools + Resources).

As for me, I decided I am taking baby steps and wanted to start by only using colored pencils and erasable pens.

Erasable Pens

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My favorite erasable pens are Frixion markers. I have three sizes – the thicker Pilot Frixion Colors Erasable Markers, the thinner Pilot FriXion Pencil, 0.7mm Ballpoint Pen, 12 Colors Set. (Also available in the 24 pen set) and the thinnest Pilot Frixion Ball Knock Retractable Gel Ink Pen, 0.5mm, 10 Colors Set.  I find the .7mm pens to be my favorite to use in the Journaling Bible.

(One note: It has been said that the ink of these pens disappear in extreme heat but the ink will reappear if book is placed in the freezer. I have never had an issue but I also don’t live in extreme heat.)

Since I already love Frixion, I naturally bought their highlighters too – Pilot Highlighter Frixion Light, 6 Soft Color Set.

The highlighters have such pretty colors, are not too dark, have minimal shadowing and are erasable if you make a mistake.

Colored Pencils

For the colored pencils, I usually use Prismacolors but they are a little pricey so I wanted to test ones that were not as expensive. I tried Artalicious colored pencils as well as a few of the Crayola colored pencils I already had.

 

They worked well and fit nicely into my pencil carrying case.

A couple days later I pulled out my favorite Prismacolor colored pencils to see if there was a difference.  It may be my imagination but the colors seemed bolder and felt smoother on the paper. However, it wasn’t such a difference that I’d worry about it if I couldn’t afford the Prismacolors.

Stickers and Washi Tape

Nothing decorates a page quicker than washi tape and stickers, especially if you are artistically challenged. 😉 I have been collecting stickers since the age of seven and you’d think that decades later I’d be tired of it. Nope. From monthly sticker clubs (such as Pipsticks or Stickii Club) to the $1 bin at Target, there are always cute stickers to be found. For this Bible I chose floral Studio 112 stickers such as these, which are a little more pricey since they are card stock style.

For washi tape, you can pretty much find it anywhere these days – Target, Staples and craft stores such as Michael’s. I really like the Recollections brand and stock up when I have a Michael’s coupon. You can also find some of their washi collection here on Amazon. (I’ve only seen their faith/ bible journaling washi tape in the store.)  I like the Recollections brand because it is well made and can easily be removed. Scotch Expressions Washi is another good brand, as are others found in craft stores, Target, etc. You can experiment with a number of brands with cute designs, just be careful of washi tape that is too cheap since it tends to rip off the roll and/or does not remove easily from the page.

Bible Cover

Lastly, I was debating whether or not to get a Bible cover and was browsing Amazon and found this “Blessed” one. The Scripture on the front was perfect.

The cover is a little larger than the Bible, so there is about an extra inch or so but once it’s in the cover you don’t notice as much. I also like that there are two pen holders. I just have to make sure to tuck int the ribbons before I zip up.

(UPDATE: Now that I’ve used the cover for a couple weeks, I find I prefer not to keep it in the cover while using the Bible. Instead I just lay it inside (without tucking it into the cover slots) and place my prayer journal on top of it. Then I zip it up using it more like a mini suitcase that protects my bible and prayer journal when taking it outside the home. It works much better like this for me.)

Well, those are the Bible journaling tools I am using right now. I’d love to hear what products you have tried or are interested in. Let me know!

UPDATE: One final note I want to add, I am hearing from many of you that you are not artistic or don’t want to draw in the Journaling Bible. You don’t have to draw! You can use the lines to take notes, write your thoughts or copy Scripture passages that mean a lot to you. Second, I posted a few decent photos but I have many more pages where the writing is mediocre or sloppy. That’s okay! (It’s just between me and God. 😉 ) You don’t have to have pin-worthy drawing to use the Bible. Use stickers or washi as shown or you can keep it simple and minimal. There’s no “right” way so don’t stress over it.

If you haven’t purchased this beautiful Bible yet, you can find them in the Blessed Is She shop (in which proceeds go directly back into the Blessed Is She ministry) or you can also purchase a copy on Amazon.

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

 

 


My Favorite Stationary, Pens, Stickers and Planner and Hand Lettering Supplies

Yesterday I shared with you how I set up my Blessed Is She planner. This is part two with my favorite planning supplies. 🙂

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Whenever I write a post about planners, journals, snail mail, or lettering, etc, I always get messages and emails asking me about the supplies I use and where I bought them. To make it easier for you, I compiled a list of my favorite stationary supplies. Hopefully it will help you find a new favorite. 🙂

(NOTE: Revolution of Love is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I purchased these items on my own and am sharing my honest opinion about them.)

Erasable Pens for My Planner

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When I write in my planner, I MUST be able to erase. I used to use pencil until I found these awesome erasable pens. I have three sizes:.

The thicker Pilot Frixion Colors Erasable Markers.

The thinner Pilot FriXion Pencil, 0.7mm Ballpoint Pen, 12 Colors Set. (Also available in the 24 pen set.)

The even thinner Pilot Frixion Ball Knock Retractable Gel Ink Pen, 0.5mm, 10 Colors Set.

(One note: It has been said that the ink of these pens disappear in extreme heat but the ink will reappear if book is placed in the freezer. I have never had an issue but I also don’t live in extreme heat.)

Colored Pens

These are my favorite regular thin pens.Staedtler Color Pen Set, Set of 36 Assorted Colors

If you don’t need as many as 26, this 20 pack of Staedtler pens is nice and it comes with a cool plastic case that can stand.

Handlettering/Brush Lettering Pens

My favorite black drawing pens are Micron. I use this when I am practicing hand lettering.

These are my favorite for hand lettering with a brush pen in black ink. I use Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen 2 Pens Set. It comes with a hard and soft tip.

For colored ink, I use the Tombow Dual Brush Pens.

Handlettering Introductory Books

I’ve been wanting to improve (and learn more about) brush lettering so I’ve been using these books to practice.

Written by Hand: Techniques and Tips to Make Your Everyday Handwriting More Beautiful by Erica Tighe (Erica is the one that does all the beautiful hand lettering for Blessed Is She.


Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring tips, techniques, and ideas for hand lettering your way to beautiful works of art (Creative…and Beyond)



Calligraphy & Hand Lettering Notepad: Beginner Practice Workbook & Introduction to Lettering & Calligraphy (Practice Makes Perfect Series)

If you don’t want to spend money on a book there are plenty of practice sheets to be found on Pinterest. I have also used these at Tombow.

Colored Pencils


Here are the colored pencils I use – Prisma Scholar Colored Pencils. Costco had this art set available. I haven’t seen them there anymore but found it on Amazon.


If you don’t need all the extras, you can buy just the pencils.

Pen/Pencil Cases

I’m (almost) embarrassed to tell you how many pencil pouches and cases I have! 😉 Here are a few of my favorites.

Weapons of Mass Creation Pouch – Love this. It’s available in three sizes. 🙂

Star Wars Tattoo Flash Nylon Pencil Case 8 x 4in – When I wrote my last planner post, this pencil pouch was sold out. I am adding the link anyway in case they get more or you find another Star Wars style you may like. (They were also sold out of the matching Star Wars backpack I bought but have since got those back in.) 

YOUSHARES 120 Slots Pencil Case – I use the above Star Wars pouch for one set of erasable pens that stays with me and my planner in my purse. The other pens and pencils I keep in this larger case that stays at home. I bring it out when I have time to decorate my bullet journal or planner.

I use this smaller Designed for Arrangement pencil case as a little traveling pen/pencil holder when I need a variety of pens to take out of the house.

Magnetic Bookmarks/ Bookclips

 

London Magnetic Bookmarks – These little book magnets are cute ways to mark my pages. 🙂

Forest Friends Magnetic Bookmarks – I’m a sucker for cute forest friends.

janes_tiny_things_1

Photo credit: Jane’s Tiny Things

I also love all things Jane Austen so these Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy magnetic clips from Jane’s Tiny Things were a must! ( Note: I just ordered the Anne and Captain Wentworth version to go with them.) 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE these Star Wars book markers. I change them around my planner to suit my mood. (Darth Vader hangs out by the Mondays. Han by the Fridays. 😉 ) You can find them at HappyHelloCo at Etsy.

Planner Accessories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Saints CharmWe have lots of these cute saint charms on backpacks and adding my patron saint (also patron of mothers) to my planner seemed appropriate. 🙂

lucky_duck_pen

Photo credit: LuckyDuckDesigns. – For my bullet journal, I purchased this pen holder from this great etsy shop. I love her holders and have a few designs but she often sells out so you’ll have to keep checking back. I also recently found this shop that sells journal pen holders. They are made of a thicker material that doesn’t lay as flat, but she has some cute designs.

Sticky Notes

These are the sticky notes I used for my planner dashboard.

Write It Down Shaped Sticky Notes: 175 Decorated Stickies

Monthly Sticker Subscriptions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I re-live my childhood by continuing my sticker collection. I use them to decorate my planner, bullet journal, snail mail and more. These are two monthly sticker subscriptions that I love.

Pipsticks – There are two different subscription packs: Kids and Adults Pro Club. The Classic Pro Club pack includes 15 sheets of stickers, 1 postcard and 1 quote card. Cost is $14.95. The Pro Club Petite pack includes 7 sheets of stickers and 1 mini quote card. Cost is $9.95.

Stickii Club
– There are three different subscription packs for you to choose from: Cute/ Retro/ Pop. Each pack includes 5 or more sticker sheets, 1 bag of sticker flakes, and sometimes an extra stationery item. Cost is $10 a month.

Planner Stickers

You can pick up booklets of planner specific stickers at many places. I have found my best luck at Michael’s and the Target Dollar Bin. I also use stickers planner from Lara Casey and BohoBerry.

Washi Tape

 

Washi tape can be found at most stores that carry stationary, including Target. I usually wait until Michaels puts them on sale or clearance or use one of their weekly coupons. You can also order cute washi on Amazon.

Other favorites pictured in my planner photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Offer It Up mug by Rose Harrington Shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Choose to be Grateful mug from FawnlyPrints is my current fave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my Blessed Is She rosary.

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Well, that was a look at many of my favorites! I have been collecting these over the years and many have been gifted to me by family and friends who know I love stationary items.

Stationary Birthday Box

Since my birthday is in a few of weeks, I want to share the birthday love and gift something to you! I have a Stationary Birthday Box that I will mail out to one of my blog readers/online friends.The box will include:

  • A beautiful canvas pencil pouch
  • A dotted notebook
  • Tiny Saints Blessed Mother charm
  • 2 Tombow brush pens
  • 1 black Staedtler pen
  • 1 aqua Pilot FriXion erasable pen
  • 3 rolls of washit tape
  • Package of decorated pencils
  • Binder clips
  • Sticky notepad
  • A sample of Disney Pixar mini sticky notes
  • 2 magnetic book clips
  • Stickers

To enter, just leave a comment below and tell me what is your favorite stationary or planner accessory that you currently use or something new you want to try. I’ll choose a winner in two weeks (Aug 11) and mail the package in time for my b-day (18th.) Have fun and good luck!

UPDATE: The contest is over. Congrats to our winner Mary M. 🙂

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

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