Life is messy....Bible Journal about it.

Good Morning Creatives!

How are you doing on this beautiful Sunday? Here in Arkansas it's super chilly with a chance for snow. BBBRRRR.

Today, I am up on The Crafter's Workshop blog with Part 2 of my "How to use a TCW Stencil to make your own stamp."

Did you miss Part 1?

You can see the full article here: How to Make Your Own Stamp with TCW Stencils.

And the complete Snapguide right here!

Check out How to Use a TCW Stencil to Make Your Own Stamp by Keri Sallee on Snapguide.

For Part 2, I wanted to use my new stamp in a Bible Journaling piece. I used the verse 2 Samuel 22:30 that says "With my God I can jump over any wall." 

I wanted to show the messy life can be with my design, but the scripture is the supports the thought that no matter how messy life gets....with God we can "Leap over walls."

Here is a closeup of the stamp we carved in Part 1. 

Head on over to The Crafter's Workshop Blog for more details AND a complete video!

The Crafter's Workshop: Hand-Carved Stamp Using The Crafter's Workshop-Part 2

Leave me some love! I would love to see your stamps and your bible journaling pages!

XOXO,

Keri Sallee

Genesis 1:1 Bible Journaling

Hello Creatives! 

Well...I did it! I finally did it! I finally bought an actual journaling bible!! 

For my first entry I thought I would start...where else, but the beginning: Genesis 1:1. 

For those of you that don't know, I actually have a tattoo on my right wrist of this scripture reference: 

For me it's a reminder that the only reason I can do what I do creatively is because he first created me. That is what I wanted to document as my first entry. For the first page to always stand as a reminder of why I am journaling in the first place and who I am journaling to. 

I had so much fun with these great Alphas, labels and washi I found at Joann's for only $1 each! 

 I also used washi from Hobby Lobby, Distress Paints by Tim Holtz, DecoArt Media Misters, stencils from The Crafters Workshop and a black Sharpie. 

I hope you enjoyed today's entry!! 

Xoxo, 

Keri 

Truth Cards inspired by Melody Ross

Hello Creatives! 

Today I am so excited to share with you a project I recently made for the annual Saving Grace Mentor/Mentee Retreat.

This year's theme is "Soul Deep" and for our creative time we are focusing on Truth Cards and Bible Journaling.

If you haven't heard about Truth Cards, they are the brainchild of the amazingly talented and loving artist Melody Ross. 

In her own words, Melody says that Truth Cards are: 

The idea for Truth Cards came as a way to overpower the awful script that sometimes runs in our head, preventing our souls from feeling whole or healed. Truth cards are little messages of love and truth that are written directly to our souls….telling us the TRUTH when we are believing words that are keeping us from believing the love and truth.

For our retreat, we are focusing on Biblical Truths. 

For the project, I used Heidi Swapp's "Favorite Things" collection for Michael's, Adirondack Inks, TCW Stencils and various stamps, washi tapes and stickers. 

Here are the individual cards...

To keep them all together, I used a jump ring and added some ribbons and charms. 

I used very specific charms, each with their own meaning: 

(1) CLOCK: Ecclesiastes 3 states that there is a time and a place for everything under heaven. The clock is to remind me that my timing is not always God's timing and vice versa.

(2) BIRD CAGE: Truth is freedom. Finding truth can break the bonds of a broken past and can set you free from the cage of emotions. 

(3) 7: In the Bible, 7 is a special number...it is the number of completion and wholeness. 

(4) KEY: Matthew 7:7 says: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. The DOOR can be opened...the KEY is you have to have the faith to KNOCK. 

(5) FLEUR-De-LIS: The Fleu-De-Lis is a stylized Iris Flower. The Iris flower's history has made it the symbol for FAITH, HOPE and WISDOM...and who doesn't need some of that!?!?

So what about YOU? What do you hold as TRUTH? Maybe there is a book quote or a song lyric or words of a special person that you hold close to your heart when things get rough.

Find those. Write them out...type them up. Document them and keep the handy for those moments when the battlefield of the mind would tell you something contrary to what is TRUE.

Until next time, 

XOXO,

KERI

P.S. To see how a couple of these cards were made, check out my post on The Crafter's Workshop Blog: 

Truth Cards Inspired by Melody Ross

Hello Friends!

Did you miss me? I took the summer to just be with my kiddos before they all went off to school again (including my littlest starting kindergarten...how did that happen?!)

Today, I want to share with you my latest piece for The Crafter's Workshop.

Have you heard of Bible Journaling? It is a rising area of art journaling where you actually journal in the margins of your bible. It can be scriptures, thoughts or just drawings. Whatever you feel like.

Recently, I felt called to spend some more time with some recent sermon notes from my church, Keypoint Church in Bentonville, AR. 

My pastor has been speaking on the name of God and that day he was speaking on the Jehovah Raah (pronounced Ra-Ha) which is "Shepherd,' using Psalm 23 as his text: 

Here is my journaling pages: 

This particular passage came up many times around me before I did this journaling piece. It caused me to think this...I posted this on Facebook around the time I did this:  

Why does Psalm 23 keep popping up? 

Today I was finishing journaling my sermon notes from Pastor Casey​'s sermon this past Sunday (which I don't normally do.) I had some space at the end and I just asked the question in writing "Why has Psalm 23 appeared to me 3xs in the Last week?" And then I continued to just write as thoughts came... " What am I to learn from this? Why this passage? Do I understand that it's OK to be a sheep and follow a shepherd?" 

BOOM. 

There it is. This is why this chapter keeps coming up. 

Yes...I believe in salvation and heaven and hell, but am I actually allowing myself to be LED or am I just going through the motions? I am a very independent person...I've always had to be so the idea of "following" or giving up control or even asking for help is not in my typical nature. 

BUT...why am I fighting the Shepherd when all he had for me is good? Am I holding that tight to my pride and my need to be in control that I would truly give up all the GOOD he has for me just to be able to say "I did it on my own." 

Why am I so scared to be a sheep? Things to ponder.

It's still something I am pondering. 

I would love to know your thoughts.

XOXO,

KERI Sallee

P.S. To learn more about the crafty side of this Bible Journaling project, check out The Crafter's Workshop Blog: Bible Journaling with Stencils

List Yourself #5-Finding Freedom

Just about everyday, I read the verse of the day on my iPhone app, YouVersion. 

Today it was this:

The being kind part...I've got that down (most if the time! Lol), but the "giving up bitterness and anger"...well...I'm still working on that.

I've been abandoned by people who were supposed to be genetically programmed to love me forever. 

I've had such a low view if myself that I was a doormat to anyone who would pay me a little attention and once I finally built myself up, then I was torn down for being prideful. 

I've had moments so dark that the little voice In my head kept telling me my kids..my husband...my family...the whole world would be better off without me. 

I searched and searched for answers and when the people who where suppose to be there to answer them were too wrapped up in their own lives to help me, I looked else where and was still lost. 

God has brought me through a lot if hurt, anger and bitterness and I am definitely a better friend, mom, wife and person that I was 1 year...5 years...10 years ago. BUT...there are always still those memories that when they pop into my head, they tend to linger and bring back a lot of feelings I've spent so much time cleaning out. 

So here is List #5: 

 

Now hear me out friends...this list is NOT about pretending hurtful things never happened or sweeping things under the rug. It's about coming face to face with those things that haunt you and steal the joy from your daily life.  We can never truly forget things in our lives and we wouldn't want to...it has made us the people we are today. To FORGET, in this instance, simply means to REMEMBER that it happened, but CHOOSE not to REMEMBER the negative EMOTION attached to that memory. 

Be honest with yourself. No one will see your list unless you choose to show it so lay it all out there. Dig deep...it maybe small offenses or it might be big hurts. 

This list might be painful...it's gonna hurt, but just like the birth of all three of my kids...there is new life on the other side of the pain. 

Until next time my friends...be strong...be honest...be you. 

Ps...I would love to hear how your lists are going...leave me a comment or shoot me an email at thecreativelifestudios@gmail.com.