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It’s no secret that my Bible Journaling posts are the most popular posts on my site and, just in case you are curious, the number one question I get in my inbox is: What supplies do I need to get started?! I’ve shared several supply lists in the past and they are always helpful for beginners, but what if you’re buying for someone else and you have no idea where to start or have a strict budget and need only a few necessities? Enter today’s post.
Today I’m sharing a Bible Journaling Holiday Gift Guide that caters to journalers of all levels and that are set at several different price points. If you have any questions about these supplies or other items you might wish to purchase, please let me know in the comments below!
First up: Bible Journaling Essentials for Beginners (or for those of you on a budget). Every journaler has their own opinion about which supplies work best, but if I were forced to pare down my supply basket to only a handful of items (or those that would travel well!), these are the seven supplies I couldn’t live without.
1 | ESV Hardcover Journaling Bible. This is the least expensive and smallest journaling Bible on the market and also the most popular. While the font size is a little small, its size makes it perfect for traveling or adding to your purse for Sunday services. The black hardback cover provides an easy surface for creativity and the elastic band holds every secure. If you are making your very first journaling Bible purchase, this is definitely what I would recommend!
2 | Mechanical Pencils. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but mechanical pencils mean you’ll never have to sharpen and you’ll (almost) never run out of lead.
3 | White Rubber Erasers. Although your pencils will be armed with erasers, these white erasers can come in clutch. They don’t damage your pages, won’t smudge, and never leave behind nasty eraser residue. I recommend keeping several of these on hand.
4 | Crayola Twistable Colored Pencils. There are plenty of pricey pencils on the market, but these are still my favorite. You might find these in your kids’ craft cabinet, but if not, you can always find a small set for under five dollars. I love never having to sharpen them and the perpetually dull point makes shading and blending a dream.
5 | Inexpensive Watercolor Paint. These are perfect for beginners! The paint colors are bright and saturated and they later very well. I recommend purchasing these brushes to use instead of the one that’s included in the pack. Although I’m linking these from Amazon, you can find them much cheaper at Michael’s (don’t forget to use a coupon!).
6 | Illustrated Faith Precision Pens. These pens from IF come in a pack of two and are the perfect pen for journaling on thin Bible pages. They write perfectly over paints and other mediums and never run or bleed through the page.
7 | Washi Tape. This colorful heart washi tape from IF is another favorite (even my girls swipe it from my stash!). It works great for adding ephemera, tags and tabs, but also looks pretty on its own!
Next are a few additional recommendations for those who have been journaling for awhile (or those who might want to start out with a super robust set of supplies).
1 | ESV Single Column Journaling Bible. This is my favorite journaling Bible and the one that I use personally. The leather like cover is super soft and is flexible enough to allow for plenty of additions to your pages. I love the single column design — it makes the Bible slightly larger, but much easier to read.
2 | Mechanical Pencils. See description above.
3 | White Rubber Erasers. See description above.
4 | Crayola Twistable Colored Pencils. See description above.
5 | Inexpensive Watercolor Paint & Brushes. See description above.
6 | Illustrated Faith Precision Pens. See description above.
7 | Washi Tape. See description above.
8 | Tab Punch. I love using this paper punch to create tabs at the top of my Bible pages. You can punch cardstock or other heavy paper for a single tab or fold thin paper in half and make a tab that folds over and can be used on both sides. The tab punch comes with clear plastic stickers to protect your tabs and while I really like the way they look, they are a bit heavy for thin Bible pages. I would recommend ditching them and using a lighter weight paper instead.
9 | Prismacolor Marker. This dual tip marker in the color “30% cool grey” is a favorite for adding shadows and dimension to art and letters in your Bible. It does bleed a little, so use sparingly.
10| Illustrated Faith Stickers. These are two of my favorite stickers sets on the IF site. The wordfetti stickers allow you to add fun phrases or verse fragments somewhere on your page, while the homespun alpha stickers let you spell out words of your own. These are great for journalers who aren’t super confident with their lettering skills.
11| Black Ink Pad by Staz On. This is my favorite ink for stamping and the only one I use in my Bible. It is pigment based, so it doesn’t bleed or smear when used over (or under) paints and water. I would recommend taking the clear plastic cover off and letting it sit on your shelf for a few days before you use it in your Bible. The ink is very heavy when you first open the package and might bleed through your pages until it dries out a bit!
12 | Illustrated Faith Rolling Date Stamp. I really love dating my pages and I think you (or your gift recipient!) will, too. It is so fun to look back on what God has been teaching us and this rolling stamp is perfect for charting your time spent in the Word. In addition to dates, there are other fun sentiments you can include when stamping.
13 | Distress Markers by Tim Holtz: These are definitely a splurge, but one that I recommend if you have the extra funds. They are water soluble, meaning they WILL react with water, even after they are completely dry. Think of them as watercolor paints in a pen. You can use them like a marker and color just like you always do, or you can add a water brush to make them more painterly. The manufacturer has a great video to show you all the ways to use these amazing markers. Just be sure to store them horizontally so neither of the nibs dry out!
This last group of supplies is extensive, but includes everything that I love to use on a regular basis and what I would recommend if you aren’t on a strict budget. Obviously, everyone’s tastes are different and each journaler will fall in and out of love with many supplies over the course of their adventure, but this is a very robust supply list for those of you who want to leave no supply behind!
1 | Journaling Bible with Wraparound Leather Cover. If we’re comparing a book by its cover, this is my favorite Bible available today. Although it is similar in design to the previous two, this version has a luxurious leather cover with a cord that wraps around and ties to secure. I’ll admit I was skeptical about the function of this one, but I got to see one in person a few weeks ago and it was BEAUTIFUL. There is still plenty of room to grow and the cord is adequate in length for adding all sorts of fun inserts and tabs to your pages.
2 | Mechanical Pencils. See description above.
3 | White Rubber Erasers. See description above.
4 | Sakura Watercolors. These are definitely an upgrade from the less expensive watercolors I shared before. These mix beautiful, never bleed and won’t leave a chalky residue or rub off on adjacent pages (don’t forget these brushes).
5 | Pigment Liners by Staedtler. Not all pens are created equal. I’ve tried all sorts of pens, by different manufacturers, in different sizes and these are the best. This set comes with various sizes (the 0.1 and 0.5 are my favorites), writes so smooth and doesn’t bleed or smear. They write well over both acrylic paints and watercolors and don’t fade over time. They aren’t as inexpensive as some other options, but they last forever and are well worth the investment.
6 | Crayola Twistable Colored Pencils. See description above.
7 | Washi Tape. You can find another of my favorite IF washi tapes here or search Amazon for a wider variety!
8 | Tab Punch. See description above.
9 | Prismacolor Marker. See description above.
10 | More Illustrated Faith Stickers. The IF website has a great selection of stickers and embellishments, but these enamel hearts are my favorite. The ones I’ve linked are multi-colored, but you can find several different color variations to purchase. They are slightly dimensional and reflective and look so good on mixed media pages (wordfetti stickers & homespun alpha stickers).
11| Black Ink Pad by Staz On. See description above.
12 | Illustrated Faith Rolling Date Stamp. See description above.
13 | Distress Markers by Tim Holtz: See description above.
14 | Die Cut Embellishments. If you aren’t super confident about your drawing skills, try pasting or taping fun illustrations in the margins of your Bible. This animal set is great to use with your kids and they come with scripture prompts on the back if you need help finding a page to journal. Try this set if you’re looking to add more than one to your stash.
15 | Martha Stewart Craft Paints. You can use any acrylic crafts paints that you like, but the Martha Stewart paints come in the most beautiful colors and I’m a sucker for their pretty packaging. I’ve tried heavy body paints that many journalers recommend, but I always come back to these. You can water them down a bit and create a color wash or paint with full strength for more drama.
16 | Catalyst Paint Wedge. Not comfortable using a paintbrush? This wedge by Catalyst makes putting paint on your page a dream. Just add a small dot of paint right on the edge and drag the tool across your page. It helps you lay down a very thin layer of paint to your pages and dries in seconds. If you don’t feel like committing to tools, you can always use an old gift card or credit card in the same way.
17 | Pom Pom Paper Clips. One of my favorite ways to mark pages is by using tabs or embellished paper clips. I used to make my own with ribbons and washi tape, but IF has such fun options that coordinate well with their other products and require no DIY on my part! How adorable are these tiny poms?!
TRY THESE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS!
If you’re shopping today (Monday 11/21), Dayspring is offering some great products for journalers at deeply discounted prices! You can grab this Illustrated Faith Faith Starter Kit for $60 + you get to choose from two different Bibles to pair with it! From Tuesday 11/22 through Sunday 11/27, use the code FRIDAY16 for 30% off sitewide or SHINEHISLIGHT for $20 off a $60 purchase through 12/31.
Just in case you missed it, catch our Holiday Gift Guide for Readers for book recommendations, subscriptions, and accessories for your favorite bibliophile, and join us later in the week for a few more of our favorite gifts!
