If you’ve been following HopeJoyInChrist, you know I have embraced the trend of Bible Journaling. Have you started? It is possible to start Bible Journaling cheap – with everyday things – and it is possible to shop for frugal gifts for the Bible Journaling beginner in your life as well! I’m going to share my Top 10 Bible Journaling Supplies today.
Why Bible Journaling Supplies for Beginners
Why am I talking about Bible Journaling supplies for beginners? It’s all new to me. Well, let me amend that, it’s all new to me and it can be terribly expensive.
Soooo, being gifted things on my wish list make me happy. If you have a Bible Journaler in your life they will feel that way too!
But first, some questions you might have.
- What do I need for Bible Journaling?
- Does Hobby Lobby have Bible journals?
- Can you Bible Journal in a regular Bible?
- Do Sharpie highlighters bleed through Bible pages?
What Do I Need for Bible Journaling?
The best Bible Journaling supplies for beginners are things you have around the house. As you begin, you need just a few things:
- A Bible you don’t care about.
- Colored pencils.
- Bible Journaling ideas
- Kits are very helpful in the beginning.
Related Post: start Bible Journaling Cheap – with Everyday Things
Can You Bible Journal in a Regular Bible?
Can you BIble journal in a regular Bible? Absolutely! As you begin, that is best for learning. Just be sure it isn’t a Bible you care about.
Until you have some good Bible journaling pens you will have some mistakes that bleed through. So find an old BIble or get a cheap Bible from Walmart to start.
Do Sharpie Highlighters Bleed Through Bible Pages?
The right pens are so important as you learn how to journal in your Bible. I still prefer pencils because of the problem of bleed.
To not bleed through your Bible pages requires so many things to line up that it still feels impossible for me.
The right Bible journaling pens, a good base gel to protect the pages before you begin or very thick pages all help. I never use a sharpie though. Just sayin’.
Does Hobby Lobby Have Bible Journals?
Okay, the last question I get on this is where to buy a Bible Journal. Hobby Lobby sells them, but I found better prices at Walmart. Then again, if you can wait until a sale, Amazon is a great place to search.
But remember, you don’t have to have a special Bible to learn this hobby. Practice on a normal Bible until you are ready. And budget $50 easily for a good journaling Bible when you are ready.
The Best Bible Journaling Supplies For Beginners
Because Bible Journaling supplies range from cheap to very expensive, giving them as gifts can be a true blessing if you have a creative Christian in your life!
I recently saw some Bible journaling subscription boxes… What a perfect birthday or Christmas gift! I think I’ll add them to my list this year 😉
These are my top 10 best Bible journaling supplies for beginners in my world – for Christmas, Easter, or birthdays.
#1 Fine Tip, no Bleed Pens
The first step with Bible journaling is usually a pencil, but then you will go over the image or text in pen. Bible pages are super thin, so a pen or marker that doesn’t bleed is essential. The right Bible journaling pens make or break success here.
This set of 3 fine tip pens from Day Spring comes in under $10 and would make any Bible Journaling beginner happy.
If your Creative Christian has been into Bible Journaling for a while, they would still love pens but of a different variety. It is nice to create and blend colors more boldly. This set of FABER CASTELL PITT Artist Pens Set: 12 Exclusive Brush Pens of the Finest Quality Permanent India Ink in Bold, Rich Colors
is amazing and diverse for just that.
#2 Bible Journaling Ideas
Ideas are a huge help for all creative types. Bible Journaling ideas come in many forms.
If you are shopping Amazon on Black Friday or Cyber Monday you will find several Bible journaling starter kit s marked down – any of them would make great beginning Bible journaling gifts.
Look for these keywords:
- Bible Journaling guide
- Bible Journaling tool kit
- How to Book for Bible Journaling
And be sure to check out your favorite blogs because come Black Friday / Cyber Monday there will be great discounts on Bible Journaling printables!!!!! I love Bible Journaling printable pages, coloring pages, and doodle ideas.
Related Post: Cling to the Joy of the Lord Every Day
Bible Journaling Supplies as Printables
There are countless Bible journaling devotional kit online. You just need a topic or theme to search them out.
Consider Joy as a theme. Joy has been the word God is pressing into my life for many years. He is teaching me what it looks like to cling to the joy of the Lord every day!
My new Bible journaling devotional kit- 30 Days of Joy will be discounted 😉 soon and it works hand in hand with the free guide! Check out the details below:
What’s included in the Kit?
- A 30 Day Reading plan
- Journaling prompts
- 3 Pages of Doodling templates
- 1 sheet of margin strips
- 1 sheet of Bible Verse Cards
- Detailed instructions about how to Get started Bible Journaling
Also, check out this kit on the topic of Trusting in the Lord from Sara at TheHolyMess.com. This was the first Bible journaling kit we used and we still use it today!
#3 Fun Paper and Theme Packs
Okay, so this may seem a little odd, but honestly, anything you could use for scrapbooking you can use for Bible Journaling gifts! Scrapbooking supplies are always a great gift!
The same idea of creating and combing to a theme or concept applies to both hobbies. And if we are being honest, who doesn’t have a drawer of old scrapbooking supplies to dig through? Well, I do and I love finding ways to re-purpose old things!
One fun aspect of Bible Journaling is pulling parts of this and pieces of that together to create. You can also use these things to cover up mistakes. I love a good tip in – it also works as a bookmark!
#4 Bible Journaling Stencils, Stickers and Stamps
Yes, you can use Bible Journaling stencils and stickers in your Bible! Stickers are fun, they can be to a theme or just random things. There are more and more faith creatives showing up all over the place now as well, so keep an eye open!
Speaking of Bible Journaling stickers… can we talk about the best journaling supplies at Hobby Lobby? They cycle through sales and at times things at as much as 60% off! We just scored stickers at $0.80 a pack. Keep an eye out!
The same goes for stamps. Stamps do require some finesse so they don’t bleed through, but if you are working on a tip-in or in a separate journal first you can work through all of that quite easily!
#5 Tags, Taps and Tabbies
I love using a tag as a bookmark or a tip-in. You can create on either side of it, slip a paper clip through it to make a funky bookmark, or make it a part of the piece you are working on if it fits the space!
This list fits into the category of Bible journaling supplies Amazon is best for. When these are marked down, they are very reasonable and Amazon has a wide variety.
I used to get them from the local Christian bookstore… but it is no more so Amazon is all I have left.
#6 Glue Dots
The uses for Glue dots are endless… honestly, they are my favorite kind of adhesive. They don’t bleed through, they can be repositioned several times before they lose their stickiness and they are just FUN!
I think the reason I love them best is if I mess up or change my mind, they don’t rip my Bible pages!
Related Post: Yes, You Can Teach Bible Journaling to Kids
#7 Washi Tape
I’ve talked about this before, but washi tape is so much fun. We love using it to create bookmarks, to decorate cards, create frames if you are designing something. It is so diverse and decorative – it must be in your Bible journaling kit!
Also, my kids have started making things with Washi Tape and we learned it can be great for marking books of the Bible. Fun!
#8 Dye Cuts, Knives, Scissors, and Cutting Boards
Cutting creative shapes and designs adds a whole new level of beauty to Bible Journaling. If your Bible Journaling friend already has a Cricket you can add to their supplies. If they don’t, they make scissors with so many exciting edges and the cutting board would let them cut with precision!
My favorite places to shop for those things… well let’s be painfully transparent… I am cheap (my mom would correct me here and say Frugal) but I shop all year round at yard sales, book swaps, Peddlers malls, on E-bay and Craigs List.
But I also shop very intentionally in real stores – on the end caps of stores – and you can really score some amazing bargains at the end of seasons and holidays!
- Dollar Tree / Family Dollar
- I love this one for a good bargain. Things are cheap and great for Bible Journaling with the kids!
- Hobby Lobby
- They mark things down 50-75% after a season and if you are on their newsletter you get coupons to add to that!
- Michaels
- Is a great spot for hard to find items and when they have a really good sale!
- DaySpring, Lifeway or other Christian Bookstores near you
- These are great when you are on their newsletter because when things go on sale they are going deep!
- Amazon
- This one is usually my last resort but is great on Prime Day or Black Friday/ Cyber Monday
#9 A Journaling Bible
When you are beginning with illustrated faith it can be so helpful to have a Bible that already has designs in some of the margins. This is a thoughtful gift. There are designs on some sections and blank places in others, lines on some pages, and spaces to create in others. It can be a great start to fuel their imagination!
I love my Inspire Bible because of all those reasons. It also comes with a strap – because it gets thick when you create inside and you don’t want things to fall out!
If you are not really thinking about frugal gifts and have a bit of a budget, the New Illustrating Bible from DaySpring would make any Creative Christian’s whole year!
#10 Is Time Alone to Do Their Bible Journaling
Time. This is not something you can buy, but if your Bible Journaler is a busy wife, mother, working woman, women’s ministry leader, etc. it is likely she struggles to find time alone.
Here are some ideas that would give your Bible Journaler a little more time:
- An IOU for child care.
- Even just swapping childcare (I love this idea for Date Nights as well!)
- Offer to help wrap Christmas gifts.
- Order dinner to deliver to her so she has a little free time.
- Clean a room in her house or hire someone to help.
- Be the friend to remind her that she needs to put herself on her to-do list.
Top 10 Bible Journaling Gifts For Beginners
Are you a Bible Journaling Beginner? I’d love to know what is on your list! Or do you just love and want to buy Bible journaling supplies for a beginner in your life?
Any of these 10 would be an amazing option:
- Fine tip, no bleed pen
- Bible Journaling kits
- Fun paper
- Stickers and stamps
- Tags, taps, and tabbies
- Glue dots
- Washi tape
- A journaling Bible
- Time alone to be creative
Are there more ideas you would add? Drop a comment and help a Jesus Girl out 😉
in HIM,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
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Everyone needs more joy in their lives and Bible journaling is a great way of grabbing that joy!
So much! Love Bible Journaling for keeping Joy in my life!
Tiffany, your Top 10 Bible Journaling Gifts For Jesus Girls will definitely bring Joy to those who Love Bible Journaling. Sounds like I need to learn. Great tips.
Awe, thanks, Angie! I bet you would enjoy it. It’s just another way to let the Word go deeper inside you.
I have really wanted to get into Bible journaling. I’ve picked up scripture writing, so maybe that will be next for me!
Bible Journaling is such a fun way to express your faith. I bet you’de love it, Erin!
My bibles are full of writing, but no “fun stuff”- markers, scrapbooking supplies (I have a ton of leftovers)…I’m thinking of starting this with my oldest granddaughter the next time she comes to my house. It sounds FUN and a great way to cement his promises and truths in our hearts!
Yes! I do this with my girls and they have their own stuff so when I am having my quiet time in the morning they are occupied as well. It’s such a win-win!
Bible journaling sounds like a great hobby for promoting active rest, good for when you need to dial back activity and mind chatter but are feeling restless and need a little something to focus on. Thanks for these cool suggestions!
Yes, Rachel! I love Bible Journaling for all those reasons too!