I believe that all of us who love spending time in the Word of God through the journaling process are called to create art. The process of expressing ourselves through art brings us closer to our Creator.

Art is defined as “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects”

Merriam Webser Dictionary

The definition from Merriam Webster Dictionary that describes my bible journaling process exactly!

Art brings us closer to God. It also teaches us to be more observant. In order to create art, I need to look for inspiration from the things around me. So Art brings me closer to nature. However, sometimes the process of creating art can hurt the things that inspire the art itself, nature.

Today as the world is awakened by the shake of climate change, I have some tips to help you carry out your bible journaling activities with a lighter impact on our earth.

1    Reuse what you already have. Everything needs to be produced and transported before it hits the market and eventually your hands. This mass production leaves a fair size of a carbon footprint on our earth. Look around you and see if you can use what you already have. You might find joy in discovering those empty pages in your bible waiting for you to journal in. Those old tubes of paint might not have the shade that is “in” right now but perhaps we can mix it up? Isn’t that the fun in itself? Creating a new colour from the old one? You can find many tutorials on how to mix the colour from online sources. My favourite one is here. The cute packaging you received from your old purchase could have some cute prints that you can use on your journaling pages and you wouldn’t even need to buy the new sticker sheets. Pressed leaves or flowers work really well on the bible page and will add pleasing aesthetic.

2     Choose eco-friendly alternative if you must buy. Printables are kinder than the actual prints. Choose downloadable version instead of physical prints. You will still support the artists you adore without putting pressure on them to print and ship the items. Illustrated Faith has an awesome range in their print & pray shop. Their artists are talented and sure to inspire you with your journaling process. Choose refillable tools for pen and marker. A lot of sketchbooks are now made from recycling materials, your options are endless. I love my fountain pen and my watercolour tubes. I can fill my pen with whatever colour ink I fancy. I have 4 different nibs, broad, medium, fine and extra-fine and I find that these pens cover all my sketching and lettering need. I don’t even need any fine liner. However, if you prefer a fine liner, Copic has a refillable range and their liner is of great quality. My water brush mix with my watercolour serve as my brush pen and perhaps you will find the same.

3    Recycle! I’m still a novice in calligraphy, so I’m not gonna judge you if you insist that you need a brush pen to produce a proper hand lettering piece. Must you buy those brush pens or specialised markers, please ensure that you dispose of it responsibly. In the area where I live, our council does not accept those markers for recycling. Do your research! Reach out to the company and let them know that you care for the earth and would like to recycle their products. They might respond and let you know how they can take it off your hands.

Go ahead and use these tips to minimise your environmental impact while creating something to inspire and improve our relationship with God and each other. We all are trusted with this earth by Him.

The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95:5

Let me know your eco-friendly ideas for art and craft and I will add them to the post!

Blessings xx

El