Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Lesson 2: Memorizing Scripture the first week

Hello friends!
I have really been having a great time working on memorizing GENESIS CHAPTER ONE!!  Today I want to show you some of the pages I created and the decoration of my GENESIS CHAPTER 1 SCRIPTURE book!  If you haven't read about memorizing scripture from the previous posts, be sure to go there first by clicking HERE

I used the technique described in THIS POST to create my album front and back.  I decided to use a mixed media book and cut the watercolor pages, mat them in black, and put them in so I can have some room to create more of a visual to help me memorize the verses:
The photos do not due this book justice...it's just an explosion of colors and texture!  This is the front and below is the back, followed by some close ups I took to try to better show the color/texture:


And here are the first few pages of my book:
I can go back when I get all the pages completed and see if I want to add anything to these pages, but this part of Genesis really lends itself to simple.

We had a great question from VALERIE that I wanted to share the answer to here so all can benefit.  Her question was concerning once you memorize the chapter, you will know the first half much better than the last half due to the consistent repetition of the first part.  So what are recommendations for being solid in memorizing the second half of the chapter?

The key to remembering the entire chapter once you've memorized it, is to continue reciting the entire chapter a few times a week.  So yes, by day 35 you will certainly have the first half better memorized than the last half, but if you continue to recite that chapter a few days a week in its entirety, by month two or three the entire chapter will be well-established in your memory.  The addage 'use it or lose it' really comes into play when we are trying to get something from short term memory into our long term memory.  I have a great example of this.  I know the words to the poem: Ode To Joy by heart in German even today, and I memorized it 25 years ago.  Why do I know it?  Because I had practiced it for months in high school for a German competition!  It still is in my long-term memory, with emphasis and pauses exactly how I learned it then!  So hang in there, Bible-memorizers....you CAN DO THIS!!

We have our DESIGN TEAM day of artwork Thursday so be sure to pop back over and see us!
Let me know if you have any other questions, comments, etc. about Scripture Memorization below!!
Blessings,
Antoinette
(Stamps used in today's projects are listed below this post)



Thursday, June 5, 2014

(giveaway...plus)BRAND NEW: Bible Verse Stamps + Hymn Girls in the Inspired Stamps online store!!

Hello friends!

TODAY is our JUNE NEW STAMP RELEASE DAY over at the online store: www.inspiredstamps.com !!
We have some WONDERFUL new Single Scripture Stamps (only $3.99 each!) and 2 brand new additions to our HYMN LINE of Hymn Girls!! 

Before we get started, be sure to join us in our memorization of a chapter of the Bible!  We are memorizing Genesis chapter 1 this summer and you can find all the creative tips by clicking on the CREATIVELY MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE logo link below (a new lesson coming early next week!!):

 http://www.inspiredstamps.blogspot.com/search/label/How%20to%20Memorize%20Scripture%20%28Creatively!%29

So let's get started with the new release!
First up, is Kary's artwork with 2 of our new releases in her BEAUTIFUL card:
  HYMN GIRLS: SIT AND READ:
AND Single Scripture:  MATTHEW 4:4
Jamie also used new HYMN GIRLS: SIT AND READ along with another new Single Scripture:
                                                          Single Scripture:  PSALM 62:1
Next up is DENEEN
She made this wonderful card using our 2nd new HYMN LINE stamp, HYMN GIRLS: SUMMER FLIP FLOPS and a new Scripture Stamp:

HYMN GIRLS: SUMMER FLIP FLOPS
and Single Scripture: MICAH 6:8
Shanta also created a card using our MORE PERFECT SENTIMENTS stampset for the 'Hi' on her card along with the HYMN GIRLS: SUMMER FLIP FLOPS new set she inked around the edges:
Shanta also introduces us to another new Single Scripture in this lovely card:
Single Scripture:  ROMANS 8:31
Patty also used this Scripture in this beautiful card:
Chere's card is one we'd all love to receive and keep on our desk to remind us of this wonderful truth:

Single Scripture:  EPHESIANS 2:10
and our last new release of the month is showcased in this fantastic card by Belinda:

Single Scripture:  GENESIS 1:1

LEAVE US A COMMENT LETTING US KNOW WHICH NEW RELEASE IS YOUR FAVORITE and we'll choose a comment to get a $10 Store Credit and announce the winner on next week's DT post!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and for your support of Inspired Stamps!
Blessings,
Antoinette and the Inspired Stamps Design Team

www.inspiredstamps.com 
(shipping most orders out same day they are placed!) 

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Lesson 1: Watercolors (keeping it simple)



Hello friends,
So much going on this week!  We have a BRAND NEW STAMP RELEASE coming THIS THURSDAY plus...today begins our June challenge to memorize a chapter from the bible this summer!  We will be working through chapter 1 of Genesis throughout June, but we encourage you to work on memorizing a chapter of your choice.

FIRST THINGS FIRST:
Please go read through our 3 part section on MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE before going further if you haven't already:  CLICK HERE ( it will be on the sidebar under Creatively Memorize Scripture logo...and we will keep that up for you so you can always find it on the blog!  We will continue to add the June Memorizing Scripture posts to this logo as well, so you'll need to scroll down!!)
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Today we want to keep instructions AND MATERIALS simple.  My goal is to have 30 minutes a day to devote to working in my GENESIS CHAPTER 1 journal. I am usually working in Pan Pastels, Acrylic, or occasionally oil, so I decided to give watercolors a whirl...and I LOVE the simplicity of them and the striking colors and effects you can get with them.  So my GENESIS CHAPTER 1 journal I will only be using:
                                      *watercolors (pencils and paints) with the flower wells shown below
*a few good brushes
*a few pens, pencils, and markers
*stamps and ink (I can't resist...I'm a stamper at heart!)
*and my watercolor journal

So you decide what YOU will be using.  In the first 3 posts I had you read under FIRST THINGS FIRST above,  I  described  techniques for creating a Scripture book using acrylic paint so you have examples for that.  Just try to keep it simple, and within the amount of time you can honestly spend working in it.  If you don't want to worry with color, use pen or pencil on notebook paper!

Next, I wanted to work on lettering as I go through this month and well as playing with the watercolor techniques on my pages.  So I grabbed my books and magazines and will keep them handy as we go.  I want the SCRIPTURE to be SHOWCASED.  My goal, which we always must keep in mind, is to MEMORIZE God's Word, not create a necessarily priceless work of art :o)  So the lettering will be important.  

I want to practice a bit before I decide to write INTO my journal so I am pulling out some watercolor paper and playing first. 

The first verse in my journal is Genesis 1:1.  I played with watercolor on the right of the watercolor paper you see below and the left was what I decided to actually make:
So let me take you through some of my thinking so you can think through these as you go into yours.  First thing, I felt CREATED fit better and was better as bold for the composition.  Next I didn't like the green that came when I put the blue over the yellow (taught kindergarten and first grade for many years...should know that one LOL).  So when I went to make the finished side of this paper I made sure to use my blow dryer.  Next, it NEEDS and outline!!!  Black marker will probably go around all my Scripture.  I also practiced adding color with a paintbrush and taking color off with a paper towel on the right side, realizing I am far more attracted to the bold colors than the muted (hence the strong blue and yellows on the left).  I also tried every white pen I own out on the right and different ways to give shadow to the word GOD.  This led me to create a SHADOW practice sheet...

If you click on the photo you can see close up some of the different shadows I made in different ways.  This was very helpful and it actually inspired me to keep a separate practice notebook where I can practice with different fonts when I have a few minutes here and there.  This is actually EXCELLENT for Scripture memory!  The more I write Scripture, say it, hear it, think on it...the more I secure it into my heart!

So that is enough for one day.  Get your notebook or sketchbook or art journal and write out verse 1 for today.  If you want to add some color, do that.  I will be back once or twice a week in June to share more ideas and tips and to show you what I've created in my art journal thus far and I hope you will join me!  Memorizing Scripture is so very powerful!

Until then...don't forget to get your sticky note on your bathroom mirror and go over it every time you are in there:
 
Then tomorrow you will add 1:2 and repeat BOTH verse 1 and 2 together.  Day 3 you'll add verse 3 ONLY IF you know verse 2 solidly otherwise stay on 1 and 2 until you know both.  For now put them side by side or in a row down your mirror as  you go.  I'll share another way of storing these once you get to day 7 so that you aren't requiring 3 bathrooms to do this LOL.

And add a set of sticky notes to your refrigerator.  I had no idea how much this addition helped me!!  

Please leave us a comment if you are committed to memorizing a chapter of the Bible this summer (we have 3 months until fall :o)!  You can DO THIS!!

Blessings,
Antoinette                                  shop online for our stamps and Bazzill papers:

Friday, May 30, 2014

OWH Winners announced + Getting Ready to Memorize Genesis Chapter 1!!

Hello friends!

We wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the OWH bloghop this year!!  What AMAZING CREATIONS everyone created!  And thank you to the more than 100 of you who left us some love in the form of a comment!  We had intended to give away 10--$10 store credits, but decided to give away more since so many participated.  LET'S GET TO THE WINNERS:
 Andrea T
Ruth G
Jessie
arlsmom aka Lynda
SuprfoxDesigns
irmz
April Story
airbornewife
Michele Smith
Becki with an i blog
Nancy M
Coco
kzladie
Coco
Brenda Hugar
Congratulations to you all!  If you haven't registered at our online store, go there first and register.  THEN email us at inspiredstamps@gmail.com, letting us know the email address you registered under and we will email you back when we get your $10 store credit into your account!!  You can shop anytime, as there is no expiration date on this!  AND it will automatically be applied to your order when you are ready, so no codes to remember either!   WINNERS HAVE THROUGH SUNDAY JUNE 8TH MIDNIGHT TO REGISTER AND CONTACT US VIA EMAIL TO CLAIM THEIR PRIZE, or it will go to someone else.


As we get ready to begin our 30 DAYS OF JUNE: MEMORIZING A BIBLE CHAPTER,  I wanted to send you to 3 posts I created a while back about HOW TO MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE.  It has such great information in it that I don't want to repeat, since I have new things to share with you.  So click on the link here or the photo link to the 30 DAYS OF JUNE on the right side of this blog to find all the posts I did.  Then I'll be back on SUNDAY with the START of our MEMORIZATION of Chapter 1 of Genesis!! 


Have a great evening and I'll be back soon!
Blessings,
Antoinette

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Summer Cards with Scripture!

Hello friends!

Friday is the last day to take advantage of our store-wide sale:
www.inspiredstamps.com


Here are the summer cards our DT has created for you to enjoy:
Kary:
Deneen:


Belinda:
Chere:
Patty:
Shanta:

 Thank you so much for stopping by!  We will announce our winners from the OWH bloghop Friday!!
Blessings,
Antoinette




Wednesday, May 28, 2014

June News announced!!

Hello friends!
If you did not see the MANY MANY beautiful cards in the Operation Write Home 2014 bloghop, be sure to click HERE!

We have only 2 DAYS LEFT in our storewide sale (including clearance!): CLICK on this link to go to the online store:   www.inspiredstamps.com

And now on to our next month-long challenge---Memorizing a CHAPTER in the bible!  In addition to the other Inspired Stamps artwork (card-makers, no fear---we will have plenty of card posts in June also), I am going to be leading you through Genesis Chapter One, a verse each day, starting this FRIDAY, May29th with our GETTING READY post.  I will have a lot of tips and tricks to help you reach your goal of memorizing a chapter of the Bible.  And no worries if you take longer than 30 days, you will have the skills and the encouragement right here to come back to as you are ready for the next verse!  We will keep the logo up on the sidebar with links to all the posts!  I am so excited to get started!  If you are wondering what you should gather and don't want to wait until Friday, I recommend you get a pen and sticky notes ready.  For those who will want to Art Journal this as well, you'll need a notebook/mixed media journal/watercolor journal/ or sketchbook, depending on what medium you plan to use.  And Grab a piece of ribbon for Sunday's DAY 1 post ( a fun extra activity for you that day!).

I'll see you tomorrow for an amazing display of cards by our uber talented Design Team!!

Leave a message here if you know you will join us for June's 30 day Bible Chapter Memorization challenge!

Blessings,
Antoinette