A new project

At the end of 2014, my friend, Doris, told me about a project that Stephanie Ackerman was starting for 2015.  It is called Documented Faith and is based on the Documented Life Project done by Art to the 5th Academy, but is faith based.  It also goes hand in hand with Bible journaling!   Here is the link to Stephanie's blog and more information about the project. http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/do.html

I decided that I wanted to do this project!  Stephanie also created a Facebook group called Documented Faith.  I spent forever reading all the lovely posts that people had made.  They showed what they were using and how they set it up.  

Stephanie suggests using a Moleskin 12 month planner or you can use whatever you have on hand.  Since this was my first time doing this project, I wasn't sure what I wanted to use.  I could use any one of the blank journals that I had on hand or a composition notebook. 

I went to Staples to check out the Moleskin planners (they are pricey) and found this Poppin 18 month planner on clearance for $7.40!  I figured for that price, I could try it out and if I didn't like it, I could switch to one of my other options.  

I jumped right in! 

What a gorgeous hot pink color!!!!

I had read other people were using a 18 month planner, in which you could use the extra pages (months that had already passed since it started June 2014) or you could tear them out, so you would have extra room as your planner expanded! I decided to leave in the extra pages!

The planner had these stickers included in the pocket in the back.

Stephanie gives a tutorial on how to add washi tape to the pages edges and do tip-ins. Tip-ins are extra sheets of paper that are added to the side of a page and washi taped on, then folded in.  I opted not to washi tape all of my edges, and just do the tip-ins.  I wanted to add tip-ins to each month page, so I would have extra room each month, if needed.  My kids helped me pick out the washi tape for the 12 months.  We went for themes for certain months and something for each of my family's members birthday months.

Gold for January (New Year's), hearts for February (Valentine's Day), green polka dots for March (St. Patrick's Day), bunnies for April (Easter), rainbow for May (my girl's bday month), blue for June (my boy's bday month), red stars for July (4th of July), alphabet for August (back to school), mustaches for September (hubbins bday month), Happy Halloween for October (Halloween), orange chevron for November (Thanksgiving) and red snowflakes for December (Christmas).  We had fun picking them out.  

I cut a piece of card stock to size.  My daughter helped me with the next part.  We cut washi tape to size and then adhered it to the planner page... then lined up the extra sheet and stuck it on.  Then, we flipped over the page and put washi tape on the back side, just to reinforce it.

This is how a tip-in looks.  

This is what the whole planner looked like with the tip-ins all finished.

And these are all 12 months of washi taped tip-ins.

 

Next, I made monthly tabs, picking something themed again for the months.  I just punched out a square and then added washi tape to it and then wrote the month on it.  I used stickers, some scrapbook paper or even colored January's tab myself (it was a white square that I colored gold).

I folded the square in half and glued them onto the top of the month pages.  I then washi taped the edges down to hold them onto the page. 

Stephanie sent out an email with a free printable for the new year. I printed it out and colored it with Prang colored pencils! 

Each week, we are given a verse for the week.  Jeremiah 29:11 is the first verse! Since January started at the end of the week, this verse is being used for Week one and and two.  I stamped and used stickers to add it to the top of the January page.

We are also given a monthly word.  This month's word is truth!  Stephanie sends an email out with the month's word and a picture.  I printed it out, but my color isn't working, but I like how it looks. I washi taped it on the page.  I looked up the definition of the word truth and printed it out. I put down some washi tape and glued the definition on top of that. I just finished this last night!

And like I said before, Jeremiah 29:11 is being used for week 2, so I did it again for this week.  I used a Tim Holtz stencil and spray misted purple, silver and turquoise on the page.  It turned out so so pretty!  I had printed out the verse and then glue sticked it onto the page!  I also did this last night! 

I used the extra pages at the beginning of the planner, before January. See, they did come in handy!  I had spray misted some other pages, cut them to size and glued them onto the planner page. I washi taped the middle part where there was a gap. 

I used the scraps from the other pages and made this page.  I washi taped the gaps... I like how it turned out.

People pick one word for the year.  Last year, I didn't really have a word, but I had a phrase that I had chosen.  It was, "Until God opens the next door for you, praise Him in the hallway!"  This year, I wholeheartedly believe is the year of change for my family! I chose two words, faith and hope.  I chose two words, because these two words go hand in hand.

I looked up the definitions of the words and wrote them out. I also looked up a Bible verse that I thought was great to go with the word.

I saw this quote in the Journaling Bible Community group and I thought it was awesome, so I wanted to add it in also!

I looked up quotes about faith and hope on Pinterest and google and added the ones that I liked!

So far, I am loving this project.  I haven't really added anything on the daily parts of the planner, except for the weather, but that's ok. 

The journey continues... stay tuned! ;)