Sweeter Than Honey Coloring Pages {March}

The big idea of our Sweeter than Honey CCD theme this year is to encourage the kids to know and memorize Scripture, specifically the Psalms, so that they know that God's promises are so sweet.

Each month, I'll share a set of coloring pages, one for each Sunday, featuring the Psalm from Sunday Mass.  Using special fonts and simple decorations, they are meant to be a quick addition to your weekly class as an aide to memorizing the Responsorial Psalm.  Add it to your opening and closing prayer, give the students a few minutes to color it during class, and send it home to be hung up on the fridge or bathroom mirror.

Here are the coloring pages for the four Sundays of March:

Click here for the full size Psalm coloring pages for March:

Click here for the half page size Psalm coloring pages for March:
(These fit perfectly inside the Scripture Book cover from this post)

I'll post coloring pages of the Psalms once a month, so stay tuned!  You can find the other resources at these links:

August Coloring Pages

September Coloring Pages 

October Coloring Pages 

November Coloring Pages

December Coloring Pages

January Coloring Pages

February Coloring Pages

ou might also like our Sweeter than Honey theme resources (folder covers, logo, signs, etc.), Sweeter than Honey theme decorations, and St. Abigail and St. Ambrose patron Saint coloring pages.

Studying Scripure: Transfer & Tracing Techniques

In response to comments and questions on some of my Instagram posts of my Bible margin doodles, today I want to share with you a few tips and tricks for transferring designs, lettering, etc. into my Bible (or journal, etc.) because I am NOT freehanding my work from scratch.  What you see in my photos of my Bible or my Sunday Readings Scripture Doodles is often the fruit of a sketch, a rough draft, transferring, and then inking, etc.  It takes a little longer, but I am much happier with the results especially when working in something as important as my Bible.

(FYI- the links below are Amazon Affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase something, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.)

I've been spending lots of time in my new Catholic Journaling Bible- reading and studying and being creative.  Check out the bottom of the post for links about how I use my current (non journaling) study Bible and how my favorite pens and art supplies hold up in the Catholic Journaling Bible.

For this post, I'd like to share a few techniques with you for taking an idea and transferring it into your Bible.  The same tips would work in a journal, etc.  First, you need to decide on the design you'd like to add to your Bible.  A few ideas:
-Create your own sketch of the verse/image.  I highly recommend graph paper- it makes it so easy to keep things straight/balanced/centered.  No matter the kind of paper, I always mark off the final size I am going for first (size of the Bible margin or journaling page) and then sketch.
-You also can find a font that you love and type the verse you want to journal.  Play with sizes, placement and even mix up two or more fonts.  Then print to your needed size!
-There are some Bible journaling templates out there that you can download and print yourself, already designed and ready to go. (Search on Pinterest for Bible Margin Templates- and I also offer them in my Etsy Shop!)
...Now, to get that design in your Bible or journal.

First here are some general supplies I love for working in my Bible:

-These colored pencils
-This pencil sharpener (sharpens both large and small colored pencils)
-These pencils (the only kind worth having!)
-These pens
-This amazing light board
-Graph paper like this
-Watercolors like this
-Gesso like this
-This little ruler
-This eraser
-Washi Tape like this
-Vellum like this or this or this

Once you have a design you love, you have a few options for transferring to your Bible page where you can then ink, color, paint, etc.

Carbon Transfer
-You can transfer your design using erasable carbon paper by layering pattern, carbon paper, and then your Bible/journal.  I would recommend using washi tape to hold it down while you are tracing.
-If you don't want to spring for carbon paper, shade in the back of your design with a layer of pencil (shown in photo below) and it will work just as well.
-Once it is positioned, trace over the lettering or design using a pencil or pen (using color helps you know what you have already traced!)
-It's a good idea to carefully check if you are applying enough pressure by lifting up and edge near where you have traced to make sure you see the outline.
-When finished, peel off the pattern and you have a faint pencil outline that you can ink, erase lines, and decorate!

Pencil on the back:

Ready to trace:

Very light pencil lines:

Traced over with ink:

Tracing
-Another option is to trace your design by laying it under the page you'd like it on.  This works if the Bible or journal page is very thin (possible with the BIS Bible) and if your design is bold and dark.
-Lay your pattern under the page you want to trace it on.
-I still recommend using washi tape to hold it in place.
-Carefully trace, either in pencil first or directly in ink.
-Remove pattern, erase if needed, and decorate!

You can faintly see the pattern through the paper here:

Traced in ink:

Added some decorations:

Light Board

-You can up your tracing game with a light board.  I just got one for Christmas and I do not know how I've gotten through a whole life of drawing and crafting without it.  Seriously, if you ask what my favorite tool is for Bible Journaling, this is it.  

-The light board that I'm using is 9x12" and only about 1/4" thick, making it easy to lay flat on the table and work on and also simple to slide inbetween pages of a Bible or journal.  This one has a USB cord that can be plugged into a wall or into a computer for power, which is super helpful.  It also can be dimmed and brightened depending on the thickness of what you are working with.

-I usually will tape the pattern to the back of the Bible page, but won't also tape it to the light board.  That way if the light board moves (which it will) it won't rip your Bible page.

-Usually, I just place the light board in between the pages and get to work, but sometimes if the page I'm tracing on is near the front or the back of the Bible, I have propped up the other side of the light board with a book of similar height.  This make tracing easier as the board stays level and doesn't slide, and also makes it less likely to tear those delicate pages.
-I love that I can work with the light board to trace even the most detailed patterns and don't have pencil lines to erase afterwards, which is both messy and can cause you to damage the page or smear the ink, which is a tragedy.

There you have it!  A few tried and true transferring techniques.  Now off to make or find some awesome patterns and designs to use!

You can visit my Etsy shop to get both digital files to download and print yourself, ready to trace using any of these techniques.

Or, if you want something a little quicker, I also offer Bible margin doodles as preprinted stickers on matte white paper, ready to decorate and then just stick straight into your Bible.

I have ten sets of Bible Margin Doodles in the shop right now (50 different stickers).  And there are specific sets just for Lent and Easter, so if you are working on a goal to spend more time in Scripture during Lent, they'd be perfect!

And as a special thank you to my blog readers, for the rest of Lent, I'll send you a free Catholic Colorable Sticker set with any order.  Just mention in your order notes that you are a blog reader and which set you'd like! (Pictured are sets 1, 2 and 3 from left to right).

You might like these other posts:
Color & Creativity in the Catholic Journaling Bible
Pens for the Catholic Journaling Bible
Tips, Tools, and Ideas for Personal Bible Study
Adding Art to a Non-Journaling Bible
Sunday Readings Scripture Doodles 2015-2016
Sunday Readings Scripture Doodles 2016-2017
Why Your Handwriting Matters

Holy Family Hearts Coloring Page + Prayer Cards

The month of February is dedicated to honoring the Holy Family.  I'm so happy to share with you a few printables celebrating the Holy Family using the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Pure Heart of St. Joseph.  Perfect for any time of year, they would also be awesome, holy activities for this Lenten St. Valentine's Day as well. :)

Click here for the Holy Family Hearts Coloring Page:

I just made these cute little aspiration cards for a ladies' youth group event and realized they'd make great Valentines too.  They have the Holy Family Hearts on one side and on the other side there are eight short, easy prayers to memorize and use frequently during your day like "Jesus, I trust in You," and "Come Holy Spirit."

Click here for the Holy Family Hearts Aspiration Cards:

The Holy Family Hearts are also available in my Etsy shop as both a rubber stamp and a couple of different kinds of stickers.  I have to hold back to not stamp it on every thing I own. ;)

I also have tons of versions of coloring pages and prayer cards for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, including these pretty stained glass coloring pages.

Click here for more printables:
Sacred Heart of Jesus Coloring Pages
Sacred Heart of Jesus & Anima Christi Prayer Cards
Sacred Heart of Jesus Color-A-Novena
Immaculate Heart of Mary & Seven Sorrows of Mary Coloring Pages
Immaculate Heart of Mary & Hail Holy Holy Queen Prayer Cards

“I wish to invoke the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth…it is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families…St. Joseph was a “just man”…may he always guard, protect and enlighten families. May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother of “the Church of the home”…May Christ the Lord, the Universal King, the King of Families, be present in every Christian home as He was at Cana, bestowing light, joy, serenity, and strength”
~St. John Paul II

Sweeter Than Honey Coloring Pages {February}

The big idea of our Sweeter than Honey CCD theme this year is to encourage the kids to know and memorize Scripture, specifically the Psalms, so that they know that God's promises are so sweet.

Each month, I'll share a set of coloring pages, one for each Sunday, featuring the Psalm from Sunday Mass.  Using special fonts and simple decorations, they are meant to be a quick addition to your weekly class as an aide to memorizing the Responsorial Psalm.  Add it to your opening and closing prayer, give the students a few minutes to color it during class, and send it home to be hung up on the fridge or bathroom mirror.

Here are the coloring pages for the four Sundays of February:

Click here for the full size Psalm coloring pages for February:

Click here for the half page size Psalm coloring pages for February:
(These fit perfectly inside the Scripture Book cover from this post)

I'll post coloring pages of the Psalms once a month, so stay tuned!  You can find the August Coloring Pages here, the September Coloring Pages here, the October Coloring Pages here, the November Coloring Pages here, the December Coloring Pages here, and January Coloring pages here.  You might also like our Sweeter than Honey theme resources (folder covers, logo, signs, etc.), Sweeter than Honey theme decorations, and St. Abigail and St. Ambrose patron Saint coloring pages.