Decorating tips

Here's some great decorating tips from one of our crafty friends! You can add your tips of what worked for you (or didn't) and even take a picture of your creation and post it for the world to see in the comments or on your profile page! 

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Always test your product first on the sample sheet of white duravella provided in the bible box!

This can get messy, so don't do it right after you've just gotten your long awaited manicure. And grab an old shirt or waterproof apron to cover up with so you don't ruin your favorite clothes.

Rub-Ons:

Older rub-ons have a tough time adhering to the material of the Bible and can cause much frustration when the print does not come off of the packaging easily. Trust me, I’ve been there. Any company that has rub-ons that require very little hard rubbing (Hambly’s, Basic Grey, etc.) will adhere well to the Bible.

Stickers:

Most stickers work easily. Caution should be given to those stickers that are three-dimensional and do not have much adhesive on the back. Better to use a brad for a three-dimensional effect. Use letter stickers to write your name. When using Thickers, it is a better idea to put them on the front cover. The back of the Bible gets the most wear so the letters can sometimes pop off when it is laid down.

Brads:

Use your Crop-a-dile tool or a hole punch to punch a hole through the outside cover of the God Girl Bible. Stick in your favorite button brad or flower brad or design element. It’s usually better to do this on the front cover so the brad doesn’t get caught on clothing or get banged up as you lay it on a table.

Markers and Inks:

Markers and inks take awhile to dry. It’s best to let these products rest overnight before adding another layer of rub-ons or stickers. Also, note that not all fine point markers work well. If you use a light hand, you can write on the surface with them. If you press too hard, the point wants to dig in and scratch up the surface. Use with caution.

One way that fine point markers do work is to color in the branches and blooms on the Snow White/Deep Purple, Tree Design Bible.

Stamps are fun to use on the God Girl Bible. Clear stamps are helpful so that you can see the placement of the design better. Rubber stamps work but because the surface is soft, the full design of a larger stamp sometimes does not come off on the surface the first time. StazOn inks are solvent based and made to go on virtually any surface and work great. They are sticky, so be careful when working with rubber stamps that have a larger surface area that you don't rock them while pushing down. BIG TIP: when you pull a clear stamp off the cover, it will definitely stick and pop off. This will freak you out. Or maybe not if you are an experienced stamper. J It’s easier to have a friend gently pull the cover away from the stamp as you pull straight up.

Another great product to try is Tim Holtz's Adirondack alchohol inks. These are specially made for anything with a glossy surface. They come in small bottles that you can use to daub color on from a cotton pad or can use to fill up the company's Alcohol Ink Fillable Pens. Using the cotton pad and dotting one two or more colors will give you a marbled or swirled looking surface. Using the pens with a brush and a fine tip will help you color in the debossed areas on the Snow White/Deep Purple, Tree Design cover or you can simply color along the stitching, write names and Bible verses, or virtually anything else. Just be sure to use your cover sample to practice spacing and see which pen tip works best for what you want to do. Be careful not to press too hard on the pen tips as you write since doing this will crush the tip and make it write with a wider stroke.

You can absolutely layer colors. Just 2 key things to remember: 1) work with lighter colors on the bottom layer and darker ones on top of that to avoid mixing them and 2) be sure to let each color dry fully before moving on to the next one. This technique is especially great for making the most of one pack of coordinating inks and a single cool stamp to make patterns or to use several coordinating stamps to make your project more colorful.

Another cool thing to try is creating a colored background with larger rubber stamps or by marbling the background with alcohol inks and then layering over white stickers or other stickers or brads to give your bible a whole different look!

When decorating the spine, remember that this will get a lot of wear from opening and closing it. It’s best to use a flexible rub-on or sticker or else the design element may pop off pretty quickly.

Paint:

If you are a painting kind of gal, give this a try. Acrylic craft paint is the best to use. Paint the entire cover or just paint a few flowers. This is a nice way to add color, but make sure to let it dry for a few hours or overnight.

Glimmer Mist:

This is another fun item to try. BIG TIP: Do one side of the Bible at a time. This will definitely need to dry once you spray it on. A couple quick squirts will do it. You will notice that the ink pools on the duravella and this is normal. Set it to the side and let dry for several hours or overnight. Once dry, you can leave as is or add some stickers, etc.

Glam:

Add some sparkle by using stickers with rhinestones or glittery stickers.

Here are products that work well on the God Girl cover. As you try things and want to add to either list, let us know!

The Paper Studio Stickabilities Embossed and Foiled Stickers

The Paper Studio Cardstock Stickers

Recollections Embossed Foiled Stickers

Basic Grey Bling It Designer Rhinestones

Basic Grey Rub-ons

Bo Bunny Rub-ons

ATD Rub-ons

Jolee’s All that Bling Dimensional Stickers

K & Company Stickers

Me & My Big Idea Stickers

Doodlebug Design Inc. Cardstock Stickers

Hambly Studios Rub-ons and Clear Stickers

Paperhouse Productions Glitter Rub-Ons

Brads

Sharpies or other permanent markers

StazOn Ink

American Crafts Thickers Foam Stickers

American Crafts Rub-Ons

Tim Holtz's Adirondack Alchohol Inks

Tim Holtz’s Alcohol Ink Fillable Pens

Glimmer Mist

Three Dimensional Stickers that have flexible backing

Doesn’t work:

Many K & Company Rub-ons have difficulty adhering to duravella

Thin Point Sharpies or markers

Non-Permanent Markers

American Crafts Thickers Chipboard Stickers

Three Dimensional Stickers with minimal adhesive

Plastic Three Dimensional Sticker with no flexible backing such as plastic stars, etc.