Get To Know The Team – Part Two – Introductions

Did you have fun yesterday sleuthing around? Some of them were hard to guess, but I loved getting to know the girls better this way! Want to know who’s who? Here’s the order: 1) Natalie Elphinestone, 2) Andrea Gray, 3) Gina Mazanec, 4) Amy Bruce, 5) Stephanie Buice, 6) Bekah Blankenship, 7) Elaine Davis, 8) Jess Robyn, 9) Heather Greenwood, 10) Amanda Cabrera, 11) Gina Lideros, 12) Janel MacLean, 13) Tawni Sattler, 14) Florence Antonette, 15) Bailey Jean Robert, 16) Leah Van Ert

Did you guess correctly? I have to say that I’m impressed with your sleuthing skills as a lot of you were spot on or really close! Random.org chose Charolette as our random winner of the Genesis Kit! While it wasn’t a requirement to have the correct answers to be in the drawing for the prize, Charolette got them all correct! Congrats Charolette! I will contact you for your mailing address so we can get it out to you as soon as we can!

Are you ready to learn all about these ladies? Some of them you’ve met before but many you haven’t and I can’t wait for you all to get to know them.

Amanda Cabrera
instagram.com/amandaonpurpose

Hi I’m Amanda!!  I’m a wife to an ultra runner (as in running really long distances for fun…not because you’re being chased…which is the only way I would run) and a homeschooling mama to 2 littles.  I’m excited to bring the Word of Jesus to life with Bella Blvd because I believe that it brings more and more people to the gospel.  I also believe that not only does it bring people to the gospel but it also brings people to a deeper level of love with Jesus and opens up the lines of communication with the Holy Spirit.  Being able to express visually what’s inside yourself creates so much room for truly making the gospel a living part of your life.

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Amy Bruce
seedsofcreativegrace.com
instagram.com/designsbyamybruce

Hello!  My name is Amy Bruce.  I am a mom, wife, servant, artist, and photographer.    I love Jesus with all my heart and trust Him with all that concerns me.    I have been expressing my faith through art for many years.  Almost everything I create relates back to my faith.    Last Christmas, God drew me into the world of illustration in my Bible.    I now have  two journaling Bibles:  one is illustrations and hand lettering and the other is my mixed media Bible.  It took me a while to have the courage to use mixed media techniques in my Bible but I think I love spending time with God in this Bible the most.  There are less rules and there is less pressure that I might make a mistake — stickers, stamps, and beautiful papers make it even more fun.   The key for me is to worship God in the midst of dwelling in the passage and let Him move the art supplies and techniques around the page.

I am humbled and honored to be a part of Illustrated Faith.   I believe He loves when His children spend time in His Word through artistic expression.   When you meditate on a passage visually and kinesthetically, the truth is embedded into your heart in ways that could not happen from reading or memorizing words.

I look forward to spending time with you in His Word and in His truth!

Philippians 1:6 Amplified Bible (AMP) I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].

Andrea Gray
retrohipmama.wordpress.com
instagram.com/retrohipmama

California girl. Wife to my hilarious mister. Mom of two growing boys. Maker of memories and scrapbooks. Documenter of life. Follower of Jesus. Lover of vintage. Listener of music. Consumer of dark chocolate with sea salt.
So that’s me. A girl who needs a lot more Jesus in her life. And I just know that being part of a community that allows my craftiness to mingle with my spiritual growth is something that God has been planning on. I am so happy to be part of this team!

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

Bailey Jean Robert
braveloveblog.com
instagram.com/baileyjrobert

Hello all! I’m Bailey Jean, a believer, blogger, and big dreamer, and I am so excited to be part of this team! Illustrating my faith set familiar scriptures alight with color in a way I never imagined! I cannot wait to journey with the Illustrated Faith team as we rally together around the Word of God. Let’s do this, y’all!

Galatians 6:4-5 in The Message “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

Bekah Blankenship
bekahblankenship.com
instagram.com/bekahblankenship

I am a homeschooling momma to four wild boys. To say that our life is a delicate balance of joy and chaos would be a massive understatement. I am crazy about my guys and crazy about Jesus. When I stumbled on Illustrated Faith almost a year ago, I was smitten from the start. All my artsy fartsy longings locked arms with my quest to discover God’s heart in the pages of His Word. It has been such a beautiful journey!  I love this movement. I have always been passionate about encouraging women as we collectively embrace the tiny graces that sprinkle everyday life. I love that Illustrated Faith and Bella Blvd have teamed up to equiip this community to do just that in such a tangible way. I am literally pinching myself over getting to be a part. These are exciting times, friends!

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 

Elaine Davis
kelainedavis.blogspot.com
instagram.com/mrs.elaine.davis

Hello sweets! I’m an eclectic 28-year-old living in central Indiana with my nerdy husband Ian & kitty Phoebe. Wanna-be crafting legend, professional at making it up as I go. ;) I’ve been a photographer since 2009 & recently had to leave my “day job” as scrapbooking instructor for Michael’s Craft Stores. I started scrapbooking in year 2000 stealing my mom’s Mrs. Grossman’s stickers & plastic stencils! HA! Other than bible journaling & scrapbooking, I enjoy blogging, creative planning, making jewelry, decorating my apartment, & reading!

I’ve been a Christian my whole life, but after attending one of Shanna’s workshops I felt even more things with my faith click into place. Through sharing my faith journaling, I have seen God actually USING me to bring others closer to Christ. I love that Bella Blvd. & Illustrated Faith have given everyone a permission slip (covered in stickers & paint) to throw the rule book out the window & dive into the REAL rule book: God’s word! This is my first time on a Creative Team & I’m so excited to go to town making a big mess while talking to Jesus! Spoiler alert: He will hear you wherever you are. Even in your craft room!

Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 7:9, & Exodus 14:14

Florence Antonette
florenceantonette.com
instagram.com/livelifeandcreate

I am quite excited to share my love for creativity and faith put together all in one. I want to give people that extra outlet and start documenting their feelings of their love for God. Whether it’s in my travelers notebook or my bible journal, I pour my heart and soul out on to paper and magic happens. I want others to feel the emotional connection as well as creative when they see my entries. I look forward to representing Illustrated Faith and Bella Blvd. I am truly grateful to be given this opportunity to share with you what I love doing.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Gina Lideros
canoncreativegirl.blogspot.com
instagram.com/ginalideros

I am so excited to be part of the Bella Blvd/Illustrated Faith Design and Education team!  Illustrating my faith has brought me closer to God.  I love that this hobby allows me to be creative while also learning more about him. I am looking forward to encouraging others through the word!

You are loved more than you will ever know by someone who died to know you. Romans 5:8

Gina Mazanec
instagram.com/mamacakesmakings

Hiya! Gina here; Mom of 2 boys and 2 girls, wife to a hardworking farmer and rancher, lover of country life, India, vintage pyrex and floral sheets. Jesus, coffee and the color yellow make me happy. I am super excited to be a part of the Illustrated Faith creative team. I believe this avenue is wide open for glorifying God and I pray that is only what I do. I can’t wait to get my hands dirty in paint and my heart deep in community with you all!

I have always been inspired by Philippians 4:13 – I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me. Lately I am striving to live 1 Corinthians 16:14– Do everything in love.

Heather Greenwood
heathergreenwooddesigns.com
instagram.com/heathergw

Hi there, I’m Heather and I’m excited to be back for another term! I’ve been married to Mark for 14 years and homeschool our 3 kiddos; Moriah 9, Isaac 7, and Asher 4. I’m a creative blogger, mixed media artist, planner girl, a Beachbody coach, forever student and so much more. I often say that I like to dabble my often bare feet into everything and then jump in head first. I love inspiring, teaching, and motivating women to be who God created them to be. I’m so excited for what God is doing with Illustrated Faith and am loving being on this journey with Shanna and see where God leads her and the team next.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Janel MacLean
ashinemachine.com
instagram.com/ashinemachine

What a blessing to be a part of this amazing team again! Illustrating my faith has become a daily part of my life.  I love being able to worship God in this creative way and finding such  strong connection with His word.  It has been such a blessing to watch what God has been doing through Shanna Noel and Bella Blvd with these products.  I am so excited to see what else God has in store for this movement!

Phillipians 4:6-8 | Esther 4:14 | 1 Samuel 1:27 | pretty much anything in Psalms

Jess Robyn
instagram.com/bumbleandbristle

Hi friend!!! I’m Jess! My hubs and I live in Southern California and work full time with college students at a local university. I love rock climbing with my hubs, painting on EVERYTHING while listening to Harry Potter audiobooks on repeat & dreaming up silly names with my hubby for our first little baby bear coming in April! When I first saw (ok lets be honest here.. when I say “saw” I mean “sat drooling over for hours”) Shanna’s Instagram I was beside myself that I had never thought to take my silly illustrations and love for painting and combine them with my love for Jesus. I just LOVE how painting in my Bible helps me to truly spend time meditating on God’s Word and how my visual brain remembers the pictures I painted illustrating the heart behind the verses!

Acts 20:24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Leah Van Ert
www.myfavoriteadventure.com
instagram.com/leahvanert

Ever since I was young, creativity and my relationship with Jesus have walked hand in hand, but it wasn’t until a couple months ago that I discovered the Illustrated Faith community. This process is brand new to me, but it has brought new life to my 10+ year faith journey. Never before have I dwelled in Scripture as much as I have in the last months and it feels INCREDIBLE. I couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with you as part of the creative team!

“Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Natalie Elphinstone
onescrappydoctor.blogspot.com
instagram.com/natalieelph

Hello from the Land Down Under! I’m Natalie Elphinstone and I’m feeling mighty blessed to be staying on for another term at Illustrated Faith. For those of you who don’t know me already I’m the lucky wife of the Trophy Husband and have three Elphie Kids, Bethany is 9, Moriah 5 and Judah is 7 months. He gets into everything these days including staged photoshoots but don’t worry, no Shopkins were harmed during the making of this image! My devotional life has changed dramatically since I started illustrating my faith and I can’t believe it’s taken this long for my papercraft hobby to collide with my faith journey in this explosion of colour. I see it as an expression of worship and it’s encouraged me to spend so much more time in the Word. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next 6 months of Illustrated Faith will take us.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Stephanie Buice
mybitsofsunshine.blogspot.com
instagram.com/stephbuice

Titus 2:11-12 – “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,

Tawni Sattler
www.thelifeinbetween.space
instagram.com/thelifeinbetween

I am so excited to be on the Creative Team for Illustrated Faith and Bella Blvd! Since I began illustrating my faith, my spiritual walk and my understanding of the Word have been made immeasurably better. I’m able to process and understand Scripture in a new, more applicable way, and I feel so blessed to be able to explore and study God’s Word in a way that speaks so directly to my heart! I am a wife to an amazing, Jesus-loving man, and a mama to two crazy boys; we’re a little missionary family living in Vienna, Austria. I blog about faith and lifestyle, and of course my journaling Bible and bullet journal make special appearances in my blog more often than not! I’m looking forward to journeying through the Bible with all of you!

Hebrews 6:19, Psalms 127:3-5, Isaiah 54, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7