Hi there! Eeeeeek! My name is Alli Graham and I am so stinkin’ excited for this opportunity to share my FAVORITE new obsession with you! Is this real life?! Ok, so [smack face, pull it together, act cool], introductions first! I live in southern Ohio, and was raised across the river in WV. I am momma to two sweet girls, Isla (2) & Capri (11 months), & as you can see by the picture, in the past 2 years there has apparently not been a picture taken of me without a baby attached to my hip ☺) By day I am a stay-at-home-momma, by evening I am a pediatric home-based Speech Language Pathologist, and by SUPER late evening I am a water-color painting- doodling- lettering- creatin’ fool.
I cannot tell you how much it thrills my heart to artfully express my love for the Lord and to use the talents he gave me for His glory. When I first realized that a journaling bible community (BIG THANK YOU to you, Shanna! <3) existed where people combine art with God’s word, I completely SWOOOOOONED. I immediately ordered my journaling bible and the ideas began to flood my mind. Once it arrived, I opened it up and began an entry on the very first page:
Inspiration and creative ideas hit me so hard throughout the day that I have an embarrassingly full “idea book”. It hits me during bible study in my bed, listening to Christian music in my car, at church during sermons, in the grocery store, EVERYWHERE. All the time. While listening to Chris Tomlin’s “Indescribable” in the car one day, my mind started illustrating it and until my creative ideas are put to paper, it feels like a terrible itch that you can’t scratch! I came home and nearly ran to my bible to illustrate Isaiah 40:26
Bible journaling has completely and wonderfully changed my bible study. It speaks to me in a way that really helps me mediate on the scriptures and memorize the verses. Sharing them on instagram and with the journaling bible community has opened up a new way for me THROUGH HIM to connect and reach people and I cannot wait to fill up my pages!
Although bible journaling is new to me, art is a long-time love of mine. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a doodler. God put this love of all things pretty in my heart at a very young age, and I vividly remember the summer before 3rd grade, dreaming about school starting so I could learn CURSIVE WRITING. I still love lettering so much that I my eyes turn into the heart-eyes emoji and I start drooling a little when I youtube calligraphy videos. (Also, this is about as “formal” as any “training” gets for me. Self-taught youtuber over here so if I can do, reader, you can too ☺) SO… a little over a year ago, I followed the advice of my sweet friends and family who encouraged me to start selling my work. I opened my shop Happy Water Press on Etsy and have been overwhelmingly blessed by the amount of support Happy Water Press has received. It’s continually evolving as far as what I have available, but mostly consists of watercolor paintings (home portraits, scripture/christian lyric art, etc.) and chalkboard art for local weddings/ showers/ parties. (Keep in mind after visiting my site: This oh so sweet, diaper-changin, lullabye-singin, barbie-playin season of life that I’m currently in doesn’t allow me to take on TOO many orders at a time, so I encourage you to follow me on Instagram to watch for flash sales and shop announcements so you can get an order in during those times if you are interested)
Thank you, Shanna so much for the privilege to share here on Illustrated Faith. Readers, I cannot wait to inspire and be inspired by you! To God ALL the glory <3
XOX
-Alli
P.S. If you would like a free journaling card (perfect for your bible) of the “kindness” print please make sure you are signed up for our newsletter (sign up in the bar on the right). Also, if you are new to using a journaling bible please make sure to check out our resource section!
Hello Alli. Enjoyed your post, and your bible art journaling work is beautiful. Is there a way I can follow your Instagram through the computer? I don’t have and I-phone. Just wondering because I would love to follow you. Thanks. ….Linda E.
Thank you so much! Yes, I believe you can on http://www.instagram.com! Just search me @alligraham_ and I think that should work!
Hi Linda! I wanted to let you know that you can follow and view other’s instagrams through your internet browser, through http://www.instagram.com. You won’t be able to post any pictures of your own, but you can follow others and have a feed (like the facebook newsfeed) where you can see recent posts by those you follow.
You can use this link to get to Alli’s instagram: https://instagram.com/alligraham_/
Hope this helps!
Reva
beautiful!!!!!
Thank you Emma!!!
Love! Would love an alli graham process video!
Thanks Betty! I would love to do that!
Your pages are beautiful!! I am now following you on IG and can’t wait to see the next page! Take care!
We love your little card! Would you mind if my daughter used it at her wedding? She would like guests to write something nice and put them in a jar to open on their first anniversary.
Let me point Ally over here :)
Of course !!! What an adorable idea!
This is all so beautiful Ali, both your heart and your art. Thanks for sharing them so freely.
I would love to see a process video as well. :)
hi what bible do you have because i would love to do something like this with my own artwork