Wedding gifts can be easy. If it’s just a coworker or neighbor than you just grab an instapot, wrap it up and you’re done. But when the wedding is for you sister or loved one, it gets a little harder. Am I right? Earlier this summer I got a beautiful wedding invitation for my sister’s wedding. I knew it was coming but when I saw the invitation my heart still kinda fluttered. Maybe it flipped around a little because I am so happy for her but I think a bigger reason might have been because now I had to find a good wedding gift for her and her future husband. It’s so stressful that my dad even called me looking for ideas. When it’s someone you love and adore, you need the perfect gift.
This post contains affiliate links.
Or in my husband’s eyes, it means I’m going to make something. Why? Because I’m a crafter, I make stuff! Things bought in the store or great but if I have the chance to put my stamp on it and personalize it, that’s the way I’m going to go! This summer I’ve been slowly working on doing my own personal hand painted Bible. So as I sat at my desk one day looking at my bible and then looking at the wedding invitation, I had an idea. What if I painted a bible to resemble their wedding invitation? That’s what I did. When I started making this bible I also started recording the entire process with video and pictures. BUT… then I got really wrapped up into it and forgot. Sorry. I do have a few pictures to show you but mostly I’m just going to have to tell you how to paint a Bible yourself. With my personal Bible I used an ESV Bible by Crossway that was made to be painted or personalized with mixed media. However I wanted a really special bible for this gift so I chose a copy of The Illuminated Bible, also by Crossway. The inside of the Bible has beautiful gold illustrations. 
It’s just gorgeous and the pages are edged in gold as well. The one issue was that the outside had gold details with slightly raised edges that would have shown through the paint. So I did what you do when you need an even surface – I sanded it. 
This isn’t a necessary step unless the surface is very slick or has raised edges.
If you’re going to paint your own bible, here’s the steps to follow:
- Tape off the inside cover. The inside cover of mine had a paper liner with only the edges being the same green surface. I only wanted to paint the green edges so I lined the edges of the paper line with washi tape so I could easily remove the tape after I had painted it.
- Cover the pages of the Bible. Paint can easily splatter or get spilled. If you want to protect the pages, simply put a plastic bag over all of them, together, and loosely tape it down with washi or painter’s tape. You could also wrap them in saran wrap.
- Apply your base color of paint. I chose white. It took about three thin coats of white paint to have it fully covered. I just used craft paint because I knew I planned on sealing it.
- Once it’s dry, you can start painting the front cover. Be careful when moving the bible around to get a different angle to paint from because until the back cover paint is sealed, it can still rub off. If it does just use the same color base paint to touch it up.
- Once the front cover is done and dry, flip it over and do the back and then do the spine. Keep extra pots of your colors available for touch ups.
- If you want to transfer words or images, use this pencil transfer trick.
- When your bible is painted how you want it to look, seal it with two thin coats of Mod Podge. Yes, that’s all it takes.
- Once you’ve sealed it with Mod Podge, let it cure for at least three days. The easiest way to do this is to lay it open, facing down, on a surface where you won’t have to move it.
Since I was painting it to look like their wedding invitation, I printed a copy of their invitation (because my actual one disappeared) and referred to it as I painted. 
I think it turned out great. It was a long process and took me about a week to finish it. But I’m hoping that it’s something that they will cherish and use to remember a wonderful day. 
What do you think? Is this a gift that you would like to give or receive? If you like to bible journal, this is the perfect project for you. 
