For those of you who have been with me for a while, these might look familiar. They are. I first created these for a women’s retreat my church held back in 2019. For some time now, I’ve wanted to list them in my Etsy shop, but there are copyright rules when you use modern versions of the Bible, so I delayed.
Recently, one of you contacted me about purchasing a KJV version of one of these prints, and that was just what I needed to come up with a way to do it! Several months ago I signed up for Corjl… a website that helps sellers like me give potential buyers like you a way to customize a digital product yourselves! (More to come on that front!)
With this new tool in my belt I set out to do what I’ve been wanting to do, but didn’t know how to accomplish. I remastered each of the prints (I was using older software and super novice skills when I digitized these the first time) for quality and to remove the words I wanted to make customizable. Then I brought them into corjl to finish them up. Hop over to my shop to learn more about them and to test it out with a free demo link!
Updated 9/2023: I created these Mountain Lodge prints several years ago for our church’s “Cozy Mountain Lodge” women’s retreat. I used them in the centerpieces and gave them away at the end of the event via raffle. This last week I’ve had the opportunity to update them. I’ve learned much over the years about how to digitize my artwork and have some fancier software as well. It was time to “remaster” the original prints and, while I was at it, I made it possible to customize the verses to use your preferred version.
I’m so excited to be able to do this. Version differences, not to mention copyright limitations, have made it difficult to make and share artwork with Bible verses on them. I’m excited to see where this will lead, but for now these Mountain Lodge Prints are available in my shop! Use them at home, as a gift or for church events and activities. I used them as event decor; another lady is using them as a retreat craft. How will you use them?
This past weekend was our church’s Cozy Mountain Lodge Women’s Retreat. We were at a new venue, which turned out just right. It was in the mountains, we were in a lodge of sorts, and once we were done with set up, it was decidedly cozy!
Pre-cut fabric squares strung up with mini clothes pins were a cute and colorful addition to our mantle. The fabric was an adorable cabin in the mountains theme. Sorry, I don’t remember what it was called.
Unfortunately, though I promised myself I wouldn’t let this happen, I got so busy that I forgot to stop and take pictures of everything. These are the few there are. 🙂
White lights added a whimsical touch. Since we used the lights and trees the church already had, it was also a huge budget helper!
When I put away my winter decor at the end of January, I put a number of pieces into our retreat box. The snow blocks, wooden trees and the jar of “snowballs” were some of the ones from my kitchen. And since the mountainside out our windows were covered with snow, it was perfect!
The centerpieces were simple. One of the families in our church had a baby shower this past fall with a woodland animals theme. I was able to use the same tree trunk slabs they had made for that (another budget saver!) Baby’s Breath flowers in Ball jars with rocks were inexpensive and gave a lot of bang for their buck. The little birds in nests were in our decor closet at church as well. That was an exciting find. And for the tables, we used Kraft paper. Simple, less expensive than cloth, and more durable than plastic. Plus it had that rustic quality I was looking for.
The framed cabin print was one of the ones I painted (now available in my shop). All 7 of the tables had one and they were given as prizes as part of the “door prize drawing”. Each person got something. When it came to these prints, they were allowed to choose between one of those or one of the remaining prizes that I hadn’t painted myself. That way ladies who wouldn’t have a use for the artwork, had a choice to opt out. 🙂 I was super excited to see most of them taken.
Mountain
The food table we set out in the evenings was more elaborate than these pics let on, yet still simple. Not only had I brought the Birch Tree Pretzels and Mountain Rice Krispies Treats, but also some veggies and dip, chips, pretzels and popcorn. And other ladies brought things to share also. No one ever had cause to be hungry! 🙂 And my kids were thrilled with some left overs!
The custom chocolates I left on everyone’s pillows (read that post here) were a big hit too. And even though I had a ton to do, I disappeared to put them out myself. I’m so glad I did! I didn’t want anyone to know they were coming (even the other helpers) and I wanted a chance to pray a few words for each of the ladies who came.
The remaining artwork I created for the retreat (available here) was framed and left around the room in cozy places where the ladies sat to visit, read their Bibles, or crochet. Sorry there aren’t any pics of that. Each one has it’s own post: Get Away, Get Going, Get Cozy, and {God’s Got this} Let the Adventure Begin.
Are you planning a mountain themed retreat? I’d love to hear about your plans! Share some of them in the comments for others to enjoy!
While I’ll admit that the spiritual side of retreat is the most important, when I signed on for last year’s (and again for this year’s) women’s retreat planning committee, it was with the desire to pamper, spoil and bless the women from my church. I wanted to help us transition from a “conference” atmosphere to one of restful, retreat. I don’t know about you, but for me, that means food. And at least some of it should be chocolate.
Yesterday, my 6 year old and I made these Birch Log Pretzels. We melted the white candy melts according to package directions. She stirred and stirred while I got the pretzels open and pulled out the unbroken ones. She also stirred for me between pretzel “dips”. Instead of dipping, though, since I was using a shallow container, I spooned the melted candy over the part of the pretzel I wanted covered.
Here they are to set. I left them for an hour or so, mostly because I have six kids and my attention was needed elsewhere, but also because I wanted them good and set before adding the chocolate.
Then I drizzled melted milk chocolate chips over them to get the “birch” look. It was pretty simple. That took a little while to set because our house was comforably warm. But don’t refrigerate them because sometimes that changes the color of the chocolate. Your choice though… experiment. 🙂
I made enough extras for the kids to each try one (mom’s should just do that!) and they were well received! 🙂
Tomorrow begins the retreat I’ve been helping to plan (click here to see all the posts about our Cozy Mountain Lodge Retreat) and I’m working like crazy to finish some of the little details that I hope will help set the weekend apart. Of course I hope that the spiritual side of the retreat is what will stay in the ladies’ hearts and minds for years to come, but, aside from praying along that end, that part is outside my responsibility. What I signed on for is to make the weekend extra special for the ladies. That means chocolates on pillows, cute decorations, and these Mountain Rice Krispies Treats (among other things).
I used green and white candy melts for the dipping part. I followed the directions on the bag, I dipped the big flat part into the green and stood them to cool and dry on wax paper.
A couple hours later (because I was also helping the kids with schoolwork and making a birthday cake for my husband, not because it took that long to set) I followed the directions on the bag again, and dipped the point in white.
I’ve got them all packed up in tupperware and wax paper now, ready to cart to the mountains for our retreat on Friday.
The kids and I tested the scraps. They are really good! Husband still prefers the originals and wishes I hadn’t messed with a good thing. 🙂 I’ll have to make him some regular ones when I get back. But the rest of you should pin that top image for later! 🙂 Yum!
When I invited myself onto the committee for last year’s women’s retreat, I really wanted chocolates on everyone’s pillow. Alas, we were in a hotel and, though there was plenty of chocolate at the Hershey Lodge and even in the rooms, I didn’t get to be a part of it. This year will be different!
For this year’s retreat, we are at a retreat center in the mountains and I’m so excited. The space is homier and easier to decorate than a hotel conference room, we can bring our own food in, and I have access to all those lovely pillows before the ladies arrive! I’m so excited!
So earlier this week I made up these cute custom chocolate wrappers for the Hershey’s Minitures I bought. The wrappers are approximately 1.25 inches x 3 inches and I used tape to attach them. I used scrapbook paper, but anything would work.
Then I cut out a whole bunch of little papers and hand drew the labels. Yes, there was probably an easier way, but with my husband using the computer and my time constraints, it was actually faster to hand draw them. But I actually love the hand drawn look!! I used a glue stick to attach them to each chocolate after the candies had been wrapped with scrapbook paper.
I’ll be sneaking into all the rooms during set up to place these on each lady’s pillow and saying a prayer for each one’s weekend.
So, now I have a question for you. The illustrations were super simple to do and many of you can probably figure out how I did them just by looking, but I’m curious… would anyone be interested in a video tutorial on how to do the simple illustrations I included on these labels? If there is enough interest, I will try to make time for it in the coming weeks.
This week is the women’s retreat I am helping plan for our church ladies. This year it is focusing on the book of Ruth, with a general theme of a “Cozy Mountain Lodge”. I decided I wanted to illustrate a cabin (like one of the crafts that came with the Retreat Package) with some of the lesson themes woven in. This is what I came up with.
It is such a great word picture. Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer, sheltering and protecting us like the roof. And as our Firm Foundation, someone we can trust and stand on.
And, you may have noticed, I just love to make my smoke and steam the same way most of the time. It has a fun, whimsical feel I think.
This will be framed, like the other art pieces I designed for the retreat, and set around for decorations. Then I’ll give them away as part of our door prize drawing.
Updated 9/2023: This print is available “remastered” , customizable for your favorite Bible versions, in my shop! Come on over and have a look!
Another in the line up of women’s retreat decor. I love the play on words that this one holds. It sound so rude, doesn’t it. Get Away! Like it’s being yelled. But then, too, it has the “get away to the mountains” feel to it. But my favorite is the verse at the bottom:
“Jesus went out to the mountain to pray.” Luke 6:12
One of the things I am most looking forward to about this women’s retreat is the chance to “Get Away”. There are 6 little people at home with me all day, every day. And I love them. And I love that we are here every day together. But… I love a chance to get alone with God and spend some real, uninterrupted time with him.
And that is what I hope this piece reminds the ladies of. To take some time away from sessions and games and fellowship and just get away by themselves in much the same way that Jesus did here.
Updated 9/2023: This print is available “remastered” , customizable for your favorite Bible versions, in my shop! Come on over and have a look!
Yes, a shameless borrow of the super trendy “keep calm” movement. (Can I call it a movement?) I usually stay far from it. Even though I too love the most clever versions, I prefer to enjoy from afar (ahem… Pinterest anyone?) But this one crept into my head and I just couldn’t help myself. I borrowed from a similar design I created last year, and it just had to be part of our “Cozy Mountain Lodge” women’s retreat this year.
Now, it’s not perfect. I wasn’t planning to hand letter the “keep calm” part and then decided to at the last minute. But… when I did, I didn’t plan it out and the spacing isn’t perfect. Nothing Photoshop won’t fix. Yes, it’s cheating. But for this kind of thing, I’m okay with that. And I prefer it to redoing the whole thing. 🙂
Updated 9/2023: This print is available “remastered” , customizable for your favorite Bible versions, in my shop! Come on over and have a look!
Our retreat theme is Cozy Mountain Lodge, so I’m trying to keep in the attitude of mountains and outdoors and all. But I’m also trying to tie it back to the God who made it all and to His Word and it’s application in our lives.
So here I have the attitude of hiking in the mountains (at least it’s what I was going for) with Galatians 5:25: “Keep in step with the Spirit.”
This passage is one that has become dear to me. Galatians 5:24 and verse 25.
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
You see, I have a struggle with sin. Anyone else?
These days, among others, I’m struggling with gluttony and self control. But these verses were both convicting and encouraging to me when I came across them in my reading some time ago (not that I am done struggling with this self gratification thing). If I belong to Christ (and I do), my flesh has been crucified with its passions and desires. That not only means that I should be making better decisions, but that those passions and desires have already been put to death.
Yet, we so often live with them unchecked. That’s is where verse 25 is so great! “If we live by the faith…”, that’s what we do when we choose faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness from our sins, then “let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
This part means that we should be making decision that keep us walking in the Spirit (talking to Him regularly, reading his Word, memorizing it and meditating on it.) When we do this, the other things (our desires and passions) seem to “keep in step” with Him too.
Have you ever spent time meditating on these verses?
Updated 9/2023: This print is available “remastered” , customizable for your favorite Bible versions, in my shop! Come on over and have a look!
Other resources: Weight Loss Bible Study by Barb Raveling that helped me learn how to renew my mind in this area! Bible Memory is an app that has revolutionize the way my family memorizes and therefore meditates on God’s Word. Easily! And fun!
