Oh, how I LOVE me a good retreat!!! I love taking time away from the hustle & bustle to refresh, renew and re-focus. One of my favorite things in the WORLD is to help create these fantabulous and much needed getaways. Give me a day or a weekend and I start dreaming of themes, conversations to be had, decor to doll it up, goodie bags to bless.
Budget can be one of the biggest road blocks in the move from dreaming it up to pulling it off. The smallest of trinkets or party decor can end up blowing a hole in your budget in no time flat. At this point disappointment and discouragement can begin to settle in dashing all of your previous hopes for an amazing event. Don't you fret.... I have a couple of great ideas to share with you.
Let's get this ball rollin' with Framed Quote Art.
The Quote Art I am sharing in this post came from a recent retreat we had focused on what it looks like to...
I have an entire post coming soon that will be wrapped around the theme of this retreat. For now let's focus on one of my FAVORITE elements to add in: fun Quote Art focused around the retreat theme. The reason I really love this idea is it packs a punch that reaches beyond the event. The framed art is multi-purpose which really gives you a bang for your buck...literally.
- 1. They beautify in any location, no matter the style of the venue.
- 2. They encourage more thought or conversation on the topic being taught
- 3.They are great give-aways for participants to take home
- Once brought home they are great reminders of the message & the special times shared.
You can find quite a few chalkboard background freebies out in web-land, along with free fonts and design elements (swirls, doodles, etc). You may even find some royalty-free graphics with quotes or verses that are already to go. To really keep the cost down I decided to keep the designs I was creating at either a 5x7 in overall size or 4x6 because I knew printing and frames would be cheaper.
Once I had a good variety of designs I was ready for the next step which is converting them into a .jpg image that can be easily uploaded and printed at a photo developing establishment.
I have a favorite 24 hour neighborhood drugstore with a photo developing section that typically will whip out whatever I send them within an hour or two. I uploaded my .jpg designs on their website as I would any digital photos I would have printed, selected the sizes I wanted them, along with how many copies and VOILA! Super-peasey-easy.
Next step would be to find cheap-o frames that were cute, wouldn't take away from the graphics and had a glass front, not plastic. Check dollar stores or inexpensive box stores - the other option would be to think ahead and go hit some garage sales.
For these designs I was on the hunt for the simplest of frames. I am a believer if you have a lot going on in the graphic design / art then the frame should be next to nothing as far as design. In that case the frame should put the spotlight on the artwork it beholds. If you have an artful, detailed frame let the art contained by it be simple and highlight the frame. It is like a good make-up artist will tell you - choose your focus - pop your eyes or your lips with intense color - not both or it is overdone.
As you can see these designs are pretty busy or text heavy...yep, keeping the frame simple is a must.
Our retreat was located in a log cabin up on a mountain by a river. Yes, it is okay to be jealous... it was GORGEOUS! The beautiful sunshine greeted us with a warm welcome and lit up the - oh, okay it is hard to call this place a cabin, it was more like a lodge or house. Our nature rich surroundings were a reminder to us that God loves us, that his creation is something beautiful for us to behold, find rest in and praise him for.
The framed art was placed in different locations throughout the home with flowers and candles to create cute little groupings that would attract the eye and warm the space.
The total cost for each of these was between $1.20 to $2.49. Yowza! I also had extra 4x6 prints made up @.19 cents a piece that they could grab n' go with to frame for themselves or switch out if they were in love with one that was already taken - and extras were taken.
It was such an inexpensive idea that added a substantial punch to the party! We ALL know a good retreat has a party atmosphere at some point in the weekend, am I right?
I have more Retreat Treats 101 ideas coming over the next few days. Hope you enjoy!
-Simply Sublime
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