Creative Minds...I need you!!!!
 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]400290[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]400291[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]400292[/ATTACH]Okay all..I have a challenge for you!!!! Each year my church has a two day ladies retreat. To help with the decorations, ladies have an opportunity to decorate a banquet length table (seats 8) in conjunction with the theme of the retreat. The tables are judged by the ladies and prizes are given. It is also asked that a “take away” be given. I am just stumped this year. The theme is “Count It All Joy”. The flyer does have a boarder of quilt blocks surrounding it..so I thought about making a square placemat with 8 different quilt blocks (as the take away) but I don’t know what to put in the middle. Or I thought of another idea of: When life gives you lemons make lemonade thought by placing two bowls of lemons on the table with a clear glass pitcher in the middle with a cup of sugar and a lemon squeezer next to it, but what would I use as “take aways”? Or..hey…I’m just plain stuck!!! So what are your ideas? I have attached a picture of one that I have done and and other ideas done in the past. </SPAN>

For your lemon takeaway ... fabric with lemons, made into a placemat? or finished up as a set of napkins? another thought would be to make lemon curd? lemon tea? ......... or send them home with the lemons! :)

For the quilt block theme, why not just have some fresh flowers in the centre of the table?

mug rugs? There is fabric with lemons all over it (Farmers Market, I think) that would look cute in any block pattern. I love your pitcher idea!

I like the lemon idea, as well. But you could just combine the 2 ideas and use lemon themed and yellow fabric for the placemats. Sounds like a fun time!! I am going to file this idea away in the back of my head, maybe I ccan figure a way to incorporate it into our retreat. hmmmm

I would like to help but I don't really understand the theme, “Count It All Joy”.

Can you elaborate on what that means.

A lemon scented votive candle?

Elise1~ It's a church ladies group so the theme is taken from the bible verse "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." :-)

Our church here does a similar idea. Each year we have round tables to decorate with a theme and then a nice luncheon. We follow with entertainment, silent auction, gifts and fun. Its a good way to raise awareness to cancer as well as money for research. Each woman or team may choose their own theme and in the past we've had everything from tropical islands to Basset hounds, funny hats to everything blue, military to old days on the farm. So as you can tell, anything goes. We also give "take-aways"; little bags at each chair and they follow the theme. Last year my travel theme bag contained English tea bag, German chocolate, Brazil nuts, and Japanese rice.
I like the lemon idea and many have given good suggestions. You could add, if you can find them, old fashioned lemon drop candies - like Grandma always had. Or maybe as a funny part those little plastic lemons of juice, a tiny wipe of lemon disinfectant, another packet of lemon oil for furniture, children's stickers of lemons, lemon scented air fresheners, and whatever you can find in the dollar store. Please send a photo of the tables.

JOY quilt block
 

Girls JOY Quilt block...placemat & a Bible shape pin cushion as a take away..have no pattern for pin cushion, but sure you can whip one up!!(made in colors to match placemats??)

Lots of idea regarding the lemons...someone posted tea wallets on this forum..what about an applique of a lemon or make them out of lemon fabric, fill with lemon tea bags.
Lemon cake mix in a glass ball jar, all kinds of recipes on line for those.,or cookie mix in glass jar (now there's some joy) I think the lemon decor you suggested sounds lovely, especially this time of year, everything is so drab.

Coasters of lemon fabric, and you could also make a center runner of the same fabric and applique "When life gives you lemons --------"

How about a lemon pin cushion?

You have probably seen J esus but I think that says it all. Christmas ornaments take homes with this on them.
O thers
Y ourself

J esus
O thers
Y ourself

Joy dish soap - maybe make some bubbles, too

Maybe nine patch placemats that have appliqued or embroidered on them, The joy of the Lord is my strength. As the takeaway. Then different temptations like, books (ex:20 shades of gray= soft porn). lust,(fireman calendar) covetousness, (new house,car etc.... You get the idea.Church ladies are tempted to all the vices men are. The idea is to take heed lest you think you stand, you fall.

How about LEMON JOY dish soap? That fits the theme!

about nails it.

How about making an 'apron' for that dish soap?

Definitely a plaque or runner with "When life gives you lemons..." Daffodils are lemony. What about small bottles of lemonade to take? Like mug rugs and bubbles, too. Or small packets of mix.

for the centerpiece you could find a large jar and fill it with lemons and put a flower arrange on the top of the jar.

Your lemons/lemonade idea is nice. A placemat with lemons would work too with a lemon napkin.
However, What brings ME joy is faith, family, home, hearth and music. I live in the mountains. When I go outside, I see my neighbor's lovely llamas, nearby hills and more distant mountains, all joy bringers. "I lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh even from the Lord who has made heaven and Earth."

Joy is not the absence of pain and suffering - it is the presence of God.

Love the lemon/lemonade theme. A lemon shaped or even lemon colored mug rug would be the perfect take away. You can also make lemonade mix (KoolAid and Sugar) with a cute fabric topper and put in a jar at each place setting.

lemon meringue pie, lemon squares, lemon candies, there must be some kind of lemon flowers or lemon mint plants...

You might copy the "Joy" hymns onto material and use them in placemats with nice borders; lemonade in 2 pitchers and beautiful yellow joyful flowers as the centerpiece.

All---Love the ideas!!! I'm blessed beyond measure to have a group of new friends to give me inspiration!!! Who needs facebook when one has the Quiltling Board!!!! I'll post a picture when it comes together!! The date is 12/13 April!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]408252[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]408253[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]408254[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]408255[/ATTACH]Good Morning! Well, as promised pictures! Winner is the red tablecloth. She did old vinal records, as the placemats, hymn book and some cds. Very cute! Second place is the blude table cloth. Almond Joys! Third-hard to see with the picture, but on the tree-the tags said all the things that bring her joy, and mine. Wish I would have headed some of the great ideas given above!! I did add little tags to each mat that said "Count It All Joy, When life gives you lemons make lemonade". It was still lots of fun![ATTACH=CONFIG]408256[/ATTACH]

Wow, Martha, these are great! Sounds like a fun gathering. Or should I say, Joyful!!

I like many of the answers but buslady has an excellent and easy thought. I love the lemonade theme with the centerpiece as you described and then do the placemats in lemons and yellows. I would alternate the placemats showing lemons on one and then turn on over and show the yellow