A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...

iMormon with a twist!

How to add a little bling to any lesson, and spruce up your ward bulletin board!
Ideas--Tutorials--and FREEBIES!

Ask anybody...I am a fan of pomp and circumstance!

It's true

I am guilty.

I love fanfare. I love outrageous. 

I love lavish. 

and over-the-top fru-fru ridiculousness.

I will be brutally honest. Sunday is a battle at my house. Most of the time, I dread it. It is not relaxing. It is not peaceful. And as a mother of four small children, it is anything but restful. Anybody who believes the Sabbath is a day of rest for mothers need to spend a day with mine.

It is for this reason, I like my church pretty. It's the little things. When someone goes out of their way to make a lesson at church more than just a lesson, I notice. I appreciate those efforts. It makes my day a little bit better. 

I like things look nice. Sue me.  It's what I do. It;s who I am. I like it that way. It isn't for everybody-but it is for me. I'm done apologizing for it. I am over feeling guilty about being seen as less than devout because I like a nice tablecloth. Those days are gone. That ship has sailed. Bon Freakin' Voyage!! Today, I embrace my sparkle. I enjoy being the crazy girl that brings things to decorate her lesson, or does a fun bulletin board.

It is easy to think it doesn't matter.  But guess what? It does.  It matters.  Always.  I have had young men, 14 years old come up to me privately and express their gratitude for my efforts.  They love when I decorate the classroom. When teenage boys are noticing and make an effort to thank me in the hall?!--it matters! 

I can't say for sure, but I don't think I am the only one out there that thinks we could spruce things up a bit at church.  I may be wrong.  It certainly would not be the first time.  In hopes that I am not wrong, I am going to share some of my church-y decor!  I'm throwing it out there with the idea that others will be inspired to come out of the fru-fru loving closet and join me in making things beautiful.  

Doctrine is doctrine regardless of how it is presented. Agreed.  I concur. And while dressing it up doesn't change the content, it most certainly changes the atmosphere and attitude in which it is received. But nothing, says it must be boring. Nowhere is it written we are to use gray scale. No rules about strictly using Times Roman as a font. Nope.Nada. None.

I'm with Mary on this one--

In every job that must be done,

There is an element of fun.

And every task you undertake

Becomes a piece of cake

A lark! Aspree!

It's very clear to see

That a...

Spoonful of sugar 

helps the medicine go down 

In a most delightful way.

I am the bulletin board girl in my ward. Yes, seriously! Don't laugh...It is a calling. ( ; It was odd at first, but I truly have come to love it.  It is the most fun I have ever had in church. There are ways to make it fun.  You just have to find them.  

This was my latest design.  The Bishop had wanted something that would interest the youth, or get them excited to read scriptures this year.  I came up with an iReader and added book from the Bible and Book of Mormon, but gave them modern names after other books.  They are quite hilarious if I do say so myself! 

Life? There's an app for that.

iRead

iNephi...was too funny and had to work it in! I still laugh at it. . iWillgo. iWilldo. iObey. iPray. etc.  

Stories:

King Noah--50 Shades of Wicked

Noah's Ark--I bought a floating zoo.

Alma 17--Ammon Scissorhands

Samuel the Lamanite--Hunger Games

David and Goliath--Diary of an UNwimpy kid

Daniel and the Lion's den--Where the wild things are

Mary and Joseph--What to expect when you're expecting

Moroni--Lone Survivor

Samson--When Samson met Delilah

Lehi--Oh, the place you'll go

You get the idea. 

I had Staples blow up a picture of an iPad as large as they could as an engineering print.  It was 36x48 and was around $8.  I uploaded some apps (angyr birds, notepad, safari)for the bottom to make it look real, and the other apps I simply printed clip art on 5x5 squares, rounded the corners and used them for the story apps.  I added the yellow butcher paper in the background to give it some color. The board is just lined in a chevron print wrapping paper, with ripped out pages from books to keep with the reading theme.  At the bottom of the board, I bought some book marks and left them there for the kids to take.  

I have the list of books, with several I didn't use and the clip art images as well.  If you would like a copy, I will be happy to send one to the first 25 people to respond below and  follow my blog.  Just leave me a comment below and let me know you would like the set.   

iReader

We'll bring the world his truth bulletin board

I included the past, present and future missionaries from our ward.  I made a list of where all the members in the ward had served their missions, and put tiny stickers on their missions with coordinating numbers and listed them under PAST.  The kids had so much fun looking at all the countries and counting the languages from our ward.  I did PRESENT missionaries, and put address cards for the Elders who were currently serving from the ward.  The fun part was the FUTURE missionaries.  I found flag stickers for all the countires, and randomly assigned each one of our youth a future mission.  I also assigned a few empty nesters from the ward and sent them out as well.  It was fun for everybody to see where they had been assigned.  This was probably my favorite.  

Book of Mormon Avengers Bulletin Board

Ammon, Nephi and Moroni.  I did this one when the movie Avengers came out a couple of years ago.  

Easter Bulletin Board

Meet our newest "PEEPS"--Featured all the babies born in the ward born within the last year.

St. Patrick's Day Bulletin Board

We had a new Bishopric, so I put pictures up of them and included a few details about each of the men that the ward members would not know.  Favorite candy bars, etc.  Silly things the kids would find amusing.

Thomas S. Monson Bulletin Board

Each circle had a fact about President Monson on it.  It was fun to find out so many things about him.  I learend so much from this board. I have the list of interesting facts if anybody would like a copy, I will email that as well.  It makes a fun FHE, or sharing time activity.  

We are thankful we're not turkeys

Each feather had a name of a family in the ward.  The kids love to find their names.

Christmas Bulletin Board

Christmas wishes from our own 3 Wisemen. I asked each of the ward  Bishopric members to write down a few things they wished for our ward this year.  I displayed the lists.

Christmas Bulletin Board

For unto us a child is born

Girls Camp

They had a Dr. Seuss themed camp, and it turned out adorable.  I used a lot of pictures of the girls, and a few Dr. Seuss themed things to keep it bright.  The youth seem to love pictures the most.

Youth Sunday School lessons

These are just colorful chalkboard presentations.  I love chalkboard markers! Love. Love. Love.

Topic: The purpose of commandments

Youth Sunday School Lesson

Topic-Listening to the Holy Ghost

Youth Sunday School

Topic: Sharing the gospel

Youth Sunday School Lesson

Topic: Importance of goals

This was a lesson about goals for the 12-13 year old Sunday School class. We played a giant game of LIFE. I gave them each a job, rent, bills, etc. and they had to figure out how to make their situation work.We talked about goals they could all set now to help them achieve their plans for the future. We discussed income and how schooling, marriage, children, and other choices would affect them in throughout their lives.

While discussing the importance of setting goals, I referenced the quote,

"The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere!"

I wish I had taken photos of all the boards, I had some other really fun ones.  I nevr think about pictures, until it is too late!

Hopefully, you were able to get some ideas for your wards! Simple things can make all the difference!