Decoupage Spiritual Bouquet

I’ve worked across many mediums in my artistic escapades, but I don’t know how or why Decoupage has eluded me.  Well, now I can cross it off the “attempted” list, but definitely not off the mastered! Our dear friends are moving North, and as they have given so much to us and our Church, it required a special gift.  I wanted to present them with a Spiritual Bouquet. For those unfamiliar what a Spiritual Bouquet is, a brief explanation would be:

The Spiritual Bouquet is basically a gift of prayer from a group of people.  It is comprised of gathering whatever form of prayers or offerings each person wishes to make for the recipient. For example, someone might offer 2 Rosaries and a Holy Communion.  Another person might offer a two acts of charity and a Morning Prayer. Or one might enroll them at a Shrine or with a Religious order for Masses to be offered daily over a certain period of time.  It all varies, as it depends on whatever spiritual offerings the gift-givers desire to make.  These would then be compiled somehow, such as in a card, and then presented as a Spiritual Bouquet to someone.

I searched online for ideas to create a grownup Spiritual Bouquet.  Nothing totally grabbed me, but some ideas did start forming.  I emailed our retreat team and asked for them to respond with their offerings for our friends. Then I created a personalized template, printed out the offering cards, and wrote down each person’s offerings.  I’m going to attempt my first FREE downloadable PDF file of this template for those interested (I took out the family’s name, so it’s a generic form).  Hold your applause, please.  Click this Link:  Spritual Bouquet Cards

I also printed & cut extra to bring to the going-away party for others interested in adding to the bouquet.

Lastly, I decoupaged a small pine box to not only personalize the gift, but give them a spiritual keepsake — also easy to move across the country.

I found on Pinterest how to make my own “Modge Podge” with water and Elmer’s Glue.  I dumped the whole bottle of glue in my fancy pickle jar and then filled it back up 2/3’s with water,  and then shook up.  It worked OK, but I’ve never used Modge Podge, so I can’t do a fair comparison honestly.

Pinterest suggestion to make your own “Modge Podge” with water + glue in a jar

This Divine Mercy card was from the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland, where St. Faustina lived and died as a religious sister.

Our team logo and a fitting scripture

This St. Therese the Little Flower prayer card was from Lisieux, France, where this Doctor of the Church lived and died.

The Decoupage Pine Box with the Spiritual Bouquet cards

Note: After I glued the items on the wood box, I let it dry for a bit, and then sprayed it with Krylon’s “Low Odor Clear Finish”.  That gave it a protective and glossy finish.

That’s the quick version, friends.  In the end, this makes a nice personalized gift from the heart, full of prayers, and a thoughtful keepsake!