| Decorating Ideas & How-To's | Resource Links | V-M@il! | Help for Any VBS Theme |
Outrigger Island
V-M@il!
Your letters to me bring not only comments, but ideas, questions, and sometimes pictures. I post them here for everyone's benefit.
5/7/08 -- From Alabama, Sister-in-Christ Alice writes: "Thank you for your site, it gets the brain and hands going. Thank you for sharing your ideas with others." That's part of my job. 
Thank you, Alice!
5/3/08 -- From Mississippi, Sister-in-Christ Barbara writes: "Bobbie: I used your idea of the flip flop "Get in step with God" for our Bible School. Thanks for the idea. I did it on a large piece of foam insulation with the outrigger island emblem from Lifeway and at the center bottom I wrote VBS, June 22-25, 6-8 p. m. This is the date of our VBS. Thought this was a great way to get the children excited about our upcoming VBS. May God bless you for your devoted work. When I get a photo I will send it to you if you would like. Thanks again for the great idea." Barbara, that is a great idea for advertising, and priming those kids for the big week. Yes, I'd love pictures!! I'm glad you wrote!
4/29/08 -- From North Carolina, Sister-in-Christ Tara asked for the soda-bottle-costume patterns and writes: "Hi there! I just love your ideas. At our church we just go crazy at decorating for VBS, so I love finding all these wonderful ideas. Thanks for your time." I'm glad to help, Tara! Send us some pictures if you can!
4/26/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Tracy writes: "I teach 1-year-olds in our preschool department. I saw a picture of this in Oriental Trading and am doing it for my class. Poster paper cut into 4 squares, glue on a sheet of ordinary sand paper, print out “Footprints in the Sand” (the poem), for them to glue to the poster paper, and let them stamp their footprint in brown paint onto the sand paper. Each child (parent) has a keepsake and a memento of how small their child was for preschool VBS. There’s a children’s version of the poem out there somewhere, I’m still looking for it, though. Loved the paperbag palm trees."
What a delightful idea!! And here's Oriental Trading's craft picture. Find this in the catalogue or online, Item# IN-48/5649 I adore your enthusiasm, Tracy. Thank you! 
4/28/08 -- More from Tracy! "Two additional items I’m going to use for my one-year-olds that translate to preschoolers anywhere:
Turtle hats: Turn paper bowls upside down, fingerpaint green. Then attach green foam (or construction paper) head, legs, and tail. Tie string to each side for a chin strap and put them on the kids’ heads. We’re going to wear our turtle hats to the jungle (indoor playground).
Fishing game: Traditional game, print the daily bible verses on the fish. Different strategy: for take home, we’re going to put the fish in recycled [clear plastic] newspaper bags (like you get the Sunday edition delivered in) with blue Easter grass (looks like water). Our fish will look like the fish that you get from the pet store."
4/24/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Lisa writes: "I can't tell you how thankful I am to have found your website. We're on a limited budget and I'm a first time director so I need all the help I can get!" One of my goals regarding my ideas and projects is to keep the cost down! 
I'm glad to help!
4/20/08 -- From Indiana, Sister-in-Christ Debbie writes: "These pics are from a one day clinic. I only had 2 weeks to put it all together. More pics to come." Wow!! Amazing, fabulous, and inspiring! Thank you, Debbie!
4/15/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Pam writes: "Thanks for this wonderful site. You have some great ideas and I will be using some of them for our VBS in June. Thanks again." Pam, I'm glad you found my Web pages! I hope your decorating crew has great fun, too!
4/3/08 -- From Illinois, Sister-in-Christ Juanita writes: "Thank you for all you do for us in VBS. Your website not only gives us wonderful ideas but it gets us excited about VBS. I think it is wonderful when you tell us about your family & pets & also your humanness. I feel like I know you & your family personally." Awww....it's my pleasure, Sis! 
It's fun for me to tell my stories and hopefully make a reader smile or laugh. We need those smiles and laughs to get through the day sometimes! "I wanted to share with you an idea I have for the first day of my missions class. I will share the story:
In the news in January 2008 there was the story of a fourteen-year-old boy from Iraq named Taha Saadi, a Sunni Muslim. His father had been killed by the Shi'ite militiamen in Bagdad. Taha held no bitterness and said he did not want revenge against the men who shot his father. In his own way he wanted to do something to bring peace, so he decided to use the Euphrates river as a way to try to bring this about. He knew the river runs through all parts of Iraq. He and his classmates wrote messges of peace and put them in bottles and marched down and put them in the Euphrates river.
I plan to have a small waterfall and use water bottles for our messages in bottles. For my review of the bible verse for the day, I will have it written in the bottle and some child will read it. I will also ask pupils what message they would send if they sent a message in a bottle. We might even send some. " What a charming idea!!! I'm delighted to be able to post it here for everyone. This could be a most thought-provoking exercise for the children! Please let me know how it goes. Love you, Juanita!
3/21/08 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Teena asked for the soda-bottle-costume patterns and writes: "I love your web site. Thanks for your hard work." This work is my joy. Thanks for writing, Teena!
3/20/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Glenda writes: "I just wanted to say thanks for some great ideas. I have already used the ALOHA foam board project. We had extra pom poms left over from a craft last year so we covered the cut outs with those for a colorful sign. I found some cheap hibiscus cut outs at the Dollar Tree and I will be hanging them together. My favorite is the Palm Tree! I have a standing fan. I easily unscrewed the top fan portion. The paper sack idea looks great! I never pictured it looking so good. I haven’t done the palm leaves yet still trying to decide on how to do that one. But so far it is looking great!" I'm delighted to learn of yet another substitute for a floor-lamp stand! I've got two at work, and have often removed the fan heads to clean the blades, but did I ever recognize the nice prop stand that was left? NO! 
Glenda, thanks for writing!
3/14/08 -- From Tennessee, Sister-in-Christ Barbara writes: "I have used your wonderful ideas for three years now for our VBS. I eagerly look forward to your web-site each year, and have told many others about it. Thank you for working so hard in this wonderful ability God has given you." I couldn't do it without the support of my readers. Thank you, Barbara!
3/9/08 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Shalon wrote: "Your website is SOOOO helpful! Thanks so much for the fantastic ideas!" After helping her locate an item on the LifeWay Web site, she wrote again: "Bobbie, You are just toooo good to be true! I hope you get extra stars in heaven!! :) Thanks so much for all of your help and all of your great ideas! You're a blessing and a half!!" It's my pleasure to serve. Thanks, Shalon!
3/4/08 -- From Virginia, Sister-in-Christ Sharon asked for the soda-bottle tourist-costume patterns and writes: "Thank you for all the work you put in to doing your website. I got a lot of ideas from your site last year and plan to do the same this year. Thanks again and God bless you." It's good to know my readers return from year to year! Thank you, Sharon!"
2/29/08 -- From North Carolina, Sister-in-Christ Linda writes: "Your ideas are tremendously helpful!!! I am the VBS director for our church and your site is unbelieveable!!! I will be glad to reimburse you and even pay you for your [soda-bottle costume] patterns if you'd like. They are so cute!!! I'm thinking about placing them in each S.S. class as a visual reminder to be praying for our VBS this summer. Wouldn't they also be able to be used as banks to collect money for missions?" Yes! Terrific idea!! Pennies, nickles, and dimes will fit through the bottle neck, and maybe that would encourage folding money contributions. You could even hang a little message sign on each of your missions-money bottles. Thanks so much for writing!!
2/20/08 -- From Tennessee, Sister-in-Christ Teresa writes: "I would love to have the template for your "toucan sam". Or can you tell me where you found the graphic? I am thinking of he would make a really cute craft project. I also would love the patterns for the soda bottle people. You are so creative. Thank you for sharing your ideas." I adore your idea of the toucan as a craft project! I hope the enlarged image I sent you was what you needed, and that you'll send pictures for us. Thank you, Teresa!
2/5/08 -- From Florida, Sister-in-Christ Helen writes: "I can't express how much your site means to me. We too tend to go overboard with our VBS decorations as much as possible and your website is a great big wonderful all-in-one site that touches on a little bit of everything complete with pictures, notes, and links. Keep up the great work. I'm sure we'll be using it quite a bit this year." Oh, my! The accolades have been crowding my e-mail inbox! I work year-round to provide as much help for VBS decorators as I possibly can, so I had a big smile about your "all-in-one" comment. Thank you, Helen, for that "atta-boy."
2/4/08 -- From Georgia, Sister-in-Christ Sheila writes: "Aloha Sister Bobbie! As a veteran VBS decorator that is always pushing it to the next level with more than a few gadgets and gizmos, you are indeed a great inspiration! What I love about your stuff is that it is always very neat, does not look crafty, and is inexpensive to make.
I've used those tiki torches for many different sets through the years. As you know there are the short torches and even those on a full length bamboo pole. I put $1.00 plastic flashlights, yellow or white and then wrap in yellow/orange cellohane with the top of the light to appear as flames. Make an opening to expose the switch to turn on and off. Take the metal tank out of the torch and replace with the flashlight.
- A word of wisdom for those who have access to some real bamboo,
cut and leave outdoors for some time so that the odor disapates. Learned that the hard way!
I appreciate your affirmation of my work, Sheila.
You sound like quite the go-getter! I'd love to see pictures of your decorations when you have them. Thank you!!
2/4/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Melissa writes: "WOW! Just discovered this site! Can't wait share it in our VBS meeting next Sunday! I'm in charge of crafts. We always rent a big tent so we can be as messy as we want outside - no mopping or vacuuming! Glitter on the ground? Who cares!
When I heard the theme a few months ago, I decided we would decorate as if we were under the sea. I'm planning to purchase fish and other animals to hang from the tent roof. Also planning to purchase streamers, cut into short lengths and hang from the tent roof. Now I'm thinking large boulders at the entrance would be a nice touch. Maybe a surfboard on top of the tent. I purchased some craft foam fish hats at Family Dollar several months ago (hope I can remember where I put them) for $1.00. I love the "housedress" idea - how comfortable will that be!
Thanks again for all of your work. What a labor of love." Melissa, your enthusiasm does my heart good. I can easily picture your crafts tent! That's a labor of love.
1/28/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Dana sent pictures of LifeWay's take on decorating. Fabulous stuff! (Thank you, Dana!!) Just follow this link: LifeWay's "Outrigger Island" Decorating Pictures
1/14/08 -- Sister-in-Christ Susan writes: "Thank you so much for your web site. It is great. I'm from a tiny Church so we tend to use older materials. This year we are doing Crusin' the Amazon. Some of your ideas will fit in perfectly." I'm glad you found my pages, Susan. Last year I wrote pages for LifeWay's "Jungle Jaunt," and I readily confess that I've used some of the same ideas (and the same pictures!) here for the tropical island theme. Do try Mom's banana salad.
1/13/08 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Linda writes: "Being on a limited VBS budget with a capital 'L', I was at my local Only 99 Cents Store looking for Outrigger Island ideas and just look what I found for 99 cents! The tiki torches are about 5 feet tall. I just glued on construction paper flames and stuck them in buckets of playground sand. They are just the ticket for decorating The Worship Rally Lagoon. Now I know that this was a great find at our local dollar store, but I have found that most of these stores carry the same merchandise. Be on the lookout, 'cause I would have never thought to look for tiki torches at the dollar store!" A stellar find! Yes, amazingly enough, tiki torches seem to be everywhere, and affordable for every church. Love those construction-paper flames -- I'm proud of ya!
1/11/08 -- From Oklahoma, Sister-in-Christ Carla writes: "You've always had a great VBS page with WONDERFUL ideas for decorating and crafts. I know that to do this page it takes a lot of time and I for one just want to say "Thank You" for all your time and hard work that you have put into it. I have visited your website several times for ideas for VBS and have used several of them from the past years." Carla, I so appreciate your enouraging words. Yes, these pages are a lot of work, but a labor of love for our Lord.
1/9/08 -- From South Carolina, Sister-in-Christ Linda writes: "I love the site , it is wonderful, God Bless you for taking the time to do this. Keep those ideas coming." Thank you, Linda -- I hope never to let my readers down.
1/9/08 -- From Missouri, Sister-in-Christ Paula writes: "I just love the web site you set up for Outrigger Island. So many wonderful ideas. I can't wait to get started on this fun theme." I'm delighted to be of service! Thank you!!
12/23/07 -- From Illinois, Sister-in-Christ Juanita writes: "Christmas is a good time to say thank you to you for sharing all of your ideas with us. Your web site is so informative and such fun. I always look forward to going to your site to see what you have done next. You are such of an inspiration. May God bless you and your family. Have a wonderful Christmas season and a blessed 2008." Dear sister, I wish the same for you and all of God's children.
12/22/07 -- From Alaska, Sister-in-Christ Ruth writes: "Thank you so much for the idea of soda bottle people. They make excellent table decor. The whole Hatcher Pass Baptist association thought that last year's Game Day Central referee soda bottles were a great idea! Again we very much appreciate your contribution of creativity to the Christian cause." It's my privilege to serve. Thank you, Ruth!
11/25/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Becky writes: "Tiki torches (whether lit or not) will flank our outdoor VBS banner. During VBS the torches that flank the driveway will be lit." A most excellent idea! Churches without a defined driveway or pathway could create one with these torches. I've seen them priced as low as $1 -- very affordable. Thank you, Becky!
10/20/07 -- From Florida, Sister-in-Christ Sheila writes: "Just got back from the National Preschool & Children's Conference in Nashville and thought you would like to to see the "latest" on 2008 VBS." Thank you, Sheila!! Yes, I would, and here they are:
8/23/07 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Patty has been shopping at Target again. Among the school supplies, she found this dry-erase/magnetic surfboard (that fits on the back of a door!) and these shirt magnets -- just $14.99 for the set!!
She plans to use it to post notices regarding VBS.
8/9/07 -- From Kentucky, Sister-in-Christ Betty writes: "At the Family Dollar Stores in our area they have had their leis marked down to $0.50, beautiful ones. Also some of them had the strings of lights with paper lanterns and parrots on them, very pretty. I love your web site. Thanks."
Betty, I'm glad to know you're scooping up bargains now, even though presentations are 10 months away. Decorators! This is prime time for shopping for our theme! You can stretch your budget with clearance items.
7/25/07 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Dana offers: "Make inexpensive hula skirts from green drawstring trash bags. Cut the bottom off and make thin slits to create the hula grass skirt. The draw strings allows for one-size-fits-all!" Now that's the easiest I've heard yet!
7/22/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Melissa writes: "I came up with a great snack idea the other day. We all know how much kids like pizza and what a hit it is at snack time. How about serving Surfboard Pizzas...all you would need to do is use hot dog buns for the "dough" (you can get 16 pizzas from one 8 pack of buns). Spread the pizza or spaghetti sauce on the bun and top with your choice of toppings. You can even make Cowabunga Pizzas by using hamburger and cheddar cheese. Thanks for all your ideas and the ministry you do!!!"
Oh, I like this! Hot dog buns can be had really cheap at the bakery thrift stores, and let's face it: if they're going into the oven anyway, they don't have to be overly fresh. Some folks put crushed pineapple on a pizza and call it Hawaiian. (Not me, mind you -- I want sausage and cheese!) This sounds like a winner for the kids, and hot dog buns are a better size for the little ones to manage. Great idea, Melissa! Thank you!
7/23/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Judy adds: "These pizzas could even be kept warm lined up in a regular pizza box. You could probably get a few of those donated or buy them cheap. I know Sams sells them but pizza places would probably donate or sell them to you also."
7/6/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Shannon writes: "Sister Bobbie, First of all, thank you for your ministry to all of us VBS junkies. I was looking for some more Hawaiian snacks and I came across this site. It has some easy recipes and some more difficult ones. However, I thought we might be able to use some of them at get-together dinners to get ourselves and others in the Hawaiian mood so to speak. Or even with our own families.
I am thinking of planning a meal for when I have the first meeting with my volunteers and feed them some Hawaiian foods. I will probably recruit a couple of people to help me out with it, but it is exciting. One could even fix a big dish of something and take it to VBS as appreciation for the workers… a little something extra from the ordinary snacks…"
Shannon, this is a great tip that I hadn't even considered. When I was growing up, Mom often fixed what she called Hawaiian meatballs. It consisted of ground-beef meatballs with pineapple chunks in a pineapple-y glaze, served over noodles. I hated that dish! 
But some of these recipes look really good! Thanks for that link! Hawaiian Snacks
7/6/07 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Dana reports: "Woodforest National Bank is using luau decorations this summer. The one in our Walmart is featuring the luau scene setter (set), large inflatable monkey and paper lanterns. VBS nuts should definitely check their local Woodforest for freebies."
What a terrific opportunity for Texans! The rest of us can check grocery/drug/party stores for display set-ups that will only be thrown away when summertime items are gone. It doesn't cost anything to ask a retailer if you could have those throw-aways when they're done with them, and you'd be getting some durable stuff. Thanks, Dana!
7/6/07 -- From Texas, Sister-in-Christ Patty found the first two items at Target. (I especially like that tray!) She reports different prices at different store locations, so it pays to check more than just the store closest to home. Patty also found strings of gardenia lights at Hobby Lobby. Later, she found this "Aloha" poster (5' wide!) for just $3.47 in the party section of WalMart. What a I really love, though, are these flamingo napkins! These are colorful enough to just tape on a wall and call it decorated! Thank you, Patty!
6/29/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Cheryl writes: "To add to Judy's idea of using an umbrella to make a palm tree, maybe try using an old patio umbrella for an even larger palm tree. I haven't actually tried this, but it could work. Also I have seen patio umbrellas being sold (at Rite Aid stores) that look "thatched" over the fabric. They also had "tiki bars" with a thatched roof. These are a bit pricey, but maybe they will go on sale this summer. I would definitely watch the stores and catalogs for summer clearance as they might reduce their summer luau type decos as they bring in the fall/winter stuff. I really enjoy your site - thanks for your ideas!"
Cheryl, I thought about the patio umbrella thing. Would you believe I gave away a perfectly good one just a couple of weeks ago? Oy, vey! If I'd known of Judy's tip before then, I'd have kept it for myself. You're right about luau-type decorations -- I've seen the thatched stuff in our own local drugstore! A.C. Moore has had tiki torches for as little as 99 cents 
As I write this, a number of useful items have been on sale at JoAnn Fabrics. Last year the local party supplier was sold out of nearly everything related to a tropical setting by mid-July. For churches with a conscientious VBS director, such purchases could be made at optimum times during the year, with tremendous savings.
6/27/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Gina writes: "We did our own VBS theme Summer 2006 and it was Aloha Hawaii. May I share some ideas with you?
Decorate snack tables with fresh pineapples, bananas, mangos, coconuts, and any other tropical fruit you can think of. Wrap the tables with grass skirts you can purchase at places like Oriental Trading.
Serve chunks of fresh pineapple, coconut, and other tropical fruits. You will be surprised at how many children have never had fresh tropical fruit - - or at least I was surprised at the kids we had that had not.
The first night of VBS, my primary class (ages 7-9) made their own leis and they were gorgeous. We bought a bag of flower petals from Oriental Trading and purchased some of the multi-colored striped straws. We cut the straws into 1/2 inches peices. We took a 36" piece of white yarn and threaded it through a large darning needle and then we ran the yarn through the center of 2 petals and then a piece of straw, then 2 petals and a piece of straw until the children had filled up the yarn string. A teacher tied the 2 ends of yarn together to form a complete loop. Even the boys thought they were so neat and we wore them.
Oriental Trading also sells little after dinner mints that have 'Aloha' printed on the wrap. We served those in pineapple-shaped dishes during our Family Night Cookout which we called a luau.
Some of the teachers ordered grass skirts and everyone wore a lei. We learned Hawaiian words, and the kids loved the one for snacks in Hawaiian - - pu pu ( I think that is the correct spelling, but you may want to double-check) and it is pronounced poo poo. Kids thought that was a hoot. Some of our Sunday School kids are still talking about that."
Gina, I greatly appreciate this information! I had the tropical fruit on my mind and just hadn't gotten it onto the web page yet. Thank you SO much for these tips, and please write again!
6/27/07 -- Sister-in-Christ Judy writes: "You can also make the palm tree with the carpet core and a umbrella with the fabric removed. I have done this before using dollar tree umbrellas; just attach your leaves to the spine of the umbrella. I have even asked the church to save their broken umbrellas for me and used these too. That allows the leaves to droop some; you know how one spine always ends up getting broken... after the leaves are attached you just drop the umbrella handle down in the tube. Worked great for me. If I can find a old picture I will email it to you."
Judy, I was very excited about the umbrella idea for the palm tree, and even more excited when I got to work and there was an old umbrella on a ledge that I had forgotten about! Can't thank you enough for that tip!! Sometimes I have to be hit right between the eyes with the obvious.
| Decorating Ideas & How-To's | Resource Links | V-M@il! | Help for Any VBS Theme |
If you need additional help, or have an idea to offer, or know of a great link, please contact me.
I'm here to serve! Your sister in Christ, Bobbie
Revised May 8, 2008