Making Graduation Decorations Personal

I wanted to create a graduation party that was all about my beautiful daughter and her journey into adulthood.  I was looking to keep the theme simple, elegant, personal, and in her school colors. While searching Pinterest for ideas, I came across the blog Thoughtfully Simple . 

I was drawn to the fact that the decorations were simple and happen to be her exact school colors. Attracted to the idea of  using the yearbooks as a center point, I took a closer look to discover there was a  reason her ideas were perfect. The school on the yearbooks were from my daughter's school! What a small pinning world! 

Everyone loved the personal touches of the decorations, and even learned a little something more about Katie that night.

  I bought prayer candles from the Dollar Store. I photo copied each page of all four years of Katie's photos from her yearbooks. Make a water/glue mixture. Lightly apply the mixture around the candle while carefully alining the photo paper as you go around. You may have to rub out wrinkles as you go.  I used apples to hold-up little signs that read "Congrats" and "Grad". I placed simple white daisies around each apple. On top of her yearbooks is a cardboard graduation hat also from the Dollar Store. The banner was created by using ribbon, scrapbook paper, and numbers from the kids art section.

Katie loved reading all the wonderful advice the guest gave her for her up-coming journey into the college world!

For the banquet table on either side were vases with flowers in her school colors and photo sticks from her journey as a baby to present day. The photo sticks are printed out photos from the computer, decorative stock paper, and floral sticks. 

 Using mementos from Katie's birth, first steps, preschool, kindergarten, prom and a photo from her graduation, I created the card table at the entrance of the house. 

Candy grad hats: Once again the scrapbook paper came in handy. Just place cut out little squares on top of the candy. Cut out yarn and knot one end and glue the other on top of the square. Using a hole punch, punch out the scrapbook paper and glue on top of the yarn.

 

I will be honest, you will need a box of tissues and you will find yourself eating the chocolate candies as you wonder, when did she/he grow-up!

Happy Graduation to All!