throwback thursday.. tips, tricks and ideas for a graduation party..

for throwback thursday I thought I would share with you some tips and tricks i learned from shell's graduation party last year since graduation time is approaching.. if you've been here before you know i love a good party.. we had an amazing time at jessie's pirate themed baby shower.. i can't believe little jaxie is going to be 2 this july and a big brother in november.. *sigh* how time flies..

shell's graduation party was a lot of fun!!! it's funny looking back at all the photos from the party at how much our backyard has changed.. *check back next week i am trying to do the reveal post then of all the changes, fingers crossed..*

shell's high school graduation was last year and the color scheme was purple, black and silver {shell's favorite color combo, even her bedroom was done in these 3 colors, again check back next week and see what we've done to her wild room}


i took a long string of silver ribbon and using clear packing table taped the top and bottom to our glass french doors.. then using mini black and purple clothes pins i got from etsy i clipped photos all the way down..

 



 

learn from my mistake i added way to many photos and the balloons wouldn't float.. we then had to fill the balloons up with more helium causing us to run out of helium too quickly.. i should have put only about 2 photos per balloon and i think i would only do 18 balloons 2 photos from each year..

 

 

it was pretty windy at the start of the party so we left the balloons in the living room so when people entered they could see all the photos..

 



since some of the balloons wouldn't "float" high i placed them on the table and they just kinda hung out on the table..

i bought frames at savers and pete painted them purple and then the glass with chalkboard paint.. i then used a chalk/glass writing pen and wrote on the chalkboard..

 we set an area on the dessert table for friends and family to sign a frame mat for shell.. when she had her senior photo shoot there was a picture of her hitchhiking and we had that in a frame by the mat, as if to say she is on her way and i used the dr. suess quote to exlemplify that.. i got purple, silver and black sharpie pens and that is what people used to sign it.. i got clear glass vases and filled with silver and purple gum balls and candy i got from party city..
 

i made cake pops and oreo truffles for our dessert table and decorated them in the colors of the party.. had a black plastic table cloth and then used a sheer purple table cover i have that we use at easter..

 

 

i bought all kinds of frames from savers and placed pictures in them.. if they were ugly we painted them purple.. 

i had a drink station.. i bought individual crystal light packets so people could have any flavored water they wanted.. i bought "chalk labels" for people to put on their cup and write their name.. we had an ice chest with cold water and another with cold soda.. i made lemonade and added sliced lemons to the dispenser..
 



 

in a bucket i had 4-5 bags of chips, i cut off the tops all the way down to where the chips were and added spoons to the bags so everyone could get their own chips without having to dig in the bag.. i made a lemony herby chex mix and had a spoon in it as well.. i placed small black plates with small napkins by the appetizers {we had people arrive around 6:00 and the food from buca di beppo arrive around 6:30-6:45}

 

we hung lighted chinese lanterns in the trees.. i got purple, black and silver table clothes and made small purple flower arrangements for each of the eating tables..

last year pete made this diy farm table.. i had full intentions of adding ice to the center and putting in drinks but totally forgot .. ha but that is what that center piece is for..

 

i ordered plastic warefare black glasses on line and had them in a bowl for the kids to wear..

 

 

we ended up a ton left over i am going to keep them in the boat so while we are floating or what not we can wear them and if we lose them it's not a $100.00 pair of glasses that have been lost..

 

 

we tied twine to the cinder blocks of the wall above the food table and we used clothes pins and pinned photos.. once the wind died down it was really cute and not a one blew away even in the wind.. {had i had time i would have dyed the clothes pins using rit}

 

i made these super easy antipasto skewers... {i had so many left over tortellini that i skewered them separately and used the refrigerated alfredo sauce from the market for the dipping sauce}

 

since we ran out of helium faster than we thought we had extra balloon strings with photos so we used the clear packing table and taped them over the windows on the back of the house..

 

i bought these led light strings at big lots and pete strung them all across the side and back fence..

 

the party was awesome.. we have another event i am gearing up for this year it's pete's 50th b day party so check in october for that..

 

and remember to enjoy and get party'n!!