A Thrifty Graduation

Our oldest daughter is graduating High School this year! We are so very proud of her. I want to give her so much, but we have been a 1 income family for months now. My husband has been unemployed since July of last year, so all the "normal" graduation things are out of the question.  Being poor "financially challenged" however does not mean she gets NOTHING... it means she gets DIFFERENT. To my children, that is nothing new. We have been anti-Jones' for years! Thankfully, since I love crafts and scrapbooking especially, this graduation will not be as difficult as it seems. Today I will share with you our projects and hopefully show how one can be thrifty and awesome at the same time! lol

Project #1 Sr. Pictures
  I have never been one to buy school pictures of my children. I have 4 children. Our school wants you to pay before you preview.... that's not a wise investment for me. And being a tightwad frugal, I just couldn't bring myself to pay $50 for an 8x10. My best friend, Regina, just happens to be a great photographer with a great camera and she volunteered to take them. Our area has a great photographic area downtown that is contained in a city block. It has a train depot, an old railroad car, old buildings with tons of characteristic, and walls with cool graffiti.  She did an awesome job!!!  She also has connections and knows of a company where I can get the photo's professionally printed at great prices! WOOT WOOT!

Project #2 Graduation announcements/invitations

   This was a learning project. A few years ago, I bit the bullet and bought Photoshop7. It has been very challenging to learn since there were no instructions with it. Thankfully, my BFF is pretty wise also and taught me a few things which I used to create a 4x6 photo announcement.  My daughter had chosen the black and white damask pattern for her graduation party theme and I just incorporated it into the announcement. I love this idea for the announcement. You are sending a wallet size photo and the announcement printed on a 4x6 photo. Let's face it... how many people really keep those name cards and the pricey, fancy announcements (besides Gram-ma ☺) I got a great deal through Snapfish and got 100 of them for $5, shipped. These will be tucked into plain white envelopes.  Most of the announcements will be hand delivered, so postage will be minimum.


Project #3 Graduation gift #1
   As I had mentioned before, I love to scrapbook. I decided to do an album for my daughter as one of her gifts. I got the Damask patterned binder album at Hobby Lobby at half price. It came with 10 page protectors. I also bought a package of page protectors at half price. So I have 40 pages to fill... easy!  I started the album with her "professional" photos, from her first baby photo on. Then I started with the photos I had taken over the years of  fun memories and friends. Thankfully, I had a little help from my friend with this too! Here are some of my favorite layouts.

                 Graduation gift #2
   Snapfish also had a great deal on 8 1/2 x 11 photo books for $9.99. I thought it would be great to put  her Sr. photos in it and give it to her. Easy peasy!!

You can see the one I created here. 

                Graduation gift #3
   After much pondering, I finally got some advice from friends who suggested a hope chest. I always wanted a hope chest. So it's decided, a hope chest to put all her treasures in♥.

Project #4 Graduation Party

   Oh yeah... this is where the fun is! After hours of browsing the web (especially Pinterest) I finally found some cute ideas to use for her party. It is not a HUGE ordeal, just for family and close friends before the graduation, but I want to make it very special for her. Some of our family will be traveling and will need to eat. I'm planning for approx. 40 people.

My daughter had picked black and white for her colors and I threw in a little WILDCAT blue to accent with. She actually picked a collage of damask, hounds tooth, and other patterns that were black and white and blended very well. I found the square damask plates at Hobby Lobby and used my 40% off coupon on them. I also found small dessert plates in a black and white floral that somehow matched and  looked great... they were on clearance!! I plan on having one centerpiece table and 1 for the food. The tablecloths will be white, the napkins and cups; black. Above the table will be hung a tissue paper pom pom made with the hounds tooth patterned tissue paper (Hobby Lobby).   She wanted Dirt Cake (Oreo cake) and so I decided to make them in cupcake papers (Damask pattern, Hobby Lobby) and put a little pick in each one. These are made with scrapbook supplies. (Paper from Hobby Lobby when it's 50% off, lollypop sticks from Hobby Lobby)  I also found a little box with the Damask pattern on it to place on the table for cards (H.L.)  I bought 2 rolls of crept paper streamers (H.L.), 1 black, 1 white. These will be sewn to make a ruffle for the edge of the table. I bought a picture frame (Hobby Lobby 50% off) to put her photo in for the table that had the Damask pattern on the inside edge. As you can tell, I like to shop at Hobby Lobby. They have great prices, and if you use the 40% off coupon every time they offer it, you can save even more!  Start early and buy one item at a time using the coupon, or wait until things go on sale. You will save quite a lot!

MENU:

Chicken platter from Wal-Mart Deli

Twice baked potatoes

Pasta salad

Fruit and dip platter

Oreo Cupcakes

Tea

Sodas

Project #3: Thank you cards

  I searched the web for ideas and finally came up with this one. I'm going to make them using scrapbook paper. They will look something like this one. I'm going to use ribbon for the blue and instead of saying Sr. 2012, it will say Thank You. I will use 12x12 paper and cut out 12 (3x4) cards. Then I will be able to buy the cheap little invitation envelopes.

   



I hope I have inspired you to be "different", cool and creative. Enjoy! 
This post is part of Simple Living Wednesday Link-Up