Graduation Around the Corner

This was my kitchen table for much of the morning.  My younger son will be graduating high school in about a month and I needed to get some things ready in order to get invitations sent out in the next couple days.  We ordered the smallest pack of graduation announcements but did not spend the extra money on accessories.  There are some things you can cut corners on and save yourself money, and still come away with something just as nice.  I had done this three years ago when my older son, Ty, graduated, and it worked out well.

One thing I did myself was the address labels.  The school colors are green and gold (yellow) so finding the gold colored graduation clipart free online was exciting.  And then simple green letters for his name and address.  These will be used on the announcements/invitations and the thank you notes.

Our school is small enough that they don't require the use of the little name cards as admission tickets to the graduation ceremony.  The announcement looked a bit plain though without it, so I made my own.  They're not embossed or anything fancy like the ones I could have ordered, but they mimic the style quite nicely.

Back when I'd made Ty's things I had looked at many invitations online and in stores just to see what a they typically looked like.  I adopted this simple design and printed them out on inexpensive blank 4x6" note cards.  They fit right into the envelope with the formal announcement, and it was so easy to print up extras as we needed them for handing out to his classmates and more casual acquaintances.  It was so easy that I used the same style for Casey's invitations too.

I suppose I could have easily made some thank you cards myself but I found some cheap enough at Walmart and decided to just go for it.  I want to check one of the dollar stores tomorrow for some graduation stickers to use as envelope seals.  If I don't find any I really like I'll just use up these cute leftovers from Ty's.

So yeah, a little creativity, a little time and effort, and it all comes together nicely.  Being a boy, Casey doesn't understand the thrill of it all.  *snort and roll of the eyes*  But for sentimental Mom . . . I'm making it special.

How about you?  Any graduates in your family?  Are you crafty and creative?  Or do you just buy and be done with it?  I'd love to hear about it.