At The Beach Graduation Party!

So you all know that I LOVE to decorate parties now. I decided on a "beach" theme for Jessica's graduation party. She is going to go to school in Monterey, which of course, is right next to the beach. 

I wish I would have started WAY earlier in getting ready for the party. I had quite a few cute ideas that I just didn't have time to get to.

And if you ever think of having a grad party on the same day as the actual graduation? DON'T DO IT! Give yourself a couple days in between at least.

I started to go into a bit of a panic mode by the end of Thursday work day and actually ducked out a bit early so I could get busy. My Mom took pity on my Friday (I took the day off work) and came over to help. Which was AWESOME. 

Jessica was also a HUGE help.

So onto the party!!

I started making this wreath and then my Mom finished it up for me. We used a straw wreath that I had picked up at the thrift store for super cheap and just stuck them in there. 

wreath inspiration 

I picked up this net "backdrop" at Party City when I went in search of drink umbrellas. It was about $5. I didn't quite realize it was going to almost be the same color as my wall! I took some shells (bought those at Hobby Lobby for $3 a bag) and wrapped some twine (Home Depot) and used some hot glue and draped the shells around. Then I added a few cute plastic sea creatures I had picked up at the dollar store.

Jessica made the fantastic board with all her school pictures. She did a great job!

I used this cute idea and put some of the food in buckets from the dollar store (washed of course) and used the shovels for spoons.

That's Jessica's jelly fish aquarium on the right. Funny how many people asked if they were real.

My favorite part of of the decoration was the cupcakes. I got the idea from here. Since I knew I was going to have to make them ahead of time I used the whipped frosting instead of cool whip. Worked just fine. I made these at 12:30 am the day of the party.

I didn't have time to make a cupcake stand so I just used this huge plastic platter I already had (from Target a couple years ago)

I think I might have actually squealed when I saw how cute they were.

I had picked up this cute basket at a thrift store awhile back to put some toys for my nieces in. It was sitting around and one of the kids asked what the picnic basket for and  that gave me the idea to use it for the plates and plastic wear. I set it up on a tv tray so we'd have a bit more room on the table.

You can't see the napkins too good there so here's a better one. I got this idea from here (can't seem to find the original photo to credit). Oh and the plates came from the dollar store too.

This idea I saw with pinwheels but I thought it would be cute to do pictures. Originally I was going to do pictures of her all through the years but I let her take the project of picking pictures out and she did her high school years. She just put a dab of hot glue on the pictures and stuck them to the skewers. I filled the buckets with sand and then stuck them in. 

 I put small squares of burlap (Home Depot about $5 for a big sheet in the landscaping area) in the middle of each table (wish I would have done that ahead of time and frayed them a bit). Some shells, salt water taffy, cute bubbles (dollar store of course).

I had picked up 6 of those glass fish bowls at the thrift store for .99 each. SCORE! I love them. 

 I hung a couple paper lanterns but it was so windy that they are all flying sideways in the pictures. Here's a few pictures after everyone got there.

 Trevor and my nephew

My baby brother and my SIL (vintage sheet quick cover up of the swing cushion)

My (step) Dad & Mom

My Dad, his sister and me

Scott manning the grill while his dad supervises

My friends and one of their daughters (we all had girl that graduated this year)

The wind blowing one of my paper lantern (dollar store). 

Jessica's friend, Jess, and Scott's Mom

Jess and her friends (the one on the right was one of my girl scouts way back when)

Little brother and SIL

Me and my friends

Scott and his sister

He's kind of cute, I might keep him.

My SIL's parents and you can see a bit of the set up behind them

Me and two of my friends from work 

My nieces :LOVE:

After the last person left at 10:00pm-ish I pretty much passed out. 

Glad we don't have another one graduating. 

UNTIL NEXT YEAR! 

(8th grade for Melissa)