Party In A Suitcase: College Graduation Celebration!

Greetings Friends! It's graduation season and I am proud to announce that my Dear Firstborn recently graduated college with honors!  While DF was slaving away to turn in her last final due two days before the ceremony and working the day prior, I was making party preparations. Since I was traveling for the ceremony, that meant the challenge of fitting most of the decorations for the festivities in my suitcase! With God's grace and lots of rearranging, I managed and the party was absolutely lovely. Today I am sharing fun, easy and inexpensive ideas from DF and yours truly...

First things first--the suitcase and for once, I honestly didn't forget anything! Translation: I kept a running list on my phone and every time DF requested or I thought of something else we needed, I immediately added it to the suitcase.  The polka dot box was a fragile gift for DF. It was carefully cocooned in bubble wrap on the inside, then surrounded by various tablecloths and runners including a chalk cloth runner we used for the bar table.  Also packed are the oil cloth banner, chalk markers, ribbon and jute for the invitation banner. 

The talented art major  graduate designed her invitations with a little help from Zazzle. I told her they were perfect--modern art student meets Rosie the Riveter! DF liked my idea of creating a banner with the extras. My handy hole punch and jute were tucked inside the suitcase.  I simply alternated fronts and backs, punched holes in each corner, threaded the jute, knotted and repeated!

Repurposing the extra invitations and hanging the banner on the fence served double duty.  The banner brightened the bare fence and made the perfect back drop for the picnic table.  Now about that picnic table...

Here, it is covered with one of the daisy tablecloths I brought, but like the bench it is sturdy redwood. Talk about perfect timing--we scored it the day before the party at an estate sale! Big surprise right?!  The table was the first thing we saw when we pulled up and we couldn't believe it hadn't sold. We not only got a deal but found extra benches--six total which really helped with extra seating for the celebration! 

DF set up the bar and we used the chalk cloth to designate Mimosas on one side of the table and Good Beer on the other.  Artistic DF made the cute brick candle holders and the flowers pictured here and above were from flowering trees in the neighbor's yard. I made the orange arrangements with a single grocery store bouquet and herbs I brought from home.  Those did not go in the suitcase but in my purse instead. No worries, unlike my Florida vacation I wasn't detained by airport security for this project :)

A closer look at the floral arrangements.  DF loved the polka dot wrapped present: this Vintage cream and sugar to add to her Fire-King Lusterware collection.  

These orange arrangements were my favorite; so thrifty and simple to make and yet still elegant. When planning an event, I always "shop my home" first. What can I use that I already have or what can be repurposed? I really loved that we were able to combine our existing resources and repurpose others which kept purchases to a bare minimum--yay! 

The Graduate--so proud of my girl! 

Thanks for stopping by today! I would love to hear about your recent summertime celebrations!