Graduation Decor

At the beginning of the school year, I shared this idea of using foam core board as the basis for extra large letters that were altered. Well, this project is the same concept, only I'm using it as decor for an upcoming graduation...

Our family will be hosting a graduation party for our niece in about a month.  I got a jump start on decorations by creating this giant "M" for her.  (The initial represents her high school--this monogram was copied directly from the school website and used.  Feel free to use your school's monogram by searching the school's website or by using the initials alone...)

I started out by buying a sheet of solid black foam core (32x40).  Using a pencil and a yardstick, I mapped out the varsity letter.  Next, I cut the letter carefully (be careful to not bend--it will crack and break).  I used a carpenter's knife, but a good sharp exacto would work perfectly.  You may need to go through several passes to cut through clearly.  I sanded the edges carefully so the edges weren't so jagged and rough.  It took all of about 30 minutes.

Taylor's school colors are blue and white.  So I took the liberty of tinting all of her senior pictures blue, and printed them out.  This project took about 35 photos (but M is a larger letter.  An "I" would take much less, for example.)  When I printed them, I elected a black edge and matte finish (I use Costco.  LOVE.)  Normally, I'd never recommend using a wet glue on photos.  But for this project, I highly recommend it because I have no intention of reusing the pictures, so insuring the archival quality of them isn't important.

The banner was created using posterboard.  I free-handed it, and outlined the edges with a black sharpie.  I was torn about what to write on the banner, and have elected to make a pennant banner to hang above this (look for another blog post on this one), which will state the word "Congratulations!" I did use the Cricut to cut out the letters.  I need to find a way to work in the "Class of 2012" as well.  Still a work in progress...

For more information on how to create the letters, check the original blog post on them here.

Now, for those of you who have a limited imagination, I want to offer a few suggestions.  Short on photos?  Try using their own pictures that have been posted on their social media (Facebook or Instagram are perfect for this project!)  Simply right click on the photo and save it to your computer!  Why not use "2012" instead of the school's monogram?  I love the project because it makes a big impact for a little cash.  Total cost of the project was about $15. 

Feel free to post any questions--I'll be sure to answer! 

Enjoy your day!