Graduation Party Prep and Plea for Ideas

Snickerdoodle (aka Model Child) is graduating Memorial weekend. As money is really tight, I'm actually able to get a head start on it (unlike when College Dude graduated from HS).

She's having the party with two (male) classmates, so it cannot be really girly. One of the boys has volunteered his family's membership at the lake so we can have the party there...which cuts down on the need for decorations. I made a run by Goodwill today and scored a yellow tablecloth and 4 blue dinner plates (school colors). I picked up 4 black metal candleholders so, with the addition of E6000 glue), there will be serving dishes of various heights. Everything was yellow label so it was all 50% off! I also grabbed 3 black metal display thingies for decorative plates or pictures on tabletops...3 of them, 3 grads...senior pictures or mini collages in each one for display, some confetti and that is done. I have some silver holders that should have Pyrex or other glass dishes in them...no dish, but the servers....so raffia or ribbon across the bottom, towels in them and they can hold the plastic silverware. So I think that other than maybe some balloons and confetti...the decorations are taken care of!

I am starting to collect cans so I can use them to make holders for tea light candles or votives. Maybe someone else would feel like buying citronella candles...or I can pick up some oil and put a few drops in each tea light. I can always use citronella oil in summer. I've seen the can candleholder on Martha Stewart I think, but the reminder was here http://www.homemademamas.net/2010/04/tin-can-tea-lights.html

If the other two sets of parents will pick up the food expenses, I will make red velvet cupcakes (torn between quick and using a mix or being true to my Texas/southern roots and doing them from scratch). Of course, if I do from scratch I can make a batch per week, freeze half and let the family have the other half so they'll be quiet ;D

Another idea I had was to find out where the boys will go to college and have some sort of little picture of their college or mascot or something to go on the table next to their picture....what do ya'll think?

That's it for now...and any other suggestions for cheap/free decor would be greatly appreciated!

Hugs!

Susan