I don't recall how many rungs are on a 6' aluminum or wooden step ladder but here's an idea. Paint the ladder in several colors..her favorite color on the frame of the ladder, then maybe alternate the steps in her school colors. On the very top-you could put a sign "The Ladder of Life". Starting at the bottom-a pic of her at birth. Next step-her 1st birthday. Other steps could include her first steps, her 1st day of school, her elementary graduation photo, her 1st prom, pic of her driving her 1st car, her 16th birthday, then one in her cap & gown. The 2 steps before the top could be an illustration of a college or a bride in a gown with a question mark in highlighter on top of those unknown future pictures...not sure how you'd secure these photos..maybe if a wooden ladder-put a finishing nail on the front edge of each step to hang it from. If aluminum...drill a hole on the edge & wire it on. Maybe make BIG tassles in her school colors from yarn & place on the corners of the food table, gift table, etc. Set a poster size photo of her on an easel on which guests sign a message. Make simple mortarboards from heavy posterboard in black..leaving the 'lid' off the cap, then fill w/mints & nuts or some kind of treat as a favor.Attach a tassel to the mortarboard made from embroidery thread. Get 2 10' pieces of PVC pipe, paint them & dig a hole or use Xmas tree stands to hold them. Place about 10' apart at the entry of the party for people to walk under. Place a 'Graduation 2007" & Happy Birthday banner across the top and tie helium balloons all along the top too.

My son graduated last year - I had about 125 people at his graduation party. The suggestions you got above are good. Here are some of mine: We had a rootbeer keg - it was a big hit. Ordered it from the liquor store, very popular with young and old alike. Our entire keg went in 3 hours. It was set up outside because it gets sticky. We set up a volleyball net in the back yard. The boy vs girl volleyball competition was intense as most of the kids were athletes. I'd do the extra bars and salads as suggested, borrow coolers if you need to keep them cool. The only thing that struck me in your email is to make sure that you really can get the red, white and blue decorations you want, lots of other parents might have the same idea and you may have slim pickings if you wait too long. If you are in a big city it may not be a problem but if you are in a town with only 1 or 2 high schools, you might have a problem. The nice stuff will go fast. Finally, get help to keep the food trays filled, coffee made, trash cans emptied, toilet paper and clean towels in the bathrooms, etc. It's a lot of work and you want to at least have time to say hello to your guests. Assign someone to take pictures of your daughter and guests, especially those important ones like grandparents, aunts, uncles, best friends, etc.. Good Luck, it sounds like you are already well on your way. Maryp

daisy -we just had our first student pass the new GED2014 test, which is much, much more difficult than the previous test. And he passed each section with honors no less! The class brought in a mortar board for him and made him a poster. I don't know when I've EVER felt more proud, including my own kids' achievements. There are so many complicated reasons that kids don't graduate from hs, and many people know nothing about them. In his case, he had such severe anxiety in hs that he finally just dropped out in his junior year, as he was often unable to even make it to school or through the day. He did nothing for a year, and of course his mom was just desperate. He came to us in January, with so little confidence he could barely be heard when he spoke, and wouldn't look anyone in the eye. We treated him with respect and gentleness, and nudged him along, and he blossomed. Not only did he pass all sections the first time with honors (which will allow him to attend college), but as his mom says, "He is a completely different person." He looks people in the eye, is funny and charming, and the entire class loves him. He came back to the class just to host a Q&A session about the test since he was our first 2014 student. I'll remember him forever. Ironically, he actually got his GED 2 weeks before his high school class graduated!

A little more background would help us give you more ideas, Lynne. What are your favorite methods of making cards... using die-cuts, paperfolding, pop-ups, embellishments, ribbons, painting, stamping, embossing, beads, ??? Will the card be hand-delivered or will it go through the US mail? Some of the suggestions below would have to be hand-delivered (or mailed in a box) because of the thickness (and fragility) of the embellishments. Minnie has given you a good idea to avoid going to the craft store and investing in a whole different bunch of supplies (LOL!! - not that you don't want to do that, but sometimes it is far less expensive to just [heaven forbid!!] buy a card than to get all the supplies to make one!). Are you giving her just a card, or a card with money or a check in it? A cute way to give $$ is to make a pop-up card with a hand that holds the $$ and "pops" up and out when the card is opened. Another way to give money is to make a diploma using a cardboard tube (from aluminum foil, saran wrap, etc.) covering it with parchment or other paper that has been aged with tea. Tie a red (or HS color) ribbon around the tube, seal with a gold sticker or sealing wax. Put the check or $$ inside the tube. Write a message of congratulations on the paper before sealing it! A third way to give money is to make a purse from cardstock. (If this idea appeals to you, email me and I can send you instructions.) A three-deep graduated petals card can be used as a holder for money, too, or just as a card with lots of messages of congratulations. Playing on Minnie suggestion of graduate stickers, use your niece's HS colors as the backgrounds, and for dimension add a bit of gold thread made into a tassel to the mortarboard. And maybe a black "button eyelet" to hold the tassel in place. Is she going on to college and do you know which one? You could incorporate that school's logo or mascot into your card, or maybe a roadmap from her home to the college. Does she like nature or the outdoors? Make the card with the cover message "Never stop chasing your dreams..." and decorate it with a subtle background of butterflies, perhaps overlaid with sheer vellum. Punch a hole about 2" in diameter in the cover and mount a little butterfly net inside so it is just visible through the hole. Put a couple butterfly stickers inside on or near the net, with inside verse, "Congratulations _ _ _ _ _ (niece's name)!" Here's a very simple one... Print and cut out (or use a sticker) of the world (Earth) that is just the size of a clear, flat-backed glass piece. Mount a plain white square on a textured card. Glue the Earth to the center of the square, then glue on the glass piece. Inside verse could be something like, "The world is waiting for you. Go for it!" Make an accordian pleat card with lots of die-cut hands mounted inside. Mount a single hand on the front on a couple layered rectangles (in HS colors).Tie a little tag to one finger on front hand that says "Clap Clap Clap." Put another set on layered rectangles inside with your message or just "Congratulations!" If you need further explanation for any of the above ideas, Lynne, just email me. Hope these ideas will inspire you.