Decorating Using your Papercrafting Tools!

 Each year at our church, we have a sweetheart banquet that is sponsored by the teens. We are a small group, so the adults chip in and help the teens. I usually have my hand in the decorations and photo taking and this year's theme was Paris. I just thought I would share some ideas with you of ways you might be able to use tools and materials you already have to create decorations.

For the centerpieces, I used boxes I found at Joann's and inserted hydrangea that I had dried and had stored in the garage. I created little "canvases" on which I stamped scenes and motifs from Paris.

 For the place mats, I used paper, ledger sized, on which the teens stamped images along the borders to match the napkins I had found. My friend used her Cricut to cut little Eiffel Towers and I took a punch for the teens to punch Fleur d Li's.

 I did decide that I needed the SAR (Some Assembly Required) die and stamp set. I had always wanted it and this seemed like a good excuse! I ordered it on Monday and had it on Wednesday....great service (it was coming to Atlanta from Washington State)! This design was very easy to assemble.

 My friend used her Cricut to cut out letters for a backdrop and stars. The teens are posing in front of those and the large tower she also cut out.

 We set up a little Cafe for the photos. As part of the "vignette" on the centerpieces, I used the cascading card idea (from the Valentine my friend Laura sent me) and made use of those lovely Serendipity Stamps hearts, along with other die cuts. These will serve me later as anniversary or wedding cards!

 The card in the center with the tower on it is actually a playing card that I found on the rack of inexpensive things at Joann's! They also had napkins to match! You just never know where you are going to find the perfect thing!

For the couple's souvenir photos, I created french bulletin boards with ribbon and brads and included one of the tower playing card with the photo. I found the perfect card stock in the form of file folders that were marked down at Office Max. Sorry I did not take a photo of one of those.

It was a simple affair, but just an example of how we can use our tools we already have or scout for inexpensive things we can find to tie everything together and achieve a theme.