The school auction is over and it was a success! This year instead of buying a paper ticket to come to the auction, we had guest purchase a reservation and then we assigned them a table. That meant I had to come up with a way to display the table numbers and do it without spending any money, which is what I say every time I work on something for the school, “We need to do this huge project and NOT spend any money.”
That’s when my cheap, frugal, Damn Ramsey lifestyle really comes in handy for my job.
The fundraiser has been called The Barn Party for over 15 years, so we kept the theme going. I used my canning jars, chicken feed, fabric I had bought for an older project, raffia that I’ve been keeping for over a decade and I bought the wire.
The pumpkins were donated, so I used them when I ran out of jars. One of my sweet friends donated her time and labor making the numbers on that cute paper.
I will probably re-use some of this next year. It was a good idea!
Need a Chicken Doctor?
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Selling reservations is a very cool idea, I wonder if I could convince our local fundraising committee to step out of the box. People around here scoff at new ideas, stubborn I tell ya!
Very cool centerpieces too by the way, I always enjoy seeing what I can come up with on a low budget.
Those came out really cute! I especially love the canning jars because now that the party is done you can use the chicken feed and also use the jars (possibly to can pumpkin?) and then be able to use them again the same way for next year’s fundraiser. Little spent + nothing wasted + cute as can be = perfection. You know, those jars could even be incorporated into my rustic/country Christmas decorating scheme.
I love those jars! Cute idea, April.
Great idea!
Wicked clever and crafty, April!
I might use your idea next year, too, or some variation of it.
It looks like you could make a DVD of how you put the fundraiser together with all the cute details and also the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes stuff. Then sell copies on your website.
This lady does it with her crafting projects that she shows on her blog, but I’ve never seen a fundraiser how-to DVD. With you and Clay, it would sell out! http://acottageindustry.typepad.com/a_cottage_industry/2009/11/make-it-special-furniture-painting-dvd-kit.html
My mom is just like you, give her a glue gun and she can make the cutest things. You two would be DANGEROUS together.
Last year I asked her where she bought her cute christmas wreath, her answer “I broke a few ornament so I decided to collect pine cones outside, and make a wreath with the broken ornaments… cute huh?” Ummm….yeah, when I braek an ornament, I throw it away… I’m not very damn ramsey. LOL
CUTE! Also so practical and farm chic…great job.
Love, love, love them. I will steal the idea for a fall party I throw each year if that is alright. (Um, I think I am asking permission to steal, hmmm and I wonder why my kids are so befuddled some itmes.)
How stinkin’ cute is that? I’m tempted to head up a funraiser so I can steal that idea. I’d better go lie down.
Excellent idea. I love the feed filled jar but I think the pumpkin idea is best. Did anyone walk off with either of the centerpieces? We had that happen one year.
Completely adorable!
Cute, but I’m appalled at your purchase of wire. Here in Texas we got wire layin’ in every bar ditch. You should’ve taken a little extra time and gone a huntin’!
Perfect! You couldn’t have bought something as cute as that.
Those are really cute. I, too, am familiar with Dave Ramsey. He’s good . . . but he puts a damper on shopping sprees!
You did an amazing job! Don’t mason jars just make the cutest decorations? So inexpensive and you can do just about anything with them. My daughter and I made lanterns out of them with votive candles to put all around her reception site at her May wedding. It was beautiful.
Okay, I feel weird for noticing this, but can you please explain the writing on the cardboard in the first picture??
It’s funny isn’t it?! It’s a box full of sweatshirts from a screen printing shop that re-uses boxes, so who knows what it was in there before it had my school’s stuff.
That is funny, and logical since you have explained it…but nothing at all like anything I was thinking.
Love it! That Damn Ramsey haunts on a regular basis. I try to be good I do! We made the sign for the “Ice Bar” at our son’s school auction, now the lights are on the outside of my house. I couldn’t afford a lot so I reused, reduced and recycled. LOL!
How cute!! Good on you, April. I’m glad it was a success!!
Too cute!
I LOVE NOT SPENDING MONEY!!!!
Way to go April… you frugal girl you…
Do you have any great *free* ideas for paying for my daughters braces?
That’s really cute
Cutie, cutie, cute! You are much craftier than I am!