Graduation Centerpiece by Erin Reed

Graduation Centerpiece 

Designed by Erin Reed

My husband is graduating this May with his Master's Degree and we are hosting a party to celebrate.  So of course I wanted to help make some fun and unique decorations to help celebrate this amazing event!!  I have already created the Dessert Stand for these amazing cookies my friend made, and now I want a centerpiece for the food table as a fun decor item.

Makin's® Materials for This Project: 

Makin's Clay® - Black, White 

Makin's® Roller & Cutter Set

Makin's® Cutting Mat

Makin's® Clay Mixing Ruler™

Makin's® Texture Sheets - Set C 

Instructions:

I started out making the fun Mortarboard for the topper our of Makin’s Clay® in black using the Weave Texture Sheet from Set C and the Makin’s Clay® standard tools.  

1) Roll out the Makin’s Clay® with the clay roller, then cut it with the straight cutter to make a square that fits the top of the box being used.  Add in the texture with the Makin’s® Texture Sheets Set C using the Weave pattern.  This created the top of the hat.

2) Repeat Step 1 for the base of the hat but roll it into a rectangle and connect together to make a tube that the top sit s on.  Glue the 2 together with Beacon 3 in 1 Glue.

3) I then used some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to color white string for the tassel of the hat.  Glued them to the top of the hat and then rolled out a little ball with my hands of black Makin’s Clay® and glue it on top of the string. I let all this dry as I moved onto Part 2.

Here is a video tutorial on how I made this fun little hat for the top of the cake.

https://youtu.be/Dp1zWCwlabE

As the mortarboard hat was drying I set out to create all the embellishments and the base of the cake.

1) Start with 2 small boxes of different sizes that stack onto each other, paint in white and then cover in black and white paper. Also paint the chipboard white and then spray with orange spray.

2) Cut apart 2 little paper mortarboard from the EZ laser designs strip add some of the same orange and white string from part1, and attach it with a black brad.

3) Roll out 9 strands from the Makin’s Clay® black clay, cut 8 of them and glue to the sides of the box like piping.

4) Using the Makin’s® Clay Mixing Ruler™ using the size D create 8 balls from the Makin’s Clay® White clay

5) Roll out the Makin’s Clay® white clay with the Makin’s Clay® standard roller, use a large circle cutter (I used the top of a spray can) and press the Makin’s Clay® Texture sheet C in the lace design into it.  Let everything air dry for a couple hours.

Here is a video tutorial on how I created all the steps above.

https://youtu.be/mKfyi1MOwKU   

And now... Assembly! 

1) Now that all the clay has dried, add ink the edges of the white clay doily and glue to the top.  Then glue the black clay rope around the white circle.

2) Glue the white clay balls, paper mortarboards, and chipboard to the sides.

3) Glue on various bling and pearls, and then glue the hat onto the top.  You are done!  Place your fun little faux cake centerpiece on a table for all to enjoy!!

Here's the video for the final assembly steps!  https://youtu.be/LftDQuI76Kc