If you have a graduate in your life that deserves some celebrating, I invite you to SET SAIL with me on this fun DIY! This is my latest project for Balloon Time, and it’s guaranteed to earn you some high marks in the creativity department. 😉

A Nautical Graduation Party Centerpiece

Balloons are a big focus of this design. Bright yellow & white balloons are a nod to sunny skies ahead + best wishes for a BRIGHT future. And a foil crescent moon balloon turned sideways creates the foundation of our DIY “sailboat”. This generously-sized DIY is sure to make a BIG splash on your graduation party dessert table, drink station – or anywhere else it “docks” at the party!

Read on for the full tutorial and free printables…

“SET SAIL” GRADUATION PARTY DECORATION

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Materials:

• Gold Crescent Moon Balloon
• 36” Yellow Balloon + 12” White Balloons
• Jumbo Balloon Time Helium Tank
• Fishing Wire (for balloon “strings”)
• Foam Board
• Printable Graduation Sails – Single-Sided or Double-Sided
• Craft Knife
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Spray Adhesive
• Hot Glue Gun
• 3D Adhesive Dots (I use these)
• 36” Wooden Dowel (at least 5/8” diameter)
• Small wood floral container filled with floral foam
• Sand

Instructions:

1. Print and cut out the Graduation Sails, which are laid out as 2-up on an 18×24” pdf. Tip: Print the sails as color engineering prints, which only costs a few dollars for an 18×24” print!

2. Use spray adhesive to mount the sails onto foam board. Align the straight sides of the sails with the corners of the foam board so that you only need to hand-cut the angled side on each one.

3. Cut the sails from the foam board loosely (leaving some excess board near the angled edge on each).

4. Use a straight edge ruler and craft knife to trim off the excess foam board from the sails. You should end up with 2 finished, sturdy sails.

5. Set up your base: Insert a tall dowel rod into a small vase or container filled with floral foam. Pour sand over the foam to cover it and add weight. (You’ll need a weighted base to keep your sails standing upright.) I also spray-painted the dowel rod gold – this is optional though!

6. Hot glue the sails to the top of the dowel rod.

7. Fill the crescent balloon with air and use glue dots to attach it to the front of the base.

8. Fill the giant yellow balloon with helium and attach it to the fishing wire. This will act as your “sun”. Fill 5 or more 12” white balloons with helium to represent “clouds”.

8. (OPTIONAL) Personalize it! For the finishing touch, use gold number or letter stickers to add the guest of honor’s graduation year or name to the giant “sun” balloon.

Mixing It Up for Other Occasions

This project would be great as a graduation party decoration or dessert table backdrop, or just as a fun surprise at home for your favorite grad.

You can also switch up the designs of the sails to work for other nautical party themes… a variation on this design would be really cute for a nautical baby shower, first birthday party, or “bon voyage” celebration too! As they say… the (sunny) sky’s the limit! 😜