Saying goodbye can be heartbreaking. I hope sharing these beautiful graduation gift ideas will help you look back and remember the good times.

My sweet Julia is now old enough to have friends leaving for college. As I sat at the graduation Mass and ceremony, I was surprised by all the emotions of change. I wasn’t expecting it to happen quite yet. She will be a junior in high school next year, so I’m supposed to still have plenty of time, right?

I moved my senior year of high school. It was February, which meant no final spring show for our jazz choir and no trying out for the school musical. It meant saying goodbye to my friends that I’d been in school with since 5th grade.

I’m absolutely terrible with change. I like things to stay the same. I like things to be steady and predictable.

Watching Julia’s sweet heart become overwhelmed with sadness at saying goodbye brought back so much emotion for me. We decided to make beautiful things with our hands and remember the good times.

We went through the photos on our phones and created two really fun projects with the pictures we found. I cherished listening to Julia as she shared her special memories while we printed the photographs. How great is it that we have pictures to remind us of the beautiful times?

I’d love to share these projects with you, my friends. I always try to make spending time together elaborate, which seems to end up being complicated. These DIYs were simple and the perfect way to spend time together, knowing my daughter just a little better, as she prepares to celebrate her own graduation in a few years.

Both projects are over on the MyPrintly website – feel free to head over if you need a few easy DIYs for your favorite graduate!

DIY Graduation Scrapbook

DIY Memo Board