Employee Appreciation Banquet Decorations

How about getting some of the small fallen tree branches that are everywhere and putting employee photos on those. You could stick the small branch in a heavy vase.
Sounds like a fun game!

Check out any dollar store. They often have off-the-wall items that you wouldn't expect, and might have something that you can use. I have found items at the dollar store MANY times for projects like this. Good luck

I did this for Thanksgiving one year. We took a log from the wood pile and drilled a hole in the middle the size we needed for a good sized branch to fit it . Then we baked sugar cookies shaped like leaves and wrote family names in frosting on each one. You could do this with construction paper leaves and glue the pictures on them. We tied them with fall color ribbons. You could do company colors or whatever fits the theme.

Along the same line as one of your other responders, you can use a large can, #10 size or institutional size cans. Fill it with cement or sand (we used cement). Take branches of trees that have fallen & cement the branch into the can. We then strung white Christmas lights onto the "tree". Then you can attach the pictures with tape, mini clothes pins, safety pins, etc. You can adjust the can according to what size you want the trees to be, as well as the branches.

C.;

A VERY cheap but wonderfully story telling tree would be for the staff to GO OUTSIDE and pick a unique branch (one that has fallen preferrably) and that has the design of a storyline that would tell a "lifeline" the branch has to be centerpiece height with enough of the stem left over to go into a one pound coffe can. Take this and fill the can around the stem with sand then top it off with those little river rocks (or fishbowl rock) and then decorate the outside to match your family feud theme (computer designed perhaps) then hotglue it to the can and top it off with ribbon.

To stick the photos on the tree hot glue colored paperclips to the tree in unique spots and then the photos just slide into place.

It is also a wonderful centerpiece at a parents wedding anniversary that would tell the story of the family and children and grandchildren.

It could tell of your journey as a family of employees with photos of the experiences you all shared.

I have also used this idea to creat "blossom trees" for the seniors living in nursing homes who cannot tend to "real" plants but have the beauty of the seasons decorate their rooms - the individuals who are bestowed the "blossom Tree" or "blessing tree" as one elderly woman once referred to them as - have truly enjoyed the combination of nature and color.

Let me know what you finally picked out?

J.

Well what you could do is go out and find a nice size tree limb with alot of branches...........not real big. lol Then spray paint it white or whatever color and then put the end in a big or small coffee can depending on the size and add concrete or plaster of paris (someting that will harden and not be too heavy). Then you could add small pics of everyone, little flowers or birds or whatever you want to decorate with.
I did this several years ago just to decorate each month for a theme tree in my home. It was pretty neat.
Good luck.
KayD

Cut branches from an attractive bush or tree. Put the branch in a clay flower pot with sand, kitty litter, marbles or whatever is cheap. Cut the photos in leaf shape, use ribbon to tie onto the branches.

I bet bent wire hangers would work like 4 or 5 straight lines with swirl bent into the ends to hold pictures held in place in a terra cotta pot with floral foam.

We had a baby shower recently with a money tree available and the hostess spray painted a tree branch with several off shoots and then tied ribbon to the branches and added a paper clip to attach the money or envelopes. The "trunk" of the tree was rooted in the bottom of a bucket with some kind of hardening putty. Hope this help a little.

If you can't find any mini trees or potted silk plants at a craft store you can create your own. Start with a pot and styrofoam section in it. You can put brown pipe cleaners or decorative twigs and decorate with greenery. You then can use mini clothes pins to attach pictures.

Hi C.,
The cheapest method would be to cut branches off of your trees that need pruning anyway. You won't need leaves, they would interfer with the pictures. The easiest way to display them is to go to a dollar store and buy your vaces there...put styrafoam on the bopttom of the fase and then either marbles or shreaded package packing.
Hope this helps...good luck.
W. Q

I would think you should be able to find a lot of branches sicne we just had the ice storm. Fill a can or flower pot with kitty litter to hold the branch upright. Clearanced photo christmas ornaments (on sale at Michaels) could be hung on the tree branches - or for something more "crafty" and less expensive - cut pictures out in shapes and mount on slightly larger colored paper - a string will hang them from the branches.

You may know this, but check out: www.orientaltrading.com

We used this for my son's room parties due to budgets. I've found tons of things on there before for all different occassions! They're very reasonable!

Good luck!

J.

I actually make family trees! The ones I do are on a larger, more formal basis, but I bet I could help you do something like what you have in mind. Maybe not framed - like I do, but something similar. Check out my website: www.sugarbeandesigns.com and let me know if I might be able to help you!
Thanks,
L. James
SugarBean Designs
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