Monday, July 7, 2008

Planning Baby Shower Decorations

Decorations make a baby shower event more festive. There are a lot of decorations to choose from. Ranging from baby bottles to baby books, handmade to ready made, you will surely have a fun experience planning for your baby shower decorations. Here are a few ideas that you can use for decorating for your baby shower.

Baby Bottles: Good Centerpieces

Using baby bottles is a fantastic way to start decorating the room. You can ask a few friends who have these empty bottles set aside or perhaps find some inexpensive ones at the store. You can decorate these bottles with paint or colorful magazine pictures related to baby stuff and use them as centerpieces with candies, flowers or even candles. They can also serve as condiments for your ketchup or mustard when eating.

Baby Potty Chairs: Floral Centerpiece

Find a good baby potty chair then take it to a local florist for a floral arrangement. You can use this as a nice table centerpiece and can also make a useful gift later.

Teddy Bears

Who doesn't love teddy bears? You can decorate the room with cute teddy bears for table centerpieces. For an added effect to your teddy bear theme, you can find pretty patterns of teddy bear tablecloths in many party stores and as a finishing touch, fill the tables with Gummy Bear candies and teddy bear cookies as goodies.

Baby Shower Cards

Once your guests start arriving, you can ask them to create personalized cards out of a few coloring materials and pre-cut paper. Ask them to fill the card with a picture on the front of the card and an advice for the mother to be. Then immediately put the cards around the room to serve as decorations which you can collect at the conclusion of the event and have them kept so that they can be read by the mommy to be.

Baby Shower Items

Another neat table centerpiece is a basket full of supplies for baby care such as baby soaps, baby lotions, non-tear shampoo, rattles and baby creams. If you want the theme to be gender-specific, you can tie pink or blue ribbons depending on the baby's gender to finish off the look to your baskets.

Baby Clothesline

Here is a great and fun decorative idea. Find a string and tie it across a room then hang on little baby clothes in it with clothespins or safety pins for an added effect. You can also hang other things on the string such as diapers, bibs or wash cloths. This is a practical decorative idea since the mother to be can use these baby things that are hung on the clothesline when the baby is born. If you are on a tight budget, you can have these hanging on colorful paper cutouts too.

Balloons And Streamers

If the mommy to be expects a boy, you can decorate with blue balloons and pink ones for a girl. You can let this balloons float on the ceiling, get them tied to the chairs or a better idea would be to use them as a part of your table centerpieces.

Streamers are also a good way to lighten up the place. Mix beautiful colors that are part of the theme then twist and hang the streamer on the ceilings, walls, stairs or the doorway.

Baby Bath Tub: A Good Cooler

If you are serving bottled drinks for your guests, a baby bath tub can serve as a great cooler! Just fill the tub with crushed ice then place your bottled drinks in it.

Candle Decorations And Gifts

You can find baby scented candles at many craft store shops. Around these candles, use assorted colored ribbons then tie them with a bow. You can place a small card with a thank you note in it and have your guests take these as souvenirs when they leave.

Baby Shower Baskets With Baby Books

Make use of baskets and fill them with the mommy to be's favorite baby books. Place them on the tables as good centerpieces. With this idea, the mommy and her baby can also have a mini library of books. For finishing touches, you can add little baby toys in the basket such as rattles or pacifiers.

Creating a Baby Shower Gift Basket

Creating a baby shower gift basket can be done in a lot of creative and original ways. You can go for the typical Diaper gift basket where you just stack some diapers up and finish off with a few twisted ribbons of blues and pinks depending on the gender of the baby. You can also go for themed baby shower gift baskets that contain baby items according to the theme you choose to work with.

Look Into Baby Shower Gift Registries

Nowadays, mothers are setting up gift registries for their baby showers. It is more practical and the mother will be able to get the present that she truly likes and that she can use for taking care of her baby.

Before making your baby shower gift basket, it would really help to look into the registry so that you will have a good idea of the things that the mother to be wants. From there, you will be able to choose a theme if you want to work with one and a way to narrow down your choices.

Additional Items

Some baby shower gift baskets contain only particular items of the same kind. For instance, a diaper baby shower gift basket may only contain a bunch of diapers in it but to make the basket more unique, you might want to put additional baby items such as pacifiers, baby bottles, rattles and other little baby items that add to the desired effect on your gift basket.

Themed Baby Shower Gift Baskets

You can work with themes too for your baby shower gift baskets. For example, if you want to work with a bath time theme, you could put items that the baby can use for bathing and grooming such as baby shampoo, baby soaps, a rubber ducky, robe and many more. You might also want to include a disposable camera for a shot of that first bath of mommy's little angel.

Another theme that you can work with is a scrap book theme. For many parents nowadays, making a scrap book seems to be the latest thing that they love doing for their babies as a piece of remembrance. For a scrap book baby shower gift basket, fill it with different kinds of scrap booking supplies and picture frame cutouts. This gift will surely last a lifetime.

The bedtime theme is a favorite. You can put some fairy tale books, soft blankets, musical CDs, puffy cushions, cuddly stuffed animals and other bedtime baby items to fill the bedtime themed gift basket.

You can also make a gift basket for the mother to be. A spa basket perhaps would definitely be something the mommy would appreciate. You can put in a scent that the mom really likes with a few candles to set that relaxing mood and a new robe and slippers to really achieve that spa-like effect.

Designing Your Baby Shower Gift Basket

When finding a basket, take into account its size. Remember that the bigger basket you have means the more you have to fill which entails more costs for you. That is why, most of the time guests prefer a medium-sized gift basket. As filler, you may want to use colorful scrunched raffia or shredded tissue layered at the bottom and the sides of the basket along with the baby items.

It would help a lot if you know the gender of the baby. It will be easier for you to choose the colors to work with in terms of the baby items as well as the ribbons that you will decorate your gift basket with.

Baby shower gift baskets are perhaps the most personalized presents to give the mommies to be in this special and memorable occasion. The moms can use these baskets too for other purposes after they take all of the baby items out and use them for raising the little ones. Choosing the theme to work with as well as the colors and decorative elements that you will put in it as finishing touches is a fun and exciting experience as baby shower guests and if you want your gift to be as unique, you can just mix and match items that are quite outlandish.

More Baby Shower Games to Play

What fun will there be at a baby shower party if there are no games for the guests to play? When it comes to choosing the baby shower games that you can play at your party, there are a lot of options and ideas to choose from. You can even create a baby shower game of your own. All you need is a creative mind and your guests will surely have a blast at your baby shower party. Some good, fun and original baby shower games are provided here for a more fun and thrilling party.

Baby Alphabet Game

You will need a pen and paper that has all the letters in the alphabet written down in a vertical manner on the left portion of the paper. The object of this game is for the participants to write a word that has to do with a baby next to each letter. A timer will be set for two to three minutes for the entire game. Whoever writes the most words in the allotted time will win the baby shower gift.

The Baby Animal Game

Have your guests write down animals that have a specific name for its young, for instance, Cub for Lion, Kitten for Cat, Puppy for Dog, etc. Give them at least ten minutes to finish the game and whoever has the most animals written down wins.

Baby Shower Chocolate Game

The materials needed for this game would be a couple of chocolate bars in different types, paper and a pen for each team that will participate. Give every team one chocolate of each type and have them associate the same with something related to baby showers. For example, Twix may be associated with Twins or Hershey's Chocolate Kisses may be associated with baby kisses, etc. Make everyone read out loud their answers for a creative, fun and memorable activity!

Guessing Baby Items

This is a baby shower game intended for the mommy to be. Place a large bag of baby items in front of the mother and blindfold her. Have her take an item out of the bag and have her tell the baby shower guests the name of the baby item she is holding. This should be a fun and exciting game if you prepare really crazy baby toys or products that are unfamiliar to the mother to be.

Baby Song List

The things needed are a piece of paper and pen for every participant or team. Let the players write down all the songs that have the word "Baby" in their titles for a limited time of five minutes. For example, Baby Love, One For My Baby, Santa Baby, etc. If you want it to be more difficult for the players, you can also ask them to write the name of the one who wrote the songs. This baby shower game is a favorite of many!

Making A Baby

You will need play-dough for this game. Each person will be given a small container of play dough with which to work on in making a baby. He or she will only be given five minutes to finish the game. Once the game is finished, the babies will now be presented to the mother to be who will decide which one she likes best for the prize.

Do You Know What It Is

This game requires ten to fifteen baby items of different kinds, ten to fifteen small plastic bags, some writing utensils and paper for each guest. As the host, you will have to sort the baby items in each of the small bags, one item per bag then number the bags from 1-10/15.

Give each player a piece of paper numbered according to how many bags prepared and a pen to write their answers. Hand out the small plastic bags in random order to the guests for them to touch or feel it and have each of them figure out the baby item inside the bag based on how they felt it or heard it, take note, the bags cannot be opened.

Once everybody's had the chance to touch all of the items and write down their guesses, the mother to be opens each bag and reveals what is inside it to the guests. Whoever gets the most correct answers gets the baby shower gift.

How To Throw A "Couples" Baby Shower (Husband And Wife)

Nowadays, baby showers are slowly becoming coed which means they can now be enjoyed by husbands. This occasion is a way for the father to be celebrating the upcoming birth of his child together with his wife, friends and family.

Before Planning A Couples Baby Shower

Before you can plan for a coed baby shower, as a host, you must ask the mom to be if she wants the event to be one that is prepared for her husband and his friends then ask the husband if he would be willing to participate in the party.

Sometimes, guys tend to refuse attending these kinds of parties because they may feel a little uncomfortable which of course is something that we understand. However, as a soon to be father, he might also be honored by the invite and in fact may even get excited to attend so do not hesitate asking them.

Planning The Couples Baby Shower

When making the guest list, see to it that you are conversing with both the husband and the wife so that father to be would be a lot more comfortable with the idea that some of his friends will be there to join him celebrate this joyous event.

Decide on which baby shower theme the parents will surely enjoy. There are a lot of general themes appropriate for these coed baby shower parties such as a sports theme, or some other hobby of the father to be and many more.

As you create the invitations, have them match the theme you chose to work with. You can make them in the colors of the dad to be's favorite sport or any other theme that you find suitable for the couples preferences. From the invitations, the guys will somehow get the idea that this party is going to be a fun and exciting one not just for the ladies but also for them.

This is perhaps the most important part of planning a Couples baby shower. Having men participate in this activity, you should include in the menu certain dishes that they would surely love to eat such as meat, barbeques, casserole and other dishes that are heartier than salads and cakes.

Baby shower games for a Couples baby shower can also be a good entertainment for the guests. Guys might actually learn from this experience more about baby matters such as certain baby items and what they are for. However, if you do not find these baby shower games appealing for the guys, talking and telling stories as well as parenting advice would really be a good alternative.

When preparing for baby shower favors in coed baby showers, it would be best to have anything edible such as candy bars, treats, cinnamon rolls, etc. Guys are just so predictable thus making it easier for you to prepare the baby shower favors!

Other Ideas To Make A Couples Baby Shower More Fun

If the dad to be is into a lot of sports, why not have the baby shower party during a game where all of his co-sports enthusiast can participate. There will be eating, chatting while watching the game and right after that, the opening of the baby shower gifts.

You might also want to surprise the daddy to be in his workplace. Hatch up with a few officemates and ask them to plan the party with you. Having friends at work in your party is a guaranteed fun way to celebrate the occasion. He will have friends congratulate him of the upcoming child and best of all, baby shower gifts that would surely melt his heart.

Another way is to have a simple barbeque cookout with a few friends. These get-togethers involving open flames are the kind that most guys love to go to so it is a great way to have the guys celebrate a baby shower party with the ladies.

Throwing a Couples baby shower is not that difficult. Just as the traditional ones where women only get to attend these parties, coed baby showers help the fathers learn more about baby things and how to assist their wives in taking care of their little angel.

How To Make Baby Shower Favors

When hosting a baby shower event, it has been a common gesture to have little baby shower party favors for the guests as a means of thanking them for their presence. These party favors are little gifts that are apart from the game prizes guests will receive when they leave. Here are a few creative and simple ideas for baby shower favors that you can make all by yourself. By making personalized baby shower favors, you can easily coordinate them with the theme of the party as well as the preferences of the mother to be.

Baby Bottle Treats

Find inexpensive plastic baby bottles in your local baby store and have them filled with candies, jelly beans, chocolates or bath beads. Tie it with a colored ribbon that will match your theme and put a little tag with a note saying "Thank You" along with the names of mom, dad and the baby.

Tea Cups

You can purchase a few tea cups, does not necessarily have to be expensive, and a couple of flowers. You can paint the tea cups with flower patterns then put a flower in each cup. You can also fill these cups with a candle gel for another favor idea.

Flower Pots

This is another fun and unique favor idea to match the event. You can give your guests little flower pots with seed packets for tulips or roses that your guests can plant and grow some pretty flowers. Then place a little tag in these pots with a message to nurture the plant as the mommy to be will nurture her newborn little one. If you want to be more creative, you can paint the flower pot or perhaps have rub-on sayings in it.

Homemade Cookies, Brownies, Tasty Treats

If you are fond of baking, then homemade cookies are a great baby shower favor idea. When working with a baby shower theme, have the cookies shaped according to the theme. If you want it to be simple and elegant, you can just cut them into circles and have them decorated with icing according to the color of your theme.

Little Fruit Baskets

You can also make fruit baskets as pretty baby shower favors. Find reasonably priced little baskets and decorative ribbons in your local store. Make your basket more elegant by placing twisted ribbons on it and then put some fruits in it such as strawberries, grapes or any other fruit that you would love to give as a gesture of appreciation.

Personalized Candy Bars

Making a personalized candy bar is a fun and exciting baby shower favor idea. You can make your own candy bar wrappers and stuff them with candies. The perfect favor for a shower that takes place a little after the baby is born. Create your candy wrapper by adding details such as the baby's name, the birthday, weight, length and the parent's names as the manufacturer! To have that desired effect, try words such as "sugar and spice and everything nice", "snips, snails and puppy dog tails" or "love" for the ingredients section.

Soaps

A lot of small soaps come in different sweet shapes. Just find some that will match your theme or that will best suit the taste of the mommy to be and then place it in a cellophane bag tied with raffia or ribbon.

Baby Picture Frames

You can also opt for baby picture frames as baby shower favors. Look for simple and inexpensive picture frames at a local store and have them decorated with scrap booking materials such as rub-on pictures or stamps that will make the item coordinate with the baby shower theme you have. Then place a picture of a baby or if the shower took place days after the baby was born, you can place the picture of the newborn baby in it.

Baby shower favors are just small gifts for guests that serve as a sign of appreciation for their company as well as a good remembrance of how fun and exciting the baby shower was. So when making your baby shower favor, make something that will truly be special for the guests without compromising a lot of time and money spent on making them.

Affordable Tips on Creating Baby Shower Gift Baskets

You've maxed out your credit card spending for the food and decorations for your baby shower, leaving you with a very tight budget for shopping for baby shower gift baskets. Have no fear, though, because there are still ways for you to create affordable gifts your guests will be happy to take home.

Handmade Crafts
They can range from knitted mobile phone cases to cross stitch works and hand-painted ceramics. Most of these will require materials you can readily find at home. The greatest cost it will require from you is a portion of your time and effort, but surely that's better than having to further dent your pockets?

Homemade Delicacies
If you're not good at crafts then maybe your talents lie in the kitchen? Baking artfully cut and designed cookies and other delicacies are another excellent idea to make up your baby shower gift basket.

If you choose to please your guests through their stomachs, make sure of course, that you stick in line with your baby shower theme. Cookies can be shaped like rattles while brownies can be placed in colorful handcrafted carriages. Make sure they're packaged properly so that they won't end up spoiling before your guests even reach their homes.

Trinkets
Visit thrift shops and other small stores that specialize in selling accessories and trinkets. You'll usually enjoy discounts by buying them in bulks. Choose items that you think would make a great addition to your baby shower gift basket. Consider buying at least four or five types of items. When you get home, take one of each then bundle them all together in your baby shower gift basket.

The important idea to remember here is that more is better. Rather than give away one expensive item, settle instead for several less expensive items. One item, no matter how expensive, won't fill up a baby shower gift basket.

Confetti and Decor
Use crushed flowers, confetti, and colorful strips of paper as filling in your baby shower gift basket. These not only add to the visual appeal of your guests take-home gifts but they also make the gift basket seem fuller than it really is.

Handwritten Messages
Rather than spend more money on printing out cards for your baby shower gift baskets, summon your skills in art and writing to design your own cards and personalize your message for each guest. All this will add up to a thoughtful gesture that your guests are sure to appreciate.

How to Design Baby Shower Invitations

When you have got it all planned out, the food, the decorations, the theme for your upcoming baby shower, it is time to make the invitation cards and distribute them to your loved ones and other guests who will add the fun in this memorable event.

When making an invitation card for a baby shower party, you have to consider a few important things in order to come up with the perfect invitation for your guests.

General Contents

The important things that a baby shower invitation card should contain are guest of honor's name, the date, time and place where the event will be held and if the venue that you chose is a little unfamiliar to your guests, add a thorough sketch that will guide them on their way to the place. These are the important information that you should not miss out when making your invitation cards and see to it that they are readable enough for the guests.

Wording

One thing to start with when doing your baby shower invitation cards is to choose the perfect words that will go into these cards. The wording is responsible for setting the tone of your invitation cards. If you have chosen a particular theme for your baby shower, the invitation card will relay it to the recipient.

When you have a theme to work with, it is much easier to deal with the right words in your invitation cards. For instance, fun themes such as fairy tale baby showers or diaper baby showers require informal and humorous wordings while elegant and adult themes require otherwise.

Of course, poems and quotes from famous people are also good options to consider. You can search the Internet or perhaps, if you have a couple of books to search for quotes. A few good lines of your own would also serve for invitation cards that would make it more exceptional.

When finding quotes, find the one which has a catchy feature that might be general or if you already know the gender of the baby, something that is gender-specific for a more elaborate one.

Another good idea is to use baby rhymes. These nursery rhymes such as "Humpty Dumpty", "Baa Baa Black Sheep", and many more add spice to your invitation cards.

Registry Of Gifts

Nowadays, registries of gifts are becoming popular because of the practicality and ease that they give to the hosts of the party as well as for the guests respectively. Of course, the mother to be would want to have things that she can use for taking care of her newborn baby and the guests would want that their presents be well appreciated and put to good use. These registries of gifts contain the list of the things that the mommy to be would definitely love to have as a present for the upcoming baby shower party.

Presentation Of The Invitation Card

Another important thing to consider is how the baby shower invitation card is designed and tailored to the theme (if there is one).

Presentation must be made in accordance to what theme has been chosen so that the guests would have a better idea on the gifts that they will give for the mom to be should there be no registry available.

For instance, if the theme would be that of a diaper baby shower party, then the best design is a diaper-like invitation card which implies that the gifts expected are things related to a baby's bare essentials such as diaper, baby lotion, baby powder, diaper rash cream and the like.

However, if you did not choose any theme, you can add pictures and other baby items that will look really pretty in your invitations cards. If you want to be gender-specific, the usual colors of blue or pink are used for a boy or girl correspondingly.

Making a baby shower invitation card is just a simple and easy task to carry out. Just let your imagination work, be creative and original so that you will have the best invitation card to entice your guests not to miss this memorable and fun event for you and your soon to be born little angel.