Minggu, 29 September 2013

Games to Play at a Baby Shower


Having a baby shower is quite a regular practice. In fact, almost all expecting mothers either organize a it for themselves, or have one planned by their friends. One important aspect of planning it, is to decide what games to play at it. Whether it is the mother planning it, or the friends, it is always a good idea to have an idea of some easy games which can be played, so that the people attending it do not get bored. Here are some ideas that you may want to try out.

Pin the Sperm
This is a comical modification of the popular party game, tail the cat. What you have to do is draw an ovary on a big chart. Hang this on a door or somewhere with a flat backdrop. Take a piece of wool, and wrap it around drawing pins to represent sperm. Blindfold the participants, one at a time, and ask them to pin the sperm correctly on the ovary. The person with the closest pin wins some great prizes!

Name Me
This is a fun game for men attending a baby shower. To test their baby knowledge, and to prepare them for the little bundle of joy that is about to arrive. Place random baby items like nipples, bottles, diapers, blankets, pins, etc. in a basket. Blindfold each contestant and ask him to reach into the basket and remove only one item at a time, name it and describe how it is to be used. The person who names and describes the maximum number of items, within the time limit, wins!

Bottoms Up
Go back to your bottle suckling days with this game. What you have to do is, fill a number of baby bottles (according to the number of guests) with a liquid like water or orange juice. Begin a timer for half a minute, and ask the contestants to begin drinking the water or juice, using the nipple of the bottle. The person who drinks the most within the allotted time, wins.

Candy Bar
This game tests your logic and quick thinking when it comes to babies. Make cards that have two sections. One for clues, and one for answers. In the clues section, write down a clue that is related to babies, or children, or pregnancy, etc. The person playing has to use the clue to guess the name of a popular candy bar, which matches the clue. The person with the most correct answers can get a jar of candy as a prize!

How Big is Mummy's Tummy?
Give each guest some yarn. Ask them to tie the yarn into a knot, so that the loop is of the approximate size that they believe is the pregnant lady's tummy. Measure all the pieces properly, and then measure the to-be-mummy's tummy. The guest with the closest guess wins this game!

So, did you see, how many games can be played at a baby shower? Have fun at your shower, and God bless your little one who is about to arrive!

Printable Bridal Shower Games


Bridal showers are so much fun! It's probably the last time you'd meet your best friend, as a single woman. So you definitely want to make it special. You want to pamper her with attention and compliments and make her bridal shower a highly memorable one. The best way of going about it, is by getting everybody involved. Bridal shower games will get everybody's attention. A little silliness and frolic will be remembered by the bride-to-be for all her life. Printing out a few games on paper makes it easier for everyone to take part in the games.

Ice Breakers
Begin playing this game once everybody has arrived. This will make all of them comfortable and at ease. Play games like 'Tell Us Something About You', where every guest will have to write an interesting anecdote on the bride or the first time they met the bride. This way everyone will know everyone. Another fun game is 'Romantic Couples', which has the names of famous couples but only the first half. The better half will be a blank. The guest who gets maximum correct answers, wins the heart!

Bridal Dress
This is a fun game for a bridal shower. Divide the groups in a two or three groups. Give each group several rolls of toilet paper and pins. The group has to make a bridal dress using the toilet paper. Along with the dress, different accessories can also be made to give the dress a complete look. However, only toilet paper and pins can be used for the same.

Scrambled Words
Make a list of marriage associated words like husband, tuxedo, bridesmaid, groom, honeymoon, wedding, rings, etc. and scramble them up. Print them out on handouts and distribute them among the guests. Give them a couple of minutes to unscramble the words and the winner takes it all, with the maximum correct words.

* - Click anywhere on the table to print the table
I E V L

S I K S

K C E A S

S L A I E

O M O R G

O T S A T

M C Y N E R E O

T Q O U E B O U

E G N T M G A E E

T N I V I N O I T A
N O W G

T O H A

N S I R G

N D C A E

R D E B I

N C R M O A E

N B E A M S T

C R E T N O I E P

Y O M O H N E O N

E S A I M D R B D
* - Scroll down to the end of the article to find the answers to the scramble.

Poem
You will need a long paper for this game. On the paper start off writing a line, which sounds like a poem, but about the wedding, bride and the groom. Pin the paper to a clipboard and pass it over to the next guest. The next guest will write the next line and fold the paper, such that the next guest is able to see only the line written by the previous guest and not the other before that. Pass the paper to all the guests. After all the guests have finished, the bridesmaid will read out the entire 'poem', which will make for a hilarious read.

Bridal Pictionary
Play it like the usual pictionary game. Print out the cards with items on them. Just make a small modification and print wedding related items, like, TV set, couch, home and things like that. Make 2 teams to play the game. The team that can figure out maximum items obviously wins the game.

How Well Do We Know The Bride
Print out a list of all the questions that you can ask the guests. Or you can even print out a list of bride related questions, regarding facts about her life and maybe even about her personal tastes, favorites, etc. The person who gets most of the answers right wins a prize from the bride.

* - Click anywhere on the table to print the table
1. Which is her favorite color?
2. Which is her favorite movie?
3. Who is her favorite actor?
4. Who is her favorite actress?
5. What was her first job?
6. What is bride's shoe-size?
7. Which is her favorite book?
8. How did the bride and the groom meet?
9. What is the color of the bride's bathroom?
10. Which is her favorite dish?
11. Which flavor of ice cream does she like?
12. Which is her favorite television show?
13. What is the bride's hobby?
14. Which is the bride's dream honeymoon destination?
15. In which city and state was the bride born?
16. Which was the bride's first car?
17. How many tattoos does the bride have? Which is her favorite tattoo?
18. What would the bride prefer to shop for - shoes or handbags?
19. Which game does the bride follow?
20. Is the bride a dog's person or a cat's person?

Advice For The Bride
This can be extremely funny. Cut out small heart-shaped cards. And print them with funny advises like 'don't go to bed with a mad head', 'don't let the florist catch the bouquet' and other such advises. The one that makes the bride laugh the most will get the prize!

* - Answer to the scramble. Veil, gown, kiss, oath, cakes, rings, aisle, dance, groom, bride, toast, romance, ceremony, bestman, bouquet, reception, engagement, honeymoon, invitation, bridesmaid

Make the evening of the bridal shower a warm and entertaining one. There is a plethora of free printable games available online which will save you time and expense. See to it that all invitations are sent out in advance. Print out enough copies of these games and let the party begin!

Sabtu, 28 September 2013

Baby Shower Activities


A baby shower is a fun way to celebrate the impending arrival of a new addition to the family and to congratulate and share the happiness of the mother-to-be. It can be a get-together of friends, family, colleagues and church-groups. Planning a baby shower systematically, would include making all the arrangements from the location, to the guest list and the food arrangements. To make the baby shower an interesting and fun-filled affair and one that everyone would remember, it is essential to include some unique and interesting baby shower activities. These activities can be either physical or less physical, but should be able to include the participation of all the guests. Here are some unique and fun activities that you can add while hosting a baby shower.

Baby Shower Activities
Baby shower games need to be planned well according to the guests invited and the location where the baby shower is going to be held. Following are some activities that are easy to organize and fun too.

Keepsake Making
This is a fun and easy activity to indulge the guests in and will require some amount of baby shower planning beforehand. Purchase 50 to 100 plain white baby t-shirts, colored markers, fabric paints, cartoon stamps, glitter, etc. and hand them over to the guests as they arrive. Ask them to personalize each t-shirt with a message for the baby or some artwork on the t-shirts. Then put these up in a line on a clothesline and preserve it as a keepsake for the child.

Make a Wish
For this unique baby shower activity, you will need some candles and colored papers. Give the guests the colored papers and ask them to write down a wish on behalf of the baby or a prayer or a blessing and personalize it. Then wrap this paper around a candle and place it in a box, that has been decorated as per the baby shower theme. Hand over this box to the mother-to-be at the end of the party.

The Time That Was
While sending out invites for the baby shower, mention in the invitation cards that the guests should bring along with them, something that would tell the baby of the world that was before he was born. It should be something meaningful and significant for the baby, maybe a picture from the newspapers or a magazine. Once the guests arrive and have settled, seat them in a circle and ask them to hand it out to the mother-to-be, explaining its importance and significance. She can then compile them into an album or make a collage out of them, for the baby to go through when he grows up.

Beads for the Baby
Ask the guests to get some colorful beads when they come for the baby shower. Gather all the guests at one place once everyone has arrived and ask them to hold out the beads. Then one-by one, each guest should make a wish or a prayer for the baby and the mother-to-be and place it on a table. At the end of it, the mother-to-be should attach the beads to a string and wear it around her neck or arms. This will symbolize that the love and best wishes of the guests are always with the mom-to-be and the baby.

Few Minutes to Fame
This is a great baby shower idea, but you will need a camcorder or video camera for this. The host should go around interviewing all the guests in the baby shower party, asking them how they are related to the mother, a guess on the sex of the baby (if unknown), why the mother-to-be would make a good mother and a sweet message for the baby. At the end of it, gather all the guests and the to-be-mother to show them this fun compilation.

You can also include some fun baby shower games based on the theme of the baby shower while hosting a baby shower. Make sure that all the guests are comfortable participating in the activities. You can make use of some cool baby shower ideas to make your baby shower celebration even more fun and memorable.

Baby Girl Shower Themes


You have just heard that your best friend is going to have a little princess soon. You must be ecstatic just like the parents-to-be and would want to celebrate the good news. The best way of doing this is by throwing a baby shower for your friend. Baby shower is a fun way of celebrating the happiness of soon-to-be parents with their near and dear ones. There are many things to be considered when you are planning for a baby shower. For making the party a special affair, you can think of organizing a theme-based party. These themes can be either traditional or else you can come up with your own creative and innovative ideas.

A baby shower can be held at the couple's home, a party hall or at a restaurant. However, remember to include the mother-to-be in the baby girl shower ideas as well. This will help you in preparing for the party. Let us look at some baby shower ideas and themes that would make the party a memorable one.

Pink Baby Shower Theme
The first thing that comes to everyone's mind when thinking about a girl is the color pink. It is not only the most popular baby girl shower theme but also the traditional way of welcoming a little girl. You can decorate the place with everything pink like pink balloons, tablecloths, banners, flowers and streamers. However, remember to include different shades of pink while decorating. Using colors like white, yellow, golden, etc against pink would also be a good idea to accentuate the look of the place. Choosing invitation cards that are pink in color would help in making the guests understand the theme of the party. You can either make the baby shower invitations on your own or buy from the variety available in the market, in which you can ask the guests to come in pink clothes. You can follow the theme even in the food you prepare. Baking a baby shower cake with pink frosting on top and making pink lemonade would also be a great idea for a pink baby girl shower party theme.

Princess Baby Shower Theme
As daughters are considered to be princesses, having a princess party is also one of the unique baby shower themes. For a princess baby shower party, from the decorations to the party favors, everything should be done in a royal style. One great idea for party invitation would be sending a tiara to the guest announcing the date and venue of the party on a tag attached to it. Decorating the venue like a castle with pillars, twinkle lights, crystals, princess dolls, flower garlands, etc. would make it look very grand. You can also add a banner with a sign saying 'Welcome Princess' or 'It's a Princess'. As for the food and drinks, you can have sandwiches and cookies cut in the shape of a crown, royal champagne, a castle-shaped cake, etc. Having a princess party is one of the unique baby shower themes where everyone can enjoy in a royal style.

Angel Baby Shower Theme
If you want to have a simple and elegant baby shower, then having an angel-themed baby shower would be a very nice option too. Children are considered to be angels and this would be one of the cool baby shower themes to celebrate your happiness. Adorn the venue with little angels hanging from the ceiling and also with flowers, balloons, etc in light colors. You can also have tablecloths with an angel print on it. You can even chose party invitations with a picture of baby or an angel on it.

Baby shower is the time when the parents-to-be receive gifts for the baby. As per the theme of the party, guests can decide on the gifts to be given to the baby. You can also decide on some baby shower games and activities to entertain the guests. Choosing one of these themes is a great way to welcome a beautiful little princess into the world.

Monkey Theme Baby Shower


Monkey theme is a great idea to opt for parties, especially those related to kids. Monkey theme baby shower is very popular among kids. A monkey theme adds to the fun element of the party and makes it even more lively. Are you arranging the most special function for the mom-to-be? Then plan for a monkey theme for this party and follow the tips given below to implement it in the best way and have a memorable party.

Monkey Theme for a Baby Shower Party

Invitations
Make invitations that have a monkey picture. You can also make one in shape of a monkey or just the monkey's face. You can either draw it yourself or opt for clip arts. A plain card with many small monkey and banana pics is also a good idea. You can also simply draw bananas. You can buy funny invitations online and save a lot of time. Moreover, there is a huge variety available online to choose from. The envelop must also essentially feature a money, such as one hanging from a tree. Monkey cartoon pictures can be a great idea for the invitations.

Decorations
You can get the monkey party supplies in most of the craft shops, using which will be a great help for making beautiful decorations. Monkey soft toys are the best element of the decorations. Hang these all over the party room. Get artificial tall plants on which you can hang the monkeys, it will give an awesome look to the area. Monkey shaped pen-stands and vases can make some cute items to highlight the theme, you can place these on the tables. Artificial or real bananas and popcorn filled in a decorative basket can make a classic centerpiece. You can also have teacups, saucers, wallpapers, stickers from the dollar shop suitable for this theme. The monkey stickers are the best way to grace most of the items that will be used during this party.

Games
Monkey games need to be really fun-filled. You can arrange a banana eating contest, the most funny game that each guest will enjoy. Another game can be a banana peeling contest wherein each one has to peel a banana without using their hands. The one who peels the maximum number of bananas in the given time, wins the game. The best monkey call is another game which will make every one laugh and enjoy a lot. Each one must demonstrate his/ her best monkey call. So, when all of them are done, present the award to the squeakiest, funniest and most real monkey call.

Favors
Party favors can include monkey bean bags or some classic monkey sticker sets. Monkey shaped vases can be one of the lovely favors if you are not on a tight budget. Monkey design towels can be another idea you can go for, to perfectly highlight the theme. Kitchen aprons with monkey picture can be a unique favor.

These were some ideas for organizing a baby shower party with a monkey theme. Get started with the preparations and surprise the would-be-mom and guests.

Jumat, 27 September 2013

Baby Shower Games for Men

Who said men are not allowed for a baby shower? Of course they are and the trend is becoming very popular these days. A couple baby shower or a coed baby shower is one of a kind and brings in great fun at the party. Coed baby shower being different from traditional baby shower needs some creative ideas that can impress the male guests. Games are inevitable part of any party, since they help to sustain the party mood. For a coed baby shower, you need some real exciting and active games that can entertain the male guests. So, if you are arranging one such couple baby shower, then here are some ideas and suggestions on baby shower games for guys.

Fun Baby Shower Games for Guys

While arranging a coed baby shower, you need to avoid those typical girl games. Men at the baby shower will find those games boring and may turn up chit chatting with each other. Moreover, you need to make sure if the to-be-parents are fine with playing games at the baby shower. Some men and women may find it uncomfortable to play games at the baby shower. The games at coed baby shower should be decent and should not include stories of pregnancy. Given below are some baby shower games that you can include in your coed baby shower.

Beer in the Bottle
This is an all time favorite baby shower game for men. The material you will require to play this game are, baby bottles according to the number of men at the baby shower. Fill these bottles with any beverage, but beer makes a good option for adult parties. Hand over the beer filled bottles to all the men and then set the timer to zero. Start the count with help of the timer and the guy who finishes drinking the beer first wins the game. To add more fun to the game, you can use bottle nipples with small holes that make it difficult to drink the beer.

Put on the Diaper
One more popular baby shower game is putting the diaper on a baby doll. To play this game, you will require naked baby dolls, diaper pins and cloth diapers. Make pairs of men and women present at the party and place the material required in front of them. The couple has to wrap the baby with the cloth diaper by using only one hand each. They are free to use any one hand, but are strictly not allowed to use the other hand. Say, if the man decides to use the left hand then he should not use his right hand throughout the game, same is applicable for the lady. The game is more like a team work and the team that diapers the baby first wins the game.

Hanging Clothes
This is one of the most funny baby shower games. To play this game, you will require enough space to hang the clothesline. You can hang the clothesline either indoors or outdoors if you have a lawn or so. The materials you will require to play this game are clothesline, baby clothes and clothes pins. Each guy has to hang all the baby clothes on the clothesline and the one who hangs the clothes in less time, wins the game. Else you can also have a winner as the one who hangs maximum clothes in one minute. While hanging the clothes, the guy has to use only one hand. You can bring more twist in the game by telling the participants to hang the clothes with a baby doll in one hand each.

These were some fun baby shower games for men. I hope this article will prove useful to you and you will have a great time at your coed baby shower. All the Best!

Kamis, 26 September 2013

Baby Shower Scrapbook Ideas


Baby shower is an occasion wherein the parents of a newborn baby or who is about to be born are "showered" with gifts. Some couples, in order to celebrate their parenthood, throw a party or plan a cozy get-together with their near and dear ones, which are given the name of "baby showers". Till about recently, baby showers were like any other regular party with games, food, gifts etc. However now, the trend to make this a more emotional, close wound and memorable affair is fast catching up! Now, the couples are replacing the traditional baby shower games with involving the guests in making scrapbooks which have pictures of the newborn baby, the expecting mother and the father. These baby books are created with the idea that when the child grows up, he as well as the other family members can reminiscence the old times by looking at the scrapbook.

Creative Scrapbook Ideas for a Baby Shower

If you too are planning to get your guests involved in this activity at the baby shower, you need to be ready with the supplies, before the guests arrive. Ideally, a scrapbook which has a leather or cloth cover should be chosen as it looks formal, special, timeless and unlike the commonly used ones. A good idea here would be to get the baby's initials as well as date of birth engraved on the cover of the scrapbook! Besides this, you would need pictures that you want to be included in the scrapbook, stickers, ribbons, buttons, printouts of some quotes on motherhood and children (you will find plenty of these on the Internet), cards and other decorative items such as patterned papers, that you think will add to the beauty of the scrapbook. Be ready with the supplies needed to carry on the work, such as scissors, colors, glue, pencils, markers, card stock paper and other stationery. Do not leave anything for the last moment and be prepared with everything in advance.

Arrange for a big table to be kept in the middle of the room, around which all your invitees can sit and carry on this activity. Before the baby shower, sit with your partner and brainstorm as to how would you want the different pages to shape up. What all things, pictures, decorations, wordings, you would want in the scrapbook. You can of course leave the details up to the guests as to how to decorate it and plan the layout of each page, yet you two should have a basic idea about how the scrapbook should finally look. Here are some scrapbook ideas on the list of things that you can include in it:
  • Start by writing about those moments when you two were excited and at the same time, nervous about becoming parents. In this section, both the partners can write their feelings, fears, anticipation and happiness about the birth of their baby.
  • The letter from the doctor confirming the pregnancy as well as ultrasound photographs can be included in the next few pages.
  • Some incidents that are wroth mentioning are about the mother's food cravings and mood swings. They will be great to add some humor to the scrapbook. These can be posted along with monthly pictures of the mother's growing tummy.
  • Pictures of the time of delivery, when you two were at the hospital, pictures of the nurses and doctors who helped in the delivery, letter confirming the birth given by the doctor, the baby's weight and height at the time of birth, baby's time and date of birth, the color of his eyes, the color of his hair, his foot and hand imprints - these are the things that you should include in the scrapbook as they make for valuable memories.
  • Include all the pictures of the baby's firsts like his first smile, his first walk, his first tooth, his first bath, first haircut, first outside trip, etc.
  • Devote the last section of the book to the entire baby shower event. Click the photographs of the decorations, guests, food menu, gifts and cards received from the invitees, cake etc. and have them posted then and there in the scrapbook by all your invitees.
  • You can paste the party invitation on the cover of the scrapbook, along with some of the cards and gifts received as they will make the cover look very attractive!
While conducting this activity, explain the general layout to the guests, however, at the same time, give some pages to them to design in whichever way they want. They can write some blessings for the baby and the mother or draw something funny which the child can enjoy when he grows up and sees! In other words, give the guests freedom to design and decorate some pages according to their wish! This will add abundance of creativity to your baby shower scrapbook!

Rabu, 25 September 2013

Baby Shower Invitation Wording Ideas


Arrival of a baby is a very special occasion, especially when it is your first baby. You want to make each and every moment related to the baby a memorable moment. A baby shower is a ceremony where the family members and close friends of the would-be-parents get together to rejoice the arrival of the new family member. Special invitation cards are prepared to invite the guests for the ceremony.

Designing the invitation cards for the guests is the very first job to be done while baby shower planning. A perfect baby shower invitation wording will make the start of baby shower party very cheerful. You will surely want the wordings to be very cute, something the guests will remember all the time. If you are going to have your first child then you want the invitation wording to be very special.

Before deciding the wordings for the invitation card, it is necessary to decide if you will be buying the cards or making them by yourself. After that, decide whether you want to include the wordings handwritten or printed. Many people love to add the wordings in the invitation card by themselves. For this, you can buy plain cards from the craft stores and write the wordings using colorful glitter pens.

Baby Shower Invitation

Besides the baby shower wordings, the card should contain the time, date and venue of the baby shower party. The important points that you should include in the baby shower invitation are:
  • Baby shower invitation wording
  • Baby Shower - Date.
  • Baby Shower - Time.
  • Baby Shower - Venue (Complete Address).
  • Name and contact number of the person to whom the guest should R.S.V.P
  • Expected Gifts.
  • Name of the mother, also include name of the baby girl/boy if you have decided.
  • Baby shower poem.
  • Include what special activity like baby shower games, are going to be performed at the ceremony.
Wordings Ideas for Baby Shower Invitation

A baby shower invitation wording can be generic or specific to gender, if you know the sex of the baby. For example, if you know that it is a baby girl, then you can include the invitation wording as:

Our little princess in on her way,
So come, let us celebrate this baby shower day!


(Mother's Name) is expecting a sweet little girl,
Please join us on this great occasion of baby shower.


For baby boy, here are some baby shower invitation wordings,

(Mother's Name) and (Father's Name) are waiting for their baby boy,
Come let us make them ready for this great big day!


Cars and trucks, and all types of toys,
(Mother's Name) is expecting a baby boy


You can also use some generic baby shower wording ideas as given below,

Girl or boy, a baby is a joy,
Come for the baby shower let's enjoy!


We do not know if it's a girl or a boy,
Come let us honor the mom in the best way.


Including baby showers sayings and baby shower poetry will make the invitation more attractive. Check out some of the popular baby shower sayings used for baby shower invitations.

I'm sorry I can't be with you,
but I'm very busy painting my eyes, my cheeks,
and my hair so my mommy & daddy will be proud of me.


A baby is a gift of life
Born of the wonder of love,
A little bit of eternity
Sent from the Lord above,
Giving a new dimension
To the love between husband and wife
And putting an added new meaning
To the wonder and mystery of life.


To be a child is to know the gift of living.
To have a child is to know the gift of life.


Preparing the baby shower invitation wording is fun. Keep the wording simple, short and catchy. So, if you are planning a baby shower, use the simple ideas for a baby shower invitation, and prepare an unforgettable invitation for the guests.

Princess Theme Baby Shower


Hosting a baby shower is a great fun, mainly because of the wide glowing face of the mom to-be! Positivity is almost overflowing at such happy parties! But baby showers can also be boring, if you do not plan it all out, basically because unlike other parties, one can have rock music and dance! So there should be some games which everyone, including the expecting mother can enjoy. A themed baby shower is also a good idea, as arranging food and games for a themed party is easier and it is also more interesting.

If you already know the gender of the baby, arranging a theme party in accordance is a creative idea, for example, if you know that the baby is going to be a girl child, princess theme baby shower is an awesome idea! After all, interest in fairies and princess is the maximum when one is very young! The lady guests will also enjoy this party, as they will be reminded of their childhood!

Invitations

Invitations are one of the major parts of any party. After all, it is the invitations that create excitement among the invitees and also helps to create the environment! For the theme of princess baby shower, let your creativity flow. Instead of making use of just plain or printed cards for invitation, send invitations in a different style. For example, you can send a tiny pink shoe along with the invitation, saying that a little princess who has lost her shoe will soon be arriving, to see if this shoe if that is her lost shoe. Hence, you are throwing a baby shower in her honor. This invitation is sure to make everyone charged up! Another idea which you can use for princess baby shower theme is to send out small rolled up invitation with a small verse like, "Heard the forecast? A baby is predicted but first there will be a shower! Please join us at a Baby Shower for ______!"

Decorations

The decorations obviously be in accordance to the theme. As you know that the baby is a girl, use the classic girl color, pink, generously for the decorations! Start with pink confetti and balloons. Buy plastic tiaras, paint them pink and spread them everywhere in the room. To give a royal look, wrap things in silver colored gift paper, also make use of colors like violet and golden. Add girlish stuff like small pink bows, tiny bracelets, shoes everywhere. Attractive centerpieces also play an important role. For this party, you can place a cardboard castle in the center of the room. You can also floating scented candles, surrounded with red or pink rose petals as a centerpiece.

Food

Instead of keeping a buffet, set out a huge table for the princess! Let the food be served and start with a toast for the hail and health of the baby and mother. Talking about the food, you can have simple yet sophisticated food items like a pink punch, chocolate covered strawberries, artistically presented salad and spaghetti, which are fit for princess theme! To complete the theme bake a strawberry cake, if you wish to be unique, bake a different shaped cake like a tiara or castle cake! There are many special kinds of cakes for baby shower, you just need to do a little bit of research.

Games

For entertainment, you can keep simple games. But see to it that the expecting mother can also take part in the games, with ease. One of the popular baby shower games is of guessing the tummy size! Suggesting princess names for the baby is also a creative game. This way you will get a number of ideas for baby name and the guests will also get chance to explore their creativity! A trivia game based on the princesses of Disney is also one of the best baby shower game ideas.

This was all about princess theme baby shower. Princess party is one of the best ways to celebrate the arrival of a tiny life in this world! I am sure you and your baby will have a blast with these princess party ideas! Have fun!

Coed Baby Shower Ideas


Baby shower is a beautiful event arranged either by the best friend or a close relative of the to-be-mom. It's a celebration to welcome the new family member with all the love and happiness showered over the to-be-mom. Usually a baby shower is a women's party and men are not invited. But these days coed baby showers or couple baby showers are getting too much popular. Inviting the to-be-dad and his friends can be real fun. But since men will be invited for this occasion, you have to forget the traditions of general baby shower and arrange an altogether different baby shower. Scroll down for some wonderful coed baby shower ideas.

Fun Ideas for a Coed Baby Shower

Before planning a coed baby shower, it is necessary that the host makes sure that the to-be-parents are fine with this idea. It may happen that some men would prefer to be away from such events. It can also happen that the to-be-mom is uncomfortable with this idea. Thus, it is always wise to ask the to-be-parents and then only start with the preparations. Once you get the green signal, you can scratch your head and find some creative and fun ideas for coed baby shower. Given below are some suggestions and ideas that you can implement in your coed baby shower.

Invitation Ideas
It is necessary that you invite your guests, at least 3 to 4 weeks before the coed baby shower. Moreover, deciding the date of the baby shower also plays an important role. Make sure there is no football match or baseball match on that day, else all the men will be stuck to TV on the baby shower day! Send baby shower invitations to couples with simple yet catchy wordings. Make sure you mention in the invitation that it's a coed baby shower. Use simple wordings like, Bring Your Hubby, Come Celebrate! It's a Couples Baby Shower...Don't Be Late! Avoid using shades of pink in the invitation and try to use some manly colors. Do not make the invitation wordings too girly. If you have a theme based baby shower like a cowboy baby shower, do mention it in the invitation.

Favor Ideas
As mentioned earlier, when you are planning a coed baby shower, you have to break the traditional rules of baby shower. Coed baby shower favors need to be different from normal baby shower favors. Keep in mind that men will not appreciate colored candies wrapped in beautiful colorful papers! So, you have to get something that men will like to carry with them. You can have baby shower favors that are gender neutral, like, simply hand over a bottle of wine as the couple steps out after the event. Or you can have separate baby shower favors for men and women. T-shirts, movie rental coupons, cigars, shot glasses, etc. make some great coed baby shower favors.

Ideas for Games
Playing games at a coed baby shower can be fun, provided the to-be-parents agree on arranging them. Some may feel awkward to play games at baby shower, so make sure the couple is comfortable with playing games. Games at couple baby shower can be simple, yet loaded with fun. You need some games that need active participation. Do not include those traditional baby shower games where ladies narrate their delivery stories. You can include simple games where the couples are provided with play dough and other supplies and they have to mold a baby out of it. The to-be-parents then select the best dough baby made by the guests. Else you can have the diaper games where couples are provided with a naked baby dolls, diaper pins and cloth diapers. The couple that finishes first wins the game. There are no limits to the games that can be included for coed baby shower and you can have any of them. Just make sure that they are decent and the guests are comfortable playing them.

These were some ideas and suggestions on planning a coed baby shower. You can include these ideas or use innovative ideas of your own. Inviting men at baby shower can bring in a lot of fun and joy with well planned ideas.

Sabtu, 21 September 2013

Creative Baby Shower Gifts


Baby shower is a tradition going on for decades, wherein family and friends organize a fun-filled evening for the mother-to-be. The guests at the baby shower bring loads of wonderful gifts for the expecting mother and her future baby. Earlier, people made the gifts themselves, but today people buy gifts that suit the baby's needs. However, the dilemma lies in what to gift at a baby shower, as giving the same old stuff gets monotonous. Everybody wants to get hold of some creative baby shower gifts to pleasantly surprise the parents-to-be. The best way to ensure the gift makes a positive impression on them, is by gifting something that improves the baby's or mother's quality of life. Let us have a look at some creative baby shower presents that one can gift to the expecting mother.

Diaper Cake
Diaper cakes make wonderful baby shower gift ideas and are also different from the conventional baby shower gifts. Moreover, this cake is an excellent centerpiece and forms an attractive baby shower cake. This cake is not any ordinary cake, and as the name suggests it is made from baby diapers. Disposable or cloth diapers are stacked together to form a gorgeous one, two or three-tiered cakes. The cake's tiers are then adorned by adorable baby products such as bibs, toys, baby socks, pacifiers, baby clothes, etc. The highlight of this diaper cake is that it caches various baby gifts, thereby adding a tinge of excitement to the baby shower.

Infant Sleep Sacks
Infant sleep sacks are baby sleeping bags with zippers, which are worn by the baby like a garment, over regular baby clothes. These baby sleep sacks are wide towards the bottom, thereby providing ample space for free leg movement. Loose baby bedding can cause accidents, which is why infant sleep sacks are recommended. These sacks also come with Velcro straps, arm holes and neck hole. These sacks also make wonderful baby shower gifts. You can buy two or three colors and pack them and present it to the expecting mother.

Swaddle Blankets
Oft, newborns feel comfortable when they are tightly wrapped in baby blankets. However, wrapping a squealing baby can be quite a cumbersome experience. Swaddle blankets come with strategically placed Velcro, which enables the parents to wrap the child easily. The parents will thank you for such a wonderful gift once their baby is born!

Mittens and Crib Shoes
Since newborns have no control over their hands, and oft scratch themselves, protective cotton mittens are a good gift idea. Trimming their nails minimizes this issue, however, proper trimming of tiny fingernails cannot be done. Thus, these tiny cotton mittens prevent babies from scratching themselves. Colorful, soft crib shoes help keep the baby socks on during cold weather, and are also good options to give as a gift. You could buy a set of five with a pair of same color mittens and crib shoes, thereby, giving five colors of mittens and shoes.

Feeding Pillow and Other Feeding Products
These pillows are semicircular pillows designed to make breastfeeding more comfortable. These pillows fit on the mother's lap and also work well with bottle feeding. One can also gift a basket of feeding products such as baby bottles, bibs, bottle holders, bottle brush set, baby burp towels, etc. You can also buy a breast feeding pump if your budget allows, however, you need to find out if the mother-to-be is planning to express breast milk.

Laundry Basket Idea
Another creative baby shower gift idea is to present a laundry basket filled with interesting stuff. Instead of presenting laundry items in a gift bag, which gets thrown away, one can use a laundry basket. One can line the laundry basket with a baby blanket and place various items like baby laundry detergent, stain remover, wipes, baby bath sponge, etc. into it. But whenever you make such purchases, make sure you buy products of a reputed and reliable brand.

Camera
Cameras with extra memory cards are wonderful gifts to parents. The parents-to-be would appreciate the gift, as they can capture their infant's adorable growth stages forever. If gifting a camera is not within one's budget, then one can even try gifting a photo package. One can go to a local photography company and get a gift certificate for a one year membership, whereby the parents can have unlimited photographs of them with their child for free.

Baby Book
Which mother wouldn't like to note down little details of her precious baby. A baby book will help maintain records of the baby's details at birth and even after that. The mother can get her infant's footprint, hair lock, etc. sealed in the book for the years to come. Buy a lovely baby book for the mother-to-be.

Baby Closet Organizer
Once the baby arrives, the parents will buy loads of baby clothes, baby care products, etc. All this needs to be stored neatly, in an organized fashion. Getting a baby closet organizer would be a fantastic idea. However, before purchasing this you need to find out the space constraints in the house. Accordingly make your purchase. It's a very useful gift, but it's better to consult the parents-to-be before buying something major like this. Taking their personal tastes into consideration will prove beneficial.

The best way to ensure the gifts are useful to the parents-to-be, one should put oneself into their shoes. By understanding things from their perspective, one can purchase gifts that are most appropriate to the parents-to-be and the future baby.

Selasa, 17 September 2013

Baby Shower Prize Ideas


A baby shower party is full of fun for the to be mom and the guests. It is a special day for the would-be mom and all efforts are taken in baby shower planning to make it extra special and a memorable day for her. Choosing the perfect theme for the party, making the decorations of the party room, deciding the menu for the dinner, games to be played and the prizes to be given all have to be done well. Decoration, theme, dinner and games, all contribute to the enjoyment factor of the party, and prizes are the most exciting and awaited part of it. But with the various baby shower games played and number of invitees, are you feeling short of prize ideas? The ideas mentioned below will definitely help you in planning out the best.

Baby Shower Prizes

You can always try to give prizes according to the theme. This will look more like a planned party. But if you cannot find those matching your theme, you can always choose from these prize ideas.

Candles: Beautiful looking, colored, decorative and scented candles can be a baby shower prize. It will be definitely liked by the guests.

Soaps: You can have scented soaps as prizes. You can opt for handmade soaps. Buy some soap molds which are available at affordable rates and make fancy soaps. You can also add fragrance oils to it.

Candy Bottle: This is amongst the perfect baby shower prizes. You can just add candy of your choice in baby bottles. This will be especially loved by the kids.

Cookies: This is another item which will be loved by adults and kids. You can make teddy shaped cookies and pack them in a box.

Photo Frame: These are also the perfect ones for everybody. A photo frame has unique charm and looks amazing on the walls or tables with any type of pic placed in it. It can be your pet's photo, your favorite celebrity or an evergreen family photo. Similarly, a photo album is also a great prize to be given. Both of these can be given as baby shower door prize as well.

Coaster Set: You can have a coaster set matching the theme. They are available in a huge variety and you can choose the decorative ones with baby photos or other designs suitable for the baby shower party.

Flavored Lip Gloss Set: This one is a favorite of every lady. You will surely get praised for this choice.

Coffee Mug: A coffee mug can be used not only as a mug but as a decorative item in your showcase as well. Make a proper packing of this as it is a delicate item. There are many options in this considering different sizes, colors, designs, etc.

Handbags: They are never enough for the women. Ladies always love to buy a new handbag in new variety. So isn't it one of the best baby shower prize ideas.

Potted Plants: A calm looking plant to be given as a prize is just an awesome idea. This can fit in any corner of the house and give a classy look to the place. They are also amongst one of the affordable options.

It is not difficult to think of baby shower prize ideas. Look at the things around you and you can easily find many affordable and right options. Give importance to the packing as well. Presenting the prize in a cute wrapping with some ribbon decorations will make it more special. Also, a note can be written on it by the would-be mom to give it a personal touch. Let the would-be mom decide the useful and decent items to be given as a prize and write a perfect note over it. So, make your baby shower party a memorable day for the guests as well.

Senin, 16 September 2013

Coed Baby Shower Games


Coed baby showers have been very popular nowadays as inviting men has doubled up the fun. Most of the baby showers hosted today do not follow the traditional rules of discussing the problems of pregnancy, the horrors of labor room and going gaga while opening the presents. With the presence of men in the party, the baby showers have become a lot more lively, active and fun. To keep the men interested and the party at a high note, you can try some of the free coed baby shower games mentioned in this article. These fun baby shower games will surely keep the party alive and help you and your guests enjoy the private affair.

Unique Games

There are plenty of games for coed baby shower and the following are a few unique games that will keep the fun in the party alive.

The Baby, The Diaper and One Hand Each
This is sort of a team game where couples are asked to team up. They are supposed to tie a diaper to a baby doll. And to make this simple task interesting, the couple is allowed to use one hand each. The other hand is not supposed to touch either the doll or diaper. The couple who ties the diaper the fastest, is a winner.

The Multitask Super-parent
This is simple game where two people hold a clothesline and one by one each guest comes up and hangs clothes in one minute. Where's the fun? Well, each person has to hold a baby doll in one hand, speak on the cordless with the other and hand the clothes at the same time. The one who hangs the most number of clothes in a minute is the super-parent winner.

Drink, Mama, Drink
You need to fill small baby bottles with variety of fruit juices and ask the guests to drink the juice from sucking on the bottle. The parent who finishes the bottle first is the winner. This may seem simple, but it is really hard to suck juice from a baby bottle.

Fun Games

Belly Race
This is one of the best coed baby shower games. All you need to do, blow big balloons and ask the men to put them under their shirts. Then ask them to race to another room, tie their shoes and come back to the original point of start. The first man to reach back to the spot without bursting the balloon is the winner. This is a really funny game when women see their husbands and significant others juggle shoe laces and the balloon belly.

Potato Walk
You need to ask your guest to place a potato between their knees, walk across the room and put the potato into a jar at the end. And all this without touching the potato with hand. Look at the funny walk and the attempts to put the potato into the jar and burst out laughing.

Toss the Balloons
This is another games that needs to be played outdoors. You need to fill water balloons and ask your guest to pick one partner each. Then ask the couples to toss the water balloons back and forth without dropping them. The one who can continue playing the longest without dropping their balloons wins.

Fish the Nipples
You need to take a large bucket full of water and add several baby nipples in it. Then ask the participants to kneel down, hands behind their backs and fish out the nipples with their mouth. The guest who grabs the most number of nipples in a minute wins.

These are some of the games for the coed baby shower. You can search for more free coed baby shower games on the Internet to make your party more interesting. Or else some creative minds can come up with their own unique games. Baby showers are a way to welcome the new arrival and help the mom-to-be more comfortable and happy. Have an enjoyable baby shower.

Jumat, 13 September 2013

Baby Shower Decorations to Make


Baby shower is a party hosted by a family member or close friend to celebrate the impending arrival of the baby. It is a happy event where, would be mother is showered with gifts, blessings and love by her family and friends. The origin of baby shower takes us back to the late 18th century and as times has progressed, it has become more luxuriant with the inclusion of different elements like baby showering invitations, baby shower gifts, delectable baby shower food recipes and many more.

Besides all these, one most important parameter that highlights this event is the baby shower decorations. Simple yet, innovative baby shower decorations can actually set the right mood for the party. They are meant to create fun and lively atmosphere that too, by simply using more of your imagination than your pocket. Hence, one need not spend a bunch of money for wildly expensive baby shower decorations, rather, by using things like baby bottles, diapers, baby jars, etc., one can have great baby shower decorations in a creative as well as inexpensive way.

Creative Baby Shower Decoration Ideas

Diaper Cake
A diaper cake is a wonderful baby shower gift idea for an expecting mother, made of a collection of baby diapers or disposable clothes rolled and stacked together to form a traditional tiered cake. The cake can have 1,2,3 or, if desired, even more tiers of diapers. The tiers of diaper cakes can be decorated with baby care items like bibs, pacifiers, baby socks, bottles, toys, etc. Hence, it not only serves as a useful gift for the mother but it also acts as a cute and attractive centerpiece for any baby shower party.

Balloon Bears
Balloon bears make adorable baby shower decorations. All it requires is some helium balloons with long ribbons, and few pink and blue teddy bears. One just has to keep the teddy bears on each table and tie some balloons around the teddy's wrist, so that it appears like teddy is holding the balloons.

Baby Shower Cards
It is the most simplest and a fun way to decorate the room. For this, everyone who arrives at the party should be given some crayons, markers and pre-cut paper in the form of a card. Then each guest has to create a personalized card with a picture on the front and a word of advice for the would-be mother inside. Finally, the cards have to be placed around the room as decorations which can be collected, at the end of the party, by the mom-to-be to read.

Wooden Letter Centerpiece
A wooden letter can be a perfect baby shower centerpiece which can be personalized to the baby's name, or to alphabet 'B' for baby or 'M' for mother. One can decorate the alphabet according to the baby shower theme and can either use it as a centerpiece or even as a gift to the expectant mother.

Basket Full of Animals
A basket full of stuffed animals can be an ideal baby shower decoration, both for the mother and the newborn baby. It can be used as a centerpiece and later, when the party gets over the mother can save the toys for the baby.

These were some of the few baby shower decorations ideas that may help you in decorating the room in an easy as well as unique way. Besides these baby shower decoration ideas, you can also come up with some fun baby shower games to make the event more exciting and memorable. All the Best!

Baby Shower Invitation Ideas


When it comes to baby showers, a lot has changed today. Baby showers were traditionally organized for expectant mothers so that her friends and family could come and bless her. Baby showers were held to join the expectant mother in her happiness and celebration for having a baby. They used to be strictly all women affairs in the past. However now, even men and children are invited to join in the celebrations!

When it comes to baby shower planning, the first thing to decide about is the invitations. Invitations, as everybody knows, are a kind of prelude for the guests of the baby shower party. So, they should be chosen with a lot of care. Given below are some interesting invitation ideas for a baby shower.

Where to Get?
Today baby shower invitations are just a click away. If you search the Internet, you will find a plethora of choices for them. If you find any design desirable, you can place an order online itself. Many of the companies on the Internet will personalize the invitations for you. Some even offer the facilities of addressing and sending out the invites on your behalf. You just have to choose a design, place an order and mail them your guest list, rest everything is taken care of by these companies. Another way is to download the coed baby shower invitations from the Internet yourself and then personalize the wording before sending them out.

What to Write?
The baby shower invitations should be sent at least a month prior to the occasion to ensure maximum attendance. The invitation should very clearly mention the date, venue, time, the guest of honor's name as well as the RSVP details like their name, phone number and address. Other details such as information on baby registry, any special instructions for the party, like a dress code, may be included too. The wordings for the card should make the card look appealing. So include a cute poem or a saying in the card. Here are two samples for the same.

Sample 1
Twinkle twinkle little star,
How we wonder who you are.
A sweet girl or precious boy, we know you'll bring lots of joy!

Sample 2
Bottles and booties, diapers and pins,
this is where the love begins!
Diapers and bibs, bottles and more
This is what baby showers are for!

The Popular Designs...
If you are planning a theme party, see to it that the designs on your card reflect that. It will increase the anticipation of the guests for baby shower. If a surprise baby shower is being organized mention it very clearly on the invite so that no one calls up the guest of honor to inquire about the party details! The most popular designs for baby shower invitations are those which have cartoons, butterflies, baby booties, cradle, baby feet, toys, basically anything that reminds one of the baby, on them. You will find plenty of such invites in the market as well as online.

Handmade Designs...
A good choice is to make the invite with decorative colored paper and paste the babies ultrasound pictures on it. After all, what better way to indicate a baby's arrival than by showing off his pics!

For those of you who know the gender of the baby, a unique idea for boys is to make diaper invites from felt. Cut out triangles from blue colored felt, write the invitation wording on it with a pen and then fold it in the shape of a diaper. If you are looking for baby shower ideas for girls, you can cut out some flowers, butterflies and baby bows out of pink felt. Write the invitation wording on them and then string all to form a garland, before sending them to the guests!

Here's hoping that these ideas will come handy when you set out choosing, making or sending them. Traditionally these invites were given personally to the guests or send through mail. Obviously the first one is out of question today! So, you can send the invites by mail and make a personal call to all the guests, inviting them to join in the fun and festivities!

Fun Party Games for Couples


Fun party games for couples serve a dual purpose of helping guests interact and keeping everyone entertained. A great way to get everyone comfortable is with an icebreaker game. Sometimes, it takes a few games for everyone to loosen up and get the party started. If you find that your guests really enjoy the games, then you can play a few more. It is good to plan the games before the party, and keep the game supplies and prizes ready. Here are a few party games for couples that are sure to make your parties known as the best ones in town!

Famous Couples
To prepare for this game, you need to write the names of famous couples on mailing labels. You will need as many labels as the number of people you have invited. As your guests arrive, stick a label onto each person's back. The game is played by each person asking other people at the party, a question about the famous couple that can be answered with a yes or no. While the first person to guess correctly wins, the game should be allowed to go on until most of your guests figure out their famous couple. This serves as a great icebreaker activity and encourages everyone to start talking.

Mix and Match
The supplies required for this game are a good number of over-sized items of both male and female clothing. Try to put together a good combination of items, from a pantyhose and lingerie to shoes and hats, but ensure that there are equal numbers of both male and female clothing items. Pile all the pieces of clothing into a large laundry basket. As a host, you can be in charge of the timing. When you yell go, all the couples run to the basket and start getting dressed. Men put on women clothing and women put on men clothing, over their own clothing. In a short time you must yell stop. The couples should stop and find their mate and stand in a line. The best dressed couple wins.

Bag a Mate
This game requires brown paper bags. Separate men and women into different rooms. Put a large paper bag over each person's head and send both the groups back into one room. No one is allowed to speak, and each person must find his or her mate by feeling around. The first couple to find each other must quietly inform the host and they will be the winners. This will allow all the others to continue playing. The game will end when each player finds the right partner. Announce the winners at the end and distribute awards.

Sniper
Place as many cards as the players and ensure that there is only one joker in the set. Everyone gets in a circle so they can see everyone else. Place the cards in the center of the circle and have everyone take one. Then tell them that the person who has picked the joker is the sniper. The sniper kills people by winking at them. Everyone has to look around to find the sniper. Each person who is winked at calls out "I'm dead", and moves out of the circle. No one can wink but the sniper. If anyone thinks they have identified the sniper they should point that person out. However, if you get it wrong, then you are dead and out. If you are right, then you've won the game.

Garage Sale
For this game you need to pass around blank pieces of paper to all your guests. Tell each guest to write down the name of a household item that they would love to get rid of. Under it, they have to list five reasons why they would like to get rid of it. Once everyone has finished writing, tell them to cross out the name of that item and write the name of their spouse or partner in its place. Then each person has to read out their list saying, "I want to replace 'Andrew' because he is...". This game gets a lot of laughs and the one with the funniest list wins.

Shave Your Partner
This is the most interesting and fun game for couples at a party. The equipment required for this game is whipped cream, blindfolds, plastic spoons and towels. One of the two players will be blindfolded during this activity. He/she will then apply whipped cream on the partner's face and try to shave it off with a plastic spoon. The time limit for this game should be 1 minute. Prizes can be given away based on the categories- Funniest shave, Best shave, Worst shave, etc.

Tie a Ribbon
Couples in this game work as a team. What you have to do is purchase some ribbon and cut it in various lengths. Make sure you have sufficient uneven pieces of ribbon for all the pairs. Hide the ribbon pieces in different corners of the house and ask the pairs to find them. The pairs should find as many ribbon pieces as possible and tie them together to make a long piece of ribbon. Searching and tying should continue for 10 minutes. After the time out, measure all the ribbon pieces and reward the couple who has created the longest ribbon piece.

While preparing for these fun party games for couples, ensure that you have prizes ready for the winners. These games are a great way for your guests to let go of their inhibitions, be silly and have a lot of fun together.

Baby Shower Food Ideas on a Budget


There are many things that can go wrong while planning a baby shower. The most important thing to remember is to make it as much fun as possible. And when it's all women in the party, the fun factor is never ending. Aside from including games, decorations, and presents, planning a shower also has an essential component - baby shower food. To surprise the mother-to-be, you have taken the task of making all the arrangements and organizing the best party she will remember. Including the mother-to-be, the guests will also be expecting to munch on some delicious food. And to keep the party rolling and want the guests to be satisfied, there has to be something to gorge down. But if you are keeping this event to a minimal expense, giving up on the tasty treats doesn't seem right. There are various ideas that you can follow. All you have to do is read ahead.

Budget Food Ideas

Since you are still in the planning mode for the shower, there still is some time till everything needs to be finalized. There are various elements put together that make the entire occasion perfect, but the food served at the event does take a while. And when the party itself is on a tight leash, going over the food budget can mean leaving out yummy foods. Well, not really. You can totally get amazing food for the party. Take a look at the table mentioned below to get all the information you're searching for.

Menu Beverages Finger Foods Salads Desserts
1 Frozen Lemonade Deviled Eggs Baby Spinach Salad Soft Caramel Popcorn
2 Orange Sorbet Cheese and Fruit Trays Potato and Celery Salad Peach Cobbler
3 Ginger Ale Mini Sandwiches Baby Lettuce Salad w/Green Beans Soft Cream Puffs
4 Virgin Mai Tai Cheese/Chicken Quesadillas Baby Artichoke Salad Banana Split Cake
5 Pineapple Juice Chicken Strips and Jalapeo Poppers Thai Noodle and Baby Cucumber Salad Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
6 Orange Ice Cream Meat and Cheese Trays Banana Nut Salad Fruit Parfait
7 Lime Sorbet 7 Layer Bean Dip Taco Salad Cinnamon Apple Crisps
8 Apple Juice Guacamole or Salsa Dip w/Chips Broccoli Salad Cinnamon Muffins
9 Lemon Lime Soda Mini Sausage Balls Coleslaw Bread Pudding
10 Cranberry Juice Pickle and Olive Trays Macaroni Salad Upside Down Pineapple Cake

I'm sure that after you've read the choice of menus you can have for the shower, you must be tempted to get them all. Well, there's only one menu you can go with but the choices in beverages, finger foods, salads, and desserts can be combined. Depending on what the mother-to-be likes and the majority of guests will prefer, you can set the menu accordingly. You can also try your hand at making some food items yourself to keep the budget in check. If you want, you can even coordinate with someone else, like a family member or close friend of the mother-to-be, and go ahead with the planning.

How to Go About Planning the Menu for the Shower

Of course, there are various ways to approach this task and many people will give you tons of suggestions and ideas as well. However, with too many suggestions comes the hassle of actually picking one plan and seeing it through. Which is why, we have put together a step-by-step plan for you to follow so that you can decide on the menu efficiently.
  1. Make a list of guests that will attend the shower.
  2. Narrow down the choices on venue; select one which is convenient to all.
  3. Send out the invites along with request for RSVP.
  4. Plan the overall budget for the shower.
  5. Pick a theme for the menu:
    • Barbeque theme
    • Mexican food theme
    • Finger food theme
    • Asian food theme
    • Italian food theme
    • Tea party theme
  6. Decide which food items you will prepare and which to have catered.
  7. Enjoy the party!
A shower, or any other party for that matter, doesn't necessarily have to have an elaborate setting, decoration, food items, etc.; you can easily gather everything together with very minute details. Instead of serving fancy gourmet food and using expensive decorations, you can easily substitute them with homemade items. Also, a great way to keep your baby shower food ideas on a budget is to ask the guests to bring one dish which they can make on their own. It could be a new theme for your party and you won't have to spend a lot on food as well. To make this plan a success, you can go over some recipes, to get things rolling.

Kamis, 12 September 2013

Throwing a Baby Shower


You want to throw a baby shower for your best friend, but you don't know how to go about it? You want it to be the best baby shower ever, but you don't have a clue about where to begin and where to end, and to top it off, not even a single bit about what it entails to throw a baby shower. You want it to be a party that no one will forget for a long time to come, but not so expensive either that you'll be worrying about the expenses incurred for days to come. What then? How to solve all the riddling doubts? The questions will be answered in the following article.

Checklist for a Baby Shower

Here is a list of things that will solve the confusion that you are facing and help you plan the shower better.
  • Make a List - Make a list of all the guests. Call a close family member of the mother-to-be and ask how many people will be coming for the shower. This is the first step in throwing a baby shower.
  • Budget - Prepare a budget. Calculate the number of people attending the party and roughly allot $ 20 as the expense for each person. Try not to exceed the decided budget amount as far as possible.
  • Venue - Finalize the venue. Unless it is going to be held at your house or in the garden, you need to make bookings for a restaurant or party hall.
  • Timings - Fix a time in consultation with the mother-to-be. The timing has to be convenient for her.
  • Invitations - Send out the invites at least 2-3 weeks before. Specify the timings, venue and don't forget to add the RSVP.
  • Color Scheme - Choose a color scheme. A color scheme like cream and green or if you know it is a girl, then a pink and white scheme would be good. The decorations, plates, paper wipes can all be according to this color scheme.
  • Theme - This is not a compulsion. Many people nowadays, don't fix any theme when throwing a baby shower. But if you choose to have one in order to have some fun, then decide what kind. If it is a women-only shower then you have scope to have more feminine themes like spas, makeovers or tea party. If there are men at the shower, they will not enjoy this.
  • Centerpiece and Gift Table - Think of unique ways on how to make a centerpiece. You can make a huge bundle of the diapers, bibs, etc., and place it in the center. Then secure it with a ribbon. Also make sure you arrange for a huge table where all the gifts will be placed. This will add to your theme as well.
  • Games - Plan some games for the shower. This is possibly the most important part of a baby shower. The games will depend on the kind of theme it is. If it's a fun theme, then the games will be noisy, but if it's a tea party, then the games might just be something that is played around the table.
  • Food - Decide if you are having a brunch or a evening tea party or a late evening party. The type of food you make or buy will depend on this. You can have elaborate dinner plans or have finger foods. Once this is decided, place an order for the food at least a week before. Also decide if you are making some of the things at home or are sharing the preparations with some friends.
  • Return Gifts - Plan the return gifts well (if you are having any). These should complement the theme of the party well.
Baby Shower on a Budget

Granted she's your best friend and you want only the best for her, but who says only spending moolah is going to drive that point home? Not needed at all. Why not splurge on the gift and let the party be a cozy, comfortable meeting, as opposed to the unnecessary extravaganza instead? She'll be thrilled to see all her close friends coming together and she definitely won't mind a simple party. So how do you go about it? Follow our lead.
  • Make a list of all the guests beforehand. Knowing exactly how many guests there are will help you plan better and save on extra expenses.
  • Buy cards at a wholesale store rather than getting them at an expensive cards shop. This way you'll save on a lot of money.
  • You can also buy all the raw materials needed, like fancy paper, markers, ribbons and make simple cards by yourself.
  • Let the guests RSVP. This will tell you what supplies you need beforehand and the purchasing can be planned properly.
  • Make all the dishes at home. This will save a lot of money.
  • If it is a small group, you can suggest a pot luck idea, where each one will get a dish. That way the work will get distributed and the expenses too.
  • Instead of calling a professional decorator, decorate the place yourself.
Ideas for Arranging a Baby Shower -
  • Watch Videos - Play a marathon of baby movies like Baby's day out or Junior. It will be highly entertaining.
  • Relate Stories - Have all the mothers at the party relate a funny incident about child care. This is a great way to have a few laughs and pass on the knowledge to the mother-to-be.
  • Unique Games - Play some unique games like Pin the baby, or Baby mad ad libs. One the best is, get baby pictures of all those present there and make the mother-to-be guess them.
So there you go. Hope that I helped solve some doubts that you were harboring about throwing a baby shower. So go ahead and plan that perfect shower for her and you'll probably earn your title as the 'most favorite aunt'.

Rabu, 11 September 2013

Creative Baby Shower Ideas


Think while planning a creative baby shower. Think how to do, what to do, and if you have done a baby shower before then how to make it more creative this time around! Attractive baby shower decorations help create a perfect mood and feeling for the party guests. Great theme ideas, fun games, delicious recipes, creative baby shower gifts get you off towards a kicking start. Also baby shower gifts are an essential part of the event. We can buy baby shower clothes, games, baby bags, booties, bottles blankets etc.

Ideas for a Baby Shower

If you are looking at a fascinated backdrop baby shower or a simple elegance for fun, have a look at few things to how you will plan and decorate:

Planning the Budget
The budget is the first thing to be decided. Without planning the budget, one can't go ahead with the party planning. There are lots of inexpensive and classy ways to decorate even within a limited budget. Use your budget to create an elegant and fun backdrop for your baby party!

Deciding the Location
The location depends upon how big the guest list will be. The location can be decided not too far away and which is easily accessible for the guests. Choose a location or the restaurant where you can implement your creative ideas for entire party. Deciding the location will help you to design a creative party theme, decoration, etc., easily.

Unique Baby Shower Theme
First decide what theme do you want to follow. There are various themes like diaper baby showers, sports baby showers, princess baby showers, etc. Decide on what theme you want to follow. Think about your guests. What do they like and what is their taste. Some themes are to be applied for a baby boy and some for a baby girl. Keeping this in mind, we need to make sure of writing some guy's or girl's names on the invitations. Digital printing of invitation cards are always welcome on the creative front. Creative planning seems natural and easy for some women. Planning a theme can be made easier when we follow a common theme but with our own creativity. We can make a theme creative by picking a simple theme or an idea, and make a lifeless or dull baby shower the talk of the town. Perfect baby shower planning can give a good impression to your guests and they will appreciate the effort a lot. Flower arrangements and centerpieces can rock the themed creations. You can arrange colorful balloons in different shapes and cartoon characters.

Baby Shower Invitations
The baby shower invitation is the first glimpse your guest has of the baby shower. The first impression is very important one too. Make sure that your guests are greeted with something that will make them want to take the time to come to the baby shower. Creative baby shower invitations are important to reflect the theme and spirit of your baby shower party. This helps us give a personal touch to the invitation. The baby shower invitation wordings should include all particulars of the event. The theme of the invitation should highlight the volume of the special event. A must to-do task is adding information about the date, time, location of the event, the name of the respected guest, phone number, and email address. There are wonderful little sayings for baby boys as well as baby girls. Baby shower invitations contain important details of the baby shower event, but they need to be cute and fun as well. The type of invitation will give your guests an idea of the events that will be conducted at the baby shower. Some invitations can be formal or informal.

Types of invitations
Custom invitations, generic invitations, printed invitations and novelty invitations

Decide upfront what kind of invitation you will be sending. The type of invitation will give your guests an idea of what will be expected at the baby shower. Something like a proper sit-down meal will require a formal kind of invitation. A laid-back baby shower with creative elements would be represented well with an informal invitation.

Custom Invitations: Custom invitations are invitations in which you place an order with a printing shop or online store. You can customize the background, theme and wording according to your overall party theme. There are a huge variety of cards that one can select from.

Generic Invitations: Generic invitations are the invitations that are pre-printed out. They are available at grocery stores, craft stores, or on the Internet. In these type of invitations, they leave a blank space on the invitation that can be filled out easily by you.

Printed Invitations: You can print an invitation on normal paper and then stick it to the background paper that you want to use. You can even print it on some cardstock to give it a heavier, more refined look.

Novelty Invitations: These types of invitations are fun to give and receive too. They manage to lend a fresh, creative twist to the baby shower. You can use almost anything that is related to your theme.

Arranging the Games
Games are a fun part of a baby shower. Baby shower games are a must to make the function more enjoyable for all. You can keep prizes for winners to make it more exciting and that will help the baby shower become a hit. Prizes could be small candles, sachet, boxes of note cards, candy bars, refrigerator magnets, etc. In fact, prizes can be anything that could be useful for the winner to take home, use and cherish.

Deciding the Food Menu
Your truly delightful moment as being a baby shower hostess will come alive with the happy smiles of all your delighted guests. When the food is served, that's when the final opinion is formed in all your guests' minds about the whole function overall. Drinks are one of the most basic requirements of the baby shower. Punch is definitely the most popular choice of drink. Food can be served in buffet style meal by arranging long or circular tables or also by arranging casual style meal which consist of a drink, finger foods or appetizers & dessert. One can get lots of ooh and ahhs with these food ideas and recipes. The menu is very important and something you must always keep in mind as a priority.

Baby Shower Favors
Baby shower favors are an important part of a baby shower. These favors largely depend upon the baby shower theme we choose. Baby shower favors are usually placed on the table where the shower guests will be sitting, or in the baskets kept around the place. Baby shower favors can be purchased in bulk from the local department store. Homemade baby shower favors too can be made with decorative craft arts and papers. Make sure the baby shower favors you choose to give match the personality, type and style of the guests that you are inviting. Some cool and creative baby shower gift ideas are - wrapped up cookies and sweet treats, small scented hand soaps, candles, coffee mugs, gourmet coffee samples, perfume samples, etc.

A baby shower is a happy and fun event, for the mother and family involved, and also for the guests. Step by step simple planning can ensure that your baby shower is fun-filled and, cherished by the guests, and goes off absolutely smoothly. Use the above ideas and plan well in advance, so you too can enjoy a hassle-free and happy event along with your friends and family.