Need my creative doodle friends.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I am hosting my DD's Baby Shower November 6th. At 4:00p,m, after running a Women's Half Marathon for Breast Cancer. Yeah, I know, nothing like doing too much on one day, but several dear friends and a niece are flying in for the Marathon so it was a perfect time to do it.

Anyway, I want this to be beyond the typical baby shower and need as many creative ideas as you all can share. Was there something at your shower that still stands out in your mind? Have you hosted a shower and had something you are especially proud of that you did? Decorations? Activities?

We are doing a very Organic, Natural, eco-conscious party as that is who my daughter is in life and she appreciates the little things like not using plastic, recycled papers and as little waste as possible. We are holding the festivites outdoors and are planting a tree in our yard in DGD's honor, like we did for both our children many moons ago. I planned to have everyone write a wish for the baby on a tag and tie it to the tree with a ribbon, as part of the evenings decorations.

 So far we have invitations on recycled paper, using rented linens, using our own china and silverware, catered with organic foods, Orchids for centerpieces and gifts, handmade soaps made with essential oils and no additives for our thank you's and asking guests to be creative with wrapping their gifts in re-usable things like recieving blankets or towels or something creative.

So, please put on your thinking hats and help me make this extra special for her? She and DH have tried for 3 yrs to concieve and we are all so grateful and excited.

I feel like I am planning her wedding all over again!!!! Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

What kind of toolbox did you use? I have seen a toolbelt for dads too.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Hi Sue, how are things going with the plans? I have just been recruited to help throw together a baby shower for a friend of a friend on the same day as your DD's. I went back to this discussion and found some great ideas that we are using. I hope the plans have come along for your DD's shower and it is not as thrown together and last minute as our friend's is!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Sherri, just getting back to DK and saw this. We are pretty ready and I'd be happy to share some ideas with you that u can put together pretty quickly. Some ideasthat won't require a game but you can giv e a door prize for are:
Set a timer for every ten of 15 minutes while mom is opening her gifts, whoever gift she is opening at the time to buzzer goes off, they get a gift. People tend to pay more attention that way. Also, have the thankcards ahead of time and have everyone self address the envelopes, put them in a basket and draw for gift.
Also you can play "guess the birth time" by a freezing a little plastic doll , in a cup of water, that's put a string in before freezing. Hang up at shower, where it can drip/ defrost an shave everyone fusee the time of "Birth" which is when the baby falls out of the ice cube.
There are several games online that I'm sure you've seen by now. We are having everyone write a new mommy tip on a pretty card that she can keep in her scrapbook.
Also, we are making her a birth-bracelet which is made by everyone picking a bead from a big pile of beads I got at the craft store, Nd tell her something they wish or hope for her for her labor experience, and put it on an elastic string that she can wear during her labor .
She has so many onsies from other friends that she won't be getting many, but we took the really cute ones and are making a few clothes lines that we are hanging them up on as decorations. We a have a wish tree that we planted and everyone can also write a wish to the baby or couple and hang it on her tree. We chose a pink oleander tree.
We are using all real china and silver and glasses as she does not use plastics nor does she like all the waste of paper and plastics, we have rented tables ,chairs and tablecloths and it is catered with organic foods. We will have pitchers with reverse osmosis water and lemon slices on the tables so we aren't using bottles of water , and I got some organic wines at whole foods.
Ther eis more but this is a good idea of what we have so far.
Good luck and honestly, I wish I only hAd s short time to put this together as it has taken over my lif e for the last month!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks Sue. I got the thank you card envelope idea from this discussion and we are using it. I am also implementing the baby onesie as a guest book idea, it will be signed by each guest and then framed. It's a very small affair, about 14 people, and it's taking place at a friend's place, on a small budget. I bought some decorations at a discount store and I'm on sandwich making duty on Saturday :( so no catering here. I love the frozen baby idea - I'm gong to mention it to my friend and see if we can pull it off. The alarm during gift opening is great too! Thanks for all the suggestions - and it is always good to be eco-minded.

 

Good luck on Sunday! Your daughter will love it as it sounds like you've planned an amazing party. You will be so relieved when it is all over!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Can't wait to hear how it goes this weekend, Sue!  Your daughter is going to be pampered! 

 

I went to another shower last weekend and didn't take away any bright ideas. Sounds like yours is going to be fantastic.  Like the timer idea while opening gifts.  That's fun and I am gonna use it at my next hosting event.