Six Ways to Save on Your Baby Shower

It's time to celebrate the baby! As Keepsake Favors' resident baby shower expert, I've learned how to plan a great party without draining your bank account. Here are my top choices for fun, festive baby showers that won't put you in the poor house.

Host the Baby Shower at Home

Restaurants can run up a hefty bill (unless you ask each guest to pay their own way), and a caterer can also run you into a small fortune. Hosting the shower at your home can be a great way for your guests to bond with one another and still have a fun party.

Grab Game Ideas From the Internet

You don't need to go out and buy elaborate baby shower games - the internet has gobs of baby shower games you can get - presto! Instant baby shower fun.

Choose an Earlier Time of Day

On the average, evening parties tend to be more expensive - dinner food and alcohol can run into a lot of cash fast. Instead, have a Sunday brunch with a delicious egg dish and punch, or an afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and lots of cake. Better still, if you want to avoid a meal altogether, choose a time when you can be sure most everyone has eaten (say, 2:00, which is past lunch), and then you can still have some snacks and a slice of cake instead.

Get Creative With the Decorations

Move over, Martha, you don't need a mint to make the shower fabulous. Choose a theme that will be lots of fun (like ducks or bears, or It's a boy/girl) and you're on your way. Create invitations on the computer; use colorful balloons for centerpieces (they're usually more affordable than flowers), and decorate each place setting with small accessories that will add interest to the table, and your guests can take home.

Ask For Help!

If you've got a talented baker friend, ask her to bake the cake or cupcakes. Rope Aunt Barbara into making her famous California salad. Getting more people involved will take some of the pressure off of you - and everyone will want to pitch in for the mommy-to-be!

Create Your Own Favors

Don't worry, I'm talking semi homemade. A memorable favor can be as easy as this: Purchase some pre-made treats like chocolates in fun shapes or pastel colored candies, then slip them in a little box or cello bag. All that's left is to tie on a beautiful bow and you've just created a unique favor, and saved some money too. For a brunch or lunch, put one at each placesetting to double as a decoration, or fill up a pretty basket with your favors and let guests help themselves.

Now, go get started on your amazing baby shower!

About the Author

Jackie Duescher provides the customer service for Keepsake Favors as well as inspiration for many of the favor creations on the site. Jackie has a special knack for finding unique favors for baby showers and for other occasions, and she firmly believes that a favor doesn't have to be expensive to impress your guests.

http://www.keepsakefavors.com

Top Baby Shower Ideas

Not sure how to plan for a baby shower and need help with fun and creative baby shower ideas? Planning for a baby shower can be very fun and a great way to celebrate a mother and her baby. Having a great theme will help to pull all the elements of the baby shower together. Some of the best baby shower ideas and themes are listed below for you to reference as you plan the event.

Baby Shower Themes for Boys

Teddy Bears- Teddy Bears can make a great theme for boys. These cute little stuffed animals remind us all of the innocence of childhood. They are also cheap to purchase and can make great baby shower party favors and decorations.

Animals - Animals can make great baby shower themes also. Choosing animals like frogs or a Jungle theme can be very easy for planning. Picking invitations, party favors and decorations can easily be done with an animal theme. It is often nice to check with the mother to be for her ideas and see what animals she likes.

Sports Themes - These can be interesting themes for a baby boy. Ask the parents what sport they hope the child will play in the future and then decorate using this sport.

Baby Shower Themes for Girls

Anne Geddes theme - The beauty of Anne Geddes' work is unparalleled. She has done a beautiful job of photographing babies. Her artwork can be combined to create invitations and decorations equally well.

Princess Theme - We all know the little baby girls are princess from the very beginning of life. What better way to celebrate the birth of a baby girl and show her how important she is to everyone.

Care Bare theme - This is another fun theme that can be used for a baby girl. Care bears are so cute and cuddly they make a fun theme for the shower.

Cowboys - Most little boys have a built in fantasy about being a cowboy. Therefore a cowboy baby shower theme can easily be done and lots of fun for guests.

Baby Shower Themes for Twins

Jack and Jill - We all know the now famous poem about Jack and Jill going up the hill. Well this can make a very fun baby shower theme if a mother is having twins especially if one of the babies is female and the other is male.

Two Peas in a Pod - This of course is a fun ideas that can easily work for a theme no matter the twins gender.

Universal Baby Shower Themes and Ideas

Favorite Fairy Tales - Fairy tales and folk stories can often make fun themes for a baby shower also. Things like the Cow Jumped over the moon can make a very interesting and unique baby shower theme.

Noah's Ark - This can be a fun theme for the guests and one that is easy to find materials for. This works equally well for both female and male babies.

Winnie the Pooh - This adorable and cute little bear has won many people's hearts and is a wonderful theme for a baby shower. It is also a very easy one to find materials for. There are tons of pre-made decorations, invitations and even party favors all with Winnie the Pooh as the logo or artwork.

Stork - We have all heard the tale or seen the pictures of a stork delivery a baby. This association has been around for a long time and can easily be incorporated to make a great baby shower theme.

The above ideas are only a small amount of creative baby shower ideas. There is so much more out there and by spending time with the theme and contemplating fun ideas to incorporate you are sure to find something that is unique and individual and sure to please.

Chris Ryerson is the webmaster of Baby Shower Guides. A great resource for:
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Baby Shower Gift Buying 101

Many women who get invited to baby showers don’t have children of their own, leaving them with no idea what to buy for the soon-to-be mom. While most go to the store where the mother has registered, some are now thinking outside the box with personalized baby gifts rather than what is listed in the registry. Many shower-goers are now buying theme-related items to give as baby shower gifts, just to give that personalized feel.

If the mother has picked out the name for the baby, pick up a few items and get the baby’s name imprinted on them. An easy idea for a baby gift is buying something essential, then spicing it up with some small accessories. Still not feeling very creative? Well here is a simple list of some of the most popular items to give as baby shower gifts. A gift for mom and dad

The mom-to-be is so concentrated on the baby right now, that she and the father have no time to think about themselves, and the baby isn’t even here yet. Rather than buying a baby gift, get something for mom and dad to use after the baby is born, such as a couple’s massage or a gift certificate for dinner. The baby shower is sure to get them all the essentials for the baby, so why not give them something they can use for themselves. A themed basket

This is the perfect baby gift idea for someone who is on a budget. Just go to the store where the mother has registered and simply buy the sheets or blankets she has asked for. Then go around the store and buy some little toys or must-have baby essentials, such as pacifiers, baby bottles or bibs. These are the items that most likely will be neglected by other guests who buy more expensive gifts. A designer baby bag

If your on a tight budget, you don’t have to splurge to get a designer baby bag. Most mothers will be happy with anything that doesn’t actually look like a baby bag, and looks stylish at the same time. Vera Bradley bags are one of the most popular bags for mothers to use, and they aren’t even baby bags. After buying the bag, you can add a personal touch to it by adding some little baby gifts inside. A baby tub

This is a simple baby gift idea that can let you have some fun while buying it. After purchasing the tub, add all of the essentials the mother will need for the baby during bath time. This can include shampoo, bubbles and some little toys. You can even add some things for mom, because she is unlikely to have much time to herself once the baby arrives. An activity gym

After the baby is born, mom will need something so that the baby can stay occupied in its crib for as long as possible. An activity gym is the perfect idea for this. Look for one that has many colors, lights up, and has toys within the baby’s reach so that it will keep the baby’s interest. A baby monitor

Most first time moms are nervous to leave their baby alone for a second, let alone a whole night. Let mom and dad sleep in peace with a simple baby monitor that will allow them to hear if the baby does wake up. Now that you have your baby shower gift in mind, whether it’s for baby or for mom and dad, get to your nearest registry and have fun shopping! Remember to be creative, and buy a baby gift that mom-to-be will remember you for!

About the Author

LynnMarie is On-Line Editor for Babyage.com which is one of the top online retailers of Baby Gifts with a selection of Personalized Baby Gifts for a special child!

Amazing Baby Shower Mini Cakes

Are you trying to think of a fun and original idea for a baby shower cake? Have you thought about making mini baby shower cakes? These are like regular cakes but much smaller and a lot more fun. They are great for a variety of reasons.

Individualize

That’s right we all love things with our own names on it and things made to our special likes and dislikes. Well, mini cakes are quick and easy to make and this will allow you time to individualize them. You can easily make three or four different cake mixes and from there make 5 to 10 mini cakes from each mix. This gives you an unlimited amount of variety. You can have a chocolate or a white cake with just about any type of frosting or flavor in the middle. How many times have you had to choke down a cake because you did not want to appear rude? As the guest you often don’t have any choice in what the cake flavor is and you can end up having to eat something you don’t even like. With mini cakes and the easy of baking them you can customize the cakes with a few easy changes and then offer your guests the exact cake they like.

Use as Centerpieces

Depending on the exact size and specifications of your baby shower mini cakes these can serve as wonderful centerpieces for the baby shower table decorations. Just think you get more bang for the buck this way. Your decorations and your cake all rolled into one! If you decorate each mini cake in a different way with different colored frosting and different decorations you can easily create a ton of stunning centerpieces. For example if your baby shower theme was Noah’s Ark you could make 5 mini cakes for the centerpieces and then on each cake decorate different groups of animals that will go onto the ark. Just to carry the theme a little farther instead of doing the traditional Noah’s ark theme of two of each animal by sex do two of each animal as a mother and baby. So on one cake at a table you might have a mother and baby Giraffe. Then at another table you might have a mother and baby elephant. Of course at the table where the guest of honor will be sitting you could tie in the theme by adding the ark into the decoration. People will love to walk around and look at these wonderful unique mini baby shower cakes!

Table Decorations

If you don’t want to use theme as centerpieces because you have some other ideas for that already why not use them as a seat decoration. Simply make the cakes and then when decorating add each guests name at the bottom of the cake in a fun script type of writing. These will serve as wonderful table decoration and a seating name cards at the same time. People will be delighted to see their own name on the cute little mini cake.

No Waste

One of the best thing about mini cakes is you have a lot less left over. With big traditional wedding or baby shower cakes there is always a ton of left overs that you have to force upon everyone to take home. However, with cute little baby shower mini cakes you no longer have to worry about extras because each cake can be one serving! However these are so cute that you guests might want to take them home to keep for a while and savor the moment.

Easy to Store

Mini cakes are so small that they are incredibly easy to store. You can really use these to benefit your baby shower planning and timeline by making the cakes two to three weeks ahead of time and then simply stick them in the freezer. Take them out the day before and decorate. You have no taken out one of the last minute items that can cause a panic right before the baby shower.

As you can see baby shower mini cakes can be a ton of fun for all the guests and can be sued in a variety of ways to save you a great deal of time. These are truly the perfect option for cakes: time saving, personalized, and can be used for decorations. What more can you ask for in a cake.

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5 Hot Baby Shower Game Ideas

Baby shower games are a wonderful addition to any baby shower. They can be used as a ice breaker to get things warmed up or they can be used to fill in time between other activities or as an optional activity for those who want to do something fun.

Some things that you want to think about before planning baby shower games are to think of the target audience. What are the ages of people attending the baby shower and what types of games would they like. It is best to plan baby shower games that encourage people to interact. When people talk to each other, work together, and talk they have more fun. It also helps to have some type of small prize. This helps motivated people, instills a little bit of friendly competition and gets people into the game. This does not need to be an expensive party favor or anything just something small and simple. A candy bar, a candle, bar of soap or any other fun trinket will work.

Nursery Rhyme fill In- This is an easy general game that can be played by everyone. Prepare some nursery rhymes before hand by deleting a few random words out of the text. Then read the nursery rhyme aloud and people try to guess the deleted word as your reading.

Baby Memory Game- This is a great memory game for the intellectual types in the crowd. Prepare a large tray with 10 to 15 baby items. Things like bottles, diapers, and so on. Then cover the tray with a blanket and place it in the middle of the room where everyone can easily view it. Take the blanket off for 10 to 15 seconds and then place the blanket back. You can then provide all the guests with a piece of paper and they write down all of the things thy can remember from the tray.

What Is the Mystery Taste? – Prepare this one ahead of time by purchasing a few different jars of baby food. Take the labels off or cover them with some opaque paper. Number the jars so you have a reference for the contents of each jar. Then have people take small bites and try to identify the food.

You Did What? – This can be a fun game for people that know a little bit about each other before coming to the shower. As people come to the shower have them complete a small piece of paper where they list 4 little known things about themselves. They do not need to write their name on the paper and then just collect all of the slips of paper in a bag or box. Then one at a time people pull out a paper, read it and try to guess who it is about.

Three Truths and a Lie- This is similar to the game above but another fun variation. As guests arrive have them write 4 things about themselves. One of the items that they write about themselves is a lie and the other three should be true. They will then read this aloud to the group and everyone will try to guess which one is the lie.

Baby shower games can be free, cheap and easy to put together yet they add a nice touch to the baby shower. People can become more relaxed and feel comfortable by playing baby shower games and it helps the interaction flow a little more smoothly. Often people are stuck talking about he weather, work or other mundane topics. By playing some fun baby shower games you can energize the crowd and create a fun open environment in which people can easily strike up spontaneous deep conversations.

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Baby Shower Games

So, you've sent out your invitations, planned the food and now you are now wondering what to do on the day. Games are often the right answer, but they need to be carefully thought of - will your baby shower have older guests or other babies and children? If so, you'll have to carefully think about what games are suitable and entertaining for everyone. This page will hopefully give you a few ideas to think about!

You will find that all of these games can easily be adapted into children's party games for when they are over 4 years old - you may even remember some of them yourself!

Baby Taste Buds

This is perfectly suitable for all ages, although slightly older children may be a little too "cool" for this one! Buy yourself several pots of baby food, all different flavors and either find a convenient scarf or large sock to act as a blindfold, or remove the labels. Some people and children won't like being blindfolded while some will think it is great fun, so you'll have to judge this yourself. The idea of the game is to taste each food and see how many each person can correctly identify.

Baby Memory

This game is more suitable for children over 8yrs old and adults as it uses a little 'brain power'! Based on the classic memory game with a tray of items to memorize, this game simply replaces the standard items with themed baby items, so dummies, diapers, food, toys and anything that you have already bought for your baby. Produce the tray of goodies and put it in front of everyone from anywhere between 30 seconds and a minute, then cover up the tray with a tea-towel or just take it into another room. The guests then have to try to correctly remember and write down as many of the items as possible. The winner is the one who remembers the most.

Baby Bumps

Whether or not the parents have decided on the name of their child, this game is always a laugh - it combines the classical "musical bumps" party game with the theme of baby showers. Instead of using chairs, find enough large sheets of paper so that all but one person has a piece, and ask everyone to write down a potential name for the baby. These can be placed on cushions in a line for added comfort! Then, when the music plays, in true musical bumps fashion, you should all run round the papers, and when it stops, you quickly find a piece of paper to sit on. The mother (or mother to be) then announces the name of the baby on her paper and discards it before the music starts again. The person who didn't manage to sit on a piece of paper is "out" of the game. This carries on until there's just one person sitting on one piece of paper, which could be the name of the new-born baby - or it could be ridiculous, in which case it is even more amusing!

As long as you can keep the afternoon light-hearted and enjoyable, nobody will really mind what you do. It is a good idea to have a few games ready, especially if you have invited other children just to break the ice. Hopefully with these three games up your sleeve, you will be able to make a fun baby-shower for your new-born.

For more baby shower ideas, visit topbabyadvice.com today.


By : Edward Jellard

Baby Shower Footprint Invitation Designs

You're having a baby shower? Congratulations -- now one of your first jobs will be to let your guests know about the happy event!

A very popular design for baby party invites is a baby shower footprint invitation. It's a charming way to celebrate the imminent arrival of a new member of the family -- and, as an added bonus, it fits in with almost any theme you may choose for your festivities.

As with any party planning, it's a good idea to think well ahead. Your guests will appreciate being given adequate notice of the shower and it will help them have a better chance of being able to attend. You'll also save yourself the headache of preparing for the party in a rush! It's usually a good idea to send out your invitations four or five weeks in advance.

The baby footprint theme provides an excellent motif for many aspects of the shower, not just the invitations. One simple image communicates the ideas of innocence and sweetness that everyone associates with the birth of a baby boy or girl. You can extend it to decorations, shower favors -- even place settings at the table.

You'll often find the baby footprint design in commercially produced invitations and party supplies. But some people like to make their own shower invitations, in order to lend a more imaginative touch. If you want to do this, a simple footprint motif is quite easy to create at home -- and handmade, personalized baby shower invites suit the beauty and style of baby shower well.

Here are some simple design suggestions:

* footprint outlines or cutout shapes

* footprints as a background to text

* a footprint 'trail' -- just as if the baby had walked across the invitation!

Keep the concept simple and ensure that colors of the motif and text complement background shade of the paper or card stock that you choose. If you wish, you could base your invtiations on traditional colors -- blue for a baby boy or pink for a girl. And if this seems a bit too traditional for your taste (or if you don't yet know the gender of the baby), why not go for other pastel shades such as green or yellow?

If you're planning to make your own invitations, ask for rubber stamps of baby footprints at your local craft supply shop -- or you can do an online search. Experiment with different color inks and patterns to find a look that appeals to you.

Once you've decided on a design, you could extend this theme from the invitations to other items such as game prizes, thank you cards and so on. It's a great way to create a unique look for your baby shower party.

Jane Hennessey is a regular contributor to http://babyshowerdom.com -- visit BabyShowerDom.com for ideas, tips and supplies to help you plan the perfect baby shower.


By : Jane Hennessey

Cute Baby Shower Cakes Everyone Will Love

If you are in charge of hosting a baby shower, don't let the idea of finding the perfect cake get you in a frenzy! Baby shower cakes are cute, simple and fun! Many shy away from baking their own cakes, but they really aren't that difficult if you have the proper tools.

The first step is to figure out what kind of a baby shower theme you are going to have. You can either choose it yourself, or ask the parents-to-be if they have any preferences, such as the nursery theme. Once you have the theme picked out, you can them begin choosing a cute baby shower cake!

A great way to get your creative ideas flowing is to search the internet. There are plenty of websites out there that showcase pictures of baby shower cakes and directions on how to make them. For some darling baby shower cake ideas, visit wilton.com. It is bursting with clever ideas and also gives step-by-step instructions for making them yourself.

If you find the perfect baby shower cake but decide that you just don't have the time or patience to make it yourself, go to your local bakery. Give them a picture of the cake and see if they can make one similar. If not, take a peek at their baby shower cake selections. Chances are, you will find a gem!

Remember not to go overboard. You can keep it simple and still come out with a masterpiece! For a quick but striking presentation, bake a round cake (2 stacked on top of each other), frost it pink or blue, pipe some white polka-dots all over it, place a cute cake topper on top (found at craft stores) and viola! You have a baby shower cake that guests will love! Don't forget to take pictures before it gets eaten!

Amy Cordray is an author and designs a website: http://www.cutest-baby-shower-ideas.com

She has two little girls Kenzie and Emma and her family owns a shipping/copy business.


By : Amy Cordray

The Benefits of Purchasing Elegant Baby Shower Invitations

Have you ever been invited to a baby shower before? If so, how well do you remember the baby shower invitation? Each year, thousands of baby showers are held across the Untied States. To notify guests of a baby shower, baby shower invitations are sent out. As with all other types of invitations, baby shower ones come in a wide variety of different sizes, shapes, and designs.

Most of the baby shower invitations sent out each year are traditional ones. These baby shower invitation sets are most commonly purchased from traditional retail stores. Obtaining baby shower invitations from a retail store is a great way to obtain invitations for a cheap price, but the invitations are often plain. To spice up a baby shower invitation, many individuals have theirs custom made by a professional.

Custom made baby shower invitations are popular because there is usually a wide variety of different styles and designs to choose from. The price of these invitations will vary, but it is possible to obtain a baby shower invitation set for a decent price. To do so you will have to find a number of individuals and companies who make the invitations and then compare prices.

Many new moms or baby shower hosts wonder why they should purchase elegant baby shower invitations. There are a number of benefits to purchasing elegant baby shower invitations. The most obvious benefit is to celebrate the impending birth of a child.

When a new child comes into the world, the lives of a large number of individuals are forever changed. It is not just the parents that are blessed with the birth of a baby. A large number of close friends and relatives celebrate the birth of a new child with as much enthusiasm as the parents. An event that is this important should be celebrated with elegant invitations.

Elegant baby shower invitation sets are also beneficial to a parent’s self-esteem. Having a new baby is an important event, but many new parents are overcome with a wide variety of different emotions. An elegant baby shower invitation can make a new mother feel proud. There is no price that is too large to give a new mother this feeling.

In addition to making a new mother feel proud, an elegant baby shower invitation can forever be cherished. A large number of new moms create scrapbooks to detail the birth of their children. An elegant baby shower invitation would look absolutely beautiful in a scrapbook. All baby shower invitations are nice, but elegant ones made a great addition to any scrapbook or similar project.

The above mentioned elegant baby shower invitation benefits are just a few of the many. There are an unlimited number of benefits to obtaining elegant baby shower invitations. The birth of a child is an exciting and unique experience; therefore, the invitations to celebrate the event should be as well.

C.J. Preston is writer for To Invite.com where you can find a great baby shower invitation at an affordable price.


By : Charles Preston

Preparing for a Baby Shower

Theme

With any party event requires meticulous preparation. A baby shower is no exception. First and foremost, you should determine the theme of the party. Choose a theme that is fun and fits the parent’s interests and personality. The more creative you get the more original the shower will be. You can choose from a favorite Disney character/movie to a nautical theme, religious, brunch theme or historical event. Theme ideas are endless and you should choose one that is appropriate.

With a theme in place, it will be easier to choose the invitations, decorations, food, party favors and even games. When you choose a theme, stick with it. Changing a theme in the middle of the planning could prove to be costly. I’ve heard too many times, hosts changing the overall baby shower theme and to only find their costs doubling and are left with useless party supplies because they no longer fit the new theme.

Decorations

Once you decide on a theme for the baby shower, choosing decorations will be much easier. Decorations do not need to be over done. Depending on your theme, some common decorations used are balloons, streamers, banner signs and flowers. Decorations do not need to be expensive and with careful shopping, you can find some inexpensive decorations by creating them yourself, buying them in bulk or going to your local discount stores. If your on a budget and can’t afford all decorations mentioned, than I highly suggest going with balloons. You can get a large number of inexpensive latex balloons inflated with helium. Balloons are excellent to adding color and filling up a room.

Food

Any good party doesn’t go well without food. You have many food choices out there and you should choose foods that fit the shower theme if possible. You can serve anything from finger foods, chips, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas or any dish imaginable. Don’t forget the sodas, punch, wine and desserts.

Invitations

Well, a party isn’t a party without people. One of the most common ways to invite guests to a party is with invitations. You can send your invitations by mail give them in person or use the ever-growing Internet to send or make your invitations. Whichever method you use, you should send or give the invitations out at least one month prior to the party. This way, you allow your guests time to arrange their schedules and to select a gift for the party.

There are many venues you can choose to make your invitations. You can go to your local party supply store and select one of their template designs. Remember the theme of the party while choosing a design. Add the party information and they’ll send it off to their printer. If you’re creative, you can design your own invitation or acquire the help of a graphic designer. Then have a printer print them or print them out on your home computer. Personally, invitations printed from a home computer usually looks cheap and unappealing. If it’s in the budget, have the professional printer to print them.

Favors

Party favors are small gifts given to your guests showing your appreciation for participating in your event. Favors can be anything from chocolates and candles in the shape of baby bottles rattles and bears. Decorative boxes or sachet bags with gift items are also popular as well as, soaps, picture frames and figurines to name a few. Favors can range from a few cents to several dollars apiece. What ever your budget is, keep in mind there are many options for favors within various price ranges. Do your research and shop around.

Games

If you’re going to have a party, then you will want your guests to have fun. Providing different game activities throughout the party are one of the best ways to get some laughs. There are many baby shower games out there and it is only limited by your imagination. Go to a search engine (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and type in "Baby Shower Games". You'll pull up many baby shower game ideas. Choose games that are appropriate and fun for your guests. It's always a good idea to give out little gifts to the winners of each game.

Alex Plana is the owner of BestNineMonths.com, a unique baby products store offering baby shoes, diaper bags, baby accessories and more.


By : Alex Plana