Biggest decorating bangs for the buck
You also want to provide a corsage for the mother-to-be, a boutonniere for the father-to-be, and corsages for any expectant grandmothers in attendance. Whether you order the corsages from a professional florist or you make them yourself, you can add novelty items appropriate to the shower’s theme. For example, you could add stuffed baby socks or booties, a pacifier, a rattle or a tiny teddy beat. Use diaper pins to pin the corsages and boutonniere on the honoured guests. Don’t forget to add a few sprigs of baby’s breath to your centerpieces and corsages. After all, what could be more appropriate for a baby shower?
Balloons. Helium-filled balloon bouquets can be used as table centerpieces, tied to chair-backs or napkin rings or set on the floor as “fillers” of color. Tie a few balloons to the gate or near the front door, or use them to decorate the honoured guests’ chairs and the gift table.
To cut down on cost, purchase your balloons in bulk form a party supply store and rent your own helium tank.
Banners. You can purchase banners from your party supply store or you can create personalized banners out of poster paper or by generating them on your computer. One of many favourite graphics programs for banners is Print Shop Deluxe.
Tip: Except in the bathroom, don’t use scented candles; they’ll detract from the flavour of the mood.
Tiny white Christmas tree lights. These tiny white lights do wonders for a setting, creating a magical ambience, especially for an evening affair. Wind a string of lights down the center of the serving tables, around silk ficus trees, or drape them over doorways or along banisters.
Crepe paper streamers. Tastefully used, crepe paper streamers are an affordable way to splash a little color around your party site.
Table setting
There are many ways to liven up the décor by simply being creative and original in how you set the tables.
Tablecloths
If it is formal affair, use linen tablecloths or lace cloths laid over solid color liners. Otherwise, you can use paper tablecloths or theme-related flat twin-sized sheets. Try using pink tablecloths with blue paper plates, or vice versa.
Napkins
For an informal buffet or an outdoor barbecue, you can wrap the napkins around sets of utensils, tie them with ribbons and place them in a basket. Or you can roll each napkin longways and tie it around the handles of the utensils. For a more formal affair, such as a sit-down dinner or f formal afternoon tea, you may want to fold the napkins into one of the many elegant designs that are so popular these days. Of course, napkin folding is an art of its own and the more intricate patterns aren’t easy to learn, but here are three of the easier folds:
The fan fold. Fold the napkin in half and, starting at one end, fold it back and forth until you have a “fan”. The napkin can then be tied at the base, leaving it in the shape of a fan, tied in the center, or folded over and placed inside a long-stemmed glass.
The simple roll. Fold the napkin in half and simply roll it up. Tie it in the center with gold braid or ribbon, with a silk or fresh flower attached.
The roll with flared up. Fold the napkin in half and roll it up. Tie the bottom of the roll with three strips of tulle netting. Flare the top of the rolled napkin.
Novelty napkins
Cloth diapers. Cloth diapers, in white, colors, or prints work great for a baby shower. Fold the diaper into a triangular shape and close with a diaper pin.
Baby bibs. Use baby bibs instead of napkins. Buy them on sale or make your own by trimming inexpensive terry cloth hand towels with grosgrain ribbon that can be purchased in bulk from a fabric store. To personalize the bibs, write each guest’s name with a permanent textile marking pen or laundry marker.
Napkin rings
Whether your party is formal or informal, it’s nice to dress up your napkins with rings or ribbons. Here are a few cute napkin rings for informal baby showers:
Pacifiers with looped handles. Nothing sets a table at a baby shower like pacifier napkin rings-your guests will love them.
Diaper pins. Fold you napkin into the shape of a diaper and pin it closed with a diaper pin. The diaper pins can serve as place cards as well if you paint the guests’ names on the pins with craft paint. Or you can use the diaper pin to secure a place card to the napkin.
Baby rattles with looped handles. The same idea works with baby rattles. You can personalize the rattles by writing the guests names with a craft pen or laundry marker, in which case they will also serve as place cards.
Tableware
Formal tableware. A formal party requires glass or china plates and stemware, as well as silver or high-quality stainless utensils.
Informal tableware. An informal party allows the use of paper plates and cups and plastic utensils, but if you do decide to use paper plates, buy the best. They should not only be sturdy to prevent mishaps, but colourful, adding to your party’s theme. By the way, whether you use glass or plastic stemware, you can decorate the stems with ribbons and silk flowers.
Place cards
Many of the favors can also serve as place cards by simply attaching name cards to the favors and placing them at the place settings. Or you can take ordinary white place cards and dress them up in one of these easy ways;
Name written in silver or gold. Write the guests’ names with a silver or gold glitter pen.
Lace border. Hot-glue a border of ruffled lace.
Bow and flowers. Hot-glue a narrow acetate bow and tiny silk flowers.
Card with rosebud. Punch a hole on each side of a standard white place card and thread a rosebud horizontally through the holes.
Gold or silver braid. Hot-glue a border of gold or silver braid.
Novelty decorations
Children’s art work. Enlist the help of a kindergarten teacher friend or ask any small children you may know to create colourful artwork that can be hung around the room as party decorations. Furnish construction paper in colors that complement your party theme and ask the children to draw pictures of the new mommy with her baby, of the mew daddy at the hospital, or the new family all together back home. These colourful drawings will not only decorate your party site, bur will serve as conversation pieces during the party. Then, of course, they can be given to the expectant parents as mementos of the party.Giant peppermint sticks. Giant peppermint sticks are perfect for a Suger Plum Theme. Cover tall cardboard cylinders by winding with strips of pink and white crepe paper. Use the peppermint sticks to frame your front door, your serving table, or the gift display area.
Miniature baby nursery. Use toy nursery furniture to set up a miniature baby nursery in the corner of the room, complete with a “baby”, rocking chair, a little crib, etc. or create a baby nursery centerpiece for your serving table by assembling pieces of doll house furniture. or use baby nursery wall decor.
You also can use diaper cake, baby gift baskets, or baby gift sets to create beautiful shower centerpiece.
