{Funky & Fun "Welcome to the World" Baby Shower} November 2014

I had the honor last weekend of collaborating on a Baby Shower for my friend Mimi and her soon-to-be 3rd baby boy. In terms of making close friends since I've moved to Santa Barbara... Mimi is my girl! Her son's Axel and Kaj have become Cormac and Birdie's little besties... So we hang out quite a bit.

{Coming Up With A Theme}

When Mimi and her husband Ethan found out they were having another boy I let them have a set of my BOY mylar balloons for their announcement photo... (I sell these in my Gender Reveal Box on Etsy)... When I saw the fabric Mimi used for the background photo I knew it was going to drive a baby shower theme somehow- it was just THAT good.

One thing I always like to take in to consideration when I'm doing a shower for a friend is what other party themes am I trying to shop for around the same time so that I can try and kill two birds with one stone. My son's party is in January and we're doing a pirate theme for him which I'm ready to cry about  SO excited about. I'd been planning on a heavy "map theme" to distract from add to the pirate theme ...And so I started brainstorming... Maps... Globes... Paired with that amazing mod atlas fabric and the fact that Mimi is from Sweden... (accent and all) and wa-lah!... "Welcome to the World".... A PERFECT baby shower theme for her that remarkably hasn't been totally played out yet. I was stoked by how organically the theme came together.

We wanted an outdoor shower because the theme just seemed to lend itself to that. I knew the beautiful outdoor area we were having it at was going to be heavy on trees but true to always I failed to take in to consideration how horribly the table would photograph due to the tree shadows. They were inescapable and I had to just be ok with it or else I was going to be dwelling on that instead of a fun shower... So I snapped a few shadow-y pics and moved on...

{Designing the Dessert Table}

One thing I've always loved is mixing prints. I've been mastering the art of print-mixing since my high school days and at this point if I see a dessert table without a couple of prints- I'm usually bored. I hate shabby chic... I hate all white... I like a lot of color, a little funk and tons of fun and detail. The more dessert tables I do, I learn to claim my own style and not whatever the current "dessert table trend" is... It's very liberating actually!

For the graphics on this shower I partnered up with Cara from One Swell Studio... She definitely took the theme to the next level with her "Welcome to the World" printables... I was so in love with everything she came up with and she totally got my vision.

Andrea from Paper + Pop was able to take the graphics and create a custom cake topper for me that matched perfectly with the table and graphics... It turned out awesome and I am so happy to know that I have someone who can make custom cake toppers and other party decor to match my party printables.

When I mentioned earlier I "collaborated" I actually stuck to decor only on this shower and asked a few of Mimi's other friends to bring the sweets to fill the dessert table... My main strength is being a party stylist so when throwing a shower for a friend (ie: not a paid project) I'm learning to give up more and more control so that my bank account doesn't scream, "WE THREW A SHOWER THIS MONTH"... Can I get an amen?

{DIY Favors}

I searched Pinterest high and low for some "Welcome to the World" favors that I could make but there was nothing I loved enough to recreate... Then one day I came across a bubblegum machine party favor and it sparked this idea: The Sixlet Globe Favor! I used glass 55mm ornaments (I'd recommend plastic) and filled them with green and blue Sixlets and then punched the top of the ornament in to a small ketchup cup... I was pretty proud of these, I must admit!

{Game Time}

One thing I did differently with this shower is I didn't do games... What I did instead was have guests fill out a sweet little "Wishes for Baby" page where they finished sentences like, "I hope you LOVE..._________" One Swell Studio designed these for me and they turned out adorable. Then I asked whoever wanted to share to do so. I've been seeing this trend more and more with different shower themes and I just love it- it adds the perfect touch of sentiment. It's also really fun to hear what guests wrote, for instance, Cormac filled in, "I hope you GROW...__________" with "plants". Classic.

Enjoy!

xo Party or Die xo

kenna

{The Shower...}

Custom Cake Topper by Paper + Pop

How To Plan An Awesome Baby Shower

I'm excited to have the all-boy party blog Spaceships and Laser Beams over on The Adventures of Miss Party Mom today- sharing some easy steps for how to plan a baby shower- something all of us are probably going to be in charge of at some point in our lives!

Enjoy! I'll be back this week... I promise.

xo Party or Die xo

kenna

A new baby is on the way—and you get to host the baby shower! How do you get started? Assuming you already know where the party will be held, there are five main components to planning it: invitations; decorations; menu; activities; and favors. Considering these areas will help you organize your thoughts; make a list and you’ll remember details…and you won’t feel overwhelmed!

Baby Shower Theme

Decide on a theme to give your party a focal point. There are tons of theme options, so decide: do you want the shower focus to be on new baby and childhood joys or on mama-to-be and her hobbies/interests? Thinking of the mood you want to create can help you decide, too.

Baby Shower Invitations

With all of the electronic devices used today, lots of invitations are extended via e-mail, but if it’s possible, use the postal service to deliver an invite. “Real” mail is fun to receive, and it ramps up anticipation for the party.

Baby Shower Decorations

Baby shower decorations don’t have to be expensive or elaborate, but they make a huge difference. A visual welcome can pull guests into the party as soon as they arrive when you use a wreath, banners or something that relates to your theme. Focus decorations on the main food/dessert table and gift table. If your venue is large enough that guests will be seated at tables to eat, then don’t forget centerpieces that relate to the main table. At a more casual gathering, guests are likely to be finding seats in a living room; two or three small decorative elements can be arranged within the room.

Baby Shower Menu

A theme for a shower will help you with menu choices, if you tie the two together. For example, if your theme is an elegant afternoon tea for new mama, you might include croissants and macarons vs. a cowboy theme that celebrates new baby and offers grilled burgers and chocolate chunk cookies. Whatever direction you decide on, finger foods and easy to eat choices are always popular at showers.

Baby Shower Games

There is much game potential for showers! Whether or not you opt to include games, plan some type of activity to encourage guest interaction. Craft tables have become popular options. Decorating onesies and bibs are two of the current favored choices, but there are lots more ideas. Just be sure you can readily demonstrate the craft how-to and have enough materials for everyone to participate.

Don't Forget... Baby Shower Favors

After a fun time together, send guests home with a favor. It doesn’t have to be something huge to say “thanks for coming”. A special sweet, bath bombs or nail polish are current favorites; cute hang tags or pretty bows add some “wow”. Hosting a baby shower does take preparation, but it’s a special occasion that will always be remembered. Organizing the details will help you plan a terrific celebration! Be sure to check my blog for my inspiration!

What theme would you love to see at a baby shower?

Stephanie Keeping is mom to a boy named Sam, a blogger, and an Etsy-preneur. She celebrates boyish charm at Spaceships and Laser Beams, where she talks about all things boy and birthday party. You can connect with her on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter and on Etsy.