Decorating for a baby shower

Laura, the brilliant blogger behind Made Peachy, is a huge fan of DotComGiftShop and has come here to tell you how to decorate your home for a baby shower!

Nothing is cuter than a party themed around a little bundle of joy and decorating for a baby shower is a pretty fun task. If you’re planning your own, or hosting one for someone else, here are my top tips for hosting the perfect baby shower.

1. Circulate a gift list. Whether you are expecting it or not, guests will no doubt want to welcome the new bundle of joy with a specially selected gift. Try arranging a gift registry – either online or in a favourite store – to make picking out items easy for your guests.

2. Keep the party to a maximum of 4 hours. When you’re enjoying yourself it’s all too easy to forget the time, but it is important to remember that Mum-to-be might find a long social event really exhausting. If she wants to continuing ‘partying’ after initial shower she’ll be sure to let you know.

3. Send invitations in advance. A baby shower might be the highlight on the calendar for expectant parents – with the exception of the day their baby arrives – but all other guests will need advance notice to ensure they they can join the celebrations.

4. Stock up on tasty non-alcoholic beverages. While it is fitting to toast the impending arrival with a flute of bubbly, remember that soft drinks – of the Mum and many of the guests – will be a must. Refreshing fruit juice ‘mocktails’ are a great alternative to their boozy cousins the cocktail.

5. Ensure there is enough seating. Making sure that Mama has a Guest of Honour spot is of course very important, but remember that other guests might well be expecting too, and there might be elderly relatives too. Having enough comfortable seats is a must.

6. Offer favours. Guests love to take home small favours, in-keeping with the party theme. A little gift bag with a small token and even a piece of baby shower cake is a great way to send off the guests.

7. Write thank you notes. Whether it’s your shower or you’re just helping out, try to make a note of the gifts that each guest has brought. This will help you to send out the appropriate thank you notes to each guest.

8. Set out a guest book. Similar to those circulated at wedding receptions, a little book can be passed around the guests to fill with their warm wishes for the couple and the new baby and mark this special occasion.

9. Get help clearing away. If you’re helping in the planning of a baby shower, one of the best gifts you can give the parents to be – especially if they’re hosting the event at their own home – is the offer to help clear up after the party. Be on hand to bag up discarded gift wrap and move or transport larger items.

10. Take lots of photographs. This is a brilliant time to capture all the guests and parents-to-be, and they can be put in an album as a keepsake to share with the new baby in years to come.

11. Create your own mini baby bunting! I’m a firm believer that it’s simply not a party if there’s no bunting. So, how about making some mini baby bunting to decorate your baby shower?

First, collect your supplies. You will need:

 •   Selection of print cottons cut to 10cm squares

 •   Length of ribbon

 •   Pinking shears

 •   Pins

 •   Needle & thread or sewing machine

Trim the edges of the square of cotton using the pinking shears, this will give a decorative finish and prevent the edges from fraying. Cut each square in half diagonally from corner to corner, to create two small triangular pennants. Repeat until all the required pennants are cut.

Arrange the pennants in position along the length of the ribbon, ensuring that they are all spaced evenly. Once you are happy with the placement pin into position onto the ribbon so that the ribbon sits 1cm over the front of the cotton flags.

Using a straight machine stitch, or neat running stitch if sewing by hand, secure the flags in place long the ribbon using coordinating thread. 

Secure the threads and trim away any ends. Hang the bunting at your party and enjoy!

If you’re looking for other crafty ideas be sure to check out the Made Peachy Gallery, which is bursting with inspiration, and check out DotComGiftShop for more stylish decorations for your venue!