Real Baby Shower: Hooray for Babies!

Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! A big cheer goes out to this DARLING "Hooray for Babies" shower from the VERY talented Becca of CAKE. {Inspiring Details for Happy Occasions}. I'm SMITTEN with the colors, a wonderful mix of yellow and aqua, which is also a nice alternative from the usual yellow and gray. Thankfully, Becca has added this printable invitation to her oh-so-lovely etsy shop. Now you too can host this adorable baby shower for your next friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker, etc.

From Becca... Last month I put together a baby shower to celebrate three dear friends who all happen to be pregnant at the same time. The 'Hooray for Babies!' theme started oddly enough as the subject line of an e-mail I sent wishing them congratulations. The more I thought on it, the more it felt like the perfect concept for a shower. Because two of the moms-to-be opted not to find out what they're having, I choose a gender neutral palette of yellow and mint green. I've always loved these colors for spring, and they worked especially well for an outdoor brunch. I wanted to keep things simple and budget friendly so I put together a simple menu and a few DiY projects to make the morning special. 

The little floral arrangements were created from baby food jars that I partially dipped in mint green paint. I wasn't sure how it would work out, but the effect was charming and allowed me the opportunity to send one home with each guest.

My favorite project to make was actually the tassel poms, a new take on the popular tassel garlands. I created the tassels from this tutorial, and fixed them to wooden dowels with a bit of hot glue. They looked great as a centerpiece on the brunch table and held up well when waved around as pom-poms. (Okay sure, the shower was for grown ups, but these would be a great activity to make with your kids).  I even used the extra tissue to make my own bits of confetti and tossed it along the table. Hooray indeed.

For dessert, Michele of Cakewalk Baking served as my partner in crime once again and baked up the most moist & delicious yellow cake with chocolate frosting... and as an special treat she brought over some incredible homemade macarons. Just for fun, I designed a set of hooray bunting flags and strung them across the cake between paper straws. I also ordered custom megaphone cookies from Auntie Bea's Bakery with a script hooray to coordinate with the invitation- they were a huge hit!

The favors were ribbon trimmed burp cloths that I made with Michele's help (because I can't sew to save my life), to which I attached custom 'hooray for mamas!' pennant flags. The sticks are actually just wooden rock candy sticks, ordered from Confetti Sunshine.

I have Sherry Heck to thank for all the beautiful photos of the shower details. As special treat for the moms though, I offered up a little maternity photo shoot for each of them after brunch. I never had maternity photos taken while I was pregnant with my daughter and I regret not having made it a priority... so I thought it would make a nice keepsake whether or not they were professionally done.

Brunch Menu (see below for recipes with *): Zucchini Tart w/ Smoked Gouda and Tomato*, Chicken Apple Sausage, Mixed Berries with Greek Yogurt and Pecan Granola, 'Baby' Lemon Muffins with Cream Cheese*. To Drink: Lemonade, Grapefruit Spritzers (2/3 grapefruit juice and 1/3 sparkling water with lime).

Graphic Design & Party Styling: CAKE. / Cake & Macarons: Cakewalk Baking / Cookies: Auntie Bea's Bakery / Rock Candy Sticks, Paper Straws, Cupcake Liners: Confetti Sunshine / Party Photography: Sherry Heck

Real Baby Shower: Ready to Pop!

Here's a very bright and vibrant PINK baby shower designed and also gorgeously photographed by Katie Day Photography! Love all her craftiness seen throughout these photos -- the paint swatch banner, the popcorn and pom pom centerpieces and all of the matching cupcake flags, water bottles, banners and diaper cake. I'm also in L.O.V.E. with the retro popcorn bag inspired invitations. What a fabulous design, also seen in the popcorn and food labels as well as the Mad Libs game. Simply ADORABLE!



















From Katie... I had the privilege of throwing my Bestie a baby shower. I have a confession. I. Love. parties. I love them. And I love even more throwing them for my dear friends. Allison will be the BEST mom. She already loves my Callie as if she were her own daughter and I can’t wait to do the same for her sweet Elsie. Also, the only thing Allison loves more than babies and hair-bows is popcorn. So please enjoy her perfectly-themed party. (I mean she REALLY loves popcorn. It’s ridiculous.)


Design & Photography: Katie Day Photography

Bump Smitten Giveaway: Lisa Leonard Jewelry

To celebrate the end of the week, I'm going to be giving away TWO $50 gift certificates for some fabulous jewelry from the extremely talented Lisa Leonard Designs! All you have to do is head on over to Lisa's website and sign up for her newsletter which ALSO allows you to get 15% off your next purchase (in case you are not one of the two lucky winners). She has a wide array of handmade silver and pewter jewelry and accessories -- necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, keychains, baby spoons, bubble wands, star wands and wall hangings.  Lisa even has galvanized magnetic pinwheel place cards... I'm smitten with all her designs and I'm sure you will be as well!







From Lisa's Website... i have been making jewelry since high school but i decided to get serious after my first son, david, was born. i wanted to start a small business that would enable me to quit my job and stay home with my boys. at the time, i had never taken any formal classes or received special training in jewelry making. i just went for it! i am kind of the "jump in and learn as you go" type.

my desire is to create simple, lovely pieces that can be worn with jeans or your little black dress. i want each piece to be meaningful. our custom jewelry is hand-stamped with your kids' names or a special phrase or verse. i love to touch my necklace throughout the day and reflect on my husband and my sweet boys.

each piece we create is a work of art—hand cut;hammered, polished, drilled and assembled with care. i am inspired by other artists—painters, scrapbookers, clothing designers and poets. i also love to soak up nature-the sky, the sea, the green hills. i let all these ideas and images swirl around in my mind and then i create. when an idea hits me i sketch it out and play until the perfect design comes together.

lisa leonard designs exists because moms, grandmas and friends have shared our designs with each other while waiting in line at the grocery store or sipping coffee with a friend. most of our customers find us through word of mouth. we know that you'll find the perfect piece.



Journey with me on my blog {lisaleonardonline.com/blog} / Visit my little shop! {lisaleonardonline.com} / Facebook {facebook.com/lisaleonarddesigns}

Reminder: Sign up for Lisa Leonard's Newsletter to be entered into the Giveaway!!

Real Baby Shower: Owl Love You Collection

Whenever I get a submission from Stefanie Richter of anna and blue paperie, I always know its going to be feature worthy. Her designs and printables are super cute and I love her use of color! So refreshing... especially this Owl Love You collection. Love the invitations, table cards, banner, water bottle labels, etc. LOVE IT ALL!!













From Stefanie... My sweet neighbor Mary asked if I could help put together a baby shower for her friend incorporating the mommy to be's Owl themed nursery layette from Kids Line Dena Happi. I of course was happy to assist. I used the nursery decor as my inspiration pulling colors of pink, orange, green, blue, brown and yellow to create the collection's color palette. I also used my daughter's Oopsie Daisy Owl art print I purchased at Target as inspiration when putting the printable designs together.


Design & Photography: Stefanie Richter of anna and blue paperie / Cupcakes: Sweet Treets Bakery / Sugar Cookie: Charlies Cakes and Cookies / Printables: anna and blue paperie