Very Colorful Baby Shower

Throwing a gender neutral baby shower can stress people out. Should all the decor be blue and pink? Or just yellow? Or is yellow old news and everything should be orange or gray or minty green? By removing the gender factor, pulling together a nice color scheme can feel tricky. So, how about choosing all colors? If I could do it again (I had a gender neutral baby shower), I might use the following as inspiration because I truly love it.

Where To Find These Jewels

Felt Acorns by Sewn Natural

Jones Soda from Amazon

You're My Favorite Pin by Bust My Buttons

Scalloped Color Block Napkins from Target

Rainbow Invitation by Tambo Creations

Heart Night Light by Light Box Furniture

Rainbow Toddler Bedroom

A while back I made a moodboard for a rainbow nursery. Thanks to Pinterest, I learned that people dig rainbow nurseries. Between the general population's interest and my current bedroom decorating project, I decided to update the rainbow theme from a nursery to a kid's bedroom. Below are some of the many beautiful items of inspiration that I found.

(image sources - below)

Where To Find Everything Above

Garima Dhawan Duvet Cover from Wayfair

Rainbow Raindrops Post Decal from The Land of Nod

All in One Music Toy from Pottery Barn Kids

Personalized Kid's Rainbow Bunting by Made By Eden Grace

Ferris Wheel Pillow by Janelle Tweed

What Should You Register For (That You Actually Need) Part 2

Last week I gave you Part 1 of my sample registry with the idea being to include only things that a first time parent actually needs (not wants, not might use once). I covered the categories of furniture, sleeping, gear and diapering. Today, I'm covering feeding, bathing and health & safety.

FEEDING

• Nursing Pillow - Nursing pillows are useful whether breastfeeding or not. They make feeding time comfortable for you and for the baby. And some nursing pillows (like the Boppy) are also great for tummy time and learning to sit.
• Burp Clothes/Cloth Diapers (12+) - Some babies spit up more than others, but all babies dribble and gurgle and drool at least a little. Burp clothes handle the clean up and they can also be used as wipes (for those against disposable wipes) and as tissues (they're softer on those tiny noses).
• Bibs (2+) - Why do you need burp clothes and bibs? The burp cloth protects your outfit and the bib protects the baby's outfit. Don't register for a dozen bibs because you'll undoubtedly receive many "non-registry" bibs that say things like "If you think I'm handsome you should see my uncle" or "Grandma's Little Angel". Remember, the tackier the phrase, the less you'll care when it's covered in cheesy spit up.
• Bottles (2+) - How many bottles you need depends on whether you intend to breastfeed and for how long. Don't register for a set of Dr. Brown's because that's what everyone does. Really consider your plan and know that these are not high cost or rare items, so you can always pick up more bottles after the baby arrives.
• Bottle Brush - It's damn near impossible to properly clean the inside of a bottle without one.
• High chair - You don't need this (or the next two items) right away, but you do need it.
• Spoons (2+)
• Sippy Cups (2+) 

If You're Breastfeeding...

• Breast Pump
• Breastmilk Storage - A combination of plastic/glass/metal containers and plastic bags is a good idea until you know what works best for you.
• Nursing Pads - You can go with disposable pads or reusable pads (check Etsy for makers of reusable pads).
• Nipple Cream

TIP: Nursing pillows are easy to borrow. Most people only use them for the first 6 months or so. Rather than register for the pillow, just register for an extra cover (Boppy and Breast Friend nursing pillows both sell extra covers separately) and use it with your borrowed pillow.

I love this sippy cup, if you want to go stainless steal.
(image source)

BATHING

• Bathtub - Trying to hold or dip your baby in water sounds uncomfortable and really dangerous. So, yes, I think this is a necessity.
• Baby Wash - This is an all-in-one shampoo and soap that won't sting eyes and is extra sensitive on that delicate skin.

TIP: Hooded towels, baby washcloths and Aquaphor are not necessities, but they're really useful and also make things easier because they're sized and designed for mini people.

Baby wash in a pump container (like Little Twig) is so convenient.
You can get a cheap pump container from Target and fill it with your favorite brand.
(image source)

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Ointment (2) - There are so many options out there. A+D, Desitin, Balmex, Butt Paste (that's not a joke) name a few. Register for one or two different (standard size) kinds and see what jives with your little one before you go economy.
• Comb and Brush - A lot of babies are hairless at birth. But, if yours happens to have a full coif, you'll be grateful for these.
• Nail Clipper - Research this product well because cutting baby nails is really hard and you don't need a product that's going to make it harder. (Tip: nail files are the way to go once the baby's nails are strong enough and you can use your standard nail file, no special baby nail file needed)
• Nasal Aspirator - You'll get one from the hospital, so (technically) it's not a necessity. But, it's nice to have two (one for the nose, one for the mouth or just an extra when one is dirty).
• Thermometer - If you already have a standard digital thermometer at home, then you're all set. You will stick that under your baby's armpit to get your read. Some people prefer rectal thermometers because they're more accurate. It's your call. It's personal. It's between you, your baby's tush and the thermometer.
• Outlet covers - This and the next 2 items are needed for the mobile months (and years).
• Cabinet locks
• Gate

TIP: Monitors aren't a necessity in that you and your baby will be okay without one. BUT, I strongly recommend one. Having a visual monitor (not just an audio monitor), let's you make a more educated decision about whether you are actually needed in the nursery. Without the extra bit of info that a visual monitor provides, you're bound to go into the nursery when you're not actually needed. This means that you'll be getting out of bed for no reason (boo) and by entering the nursery you risk waking up your baby, who might be just tossing and turning (double boo). Visual monitors help everyone in the house sleep better.

The Nose Frida (aka the snot sucker) is a favorite of many moms. The idea is gross, but it really works.
(image source)

If you're wondering about the best place to register for all these great products, here are links to a few old posts to help with that (here, here and here). And HERE is a post about where I chose to register.

Sherbert Inspired Nursery

It's Friday, which seems to be moodboard day. Today I was inspired by the Sherbert crib bedding from The Land of Nod. It's a simple stripe pattern, but the range of color presents so many decorating options. You got pinky/coral, light gray, turquoise, muted lime and a touch of lavender. I focused on the pinky/coral, turquoise and lime, but there are so many delightful combinations. Or, you could just go buck wild and decorate with all five.

image sources below

Where to Get These Sweet Finds

Sherbert Striped Crib Bedding from Land of Nod

Baby Owl Clock by LeLuni

Today is Great Pillow from Serena & Lily

Senegalese Storage Basket from Serena & Lily

Turquoise Heart Art by Of Carola

Foxy Little Bedroom

I'm still of the mind that hedgehogs are on the brink of baby decor hotness. But, for the moment, foxes are the ruling trend. Here are some unique finds to decorate your baby girl or boy's bedroom.

(image sources below)

Where to Find These Whimsical Treats

Storage Bin from Giggle

Faux Fox Taxidermy by Kelsey Davis Designs

Knit Rattle from Land of Nod

Printable Art by Two Moons and a Fry

What Does a Fox Say Crib Sheet by Babiease

And, just because:

What Happens at a Baby Shower

What happened on your sophomore year spring break in Cancun stayed in Cancun. This is, of course, assuming that your sophomore year spring break happened pre-Facebook. For your sake, I hope it did. While (fingers crossed) the happenings in Cancun remain a mystery, baby showers aren't so mysterious. They're pretty simple - the mom-to-be opens a ton of gifts and guests cheer her on. I've been to many and they all follow the same sequence of events. There's some fun DIY decor, an embarrassing game (or ten) and lots of sweets. But just in case you haven't been to one lately (or ever), I'll break it down for you.

Pre-Event Considerations:

What should you wear? Whether you go to church or not, you probably have a sense of church appropriate attire. Your "church outfits" can double as baby shower outfits. If this description isn't working for you, think "business casual" but more fun. Jeans are not a great call. Neither is a taffeta cocktail dress. Here are a couple images courtesy Pinterest that hopefully help (quick plug: you can follow NSB on Pinterest by clicking here and then clicking follow).

My fashion sense leans conservative, as you can tell, so you should funk it up and trend it out as much as your heart desires. The basic guideline is not too casual and not too dressy. Image sources: outfit on left (here), outfit on right (here)

What should you bring? You and your gift. I have previously written about how much money to spend on a gift (here) and whether to buy off the registry or not (here).

What time should you arrive? On time. This isn't a fashionably late type event. But don't stress if you're fifteen minutes behind schedule. Typically, the guest of honor is going to arrive about 15 - 30 minutes after the invitation asked you to arrive. This is because the host wants the guest of honor to enter a room full of people and love. So, just make sure to arrive before the guest of honor.

Will there be alcohol? Yes, boozy, there will. Probably. If the guest of honor is someone who drinks alcohol in a non-pregnant state then alcohol will most likely be served. It will usually be some champagne or wine, maybe a signature cocktail. I've even been to baby showers with open bars. In case you're hoping wondering, I've never seen anyone throw down a shot.

Will there be men? Unlikely. I've never been to a co-ed baby shower. It's relatively common for the father-to-be to show up near the end to say hello, thank everyone and carry the gifts away. But, I can't say that I've been to (or even heard about) a co-ed baby shower. Co-ed wedding showers are on trend, so perhaps co-ed baby showers are next.

Arrive and Mingle

Nothing major happens out of the gate. You'll show up to the country club or the grandmother-to-be's house or a cute local brunch spot in the late morning or early afternoon on a Sunday. I have gone to Saturday baby showers and I have gone to evening baby showers, but these are the exception. The first hour of the shower will be spent mingling and munching. Even if the shower includes a formal sit-down meal, appetizers will usually be served right away. You'll catch up with friends and family of the guest of honor, or you'll meet them for the first time. There might be a clothes line of onesies to check out or a jar of Hershey Kisses to count (person who guesses closest to the number of kisses in the jar gets a prize). You'll also have time to check out the table full of gifts that include at least one diaper cake and several baskets full of bath supplies or first aid necessities.

If you're not keen on making one of these yourself but you think they're awesome, check out Etsy for some lovely crafters that will make it for you. Oli-G's Designs makes owl-themed diaper cake above.

Sit-down Meal

About fifty percent of the baby showers I've been to had a formal sit-down meal. It will probably indicate this on the invitation and it will definitely lengthen the party.

Game Time

During the meal or while the guest of honor opens presents, games will be played. I haven't been to a baby shower without games. Even at baby showers honoring a mother-to-be who isn't a game playing type, there will be games. So, buckle up. Here is the list of games that I've played:

• Baby Food Tasting - Taste jarred baby food and guess the flavor (on one occasion the jarred baby food had been smeared into a diaper, I'm not joking)
• Toilet Paper Predictor - Tear off however many squares of toilet paper you would need if you were going to the bathroom in the woods. The punchline is that the number of squares you take is the number of children you will have. Hope I didn't ruin it for you.
• Word Games - Think of a baby-related word that begins with each letter of the alphabet, think of ten songs that have the word "baby" in them, cross-word puzzles full of words like diaper and ointment and breastfeeding, etc.
• Make-a-onesie - Use puff paint, glue, fabric scraps, stencils, markers, scissors, etc.) to personalize a white onesie for the baby
• Baby Photo Guessing Game - Sometimes there's a big poster with a bunch of baby photos. Sometimes everyone gets a piece of paper with a collage of baby photos. The idea is to guess who the baby is, which is usually a guest at the shower or a celebrity (depending on how it's played).
• Sage Advice Journal/Cards - Write a note to the mother-to-be and father-to-be with your best parenting advice
• Message to the Baby Journal/Cards - Write a message to the baby
• Gambling - Some baby showers will host a "buy a square" (think Super Bowl) or just a friendly wager as to the birthday, gender (if it's unknown), weight and height of the baby.

Example of a classic baby shower word game
from Pulp Paper Goods 

Present Opening

Look around the room and guestimate 2-4 minutes per guest. That's how long this portion of the day will take. Could be a very long time if there are fifty (or more) guests. The good news is that there will be group gifts, which knock out a bunch of guests at once, and a few guests bring gift cards, which take about thirty seconds to open and show off. Many gifts will be from the registry. But, it's also common for baby shower guests to buy non-registry items for at least a portion of their gift. So, there will be some interesting and awesome surprises.

Grab Your Favor and Go

The favors are typically a food item (i.e. chocolate covered something) or baby related (i.e. travel size Purell). There's not much after party action, for obvious reasons. So that's it. Hope it's a good one.

What games have you played at baby showers? Any go-to outfits that always seem to work? Any disastrous gift opening stories - something broke, a turn-of-the-century dangerous hand-me-down?

Classic Pink Baby Shower (Round Two)

I know, I keep posting baby shower mood boards despite the fact that I've already had my baby shower (about a year and a half ago). But, there are many loved ones in my life who are expecting. And even more who I expect to expect at some point. And, it's fun. So, I'm allowed to continue mood boarding and I will.

My idea of a classic blue baby shower came together a couple years ago (here). As did my idea of a classic pink baby shower (here). But, in reviewing the classic pink baby shower post, I thought it need a bit of updating. There were some cute finds (especially that pink umbrella), but I thought I could do cuter. Here's my attempt...Jelly Belly still made the cut.

Image Sources Below

Where To Find These Lovely Items

Girl! Invitation from Minted.com

Little One Tags by Wild Sugar Berries

Pink-a-boo Nail Polish by Essie

Pink Grapefruit Jelly Bean from Jelly Belly

Tissue Paper Potted Flower by Old Ways Fuss N Feathers

Pink Paper Lanterns by Janie Girl Crafts

Happy Hedgehog Nursery

I've shown you elephants (here), I've shown you giraffes (here) and today I'm showing you hedgehogs.  Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic about never getting a high score on Sonic the Hedgehog, maybe I just loved the Land of Nod bedding below.  Either way, here is an orange, gray and woodsy collection of hedgehog items for a gender neutral nursery.

Image Sources - see below

Details on these cool products:

Throw pillow by Laura Frisk

Hoop Art by Box Room Bazaar

Bright Eyed, Bushy Tailed Bedding from Land of Nod

Tree trunk lamp from Svpply

Bib by Pocoa Poco Baby

A Light Green Summer Baby Shower

I've been thinking about summer baby showers lately.  Hint: I have a near, dear, extra special friend who is having a summer baby shower.  Here is what I came up with - light green with some colorful macarons (my near, dear, extra special friend loves macarons...who doesn't?).

(image sources - see below)

Here's where you can find these treats:

Macarons wrapping paper from The Paper Source

Baby shower invitation from Minted.com

Paisley heart banner by The Paper Lake

Paper straws by Shop Pretty My Party

Oh Snap! onesie by Caustic Threads

Stylin' Flower Girls and Ring Bearers

How cute are flower girls and ring bearers?  Right?  Sometimes they cause a bit of unwanted drama (think screaming, flailing tantrums), but mostly they cause a collective "awwww" from all the wedding guests as they slowly, awkwardly, adorably make their way down the aisle.

Not everyone welcomes babies, toddlers, children...anyone under 18... at their wedding for a plethora of reasons (including the screaming, flailing tantrum potential), but that's a whole different post.  Today, I'm focusing on wedding fashion for the mini members of a wedding party.  It's not wedding season, but it is the season of wedding planning for all those folks who will be getting hitched in 2013.

All the clothes, shoes and accessories below are for infants and toddlers (0-2 years) ...aka babies...but many come in larger sizes (and alternate colors), so be sure to click on the hot links below each image to get product details.  Also, most of the Etsy shops featured in this post specialize in infant/toddler/child formal wear, so check out the entire shop for other adorable products.

For the Flower Girls (ladies first)

White knit and tulle dress by Ralph Lauren ($175)

Tulle ballerina dress by Us Angels ($146+)

Jeweled collar by JCrew ($48)

Lace bow headbands by Little Blooms Handmade ($12 each)

Barefoot baby sandals by Happy Threads ($18)

For the Ring Bearers

Sage boys jumper by Beane & Company ($70)

Two button school blazer by JCrew ($158)

Alexander baby boy shoes by Pink2Blue ($32)

Elephant bow tie by Olive and Vince (~$16.44)

Blue Boy Baby Shower

Maybe I created today's mood board because I love Jones soda, maybe not.  Either way, here are a bunch of fun and yummy items to pull together a classic, blue baby shower.

Clockwise from top left

Cupcake toppers by Apple Candy Design ($2 digital file)

Blue gummy bears ($10/1.5 lbs on Amazon.com)

Jones blue bubble gum soda ($55/24 on Amazon.com)

Blue polka dot paper straws by Back to Zero ($4/25)

Lucky star origami by Origami Delights ($13/100)

Supporting Friends (GIVEAWAY!)

Happy Monday and Happy Columbus Day!

Regular NSB readers may have noticed that a certain "Jessica" posting comments all over the place.  If not, you will now that I mention it.  Not only is Jessica a friend of NSB, but she's also an amazing crafter and the lady behind Little Partridge.  First check out some fun stuff available on the Little Partridge Etsy shop and then (keep scrolling down) check out details on an awesome GIVEAWAY.

Burp cloth cupcake sets

Personalized trick or treat bags

Diaper cake

Today through Thursday, Little Partridge is hosting a major giveaway ($75 gift certificate!) to celebrate the launch of its new, spiffy website.  Here's a screen shot of the website:

So, how do you enter this awesome giveaway?  Head over to the new Little Partridge website (click here) and follow the instructions.  Good luck!!!

Diaper Bags for Everyone

Choosing the perfect diaper bag is a highly important choice in a mom-to-be's life.  A diaper bag is a handbag (of sorts) and deserves the same consumer consideration as a leather boho satchel, a sequin evening clutch or a waxed canvas weekend duffel.  Yes, practicality plays a part that it probably wouldn't with an everyday bag, but that doesn't negate the need for style.  Oh no. 

So, where do you start your search?

Factors for Choosing the Right Diaper Bag:

Cost - Hello.  This is always a factor.  You likely have a budget.  Arguably it's okay to spend a little more on a diaper bag because it will get a ton of hardcore usage and you want it to last.  On the other hand, some (not me) would say that it's purpose is not for style so it's not worth wasting the money on.

Practicality - This factor has many subfactors.  Will it stain easily?  How do you clean it?  Is it well made or will the seams come lose after one big trip to the in-laws?  Are there enough pockets to organize all the baby accoutrement?  Are all those pockets easily accessible or will you be fishing around for a pacifier for 10 minutes while your new infant screams her beautiful head off?

Style - Some may disagree with this factor, but even if you think style is frivolous when it comes to diaper bags, no one wants to carry a hideous bag (diaper bag or otherwise).  Perhaps the newest Marc Jacobs diaper bag isn't for you, but you don't necessarily want a Winnie the Pooh, vinyl disaster. 

Each of the following diaper bags have the trifecta of goodness: cost (everything under $150), practical (multiple interior and exterior pockets) and style (oh yes).

Versa diaper bag by Skip Hop for $70.

Baby bag by Vera Bradley for $99.

Waxed canvas diaper bag by Barnacle Bags for $112.

Satchel diaper bag by JJ Cole for $70.

What diaper bag do you have/want?  How much would you be willing to spend on a diaper bag?  PS - check out an old post (here) that features two other Etsy crafters who make affordable, cute diaper bags.

Pretty in Pink Baby Shower

Today's post was inspired by this sweet baby shower invitation from TinyPrints.com (below).  It's slightly non-traditional in that there are no bunnies or giraffes or pregnant lady cartoons.  It's a little cool and a lot sweet.

I'm typically resistant to sharing gender specific baby shower ideas.  I think it's easier to plan a baby shower for a girl or a boy than it is to plan a baby shower for a surprise.  So, I prefer to assist the surprise gender baby showers with my creativity (and uncanny ability to scour the world wide web).  But, it's been a while since I've posted girly girl baby shower ideas and then I came across that cute pink heart invitation.  Hence, today's post about a PINK baby shower.

The Decor

Hot pink cupcake liners by Bakers Bling Shop ($6.50/100)

Spring showers party banner by GFetti ($6/six foot banner)

Polka dot paper plates from Posh Party Box (matching napkins available)

Pink umbrella party picks by Below Blink ($3.50/two dozen)

It's just so easy to find pink decor.  Check out Etsy.com, check out Target, check out Michael's craft stores and dollar stores.  Check out anywhere that party decor is found.  Where party decor is found, pink party decor is found.  Don't be afraid to mix pinks, all shades of the highly feminine color get along nicely.

The Treats

Pink Champagne Cupcakes 

(recipe from Betty Crocker/The Cupcake Blog)

Strawberry cheescake jelly bean by Jelly Belly (consider all the pink Jelly Belly flavors: bubble gum, cotton candy, strawberry daiquiri, pink grapefruit)

Neapolitan lollipops by Sweet Lollipop Shop ($14.95/five)

It's A Girl lollipops by Liquorish ($18/dozen)

Heart cookie by EdibleGiftsPlus.com ($4.99/six)

Some of these treats are beyond the average kitchen mavens ability.  But not all.  The pink frosted heart cookie is an easy DIY with the help of a sugar cookie recipe (here) and a heart cookie cutter (here) and some pink frosting, which you can either find at your local grocery store or make by adding a couple dashes of red food dye to a basic white frosting.  Or, just frost your cupcake with white frosting and decorate it with some delicious, pink jelly beans.  

The Game Winning Prize

The pink umbrella above is from Debenhems, but just google "pink umbrella" and you'll find tons of fun choices.  Baby showers tend to feature cute (and sometimes embarrassing and sometimes annoying) games.  A pretty pink umbrella would be the perfect prize for the game winner (and it would make the embarrassing, annoying game worth the embarrassment and annoyance). 

Rainbow Nursery Decor

Today's post is in celebration of gay pride week.  If you didn't know it was gay pride week, you probably don't live in NYC.  Now you know.  Enjoy the mood of the week and the mood of the board below - a rainbow themed baby's nursery.  I'm thinking white walls and white sheets to compliment the bright, bold, fabulous decor ideas below.

(Starting at top left, going counterclockwise)

Elephant wall print by Alpha Bino ($24.12)

Fabric wall art by The Old Pink Porch ($35)

Origami garland by All We Need is Origami ($19)

Rainbow stacker by Land of Nod ($49)

Ribbon pillow cover by The Red Pistachio ($27)

Braided rug by Green at Heart Rugs ($125)

A Name Before a Baby

I seem to know more and more parents-to-be who choose and publicize a baby name before the baby is born.  Do you know any of these folks?  Are you one of these folks?  Is it a recent trend or am I just noticing it now that I'm baby crazed?   

Forty years ago (maybe even thirty), sonograms simply weren't standard parts of prenatal care.  Without a sonogram or two, the gender of the baby can't be discovered.  And, in most cases, without knowing the gender of the baby, a single name can't be settled upon.  So, relatively speaking, it is a trend for parents to decide on a single name before the baby is born thanks to modern technology.  But, if I'm considering only the last five years (the years when my peers started to become pregnant), it's really the last two years that I've noticed this naming habit.

While I won't choose this route, I don't think it's wrong or bad.  At all.  Quite the opposite, I understand the fun in it.  I imagine that it's fantastic to call him or her a real name rather than a nickname or...a pronoun.  Using a name (the name) might make it feel all the more real?  Choosing a name as early as possible hopefully prevents pregnant friends, acquaintances and coworkers from scooping up your jewel before the due date.  But I don't think any of these reasons are why people do it.  My theory on this seemingly newish trend is that people have been taken by all the amazing baby swag that requires a name or initials.  Below are a few examples of these desirables.

Pottery Barn has a bunch of personalized books, like the one below.  In fact, Pottery Barn has an entire section of their website dedicated to personalized baby stuff (here) with everything from blankets to toys to furniture.

The wall decal below by Stephen Edward Graphic ($35) is one of many that you can find on Etsy.com.  Personalizing a nursery can be nearly instant.

Two blue peas has a slew of awesome, inexpensive (!) baby gifts that can be personalized with a name or initials, like the giraffe and raccoon blanket below.  Check them all out here.

While I just realized this name picking trend, I have known of the general love for personalized gifts since the start of NSB and written about it twice (here and here).  So, was it the chicken or the egg?  Did personalized gifts become popular because people were choosing names before babies arrived or were people choosing names before babies arrived leading savvy retailers to capitalize?

Orange You Excited for a Gender Neutral Baby Shower?

Yes, this is a recycled title, I'm using "orange" as "aren't" again.  I posted about an orange nursery last November, entitled Orange You Excited to Decorate a Gender Neutral Nursery?  It featured the mood board below.

Go to the original post (here) for product details

Today I'm pulling together ideas for an orange themed baby shower.  Color themed parties are extra easy to pull together because necessities (decorations, invites, etc.) are readily available and they allow for creative party planning because the elements don't have to be matchy matchy.  After all, matchy matchy is a big NO, as Giuliana Rancic would say on E! Fashion Police.

I'm pleased to present some of the coolest Etsy born baby shower products that I've ever found.  I'm kicking it off, as always with invitations.

From top to bottom:

1. Chevron umbrella invitation by Executive Creations ($20 for set of 10)

2. Modern blue and orange invitation by Sophisticate Suite ($10 for digital file)

3. Elephant and peanut invitation invitation by Swanky Press ($30 for set of 20)

This banner by Parker Prints ($15.50) is unique and sweet.  It's perfect to hang over a refreshment table.  And, if you're not going to find out the gender then the banner can read "welcome baby".

Before coming across these raffle tickets by Middle Before ($6 for digital file) I had never heard of a diaper raffle.  I like it.  I'm into practical baby shower gifts (more on that here) and this is a fun way to encourage that.  

Orange (or tangerine or clementine) flavored macaroons would be baby shower perfection.  Here is a recipe for orange hazelnut macaroons from Cookstr.com.

This beautiful box is full of cupcake mix as a favor for shower guests.  It's made by Favor Box Bakery ($40 for 12 boxes) and I love it.  The colors are customizable.

Sheep Themed Nursery, Baaaahhhhh

Today's post features adorable items for a gender neutral nursery.  It's all about sheep.  The colors are as soft as can be.  The vibe is as peaceful as can be.  I got sleepy just putting the images together.  

image links below - clockwise

1. Plush sheep toy by Aurora ($12.99)

2. Sheep bookends by The Company Store ($59)

3. Smiling sheep photograph (8"x10") by Dreamy Photo ($25)

4. Sheep mobile by Pingvini ($56)

5. Mama and Bebe sheep art (8"x10") by Heavenly Creatures Art ($20)

6. Counting sheep crib bedding by Land of Nod ($24-$199)