ARTISTIC TYPES NEEDED ASAP - I need help decorating for a baby shower

[SeaRain]

DZ said men can help too - really she did, see below.

What an interesting topic! Actually - it is FOR WOMEN ONLY but if there are some chaps out there that have a great contribution to make to this discussion, than by my invitation, please join, share, and then - kindly "unjoin" yourself. I have no problem with a "guest speaker of the male persuasion" from time to time.

[J Lee S]

It would be helpful to know the Soon-to-be-Mothers sense of humour. Is she straight-laced, traditional..or a bit more whimsical? Is she having having a boy or a girl? Yes, simple as it is..colors are part of a shower. I have been to a couple of showers for lady friends (surprising I know :-) I have not been on the decorating committee, but I have always brought a gift that focused on the Mom To Be. Bath soaps and oils, scented candles, a favorite music CD...etc. For the MOM, plenty of others bring gifts for the baby, sometimes it's nice for the Mother to be given some attention. I will "unjoin" now.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

It's ok gentlemen . . . it's all out here in the "open" so all help is most welcome here for sure!

Honestly. I'm hopeless with the whole baby thing. I can't even manage changing a diaper.

It's got to be a "GREEN" shower - so that has me stymied, as I am presuming everything used must be reusable . . .81 women - hummm, that's a lot of women - how about if they each bring a "green" decoration based upon one theme - have them all arrive early - tart the place up - which reminds me - where are you holding said festivities?

You mentioned frogs - the baby room will be decorated in frog. How about a frog theme? And there was something about yellow ducks? A yellow duck and green frog theme? Take/find pictures of frogs and ducks. Have said pictures enlarge - really enlarged . . . use all "green" cloth napkins, table cloths - real dishes and glasses - find as many rubber frogs $ store and rubber ducks $ store as you can- have everyone bring one or the other . . . just rambling here . . .

[SeaRain]

JLS, thanks. I agree with the mommy gifts.

My daughter, good sense of humor, but very anal - everything has to be lined up, neat, organized.

Boy baby, first child. Some of the ideas I had: he likes racing cars and baseball, she likes soccer and hockey. I can get cars made out of soap and they have those chocolate candies wrapped like soccer balls. So I thought, mmm, a sports theme. But I'm stuck there.

Then, the baby's room will be frogs. But she gives yellow rubber duckies to all kids. So I thought to get a frog pinata, fill it with candy and the little rubber duckies and frogs if I can find them. This for the girls 1-10 that will be there. But what to put on the tables. The green and yellow paper stuff is an ugly green.

And she said she doesn't want any thing 'over the top' which means she does - for heaven sakes, she's been my daughter for 27 years and I had to live with her holiday decorations because no one else could do them so I know she means over the top.

And I want it to be memorable. But not expensive, because I'd rather spend the money on my new grandson.

Invitations had three frogs and a duck on them. Designed by my other daughter.

So HHHHHHEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!

Thank you.

[J Lee S]

Well SeaRain, I did some snooping and it appears the closest Party City to you is in Roseville..about 38 miles. There is also one in Royal Oak..52 miles approx. I worked at a Party City p/t many moons ago. You can find some really interesting things there.The plastic duckies and frogs could be interesting. Maybe tic-tac-toe games using little ducks and frogs. Of course caution would have to be used as they could be swallowed. Yikes!! Party City also carries pinatas. You could Google Party City and check them out. Not sure what you have more locally.
Dazz's thought of the $ store would be first choice for sure. First thing that came to mind when you mentioned the plastic ducks and frogs was a mobile for the bedroom..some stabbing through the little guys with an ice-pick(that didn't sound right..but you get it), 3-4 dowels and some green and yellow yarn...Viola.
Oh, brain fart..you could print up medium to large tic-tac-toe boards and have them laminated for placemats. The kids could take them home.I will contemplate some more :-) Have Fun. Lily-pad placemats..last thought for now.

[SeaRain]

Yeah, I can get to a Party City. Thanks for the idea. I like the idea of tic tac toe. Looking for 'green' paper for the tables. The pinata could come from China - my one concession. Keep thinking - I like the lily pad placemats too.

[Westerly_2]

I'm not very artistic at all, but the last one I went to had a three-layer "cake" made of rolled up newborn diapers. There was a clothes-line strung up, with newborn clothes hanging there with tiny clothes pins. They had a contest where everyone took a bit of yarn and strungh it out and cut it after estimating mommy's girth. Then they measured mommy and gave a prize for the closest guess. There was a guest book to write your wishes in, and at the end, everyone placed a bet on the date and the stats.
As for decor, just balloons, food, streamers. It was summer and we sat outside.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

http://www.organic-baby-resource.com/baby-shower.html

http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/hosting_a_green_baby_shower/

http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/baby-shower-ideas-organic.html

[Wylde Abandyn]

Slightly off topic, but I once arranged a baby shower for a "daddy-to-be" with whom I worked. We invited his wife and surprised the hell out of him. He was thrilled. Imagine that...a person with male genitalia appreciating having some attention focused on him in honor of the impending person he helped create.