The best way to deal with fondant is to remember it is just like modeling clay or the soft dough from our youth. Don’t be scared of it. You may have to knead it to warm it if you bought it pre made. It won’t take long to soften up. If you bought the fondant white and want to change the color, just use your basic food coloring. Place a single drop on a small piece of fondant then fold and knead until the color distributes easily and it will.

Now if you are cheap like me (because fondant certainly isn’t cheap) you can make your own fondant at home. Look up the marshmallow fondant recipe online and follow the simple instructions to make about a pound of fondant at a time. It will save you lots of money, produce a softer fondant to work with and taste sweeter than traditional fondant. And then of course if you mess up you don’t have to feel bad.

Making shapes for your baby shower cake decoration can be as easy as rolling out your fondant and getting out the cookie cutters. They do make small cutters specifically for cake decorating but I wouldn’t invest until you are sure you like doing it. If you want 3D figures go back to your modeling clay childhood. Roll out balls, shape heads and use cocktail sticks to add stability.

Now I bet after reading this the world of fondant cake decoration doesn’t seem so intimidating right?

Search online for a simple square box template. You’ll find a number of choices on the education worksheet sites. I would choose a template that’s already the right size to avoid errors when changing the proportions. Print out the template. Decide how many boxes you can get out of a standard piece of paper (usually just one or two), create a master and then copy the template directly onto the favor card.

When it comes to choosing card stock you are pretty limitless. You’ll find the most selection in the scrapbooking aisles at the craft store. If you live near a large paper store take a good browse around. Don’t forget to look for clearance prices. You probably only need a single block of card stock so choosing a discontinued line isn’t really a problem.

After printing your baby shower favor boxes, cut them out with a pair of sharp scissors. Use the side of the scissor blade and a ruler to score along all the folds of the box to create sharp corners. I would use a glue stick to glue the flap rather than a liquid glue. It will be less messy. After your basic favor boxes are dry add any embellishments or labels you would like.

The main issue with making your own baby shower favor boxes is time. If I were hosting an intimate baby shower I would make the favor boxes. If I had a huge baby shower I would not make favor boxes. That’s too much work. Buying boxes for shower guests may be pretty pricey. Be sure to really check around the Internet for deals before purchasing anything. Any more than 50 cents a piece for a simple favor box is way too much.

Depending on the length of your pregnancy you may or may not have an image of baby for your memory card. Consider the sonogram or just go with a picture of a teddy bear or blocks. You may want to consider a spiritual take and include an image of an angel. Or perhaps a soothing image of nature. Look at the many options your online printer has to offer. You may want to run a number of different searches or upload an image of your own.

The wording of a baby memorial card should be clear and simple. If there are birth stats, feel free to include them. You can include the date of passing or the official due date. Everyone deserves a name and including one is a must, even if you only go with Baby Smith. I have seen memorial cards that include baby’s pregnancy nickname such as “peanut” or “pickle” and this is perfectly acceptable.

Be sure to word your memorial card so folks know you are trying to commemorate your baby and still provide a positive underlying message. Life is full of loss and sorrow but new hope is just around the corner. This should be the tone of your baby card to help family heal and at the same time grieve with you.

Although I am all for this creative use of the birth announcement tradition I would restrict baby memory cards to close family members only. They will provide a tangible reminder of the lost family member but also ensure they always have a place in the family album. There are many ways to deal with pregnancy loss. For you it may be custom printed memory cards and that is okay.

No matter what happens with baby whether its a healthy birth, a premature birth or even a passing, custom printing really can help you process and commemorate the happening. My heart goes out to all mommies hugging their babies in their arms or holding them in their hearts. Or for many of us, doing both.

Making a wreath is really not that hard, especially if you go with herbs rather than flowers. Herbs are heavily scented and usually on longer strands. You could go with fresh but dry are easier to work with and last a lot longer. Pick up one of those green wire wreath frames from the craft store as well as a few blocks of floral foam.

Cut up the foam and push it into the inside of the green wire wreath form. You don’t need a lot its just there to help add shape and tidy up the ends. Weave your herbs through the wire form concentrating on a uniform finish. Wreaths look odd when one side has more detail than another. Just keep standing back and readjusting as you go and they’ll be no problems. The best way to check your wreath is secure is to give it a good shake. If nothing falls out you are good to go.

Place the birth announcement on a thin piece of wood and varnish to hold in place and protect the details. Either place holes in the corner of the wood to thread wire through or attach the plaque using well weaved floral wire than holds the wood in place. Attach a ribbon to the top of the wreath and you are done. Its an easy project.

Keep in mind the possible dangers of young children and wild plants. Be sure the finished wreath will be out of baby’s reach and not too close to the cot or changing table. The look of the wreath is for the nursery and the smell of the wreath is to help calm mom’s nerves. Baby’s details are just an adorable extra. Another easy gift that will be treasured for always.

Because mom is so far along we are days away from the shower and it has to be a surprise. Mom to be doesn’t need to worry about anything extra right now so we are throwing the shower during our mommy group. That means she’ll be dressed for company, have the time already set aside and all her friends will be there without a problem because they were going to be there anyway. We managed to get a list of local family members from hubby and made a few calls. There really isn’t time for formal invites.

Food is going to be pot luck for this last minute baby shower. Every friend has been asked to bring a dish (sweet or savory-no details just make sure a fair amount of each type) and family members have been welcomed to join in but not required. I’ve learned some folks love not to make an effort and others feel left out when you don’t ask. I mention it and then don’t make a requirement. So food and drink are easy. We’ll just serve water, juice and maybe a punch.

Decorations for this last minute baby shower will be pretty minimal. I’m hitting the dollar store to get colored table cloth, plates and napkins but besides a few sprinkles and the odd dish of candy, decorations are not really on the agenda. We have suggested if people want to bring plants or flowers that works. Games are so far not happening but that’s okay. This is more a sit down lunch with gifts.

And that’s it. A last minute baby shower is just that: last minute. Forget the custom printed invites and cutesy party favors. You don’t need them and at eight months and not expecting a shower, mom will not notice if a few details have been missed. Its going to be fun. I’ll be sure to take pictures.

If you are knitting or crocheting baby a new afghan, customizing can be a little tougher. For most, the wording would have to be sewn or embroidered in after the basic blanket was finished. In this case consider baby’s first name and numerical birth date rather than the full announcement details. If you are lucky baby’s name will be chosen in advance of the birth and you’ll only have the numbers to add later.

If quilting a blanket for baby, you have a few more options when it comes to including birth announcement details. I do not recommend cutting out individual letters and hand sewing them onto the quilt. Believe me that will become a chore very quickly. Consider embroidering the information on by hand or asking a friend with a professional sewing machine to load up a pattern and let the needle do the work.

Pillows as birth announcements are a nice idea but the actual pillow probably won’t be used in baby’s bed. It will be decorative so there is less worry about baby proofing. For birth stats you could embroider, use a fabric pen, create a transfer or sew an appliqued design. There are a lot more options when bed linen becomes decorative and not practical.

Hand made gifts will always stand the test of time and making gifts for new babies is a pleasure and a privilege. Be sure to plan out your gift and prepare as much as you can before baby is born so mom isn’t waiting months or years for the finished product.

In regard to the birth announcement color scheme the nursery palette doesn’t apply. Having just moved into and repainted our first house we’re not inclined to repaint in the middle of winter. If its a little boy he’ll be sharing with his brother who’s bedroom is blue and gray; not exactly newborn baby colors. I’m a fan of neutral baby colors such as green, purple and yellow. As the baby will be born in late spring early summer I’m inclined toward fresh colors like orange, yellow and light green.

As for a birth announcement theme I am still in the browsing stage. There are so many new templates at the beginning of the year, its hard to keep up. By narrowing my search to boy and postcard style it makes it a little easier but who knows if cars, jungle animals or alphabet blocks will be the right way to go. In regard to themes, I’m still keeping my options open.

With time on my side browsing the birth announcement sites is a lot of fun. This time I’m going with matching envelopes and a set of matching thank you cards that I can use to thank folks for gifts. This time round I will definitely be ordering a lot more birth announcements having discovered how many folks appreciate receiving one. With the low prices and package deals on the web right now I don’t really have to worry about budget which is nice.

Picking your child’s birth announcements is an easy way to start getting excited about the impending birth and keep your mind off swollen ankles and ever increasing stretchmarks. So the next time you start getting a little stressed or worn out from your pregnant state, hop online and start brainstorming your baby’s announcements. You are sure to improve your mood instantly.

Balloons are available in so many shapes, sizes and colors you can find something for every baby shower and every shower theme. Always analyze your space before picking your balloons. If at all possible take a few photographs on your phone that you can refer to when you are choosing the balloons. Like flowers, certain sizes and quantities make a room look good.

Now where to find balloons for your baby shower? Well of course you could grab a few of those packs from the dollar store and start training your lung capacity or you could get helium filled balloons from a party store or florist. Prices may vary depending on where you live. My local florist charges $1.29 for standard helium balloons and $2.00 for oversized and foiled balloons. That includes ribbon, helium and delivery. Be sure to check around before deciding on one florist.

Now you can save a little money by going with the balloon department at your local dollar store. The only problem is there is not much to choose from. Most of those balloons are birthday balloons or child themed balloons. Cheap yes. Work for your baby shower? Probably not. Figure out how many, what size and what colors you want then get online or the phone and start price comparison shopping. Don’t forget to ask for a bulk discount.

Some folks will read this and frown because balloons are of course not the best option for the planet. But if you think about it all baby shower decorations are not planet friendly, are used one time and then discarded and like any party decoration are not a necessity. Well all I can say is for some folks green is too expensive. Buy the balloons local and use a local florist to provide helium and additional decorations. It may not eliminate your carbon footprint but it may be enough to reduce your green guilt.

And the balloons will look awesome.

Of course the obvious answer is to buy a baby shower cake ready made but there are a few issues here. The main problem with those grocery store cakes is they are way too sweet. The store is so used to creating kid’s cakes they don’t know when to tone it down. I’m at the point if someone says its store bought I won’t even try it as my teeth are already cringing. Now of course a cake from a professional baker will not be as sweet but it will be much more expensive, especially if you want detail.

You can always ask a friend to make the cake for you but be sure you don’t get too control freak about it. I have seen friends fall out over the design of a cake and that sort of communication issue really brings down the vibe of the shower. If you ask a friend give them free reign and be ready to compromise.

The cupcake option. Yes cupcakes are easier and most of us can manage them but they are a compliment rather than a replacement for the baby shower cake. And again, cake mix is a cop out and the bakers at your shower will notice. Try a test batch and decorate super cute and you may get away with no cake.

And of course, my favorite option when it comes to shower cakes is to try and make it yourself. Your friends will appreciate the effort you make and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Give yourself enough time to practice and concentrate on taste rather than decoration. Cake is cake no matter how it looks.

Hit the store on the way to the shower and pick up something already made. That doesn’t mean spend a ton of money. Go to the dollar store and either buy something that is ready to go or something that you can split up easily. Think about five pack lip balms or hand creams. While you are there grab some candy bags with twisty ties and assemble as you set the table.

Okay so you have a little more time before the shower? If you have ingredients you can make four dozen cookies very quickly. Choose an easy recipe and check the yield. If it says ‘makes 24′ double the recipe and you have four dozen. Place three or four cookies in a bag and tie it with a little ribbon or string or whatever is laying around.

Now here’s a fast favor I did before. Take brown paper lunch bags and cut them down to a manageable favor appropriate size. Get the kid’s stamps and ink pads and do a quick decoration on the outside of the bag. Fill the bag with popcorn, cookies, or penny candy or even flavored tea bags if you have them to hand. Fold down the top and use a hole punch to make two holds in the fold. Thread a piece of curling ribbon through the holes and tie a bow. Curl the ribbon ends with the blunt side of a scissor blade and you are good to go.

There’s always something you can give your guests as a thank you gift at a baby shower. Just think of something in bulk, accessible and easy to put in a plain old bag.

Hey if it is cookies, no-one will care about the bag.