This baby shower was a home run! Jason and his wife Heather showed off their new addition to the Kate Aspen family on Friday. We celebrated baby Joshua with a baseball themed shower for this little “Rookie of the Year.”

The spread included ball park favorites, paying homage to the Atlanta Braves.
Guests snacked on cleverly named snacks:
•Base Hit Baked Beans
•Chipper’s Slaw
•Line Drive Lemonade
•Tomahawk Chop Chips
•Curveball Cupcakes
•Homerun Hot Dogs

Need a practical gift idea? The invitation asked guests to bring diapers in different sizes according to their first initial.

With a little creativity, you can throw an all star event of your own!

Pictured: Big Dreamzzz Baby Baseball 3-Piece Layette Set in All-Star Gift Box

Happy planning!

Guest blog: PartyPail

Whether you’re planning your baby shower on a strict budget, or simply want to check two things off your list at once, decorating with favors that guests will take home is always a good idea. You save money and clean up time, because after the party, your guests have already done their part in taking down decorations by taking them home as favors!

PartyPail encourages customers to send in photos of their parties to see how they turned out. Christina did a great job of incorporating her favors right into the party décor. Be inspired!

Tips from PartyPail:

Choose complementary colors, and keep your décor from going overboard with any individual color by throwing in some neutrals. Here you can see how Christina used Kate Aspen’s “Cute as a Button” soap favors in a polka dot box in complementary colors to the Tickled Pink theme, but kept everything from looking overly “matchy” with some neutral colored Kate Aspen “Bun in the Oven” candle favors.

If you’re adding in a bolder color, pick one accent color and stick to it. Christina’s baby shower theme uses pinks, purples, and a few neutral colors.  Then, in the center of each table, she added a pop of color with bright pink daisy-topped favor boxes which also draw the eye to the center of the table and up to the balloons, making the decorations feel more three-dimensional.

The right favor presentation can be just as impactful as a traditional centerpiece. By using three different favors, she offers color, texture, variety and symmetry.  But the best part? Her guests get to choose which favor they want to take home with them!

The days of simply setting a table by the door with stacks of boxed favors are gone! From using candle favors to add subtle lighting around the room to picture frame favors used as place card holders, get creative with favors and experiment with how they can enhance your décor.

Summer has so many sweet treats!  But, by far, everyone’s favorite has got to be ice cream.  Always yummy no matter what flavor you choose, it’s the coolest way to relax in the summer—bar none.  From the very first taste, ice cream just has a way of making us happy.

So, why not bring that happiness to another joyous occasion—the birth of your new baby—with an ice cream shower?  Sunny and sweet, it’s perfect for a summertime shower theme.  Super cute babies and super sweet ice cream—they just go together!  Why else do you think you crave it in the middle of the night?!  Satisfy your craving for this dreamy creamy treat with these ice cream baby shower ideas!

Invitations
Set the theme from the very start with a fun ice cream invitation.  Whether you choose a classy parlour theme with old-fashioned, pink stripes and an awning or a modern look with trendy ice cream cones in abstract, your guests are sure to get the message that they’re in a for a treat.

Activities

Counting games are always fun, so why not have them guess the number of jelly bean toppings in a jar?  You can even adapt a familiar favorite and have guests pin the ice cream on the cone!  Create DIY stations where guests can have fun making homemade ice cream, creating their signature milkshake and even enjoying a full sundae bar complete with a seemingly endless supply of toppings and flavors.

Decorations
Incorporating the ice cream theme into your décor is fairly simple.  Use tall sundae bowls as a vase for a simply sweet floral arrangement, and make ice cream cone name tags for everyone to wear.  Clusters of pastel balloons will almost look like scoops of ice cream when scattered throughout the room.

Favors & Gifts
Make sure that all the prizes for your games tie in with the theme, giving guests a chance to win a set of sundae bowls, an ice cream maker or gift certificates for a nearby scoop shop.  You get the idea.  Send the guests home with a little something to remember the day, like this delightful ice cream scoop baby shower favor.  It will continue to serve up the smiles and memories each time they use it.

By the end of the day, they’ll all be screaming for ice cream.  But, if you really want to heighten the experience, have an ice cream company, like Ben & Jerry’s, cater the cream!

Happy Planning!

The weather’s getting cooler, and your  friend has a “bun in the oven?”  Oh snap, do we have a baby shower favor for you!

No color swatches today!  The “Bun in the Oven” baby shower favor is thoughtfully created in gender-neutral colors.  That means this favor blends with any color pallet!

Fresh-baked enchantment with the captivating scent of cinnamon – yum!

• Bun in the Oven” Scented Candle looks and smells like the real thing
• Bun candle, dripping with white “icing,” measures 2″ x 1″
• Candle arrives in clever, pale-yellow stove gift box with knobs, burners and lavender accents
• Gift box with oven mitt-shaped “For You” tag measures 2 ¼” x 2 ¼” x 3″ . Sold in a set of four

Do you have a child’s stove (or know someone who does?)  Make it your centerpiece for the shower!  Leave the oven door open to display the favors inside.

Or, cover a card table with a gingham cloth, set the favors on a real baking sheet or pan and display by the door.  Tuck a cute “Take One Please” note in an oven mitt and set by the pan – adorable!

Make sure that delicious cinnamon fragrance reminds your guests of the cinnamon-spiced coffee you served at the party.  Here’s a delish recipe you might like to try:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup hot espresso or strong coffee
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons caramel-flavored syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon-flavored syrup
• Whipped cream, for garnish
• Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions

In a serving glass or mug, combine the hot espresso, half-and-half, caramel syrup, and cinnamon syrup. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon stick. Serve immediately.

Happy planning!