Creative Baby Shower Gift

I gave a shower recently and I made a diaper cake. It was a great centerpiece and I was able to attach all kinds of great stuff to "decorate" it, not to mention it contained close to 70 diapers! The Mom loved it and everyone raved about it! I'd be happy to coach you in making one or you can get directions on the Internet. There are pics of my diaper cake at www.myspace.com/peek_a_bows. Good luck!

I agree with Melodi on the diaper cake! If you want some examples I can send you pictures of the last one I made - it was awesome! I recommend using larger diapers though - a couple different sizes... that way the mom can keep it on display for a while and have some size four diapers later when she really needs them. Also, for the dad I recommend the Baby Owner's Manual, my husband LOVED it!
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Owners-Manual-Instructions-Tro...

Wow! You got a ton of responses! My best friend just had her shower last weekend, and I wish I had seen all the diaper cake suggestions beforehand! I've never actually seen one, I'll be looking that up! Anyway, from her shower experience and my own, here's my suggestion:

USE THE REGISTRY! She and I both got so many duplicate things! I think we each spent a good week returning things back to various stores because no one would use the registry and take stuff off the list that had already been purchased. Also, it takes time to create a registry, and you choose the things that you really want. I got a lot of similar stuff, but I ended up taking it back and getting the product I had chosen, simply because it suited my needs the best. I know it seems ungrateful, but truly it's just because your so excited about your little one, and you have it in your head the things that you'll use and need.

Also, when I had my first, the hospital I had him at gave me a basket. It had a silver spoon with the hospital name on it, some sparkling cider, a onesie with the hospital name on it etc. Well, in it were some Geneva cookies from Pepperidge Farm. I had never tried them before, but they were delicious (of course, if you know her favorite they would be best) Anyway, I kept the basket by my bed and I snacked on one when I was too tired to get up. Now, whenever I see those cookies I'm transported back to my first days as a mommy. It could be any treat though, each person is different.

Lastly, the ideas on here about getting things in the bigger sizes is right on! I know I had a serious shortage of 6-9 month clothing. Keep in mind the season it will be when the baby will wear the clothes, so that you can buy accordingly. Also getting diapers in larger sizes is a good idea, but I got coupons from one guest for free diapers so that when I ran out of them I could buy the size I needed. I think you can purchase these gift certificate from Huggies online. Oh, and one last thing(sorry) is my husband was thrilled that someone bought me a diaper bag that wasn't too girly that he could carry around, he also adored the Snugli we got and COULD NOT wait to put the baby in it. I hope you enjoy the shower! I'm sure she'll love what you get her!

I like to wrap my gifts in a sheet or blanket that they have on their list, using baby pins to keep it together, then use a rattle or toy of some sort in place of a ribbon...my aunt used to do this, it was really cute. I like the basket idea too...using a basket that they can use later for the baby...

I like the idea of every guest bringing a book for the baby with their gift. Its a great way to start a library for the little one. They can even write a little message to the baby in it. The is a web site www.cutest-baby-shower-ideas.com that shows you how to make wash cloth lollipops and sock rose bouquets. Good luck and have fun.

Hi J., the moms have given you some SUPER cute ideas. I own an online children's boutique and we offer a lot of products that are personalized with custom embroidery (names with bling, monograms, designs etc...) If you like one of the ideas that the other moms' came up with such as the diaper cake, you can always take it to the next level and I can do the personalization on onesies, blankets, towels etc... Or you can check out some of the gift sets we offer. We accept custom orders, so if you like our products we can talk on the phone or via email and come up with something super creative and unique to this particular mom.

Here are some gifts we have done for other clients: I made a friend an adorable swarovski crystal bracelet in the tinest size for a newborn baby. We included a nice poem and the mom had her baby wear the bracelet home from the hospital. The newborn wore the bracelet for 3 months. They are so tiny and immobile that they can't pull it off at that age! We did a baby bath tub from the mom's registry filled with bath supplies and one of our hooded towels with the childs name embroidered on it, infant princess items (bling onesie, teeny tiny tutu for a newborn, and a headband with bow for a newborn) and we put it all in a silver bucket with a set of princess magnets that the child can use when they get older on the outside of the bucket and wrap it clear cellophane with a giant bow on top. We also did this bucket with our princess theme burps, bibs, etc instead of the outfit.

I have a ton of other ideas. If you want, send me an email at ____@____.com and we can chat some more. Also our phone number is on our website and you can give me a call.

www.threepurplepigs.com

Wow, you've got a lot of responses and I have not read them so I'm not sure if this has come up already...

At my shower I was thrilled to receive a gift with both a new maternity top for my self as well as cute onsies for my baby.

Hi J.,
I once matched the book, "Baby-gami: Baby wrapping for Beginners" by Andrea Sarvady, with a set of swaddling blankets.

The book is full of cute photos of clever ways to swaddle and sling infants (along with a basic lesson on why swaddling is so important); as well as simple instructions for making home-made swaddling blankets.

(I *think* it went over well - ha, ha!)
T

Hello!

From a creative point of view, when our daugher was due, I received one of those diaper cakes mentioned before. They had made it 3-tiered and wrapped the layers in receiving blankets, so we did not see the diapers initially. They had tied the blankets down with gift-ribbon and tied all sorts of little things to it as well, i.e. rattles, socks, pacifiers, you name it. It was beautiful!
I also got a "basket of useful stuff" and really appreciated it as well. There were wipes, petroleum jelly, shampoo, hats, bottles - it was great. I am still using the laundry basket it all came in, so while maybe not as creative, very welcome! I guess you could focus on a theme for such a basket, and get creative that way.

Hope this helps!
D.

I have done a bath theme- buying the bath tub, filling it lotions, washes, wash clothes, hooded towels, "mommy" items, etc.
Then just wrap it all up with a cellophane wrap and bow. =-)

Hi J.
A really cute gift that was given to me was a diaper cake. I know it sounds funny, but it is soooo cute), a couple of new baby blankets, toys, a baby bottle filled with candy or anything really, rubber bands, and a cake plate and baby safety pins. Center the bottle in the middle of the cake plate, attach rubber band. Roll a diper and place inside of the rubber band. Contiue this pattern with diapers until you have concentric circles of diapers. And layer another set of daipers on top of that as to mimic a layered cake. Wrap each layer with a baby blanket, secure with a baby pin. Decorate the cake with baby things like toys, pacifiers, ect. Top with a cute stuffed animal or flowers. You can also do a search on the web for daiper cakes. They explain it much better than I did. Good luck!

One of my friends gave me a cute "postpartum package" gift - It had:

Nursing pads
Lanolin nursing ointment
Chux pads
Etc. - stuff that moms will need for postpartum

From my experience, the worst thing to get moms is (1) clothing, and (2) lots of plastic stuff (containers). Moms generally get WAY too much clothing, and it's usually outgrown before it can be used, and the plastic is generally overkill. Here are the gifts I loved best:

- Children's quality books, no cartoon characters! (good books are expensive!)
- Boppy
- Target cards
- Diapers
- Nursing supplies (disposable pads and lanolin)
- Meals (I've considered giving future meals as a gift - maybe 2 meals a month for three months or something like that!)
- Postpartum help (with housecleaning, childcare, errand-running, etc.)

Hope that helps!

One thing I have done is create a scrapbook for the mom for the first year of the baby's life. It's not very long, an intro page, a page for the birth, trip home, a page for the mom and one for the dad, one for pictures of the baby, for milestones, one for each month and then the birthday paprty. The last page has 2 envelopes on it, one for a letter from mom and one from dad. All the mom has to do it add the pictures and write in a few deatils. All places for pictures are matted and ready to go. I then supply the acid free pen and adhesive for the pictures and some simple instructions. it's been a great hit and a great way to remember that first year when so many milestones are hit.

i seen someone said to look for a diaper cake but i say make it! my mom made me one for my shower. the first teer she rolled new born diapers, second with size one and the third with size 2 diapers. she put them on round cardboard things for actual cakes and put a stick through the middle to hold it all together. then get recieving blankets, fold them and wrap them around the teers. then she put some little onezies around wraped up and the little travel pack of shampoo and etc. and top it off with a stuff animal. can you send me your email, i'll send you a picture of my cake. i thought it was the coolest thing. i dont know how well or close to her you are but its neat and better than buyin something

A.
ps. my email is ____@____.com

I am always trying to come up with cute babyshower gift ideas. I used to do the diaper cake thing, but then everyone started doing it. For my last shower, someone gave me a hanging file folder box. In it were file folders marked with information throughout the child's life. For example, baby care information, documents and certificates, health records, age 0-3, age 3-5, kindergarten through 12 grade (one file for each grade), talents, sports, portraits, church, cards and letters, scouts, and misc. I LOVE this gift. I use it all of the time. In fact, I have made one for each of my children. It is one of the most creative and USEFUL gifts I have ever received.

I always gie the same gift at al baby showers. well except for my two grandsons i gave them the entire bedroom set. what i do is find a bathtub and i fill it with all kinds of small things. ishop at the dollar store a lot.so i can get a bunch of stuff for cheap and it is so fun opening every single little thing. like baby shampoo. diapers, cute outfits form the dollar store, booties,socks, towels, books, stuffed animals and i always include stuff for the mom like bath stuff lotions nail polish, teas, and stuff for the dad like recieving blankets and onesies and cookies and slippers for mom and dad. also put in moist towlettes and tubs of santiizing towles for dad to use on the car. i wrap each thing individually so they have fun opening it when they get home. when the baby is born i always bring a frozen meal with me when i go see the baby. i dont go to the hospital because i am a nurse and i know what a nuisance visitors are so i wait until they get home and settled . i remember when i had my last baby, a friend brought two chicken pot pies and a tray of lasagne and that was the best gift ever. you can also include house cleaning cuponsif you are close with the mommy and she would allow you to come clean for her one day. dollar store has some really cute outfits for like 3 to 5 dollars

J.,

Seems like you already recieved a lot of advice. When I had my last babyshower. Someone bought me the daiper bag I wanted and filled it with things off the registry. I also did the same thing for someone elses baby shower and they LOVED it. I also made a point NOT to put shampoos and lotions, becuase everyone ALWAYS brings them. I put the washcloths that already have soap in them and the little things you need like cloth diapers, cliper, temperture stick and other ideams that you think she will need. I wouldn't buy and clothes or blankets becuase someone else WILL buy them or they are easy to get. I would also put stuff in the diaper bag that YOU think she is going to need verses what she put on the registry because she is a first time mom and probably has no idea what she is REALLY going to need.

Another idea is...If you have another friend that had a baby recently ask her what she thought she needed the most and what she used the most from her baby shower. Getting ideas from mothers who just ha babies is probably the best way to go. My daughter is 14 months and there are already better products out there from when I had her that I wish I could have tried.

My 2 cents....Baby showers are supposed to be celebrating new life, but people get carried away with the glam instead of really helping the family with buying things they REALLY need. I remember getting clothes that were like 2t at my baby shower and like 4 pairs of shoes that were too small for my children to wear when they were born. Sorry to get off subject.
I hope this helps!!

N. M. -mother of ne 3 year boy and 14 month old girl.

Hi J.,
If you look under the business listing, you will find my information -- Moments In Time Creations. I specialize in baby gifts and shower favors, like diaper cakes and baby sock rose corsages. (Just in case you are interested and not feeling crafty!!)

Otherwise, making a simple diaper cake isn't too hard, and it's a great way to give a practical gift creatively. You can find lots of instructions online. Another gift I did for a friend, was a "Survival Kit". I got a pretty cosmetic bag and put in all the things you might need in the middle of the night, but will never have on hand - baby tylenol, gas drops, a GOOD (fast!) rectal thermometer, medicine dosing nipple, nail clippers, etc -- all the things I found really useful that don't always come in a "readymade" kit. Good luck, and feel free to contact me if you are interested in anything I have to offer!

H.

My favorite gift to give is a basket with stuff off the registry, but here is the secret. Take a super cute outfit (or two)and stuff it with tissue paper, so it can sit up in the basket and it makes it look like a little doll in the basket. (Someone did this at my baby shower....Sooo Cute!)

The other super fun thing that I have seen is a clothes line (the one I saw was about 10 feet) with tons of outfits, socks, and bibs attached to it. So, when the mom pulls out one side she passes it to her guest and by the end you have all the guest holding up this adorable line of baby clothes. The only problem with this is that I have been to parties where they did just this for decorations. So, you might want to check with host first.

Good Luck!

Hi J. N,

You could make a diaper cake (the possibilities are endless!) or a bouquet made out of onesies, washcloths, socks, etc. all rolled into the shape of roses. Wrap the bouquet in a baby blanket like you would a bunch of flowers. If it's a couples shower and the dad is going to be present, make him a "daddy's tools of the trade" utility belt filled with diapers, wipes, goggles, tongs, clothespin, safety pins, rattle, etc.

I went to a shower where the gift was a laundry basket (nice one) with a laundry line and when you pulled the line out the gifts of baby clothes were hanging on the line - it was great. Everyone loved it. You place tissue paper on the bottom and then on the top after you have put the clothes on the clothes line in the basket. And all sorts of things can go one, blanket, linens, washclothes, onsies, outfits. It was so fun to see the 'next' item.

I don't know if this totally applies but one of my favorite gifts I received was a pajama-gram. Not exactly about putting a gift together, but it is a great gift to send!
good luck!

I always put together an "Everything You Need in the Middle of the Night" Basket. In it is few newborn diapers, diaper rash cream, Q-Tips, small travel size kleenix, nasal syringe,nail clippers, small flashlight-a must!, bra pads,small changeing pad & burp cloth.
Wrap it in celophane like an Easter Basket.
Make sure the basket has a handle on it so the new mom can reach it easily and keep it next to the bed with out ever getting out of bed!
Have Fun

the last baby shower had the cutest idea.... little plain white onesies from newborn to 24 months were provided to all guests with fabric markers...... each guest designed their own onesie for the new baby & then there was a contest for the cutest one...... every single guest LOVED this very much

also... you can make an altered paint can (http://www.craftcritique.com/2007/05/altered-paint-cans.html) and load it with little baby basics... or make one for mom with pampering gifts for her ... the can could later be a cute decoration and used again

What I found helpful was larger size diapers and clothes. You always get so much of the little sized stuff. I was grateful for the size 3 diapers and the 6 month sized clothes. It was less that I had to go out and buy for myself. For my baby shower, my SIL assigned everyone a different sized diaper to bring. That way, I didn't have too many in any size. It was great! I didn't have to buy diapers until I got to size three. Then if we outgrew a size, I had a new pack right there waiting.

Not sure what kind of gift you are looking for, but you can check out www.easybabymemories.com. They sell calendars for baby's 1st and 2nd years, with stickers and plenty of room to mark down all of those precious baby firsts. Good for someone looking for an easy way to preserve those memories, or for someone hoping to make a baby book/scrapbook later, but doesn't have time right now. Really cute idea!

Hi J.,
Great ideas! I always like giving & receiving creative gifts. It means so much when someone puts thought into it.

I put together a basket with something for baby and family.
Onesies, lotion, powder, sparkling cider, Gold Canyon (baby powder candle) Tylenol for mom and baby. If she is nursing, a tea that I enjoyed drinking called (Mothers milk), nursing pads (can never have enough), a bottle or baby bliss(for fussy baby's). Just personalize according to family.
Also, if you are interested in the Baby Powder candle visit my ____@____.com/tonibarreras
Gold Canyon has a new candle called Baby Magic.
Good Luck!

My favorite baby shower gifts come from lacyandwilliam.com THey are one of a kind hand made items that are beautiful. If you call, there are always many more items available than are listed on the website. They will ship anywhere and it is always a great hit and a fun treat for a new mom. Items can be personalized too! Good luck, K.

I got the coolest thing for my baby shower. It was a diaper cake. It was made up of 100 newborn diapers, in 3 layers, stacked to look like a cake. Around the outside there were little baby things tied on with colorful ribbon... a bottle, a pacifier, a cute onsie, some diaper cream, etc. If you want, you can e-mail me at ____@____.com and I will send you a picture of it. It was so awesome!

Do two baskets..one for the baby with a different array of stuff needed.( lotion, wash, desitin, tylenol, boogie wipes(a life saver compared to tissues they are found at babies r us)..stuff for cradle cap(its very common depending on where you live)..a teether toy...etc.)Maybe even a homemade blanket with the baby's name on it.(if they picked one out.) I got one at my shower and it was so hard not to cry.That was one of the best gifts I got. The other one do for the mom. I had extremely dry itchy skin and the only thing that helped was a butterball bath bomb from LUSH. They have all natural and organic materials. Go online to Lush.com if you do not have a store near you. They have stuff to help relax you, bubble bars , but definitely the butterball bath bomb helped more than my cocoa butter lotion or anything else. I would have loved a basket full of that stuff. (Or if you have a store similar to Lush)

Hi J.,

I've seen the "Diaper Cake" at many baby showers. Its very cute and the new mommy has always liked it! Have fun at the baby shower!

I.

You can try this website, you don't have to buy from them, you can use the ideas to make your own gifts.
http://www.findgift.com/Occasions/Baby-Shower/

Homemade gifts/blankets are always welcome. I saw one person who just took a pair of cloth diapers and sewed material on it to make burp cloths. The mother loves them.

Hand made burp cloths are nice if you know how to sew. I don't think you can ever have too many of them. Or flannel blankets - they are so easy. My husbands ex-girlfriend made us several flannel blankets and used the special edging on her machine to make a wave stitch. They are so soft, it was one of my favorite gifts despite the fact that his ex gave it to us. I have also done flannel blankets and used the stitch that makes like an embroidery stitch (nothing fancy didn't even know it was on my machine) and wrote with fabric markers (that disappears) the babies name, stitched over it and then washed so you don't see the purple marker. And another friend liked it so much, she asked me to
make it for her. She wanted stuffing in it though, and that doesn't work as nice, just the plain flannel sewn together is best.

There are tons of websites that have really neat ideas.

Oh, I just read Carrie R.'s response, someone did this for me, only they blew up a balloon and they drew a face on it, used a baby hooded towel, and made it look like a real baby and I had to take my pictures with it, it was so cute.
Best to you,
K.

Hi J.,

If you look under the business directory for mamasource you will find my company, J.'s Basketique, LLC. I make customized gift baskets for any theme and I actually do A LOT of baby gift baskets. They are nice because not only are there items for the baby in the basket, but you can also put items that are memorable, such as a baby time capsule for example, or for the mom since having a baby can be stressful, especially for a first-time mom. My gift baskets are made specifically for the person you are giving it to. If you think you would be interested in a gift basket for a gift, feel free to email me at ____@____.com and I would be happy to send you some pictures of some baskets I have done before. You can also call me at ###-###-####.

A friend of mine received a menu...Yes, a menu. She could choose from several things on the menu and then the woman who gave it to her would cook it and deliver it whenever they wanted. I thought that was a great idea--especially for first time parents who are preoccupied with other things to even think about eating.

It was also presented in a very cute way. (i.e. fancy paper etc.)

I love the idea of the diaper cakes. I have seen them done several different ways. Google it if you have never seen them before.

I create diaper cakes. I am available at my business number
###-###-#### Affairs with Flair. I create beautiful baskets in many creative ways.

After reading all the comments and thinking back to my own baby shower (he's now 6 yrs old!) two things stand out in my mind. 1st, a friend got a diaper bag and filled it with baby necessities. I remember she got the Target brand baby shampoo and at first I was miffed because I only wanted Johnson & Johnson's (Baby Magic give me a headache) but to my surprise, I really like Target's baby shampoo (I'm still using it on him in fact!)

And two, I got a lot of blankets. Cute ones, quilts, hand embroidered around the edges (aunt & grandma), all that. But the one I used the most and was (is) my son's favorite is a PLAIN blue gingham flanned blanket. It is simply two large piceces (about 3-4 ft square?) of flannel sewn together with a simple hem. No lumps, no lace, no edges to pull on and tear, just the right size for an almost-mobile baby to lay & roll on, and then for a 3-4-5-6 year old boy to clip around his shoulders and play pretend in, then tuck over them if they're asleep.

I like the menu idea.

And for moms with older kids, please give them an outfit or something for the older kid too. Baby stuff can't be passed up, but older kid (who is aware of gifts) appreciates them then younger one grows into it. Give the gift of time - playdates for the older ones, or for ANY mom, meals, a day of laundry & folding, etc. Fit it to what you know of her personality.

I dont know how creative this is...but I always give a big hamper basket, use a baby blanket as the lining (like a gift bag) & stuff it with the essentials, diapers, wipes, lotions, wash, you can NEVER have enough of that stuff & they will us ehte hamper & blanket all the time...

good luck!

A diaper cake - my step mom made me one for my first child and everyone loved it. It was so cute. You take a pakage of diapersa & roll each one place them side by side in a circle. If you go on the internet I'm sure you can find pic's. Just one idea!!

Hi J.
here is one you probably already know about but my step father did this for my sister and i thought it was so creative you get a couple packages of diapers 1$ open the package and roll each one standing them up the object here is to make a 3 tier cake you need cardboard cut into 3 circles each one being a little smaller then the last put tissue paper in the middle to fill unless you have the funds to use all diapers (boy didnt think it would be this hard to explain i hope you can visulize this) after you have your first teir bound them together with ribbon then place your second piece of cardboard on top and place diapers all on the surface rolling each one and standing them up. after all tiers are put together top with a small teddy bear or big bow and you can shove little things in all around like pacifiers and rattles or flowers anything you can go crazy very cute and makes quite a presentation. Have fun!

Diaper cakes are so cute and they can be used as a decoration at the shower too! Plus, it's a practical gift but you can include all sorts of cute toys, blankets, binkies, etc. to make it fun! You can google how to make them yourself or you can buy them online or through craigslist.

A diaper cake. I have seen so many CUTE ones. Check online.

I did this for my sister. I bought a laundry basket, dreft (baby detergent), spray wash, baby oxiclean, and bunch of baby clothes. I tied on a clothes line the dreft placed it in the basket then I clothespinned all the outfits. She opened it by pulling on the line and get a new outfit each time she pulled alittle more out of the basket.

Of how about gifts for the mommy instead of the baby. A little postpartum pick me ups. Slippers, chocolate, coupons for babysitting, giftcard for a pedicure. You get the idea.

I got a laundry basket with detergent, pretreater, etc. and a clothes line with clothes clipped on to it. Cute and practical

Hi J.,
I am so glad that you asked, Have you ever heard of Arbonne?
They have an amazing baby line.
It is called ABC (Arbonne Baby Care) There is a great package for new moms.
I will be happy to share my discount with you!! Us moms have to stick together :)

If you are at all interested, please contact me,
T. Bartell
www.tesabartell.myarbonne.com

J.,
Do you know what she is having? When I was pregnant with my first, a friend of mine (and we didn't know what we were having) had found a baby doll cradle and filled it with lots of baby things that I had needed, I thought it was really cute instead of a basket or baby tub to fill. Or how about not only something for the baby but something for the mom too, maybe a nice pair of slippers or something for the hospital?

I used to have a personalized children's book business. They have perosnlized baby books that record the date of birth, the weight, length, Dr.'s name, etc.

I know of a couple of people in AZ who still do this business. There are a couple of different books. One is personalized with stickers. You get the book and a form (to fill out once the baby is born). This book is perfect for baby showers because you can give the mom the book and the form, once the baby is born, she can fill it out and mail it the the provider and the provider will then send the sticker sheet to the mom who then places the stickers in the book (it tells you which page to put it on and where). It's called The World's Most Precious Baby.

The other books have to be printed and have to wait until the baby is born. You can give the mom the order form and then once the baby is born she can send in the info so that the provider can print the book.

They are very cute books. I gave them a lot as gifts and I made them for when my kids were born too.

The two providers I know in AZ are: ____@____.com, her name is Nikki and she's in Tucson. (I haven't been in contact with her for a while.) I couldn't find her Web site, sorry.

http://www.booksfromthehearth.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat..., her name is Dawn, I think, and she's in Flagstaff. The books are around $15.00. If you click on the link it shows the baby books.

Good luck and have fun!!!!

C.

SaraBear diaper caddy's are very cool. You can get them for $29 on Target.com. You could fill it with all the diaper changing neccessites, lotion, a toy. I would have loved to recieve one.

Something I recieved that I appreciated was a travel bag with things I could use at the hospital...
lotion
chap stick
shampoo/conditioner
aroma therapy candle (for the delivery room)
wash rag
cozy socks
hair ties
hair brush
Just odds and ends. It was a great gift and I was so glad I got it.

One more thing. A dear friend of mine does beautiful embroidery and she makes baby gifts. She could but a design (car, butterfly..) on a bib with the babies name and a matching onsie. Just an idea. If you would like her website info let me know.

You might want to check out this web site http://www.i-just-a-baby.com. She has hand made blankets and baby braclets. I think it's always great to get personal gifts as opposed to what you can buy at the store (other than diapers and books). You can also make something for the new Dad. My husband and I recently made a diaper tool belt for my nieces husband. It was a hit! We purchased a tool belt from Home Depot and filled it with diapers, wipes, nose plug, goggles, gloves, ear plugs and diaper rash ointment. We even purchased a retractable badge holder (from Staples) and attached a pacifier to the tool belt. It was a great way of making my nieces husband feel included. I'm sure you can also find ideas for the tool belt on the web.

Check out www.kiddiecomforts.com

One shower I attended I saw a gift made from bby washcloths and towels. The washcloths and towels were folded together to create a sort of castle or tower. Inside the folds of the cloths, she stuck in little gifts like powder, soap, toys. The whole structure was sitting in a basket, then a big ribbon on the top. We knew the baby was a girl, so the cloths were all pink. It really was very creative.

Hi J.~

I love baby showers because I get to make a diaper cake. They are so much simpler than they look. I started making them after I looked at a few examples and I always thought mine were cuter :-) I go off the gift registry and get things that "mommy" needs and I always get tons of compliments. Buy 2 different size diapers (newborns for top layer and size one for bottom) and roll them (you can either tape them but I found rubberbands work better)...then put the other items on the cake in a creative way. Then you tie ribbon around each layer with a bow (that also hides the rubberbands). They are too pretty to use.

Have fun!
M.

Hi J.,
What I have been doing is finding wipes, shampoos, baby wash, powder, diaper rash cream, etc at the grocery stores when they are 10/$10. Then Ross usually has decent priced outfits, socks, etc. I then wrap everything individually in different colored tissue paper and arrange it in a basket (one that could be used to decorate the room afterwards, or a laundry basket of some sort, Ross usually has good inexpensive ones). The mom to be seems to always enjoy opening up all the different items. And one can never have too much baby powder, baby wash, etc. I always end up getting more than I originally planned, so make sure you get the basket after your done shopping, so you know what size to get.
But most of all, have fun!!!!!
Good luck & congrats to the 1st time mom!!!!

Hi J.- My best friend just had her first baby so I thought of a diaper cake. I looked on the internet and found lots of ideas on cakes that cost a fortune. I took the theme of her babies room and then did a cake around the theme. I used really soft plush blankets to wrap the diapers and elegant ribbon, and I stuffed it full of everything from combs and brushes to sun glasses and booties. It was really precious. Pottery Barn kids has some really beautiful embroidered blankets you could wrap around the bottom layer. You can also make baby and mommy bracelets. That is a really cute idea for a girl baby. I make both the diaper cakes and bracelets, so let me know if you want to buy one, or I would be happy to give you info on how to make them. Good luck.

Two ideas:

A diaper cake. You roll diapers up and tie them together with string so they're in a circle shape. You can do two or three layers, put them on a cardboard cut-out circle, tuck flowers around it, tuck little gifts into it. It turns out pretty neat. Just roll the diapers tightly, and tie them up throughout the process--maybe ten diapers tied, then put more around them and tie them, then the last layer and tie it.

Also, if you're doing outfits, attach them to a string like they're on a clothesline, so when she pulls the string out of the gift bag, she can hold it up and everyone can see the little socks and hat, etc. I saw this at a shower and it was very cute.

Since it's a first baby it would be ideal if you give her a "care package" type of gift. I've seen where they use a baby bathtub and fill it with so many things that are needed for a first-time mom like diapers, bottles, safety pins, tylenol for babies, bibs, baby rattles, teethers, etc. Put a pretty bow after the tub is wrapped with clear wrapping paper. My daughter graduated from high school this past May and my sister-in-law gave her a care package in a laundry basket for her dorm at the U of A and it was great!!!

Good Luck!!