The Coochy Coochy Coo Baby Powder Scented Candle comes in blue or pink, so it’s perfect for decorating a baby shower. Alternate pink and blue candles on elegant white tablecloths if you don’t know if mama’s having a boy or a girl. Since the candles imply tickling baby’s feet, use baby feet shaped accessories to complete the shower décor. It might be fun to have a foot shaped cake as well, with the words “Coochy Coochy Coo-Congratulations to You!” scrawled across it.

After the shower is over and the baby is born, the candles will come in handy in the change room or around the house to keep dirty diaper or spit-up smells at bay. They look adorable as well for $10 (on sale down from $19!) at flyingpeas.com. It doesn’t indicate whether the candle wax is easily removed once it’s completely burned down, but if it is, it’ll make a great storage container for baby’s room or change table.

While surfing the Internet today, I came across something I’d never heard of before - a Diaper Wreath. Of course, I know about diaper cakes, but a diaper wreath? This was something I had to see. I soon discovered that there are many crafters selling diaper wreaths, as baby shower items, gifts, and as a way to announce a new arrival. They vary wildly in price, from an elaborate one like the Lion Safari Double Wreath (above) by “Nancy” for $95, to some that are a bit more reasonable, like one on MyKidsCloset.com selling for $35. You get what you pay for, however, as the Lion Safari Wreath not only includes 45 Pampers Swaddlers diapers but also a Carter’s bib, socks, teethers, onesie, medicine dropper, aspirator…the list goes on and on. Basically it contains everything new parents will need when they bring that little bundle of joy home from the hospital. The smaller one that is $35 contains some of the same items, just not in the same quantity. I think this is a wonderful idea for a baby shower gift or a gift for new parents. Not only is it functional, it’s also very attractive!

When I saw the Lime Tummy Love Baby Shower Invitations, I thought they were the perfect beginning to a Valentine’s Day themed baby shower. The colors are vibrant and the design is flawless. I like the pregnant silhouette against the lime background. For $31.25, 25 of these babies could be mine.

It was created for www.tinyprints.com by Petite Alma. However, beyond a several tiered cake with hearts on it, red and white satin (or something similar) tablecloths, and perhaps little heart shaped candies in glass bowls, I am worried about creating the perfect party without going overboard and ending up with a tacky party everyone will scoff at.

I would ask for advice and creativity from the Upscale Baby friends and readers. What would you do? Based on your location, where would you hold a Valentine’s baby shower? Leave a note; I’d love to hear your ideas.

 
Pick Three: Winter Wonderland Theme
 
Not only can vegans have their cake and eat it too, but they can have a fantastic themed baby shower as well. A Winter Wonderland decorated in icy blues and chilly whites, all topped with sparkle—what could be prettier? Top the tables with white and blue tablecloths, buy sparkly snowflake decorations (easy to find at dollar stores in the Christmas department), get an ice sculpture of a baby, have white chairs, and play snowy games (teams wrap one member in toilet paper and top her with hats and scarves and mom-to-be votes for the best snow man. If baby is known to be a girl, buy only pink accessories for the “snow men.”) Put your gift to the mom-to-be in a white basket and wrap it with snowflake cellophane; tie a blue bow with a snowflake hanging from it. For party favors, why not fill sparkly white bags with chapstick, marshmallows (snow man poop), and pretty scarves? Be sure to have a cake table decorated with sparkles and snow flakes because the piece-de-resistance will be the cupcakes.
 
Etsy store thecupcakemint is dedicated to making yummy cupcakes using only vegan ingredients. To go with the Winter Wonderland theme, the Let It Snow Double Mint Winter Snowflake Fondant Vegan Cupcakes are the perfect finishing touch to a winter themed vegan party. Though 2 cupcakes are $8.50, you could fill in the blanks with plain cupcakes (if there are 16 people coming, buy 8 snowflake cupcakes for the party and use plain cupcakes for the other 8, for example.) Simply gorgeous and made to wow with mint cake and homemade mint fondant, they’ll complete the party.
 
 

Here is my second pick: Why Not a Beach Party?

Beg, borrow, or steal (okay, maybe not that last one) a few beach umbrellas and head the beach party.  Make sure you instruct all your guests to bring a beach blanket, but provide a cooler full of drinks, a lawn chair for the mama-to-be, and appropriate party foods (sandwiches, cookies, popsicles in either blue or pink).

In case the pregnant mama doesn’t feel comfortable lounging in a fold-up chair (I know I didn’t), provide a gorgeous Hawaiian flower print 70 inch Red Velour Towel (or blue, if she’s having a boy) from www.sunfitters.com for $18.95. Grab a few others for everyone else for a really festive look. Pick up very inexpensive necklaces from Sunfitters as well (I spotted some bamboo and glass flower chokers for $2.75) for party favors. You can even set up the presents inside the backs of large toy dump trucks borrowed from friends’ sons’ sandboxes.

Why not fill a beach tote with your presents for the party mommy? You could throw in swim diapers (either cloth or disposable) in the size her baby will be for beach season, baby sunscreen, and a beachy change pad along with whatever else you were planning to give her. It’ll be a bright and colorful party no one will forget.

First Pick on the Top Five List: Dylan’s Candy Bar.

I spotted these delectable (and attractive) treats while perusing In Style Magazine. The Dylan’s Candy Bar Paint Cans are nothing short of perfect for decorations. Not only do they provide munchies for guests, yummy Assorted Sour Belts no less, but they can be given to the mom-to-be after the party and they’re pretty. Mom-to-be can store all kinds of baby items in them; pacifiers diaper pins, barrettes—anything her heart desires. Decorate the hall in a confectionary theme with pastel colors and make a congratulations banner using the shapes on the front of the candy can. Have fun making up games like “Pin the Ice Cream on the Cone” or “Pop the Top on the Sucker.”

Though I love the look of the paint cans (and the usability of them), there’s no need to stop at paint cans either. You can find candies to suit any taste. There are gift baskets that are baby themed for mom-to-be or baskets that will make wonderful door prizes for everyone else, candy themed sleepers for baby, bracelets with “I love candy” on them for shower attendee gifts, and oodles of other mouth-watering options. There’s a Sweet Holiday sale going on right now, so you can save big but look like a big spender.

The Paint Cans are $14.00 and are filled to the brim with apple, strawberry, strawberry-banana and watermelon flavors. You can get them, and plan your next unique and delicious baby shower at DylansCandyBar.com.

You can personalize these Circles of Sentiments Necklaces with either your child’s name or a favorite saying or verse to make this a truly treasured heirloom. All the letters are handstamed for the embossed look. The discs come in three different sizes and you have your choice of copper or sterling silver. The chain is also available in sterling silver and comes in 16 or 18 inch length.

This would make a beautiful and thoughtful gift for a mom-to-be. Given as a baby shower gift, she can wear her baby’s name while she awaits his/her arrival. Most parents have already chosen the baby’s name early on so you can have the necklace personalized in time for the shower.

Visit BarefootBella.net. The cost of the necklace, including personalization,is $45. Count on at least five days for creating your personalize gift plus shipping days, so plan ahead if you will be giving this as a gift.

Give these Biofino Petit Fours by Haba, in addition to a lovely tea set, and your daughter will have even more fun playing hostess to her guests. They’re so realistic looking you might be tempted to try one. But they’re fun to look at and will add fun to your child’s pretend tea time.

You might come up with a few uses for these Biofino Petit Fours yourself: part of the table decorations at a baby shower or as shower favors. They’re so lovely that anyone would be delighted to take one home.

The box of 9 petit fours measures 6 x 6 x 1.25 inches. These are recommended for ages 3 years and up. They cost $15.99 for a set of 9 pieces at KangarooBoo.

This Child-Rearing Roulette Parental Pointers Gift Set would make a fun gift for new parents. The way it works is simple: when it’s time for baby to be changed, or fed, or bathed, etc., parents won’t have to argue over who did what last - just spin the “Wheel of Responsibility” and end the discussion.

Most likely, both parents are totally involved in raising baby, but some days can be pretty tough whether you’re the one at home all day with baby or the one coming home after a long day at the office. Without meaning to, tensions can run a little high when we’re tired and strained. Something like this Parental Pointer game can ease some of the stress and add a little fun to the necessary routines. The less stressed and more relaxed mom and dad are, the better for baby. So take a time out when you both need it and “don’t sweat the small stuff.”

The Parental Pointers Gift Set includes a book on safe handling tips. Purchase one for $25.00 at UncommonGoods.

Here’s a twist on the usual diaper cakes - Individual Towel Cakes by Beau-coup. You can use these as individual party favors, table decorations, or as a beautiful table display for the Mother’s Table, or the cake or gifts table. There are a number of delicious varieties to choose from: Cherry Mousse, Sweet Vanilla, Chocolate, Cherry Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Lemon Cheesecake, and Strawberry Cheesecake (pictured). They’re all so beautifully put together and wrapped you’ll have a hard time remembering they’re towels. What a fun and unusual touch for any shower.

There’s a minimum order of 6 at $5.00 each (you can mix and match). So, depending on your shower budget you might want to order enough as prizes or just enough to decorate a special table. It would even be fun to display these tasty items on a desert cart just for fun.

Each costs $5.00 (minimum order 6 pieces) at Beau-coup.com.

If I was putting together a baby shower, I might use this beautiful Rocking Horse Baby Gift Set by TakeAStroll.com as the centerpiece for the Mother’s Table. The guests tables could compliment the theme with stuffed bears and horses or even a moon and stars centerpiece theme. I

t’s a very luxurious gift for Mother and Baby that can be the focal point for the entire shower. Plus, it comes bearing gifts that baby needs: a knitted shawl blanket, a terry velour burp cloth, a terry washcloth, booties, and a cuddly teddy bear. The rocking horse will make a charming display in the nursery and is sure to become a keepsake.

Color schemes include blue, green and pink.

You can purchase this gift set for $110.95 at TakeAStroll.com.

Of course these would make a lovely gift for a baby shower but I was just thinking that if you have the task of arranging the shower, these little gift bags would make a charming display on Mother’s table. You can even use the “nap” theme as the theme for the whole shower: soothing lavender creams and scents party favors, etc.

The last shower I helped with decorating I put together my own diaper cakes as centerpieces. And I had fun making them and you can also purchase many beautiful styles online, but these My First Nap gift bags would really be different.

They’re also available to be monogrammed which would make them even more special. Each gift bag contains a classic microfleece blanket, a picture frame, a chamois stuffed critter toy and a chamoise critter rattle. Price: $59.00 at potterybarnkids.com.