Baby Shower Decorations

Slow your horses. No babies for us just yet. I wanted to share some photos from my childhood friend Lindsay's baby shower. Lindsay and her husband Allen welcomed a happy and healthy little girl named Hanna Louise into the world this morning.

I'm no Dawn Gahan (see some amazing wedding shower, baby shower and rehearsal dinner decor by the talented Dawn here, here and here), but I tried my best! Luckily I was one of several gals hosting Lindsay's shower/brunch — so our powers combined created a personalized, dainty and fun baby shower.

Lindsay's sister Charlene asked if I would coordinate decorations. She already planned to bring a clothes line (and tiny pink clothes to pin to it). Another cohostess volunteered to make a yellow gingham table runner for the food table (Lindsay decorated the baby's room in pale yellow, light pink and light green).

So I started brainstorming, considering the following:

• The baby's room color scheme, especially since it would play into the shower colors as well
• I would be driving the decorations three hours south, from Atlanta to Eufaula, Alabama
• A budget of about $40 to $50

White flowers seemed to be the logical choice. I spray painted vases green and pink to complement the yellow gingham table runner. (Note: I'm bummed I couldn't find a lighter green paint.)

The flowers. Photo taken at my office (I left straight from work for Alabama).

Since Lindsay and her husband were such cute babies — and this baby was their first — I thought it would be cute to frame several baby pictures of each of them. I also wrote a little poem that begged the question, "Who will baby Stanton look like?" I like the different shapes and textures created by the hodgepodge of vases and frames. (Frames and vases were all picked up at Goodwill.)

Wasn't Lindsay the cutest little girl? (Click for full-size image)

My attempt at baby poetry.

To keep the costs fair, we six hostesses each brought a food item or two.

Mmmm blueberry coffee cake, breakfast casseroles, fruit,

spinach and artichoke dip and more.

Charlene coordinated the games, which were cute and different than any I'd seen at baby showers previously. We did Hum That (Baby) Tune (participants hummed a tune that had the word "baby" somewhere in the song — and everyone else in the room tried to guess the song. Examples include "Hit Me Baby, One More Time" and "Baby Love"), a worksheet with scrambled words and other baby-related puzzles and a game where we had to guess baby items that started with the letters B-A-B-Y S-T-A-N-T-O-N. (Charlene wrapped 10 little gifts that corresponded with each letter, and Lindsay got to keep them after the gift that related to each letter was revealed.)

My mom, trying to get the hang of the games.

Deep in thought, trying to unscramble words like gyerist (registry) and ledcra (cradle).

The gorgeous mom-to-be, surrounded by her hostesses.

The shower came together well, especially with the backdrop of Ms. Theresa's gorgeous home.

If I could lend any advice for someone who wants to take a crack at this craft project, I would recommend finding rough-textured (or wood) vases and frames so the paint sticks a little better. Also, I had to replace the hydrangeas with other white flowers last minute because they started drooping just hours after putting them in the vases.

Congratulations, Lindsay and Allen!