Baby Shower Favors!

If you have a creative touch and have a friend's or relative's Baby Shower coming up soon, this article is for  you.  Get some of your gal pal's together one afternoon over coffee and dig right into one of these great favor ideas.  All the items needed can be found at your local craft store for just a few dollars.   You'll save money, have a nice afternoon, and your guests will think you are so talented! 

1.  Baby Food Jar Votives

Items needed:  glue gun, acrylic glass paint, ribbon, stickers, baby food jars, tea lights 

Start with saving those baby food jars from your friends, neighbors, relatives.   When you have enough jars for all the guests invited, soak the labels off the jars in a sink full of water.  For the nasty ones that give you trouble, simply rub the glue off with nail polish remover and a cotten ball.   For the really talented and courageous, hand paint baby items in blue or pink on the jar.  Suggestions are:  butterflies, baby blocks, baby carriage, baby bottles, diaper pins, hearts, flowers.  For the non talented you can buy stickers of baby items and stick to the jar.  Then simply take your glue gun and hot glue ribbon around the mouth of the jar.  Finish off with a tea light in the center. 

2.  Baby Sock Potpourrie Sachets

Items needed:  glue gun, baby socks, ribbon, bag of potpourrie

If you know the sex of the baby before the shower then buying a bag of pink or blue infant socks should do.  If not, you can get white socks and decorate with yellow, blue, and pink accents.  Start with pouring the bag of potpourrie in a bowl and spoon a small amount into each baby sock.  Seal each sock closed with the glue gun.  Finish off decorating the sock by hot gluing ribbon and baby accents around the top of the sock.  I actually like putting a loop at the top in case someone would like to hang it from a coat hanger in the closet rather than in their dresser drawer.   Either way it is a cute sachet that your guests will find pretty and useful. 

3.  Plant Ornaments

Items needed:  pink or blue wooden buttons, green or white florist wire, ribbon

This is the easiest one to do of all the ideas presented here.  Buy a package of pink or blue buttons - wooden works best but plastic works well too.  Your top button can consist of a button that is of a baby item:  bottle, baby pin, etc...  Start by cutting a piece of the florist wire approxiamately 6 in. and bend in half.  Put both halves of the wire through the specialty button that will be on top and pull through till the button reachs the bend at the top.  To secure this button simply twist the wire a few times.  Now take another button and feed it through and then securing it by twisting the wire a few times after it is fed through.  Alternate colors of pink, blue and white or perhaps varying shades of just pink or just blue if the sex of the baby is known.  You can experiment with style and sizes but 3 to 6 buttons on one stem works well.  After you are finished tie three or four of your plant ornaments together with ribbon and, if you prefer, a tag stating "Baby Shower", or "It's a girl!"  etc.... to the ribbon.   These cute little trinkets can be put into the dirt of any plant and will a cute reminder of such a great occasion whenever your friends water their plants. 

4.  Straw Hat Magnets

Items needed:  pre-fabricated mini lace hats, magnets, glue gun, ribbon and accents

In most craft stores they have varying pre-made eye-lit lace "hats" that come in bulk.   All that is required is to take your glue gun and hot glue the ribbon around the brim along with your favorite baby accents or rosebuds and beads (see picture).   Take the magnet and hot glue it to the back of the hat.  It's a pretty addition to any refrigerator. 

5. Beaded Suncatcher   

Items needed:  pink/blue/pearl beads,  tiger tail wire, crimp beads, heart crystals, and a needle nose plier

This favor is for the more advanced.  Prior beading experience is helpful here.  All of the bead supplies can also be found in the bead aisle of your local craft store.  Loop the wire through your bottom crystal and secure with a crimp bead and your needle nose pliers.  I like to get little heart crystals but other shapes such as tear drop crystals are nice as well.  Now take your pink or blue beads and thread through the tiger tail wire in varying patterns.  I also like to add silver butterflies, hearts, or boy type items such as baseballs, to off-set the pink, blue or pearl beads.  When you've beaded approxiamately 6in. long loop off the end and thread back through the beads.  Secure with another crimp bead using your pliers.  This can be hung in any window for a rainbow of color for your guests. 

Hope you've all enjoyed these new and exciting baby favors.  You're favors are sure to be the hit of the party!