Purple Craft Baby Shower

During my blogging hiatus I had the great joy of hosting a baby shower for a friend of mine from church.  This mama is crafty and her favorite color is purple.  Instead of doing an elaborate theme I decided to keep things simple with everything tied in through the color palette.  I used purple fabrics that had accents of brown to make tassels and sew pillow covers, did a white themed dessert buffet, and set up a onesie craft station for the guests.  It came together well and was the perfect amount for the guest of honor, which means it was just perfect.

To make the tassells I simply ripped strips of fabric and tied them with yarn.  I chose not to cut the fabric because I wanted them to have a more relaxed feel.

Anytime I throw a shower where I know there will be lots of guests I do a Bingo game.  It helps keep guests interested in what is happening and helps the gift opening move a little faster.  

For the craft station I picked up several plain onesies and set out a variety of different craft items (paint, buttons, iron on patches, stamps).  Because I knew that not everyone at the shower would be able to come up with an original idea quickly I also printed out some prompts and set them on the table for inspiration.  The craft station was lined with brown craft paper.

My shower was in the mid afternoon, which meant that a full menu wasn't necessary.  Instead I opted to do a dessert bar tied together with a neutral color scheme.  I focused on white desserts and served water and coffee.  I found the chalkboard several years ago and painted it for the coffee house bridal shower.  It gets a lot of use whenever I host events, usually as a menu sign.

I really enjoyed being able to host this shower.  I loved the simplicity of the decor and the opportunity to use a looser theme.  If you are hosting a similar event here are some tips to keep in mind:

• When using colors as your theme vary the shades and patterns
• Always remember to add texture.  In this shower I used cotton fabrics, pom poms, paper, and purposely tore fabric.
• Think about how you can switch up your normal decor to tie in the event.  For this shower I sewed a few pillow covers to match the party.
• Don't go over board on your menu.  It's easy to over think food and feel like there won't be enough but many showers aren't held at a typical meal time, which means that you don't need to serve a full meal.  Also remember that many people won't eat one of everything you put out.
• Shop your house before buying!  For this event I purchased the wooden letters to spell 'BABY' and 2 bags of purple and tan pom poms (not counting food).  When you purchase entertaining supplies throughout the year try and keep them neutral (white and clear glass always work well for me) so that they can be used over and over again.  
• HAVE FUN!  There is no point to hosting the event if that means that you aren't going to be a part of the event.  Do everything you can as early as you can so that once your guests arrive you can relax and enjoy the day!