Category

Baby Showers

Category

Maybe it is the season of life that I am in right now or perhaps it is because I like to host a lot of baby showers, but I’ve been getting asked frequently my thoughts on baby shower gifts. I often have a running list of ideas to share that haven’t really changed over the years…. however, very recently, I was introduced to two companies that I feel are out-of-the-box great ideas as gifts for new moms.

Both Finn & Co and Heartfelt Mamas were founded by mothers! They are both Spokane-area business women who felt a need was not being met and stepped up and met the need. I encourage you to check out their products or social media profiles and show them some support!

The following gift ideas are not sponsored, however, I received two of these items in a giveaway and was SO impressed that I had to share. All opinions are my own. These items were won through a giveaway without knowledge that they may be included in a blog post.

Finn the Panda from Finn and Co Gifts designed for babies in the NICU

Finn & Co Gifts – Finn the Panda

The idea behind this lovely stuffed panda is one that is both so smart and one that was born from a true need. While a great gift for lots of new moms, the purpose of the creation of this little panda was as a gift for a mom whose child is in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Armstrong, the creator of this adorable stuffie. (That is what my kids called all stuffed animals!)

Finn the Panda was developed to help comfort babies during hospital stays, as well as to foster the bond between the baby and their caregivers, even when they have to be apart. It features:

  • Finn is made of antimicrobial material to help prevent the spread of germs to baby. This is SUPER important in a hospital environment, but also a great idea for daycare or home.
  • He wears a washable heart-shaped scent patch that can be detached and worn, then reattached to the bear. This means that mom or dad can place the patch close to their skin for some time and then attach to the bear so that their scent goes with baby wherever they may be.
  • A recording device that allows a song or comforting words of up to one minute to be played back once or on repeat may help to soothe baby or help with familiarity. I could see this being great for a grandparent who may be far away.
  • The contrasting black and white colors that appeal to baby’s early vision.
  • Finn is made of 100% cashmere to be amazingly soft and cuddly.
  • Finn and Co Gifts offer free shipping on a purchase of Finn the Panda as well as a 10% discount if you sign up for their newsletter. (Visit the Finn and Co Gifts website and scroll to the bottom of the page to enter an email for their newsletter.)
Michelle Armstrong created Finn the Panda after experiencing a NICU stay for her son.
Michelle Armstrong, creator of Finn the Panda, with her son.

We all wish for babies to be healthy at birth, but for many new mothers and many new families…this just isn’t an option. Finn the Panda is such a thoughtful way to allow family members an opportunity to feel that they are in some small way able to be with their baby even when they physically cannot be there. This would make such a lovely gesture to someone in your life. Or, perhaps you simply feel the desire to help SOMEONE in need. Sponsor a Finn the Panda that will be delivered to a NICU or ICU in your city.


As a mom who spent several months of her son’s first year of life in the hospital, I know the stress and pressure of hospital parenting.  I wanted to do everything I could for my son and often felt the guilt of not being able to be there for him every moment during his 57 day NICU stay.  I developed Finn the Panda so that even when you have to be away, you can leave a piece of you to provide comfort and bonding for your baby and you.

Michelle Armstrong, creator of Finn the Panda

While I don’t want to take away from the purpose of Finn. When I heard about him I wished I would have had one of pandas for the first few months that I went back to work and my son was getting used to a his new daycare. I believe it would be a wonderful gift for working moms (or dads), grandparents, and other loved ones who may wish to be near baby, but are unable to.

Heartfelt Mamas gift box

Heartfelt Mamas Gift Boxes

When I go to baby showers I often gift something from a registry or something I feel will be useful to baby and mom. However, when I get the pleasure of visiting a momma in the hospital or at home after a birth, I try to gift her something simply for her. She has gone through a lot!

Heartfelt Mamas for sure has something for brand new mamas, but that isn’t where this company stops. There are boxes curated specifically for different aspects of motherhood including miscarriage, grief, post-partum, or just an day-brightening everyday gift box. Each curated gift box features local Inland NW products and services.

Some of the items that may be found in Heartfelt Mamas Boxes:

  • Wild June Co Coffee Scrub and Lavender Nourish Skin Cream
  • Winterwoods Pacific Coast Lavender Tea
  • Bucket of Moon Beams Accessory Pouch
  • Chocolate
  • Gift Cards to local services
  • Sparkles Bakeshop Granola Rounds
  • Caring Coconut Soothing Spray

Gift boxes may be purchased from anywhere, but those within 45 miles of Spokane, WA have the option of purchasing the “local” gift box which sports services from local businesses such as fitness classes, coffee shops, nutrition consultants, spa services, and more.


Heartfelt Mamas stems from my own personal experiences and journey to find joy, happiness, and peace in this crazy thing we call motherhood. My heart is to help reduce anxiety, stress & comparisons in mamas in order to create happier, healthier families.

Cheree Sauer, Founder of Heartfelt Mamas

I love a company with a heart. Gift boxes can also be sponsored to give to a woman in need. In addition, a portion of the sales of gift boxes goes to create and give a box to a woman in need.

Mother-Lovin’ Gifts

I know that I would have appreciated either of the above gifts as a new mom and beyond. It has been a joy for me to stumble upon both of these mother-ran and operated companies with a genuine heart for fellow women. Whether you are shopping for the perfect baby shower gift, a gift for a new mom, a thoughtful gift for a mother who is grieving, or a way to give back to local moms, check out these two great companies!

Finn & Co Gifts | www.finnandcogifts.com | @FinnandCoGifts

Heartfelt Mamas | www.heartfeltmamas.com | @HeartfeltMamas

When my friend  Yvonne King was having a baby girl after two (gorgeous and wonderful) little boys, I was more than a little excited when she agreed to let me host her baby shower! I could just imaging a queen themed baby shower in honor of the newest baby King. My friend Yvonne is one of the most kind, strong, and smart women I know and she is a wonderful mother to boot. I just know her daughter is going to grow up to be a Queen in her own right. Read on to see the details from this queen-themed baby shower.

Queen themed baby shower | A Well Crafted Party

Party Inspiration for a Queen-Themed Baby Shower

When planning a queen themed baby shower I knew I wanted to have a few crowns on display, but really just wanted to fill the space with beautiful flowers, delicious foods, and bits of glitter and gold.  The shower colors of mint and peach were based loosely on the colors from the baby’s new nursery. I’ve always felt that using nursery colors in the baby shower makes it easy utilize some of the nursery decor in the shower or some of the shower decorations in the nursery.

Inspiration for a Queen Themed Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

Queen-themed Party Decorations

I met the mother-to-be a few years ago through blogging world. She used her background in fashion to design her beautiful home. When it came to decorating this party I knew that I didn’t need to go crazy on decorations because her house would be a delightful backdrop that I did not want to cover up! I kept the decorations to some beautiful flowers (both real, fake, and the paper variety), glitter crowns, and small balloon arrangements. I usually do not use fake flowers in my decor, but I wanted to have something that wouldn’t wilt in the balloon decorations so I did break my rule and utilize beautiful fake blooms in the balloon arrangements. I got all of my decor supplies on Amazon. (Affiliate links below.)


For the flower arrangements I picked up blossoms from my local super markets (I think I ended going to three different ones to get the blooms I wanted) but I focused on peach, pink, and cream blooms with eucalyptus. I actually arranged them on site of the party because I wasn’t entirely sure about how I wanted to use them. A few blooms were cut to their heads and placed in the beverage bucket as well. I also used fresh fruit to decorate the food platters and beverage station.

Queen Themed Party Decor | A Well Crafted Party

Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party

 

Baby Shower Activities

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times… I’m just not a fan of most baby shower games. In nearly every party I host I keep it to activities rather than the more traditional games. (Not saying I won’t play and enjoy when I attend a party… I just don’t do them when I host.)

The mom-to-be actually picked out the main activity! She knew she wanted to create onesies with black text on white after seeing parties online. I loved the idea but just couldn’t find the right typeface for the tiny little onesies. Thankfully, our mutual friend Suzannah, of Create/Enjoy, had a Silhouette machine (affiliate link) that we were able to use to create iron on messages in the fonts and sizes we desired. (See her post on creating custom T-shirts.) The guests in attendance got to pick a blank or printed onesie and add a message for baby-to-be. We had a table with the Silhouette machine and computer set up as well as a ironing board and iron. The onesies doubled as party decor!

In addition to the onesie activity I did have a small set of envelopes set out asking guests to write their addresses on them. I gifted the mom to be a set of coordinating thank you cards that she could fill out after the party and not have to worry about sourcing addresses.

Baby Shower Activity Making Custom Onesies | A Well Crafted Party

Baby Shower Activity Making Custom Onesies | A Well Crafted Party

Baby Shower Activity Making Custom Onesies | A Well Crafted Party Baby Shower Activity Making Custom Onesies | A Well Crafted Party

Queen-themed Party Favors

(Items marked with asterisk (*) is an affiliate link.)

I am a fan of party favors in general. Seriously, it is a must for my parties. But, for some reason, it is difficult for me to land on the right favor for each party. I never want it to be things that people will just want to trash. I ordered beautiful mint colored boxes from Oriental Trading*, rock candy in pink*, sparkling rose from Trader Joes, and crown pins from Amazon*. I then created a card for for the crown to go on and slipped them into a plastic sleeve. I am hoping that the guests placed the pin on their bags or some place that they may be reminded of sweet baby King. The cards shared a quote from author Adrian Michael, “She is the type of queen that knows her crown isn’t on her head, but in her soul.”  (Download my printable queen favor cards and thank you tags here!)

Queen Themed Party Favors | A Well Crafted Party

Lunch Themed Baby Shower Menu

The time of day of a party always helps determine the party menu. I’ve enjoyed doing brunch baby showers before but really thought it would be fun to try a lunch-time shower this time around. I knew that we had meat eaters, vegetarians, and some who avoided gluten so I wanted to have a variety of lunch items. The menu consisted of:

  • Caprese sandwiches
  • Ham and Brie sandwiches
  • Salad
  • Veggie Platter
  • Fruit Platter
  • Assorted pastries
  • Homemade ice cream

I made most of the foods other than some of the assorted pastries and the salad which was created by the blogger behind The Spicy Bee. To make the sandwiches I just halved baguettes and filled them with goodies. The caprese sandwiches had mozzarella, roma tomatoes, and basil with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The ham and brie sandwiches had a ground mustard with ham and slices of brie cheese. I then wrapped the sandwiches in tan parchment paper and twine.

Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party Lunch Baby Shower Food | A Well Crafted Party

Baby Shower Beverages

I really wanted to keep the beverages simple to compliment the light lunch. When serving alcohol at morning or mid-day parties it is advisable to keep the beverages light. I went with sparkling wine, pink lemonade, and sparkling water for the baby shower beverages. What really set off this beverage station was the gorgeous glassware that the mom-to-be had in her home. Can you believe it? They are BEAUTIFUL!

Baby Shower Beverages | A Well Crafted Party

Baby Shower Beverages | A Well Crafted Party Baby Shower Beverages | A Well Crafted Party

I don’t know if there is a greater honor than being able to celebrate a friend in a special moment such as a wedding, milestone birthday, or when they are having a baby. I’m so thankful that I got to help celebrate my friend Yvonne and her baby King with this shower fit for a queen.

Have you ever had the pleasure of hosting a party for a loved one? What was your favorite detail? Comment below!

 

Whether baby number one, three, or five…. I whole heartedly believe in celebrating each addition to a family. When I found out my friend Lindsay, of Running with Tongs, was expecting her third child I had to make sure that she got a moment of celebration before her family of four became a family of five. We decided to celebrate with a brunch baby shower. Lindsay is vegan and this is the first vegan baby shower I’ve ever attempted. I was thrilled and a bit relieved when mutual friend (and awesomesauce blogger) Lisa from This Beautiful Day Blog offered to take over the food portion of the shower.

Read on to see all of our ideas for this vegan-friendly, gender-neutral baby shower with natural elements.

Vegan Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

Gender Neutral Baby Shower Idea

Lindsay and her husband chose to not find out the gender of her baby beforehand. I sort of love gender neutral baby showers in general as I try not to associate specific colors with genders. (Though, lordy knows I probably would have done a very pink party had I ever had a baby girl!) We chose the color green more as a default from the beautiful natural elements that we wanted to incorporate into this party.

Choosing to do greenery and succulents as the “theme” of the shower made for a really beautiful set up without a lot of work beyond sourcing the plants and greenery.

Invitation

I created the invitations using a watercolor greenery elements and black text on white background. I liked that they looked graphic and modern with the black and white and slightly softened (perfect for a baby shower) with the water color. I also decided to line the envelopes wth the same motif that surrounded the invitation. We let the beautiful food platters and DIY Terrarium activity really take care of the rest of the decor.

Gender Neutral Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

Beverages for a Brunch Baby Shower

We chose an array of classic brunch beverages for this brunch-time baby shower including coffee, tea, pressed juices, orange juice, and mimosas. We also served a few cold beers and flavored soda waters for a bit of variety. Juices from Salad Power and Genesis Organic Juice made this fresh alcohol-free option more fun for those who did not partake in mimosas. The individual containers also made for easier pouring of orange juice when guests made their own mimosas.

Should I serve alcohol at a baby shower?

Whether or not you serve alcohol at a baby shower really depends on how your guest of honor feels about it. If the guest of honor was not someone who enjoyed an occasional alcoholic beverage before pregnancy then do not serve alcohol at the event unless she specifically requests it for her guests. If the guest of honor has been super sad about not getting to have the occasional night cap then it may not be the best idea to serve drinks that she can’t partake in. No matter whether you decide to serve alcohol or not DO have a fabulous not alcoholic beverage option for her and guests to enjoy beyond water or tea.

Vegan Brunch Beverage Ideas | A Well Crafted Party

Green and White Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

Vegan Brunch Beverage Ideas | A Well Crafted Party

Vegan Brunch Party Menu:

When I think of brunch the word BACON comes to mind pretty quickly, so coming up with a vegan menu for a brunch time baby shower seemed on the edge of impossible to me. However, the brilliant Lisa Ng put together a delicious vegan brunch menu with ease. She created a perfect menu with both sweet and savory brunch items that left the group satisfied and raving about the foods. I didn’t miss bacon at all!

The menu included a DIY Avocado Toast Bar, Chick’n + Vegan Waffles, and Vegan Cheese Platters with crackers, fruit, crudites and dip. A vegan dessert topped off a wonderful brunch!

Check out tips on how to put together a DIY avocado toast bar and a vegan cheese platter over on This Beautiful Day Blog.

Vegan Cheese Board crafted by This Beautiful Day | Featured on A Well Crafted Party

Vegan Cheese Board crafted by This Beautiful Day | Featured on A Well Crafted Party

Vegan Chicken and Waffles at a Vegan Brunch Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

Vegan Baby Shower | A Well Crafted Party

DIY Avocado Toast Bar from This Beautiful Day featured on A Well Crafted Party

Baby Shower Activity That Doubles as a Party Favor

I’m pretty much obsessed with the idea of doing a party activity that doubles as another part of the party. The DIY Avocado Toast bar is a perfect example of that because it is an activity that guests will enjoy spending time doing AND it is a food item that they will eventually eat ( you know, after all the Instagramming). The party activity for this shower not only doubled as a favor but made for a beautiful decor element as well!

DIY Succulent Terrariums

We chose to create DIY succulent terrariums. These were a nice reminder of the time and energy it takes to “plant” something and watch it thrive and grow… sort of like pregnancy and motherhood in a way. It was really fun seeing how different each of the terrariums came out even though everyone was utilizing the same ingredients.

I simply bought the ingredients for the terrariums and placed them all out on a table. You could spend an arm and leg on terrariums, but I wanted an affordable option that didn’t take up a lot of space so I found beautiful round glass containers from my local Dollar Tree and placed printable instructions into each bowl. They were so beautiful all lined up on the table together!

You can absolutely create a terrarium bar by purchasing the ingredients seperately. However, I felt it was so much easier to just pick up two kits at my local nursery. While I was there I went ahead an picked up several small succulents.



DIY Terrarium Party Favors | A Well Crafted Party DIY Terrarium Party Favors | A Well Crafted Party DIY Terrarium Party Favors | A Well Crafted Party

DIY Terrarium Party Favors | A Well Crafted Party

We ended up having a lovely time eating, drinking, talking and making our DIY terrariums. We of course had some time for opening up presents as well! It was so much fun showering our friend Lindsay with some extra love right before she added her third baby to the family.

Big congrats to Lindsey who welcomed her baby girl to the world in late June 2017.

Related Posts:

  • A Succulent Themed Baby Shower (Running with Tongs)
  • How to Create a Delicious Vegan Cheese Board (This Beautiful Day Blog)
  • How to Create a Brunch DIY Avocado Toast Bar (This Beautiful Day Blog)