We’re daydreaming today of warm summer afternoons, listening to the laughter of the neighborhood children, bikers peddling past, as we sit sipping iced tea on the porch. We have about eighteen inches of snow in the front yard today, yes in April, but it’s never too early to gather some great summer recipes! Here come three sensational iced tea recipes. Stash these beauties away, or give them a taste test now, in sweet anticipation of hot summer days. You don’t even have to choose your favorite. Set a stunning iced tea bar, mix and match those ingredients, and invite some friends!

Raspberry Iced Tea

Pretty as can be, sweet raspberries transform your tea into a summertime treat. Get this gorgeous recipe from MyFoodBook.com.

Mint Iced Tea

Mint tea is a classic, cool and refreshing summer flavor. Grab this mint iced tea recipe with a hearty tea flavor from myrecipes.com.

Spiked Strawberry Iced Tea

Or, go for the gusto with this adults-only, simply lovely Strawberry Iced Tea from MintedMag.com…

For crystal clear iced tea, be sure to start with good water, and let the tea cool slowly to room temperature before chilling it.

Peaches, berries, citrus… you can’t go wrong. Pick your favorite fruits, add in some fresh herbs, and be sure you have plenty of ice!

Dainty vintage tea cups can be found at flea markets and quaint antiques and second- hand stores. Today, we present some ideas for using these beauties at your next party to show off their vintage glam and dress up the party table.

Teacup Candles

Follow an easy tutorial from Georgica Pond to create this loveliness on your own party table. Bonus, you’ll be able to use all the broken and less than perfect candles in your home!

A Sweetly Vintage Tea-Cup-Cake Party Idea

Simply dress a cupcake in a coordinating cupcake wrapper. Then, tuck the cupcake along with a delicate bag of tea inside a vintage teacup. This also makes a thoughtfully unique gift, perfect for the teacher on Valentine’s Day!

Photo: Style Me Pretty

Teacup Flower Vases

Teacups make graceful, petite bud vases. Scattered in numbers across the center of the table, in combination with tea lights, they make a stunning statement on the party table.

Teacup Place Cards

Place cards double as a pretty party favor at each place setting with these teacups planted with tiny succulents from Hall Weddings & Events. Tags, labeled with each guest’s name, mark the place settings in a beautifully simple fashion.

Turn those teacups into treasures!

Bits of motherly advice for the mom-to-be are hidden inside these darling paper fortune cookies! This is such a sweet group gift from everyone that attends the baby shower.

Set the supplies on a table at your baby shower and invite every guest to make at least one fortune for the mom-to-be. Words of wisdom, advice, well wishes, and kind words of encouragement are all welcomed. The sweet notes will stay private, as each guest will write their message and hide it in a paper fortune cookie.

Get the easy instructions for folding the circles into the familiar fortune cookie shape.

Tell the guests to tuck their messages into the candy jar for the mom-to-be to read when she is home with her new baby.

Entertaining for a baby shower is so much fun. Not everyone is a fan of playing corny baby shower games, but some are willing to take one for the team. Those that aren’t so willing to participate will be entertained by watching the other guests whoop it up with these baby shower games.

This one is sure to bring some giggles to the party.

For this baby shower game you will need:

* Two pairs of adult sized tights or pantyhose

* 4 grapefruits

*  Painters’ tape

The set up for the game:

* Push a whole grapefruit into the toe of one of the legs of the tights. Do the same for the other pair of tights. Leave the other toe in each pair of tights empty.

* Mark with the painter’s tape a start line and a finish line on the floor. (The painters’ tape won’t leave residue on the floor or carpet.)

How to play this game at the baby shower:

Divide the guests into two teams. Each team gets a pair of tights with the grapefruit in the toe, and also a loose grapefruit. Have everyone stand behind the start line. The object of the game is to have each member of the team move their loose grapefruit across the finish line and back to the next player at the start line. The first team to have every team member accomplish the task is the winning team. The catch? The players have to move the loose grapefruit by tying the empty leg of the pantyhose around their waist and strategically swinging the grapefruit enclosed in the opposite toe. Swinging ever so gracefully, the players bonk the loose grapefruit with the swinging grapefruit across the finish line and back. They hand off the pantyhose to the next person on their team to do the same. The winning team is the one that has gotten each person on their team to move the loose grapefruit across the finish line and back. No touching that grapefruit with hands and feet!

This one is sure to lighten the mood at your baby shower! Great fun for all, especially the spectators.

To complete this baby shower plan, we have giggle producing baby shower games that will keep your guests engaged and will give the mom-to-be a day to lovingly remember. The key to a successful party is to have more food and fun available than you think you’ll ever have time to use. Coming up short is never a happy hostess moment!

This baby shower game requires a bit of planning, but is fun and easy to do. Here’s the how to…

You will need:

* Small frames or pretty paper to mat photos
* A photo of each guest as a baby- or famous people as babies
* An answer sheet for each guest
* Plenty of pens

Before the baby shower:

Collect the photos of each guest, keeping track of who is in each photo.
Frame or mat each photo and place a different number on each frame.

This makes a pretty display in the party room. Using frames all in the same color creates a striking display. Want frames in your baby shower colors without spending a pretty penny? Spray paint!

And if you aren’t one to wield a can of spray paint, you can buy these lovely frames and many others at Mandolin Goose.

How to play this game at the baby shower:

Give each guest an answer sheet and pen.
Everyone does their best to identify the people in the baby pictures you have framed.
After the allotted time has passed, reveal the answers. You can give a small prize to the winner of the game if you like.

This baby shower game is simple to prepare, and fun to play. Check back soon for more ideas to keep your guests smiling!

Decorating with a theme can be so much fun. Excitement abounds when the perfect item is found to complement a theme. Word of caution… don’t overdo it. Understated themes are classy. We think that a pink princess on every plate, banner, cup, and napkin is... well, not so much. Here’s how to pull of the decorations for a theme party in a classy way.

Tips and tricks for decorating your themed baby shower

Most importantly, do not… we repeat… do not try to get your “theme” on every possible surface in the party area. Just as you wouldn’t dress head to toe in paisley, or decorate your whole house in plaid, nor is it appropriate when decorating for your baby shower.

If your theme is “birds”, think nests, bird cages, feathers… and a few birds, of course.

Begin with colors that complement the baby shower theme. This is easy if you have an inspiration piece to start with. It could be a banner, poster, fabric, or any other printed item that is beautiful. (We like to think that our cupcake wrappers are a great place to start for inspiration!) Pull colors from the inspiration piece and repeat them throughout the party space. Usually, a dominant color is used most with a secondary color, then accent colors used in small doses. (Think of your monkey, train, or whatever theme you chose… as an accent, too.) Here are some ideas for getting those colors around the party space…

Tissue poms

Fabric

Flowers

Wall hangings

Linens

Candles

Lamps

Lanterns

Party favors

Dessert displays

Hint at the theme, don’t scream it. Now that your colors are in place, add in the theme. Clever phrases on tags for the dessert buffet, a vintage toy here and there, embellishments on straws, utensil bundles, and the like will add just enough of the theme to convey your message without going too far.

Carry one image, or item throughout the party to hint at the theme, and bring cohesiveness to the event. Here is how to do that without putting a princess on every surface available…

A pattern, such as stripes, polka dots, or plaid. Just be sure to treat it as an accent, as a little bit will go a long way!

An item works well too. Either something directly related, or suggestive of the theme. For example, yarn or pom-poms, feathers, glitter and glitz, all make a statement by peppering them throughout the party space. Again, small frequent doses are best.

A particular shape works well too. Repeating a circle shape in the platters, cake stands, linens and elsewhere will give the room a lovely flow. For a more modern feel, go for squares. Scallops pair beautifully with a vintage theme. Use shapes to create your look.

Now go scouting for items that go together, not just because they are printed to match. The idea is definitely not to “match”, but to coordinate.

We’d like to offer you a free baby shower plan. Baby shower games, décor, food and the how-to for the entire event is included. Visit us each day to gather the complete baby shower plan. For each of the next few days, we’ll roll out another piece of the plan, so you can throw a stress free baby shower.

The amazing part of this plan is that we have multiple themes for you to choose from, and this plan is perfect for a mom-to-be expecting a baby girl or baby boy.

Getting ready for the baby shower

You will find ideas and suggestions for each of these categories on our blog in the next few days.

The theme

The guest list

Invitations and printed material

The décor and venue

Food and drinks

Entertainment

Today, we’ll start with your baby shower theme. Why a theme? Isn’t the baby itself a theme? We’ll yes, it can be, but we love to add creativity and style. Choosing a creative theme for your baby shower makes it easier to bring the elements of the shower together and allows you to bring ideas into your plan that would otherwise just not make sense. With a theme… monkeys, trains, ballerinas… anything goes!

Almost.

Here is a great list of baby shower theme ideas to get you started. Choose one that sings to you or is close to the mom-to-be’s heart, and tomorrow, we’ll get your complete baby shower plan rolling with more of the details.

Baby shower theme ideas

Some of these ideas are better for a boy, others for a girl. Some will be perfect for either. Some are more juvenile… so the new mom can keep the toys and décor for her little one. Others are all about the new mom and intended to completely pamper her.

* Monkeys

* Sweet Pea

* Ballerina

* A favorite children’s book

* Trains

* Garden, butterflies or buggy cuteness

* Bumblebees

* Owls

* Really any cute animal…seriously.

* Favorite colors and combinations… Tiffany blue and apricot maybe?

* Tea party

* On the ranch

* Mushrooms

Truly anything can become a theme. Start with a favorite object or color combo, or try incorporating the theme or colors from the new baby’s nursery.

Creating a baby shower menu can be a tad tricky. Have you considered the mom-to-be’s dietary restrictions? Cravings? The figure conscious guests? On top of it all, you still want it to be fun and elegant, right? We have some ideas for you…

The sweet pea theme for a baby shower is darling if done right! Adorable for a boy or girl, these cupcake wrappers are hand painted elegance to use in so many ways for your baby shower. Beautiful for the cupcakes, of course, but also on single serve salad cups. This amazing do-ahead menu item is healthful, pretty, and easy. Just layer the ingredients in the cups beginning with the salad dressing on the bottom. The guests can toss their own salad right in the cup, and the lettuce won’t get mushy with the dressing on the bottom.

More baby shower menu ideas…

Here are some other tried and true menu items that will keep everyone happy.

* Bruschetta- easy to make or buy the toppings ahead of time, and toast the bread just before the shower.

* Fruit kebabs with fruit dip. The fruit looks so elegant on wooden lollipop sticks, and can be made in advance as well. Tasty dips are easy to find or make yourself.

* Yogurt parfaits- healthful, and can even be served for guests to build their own. Just offer the cups, granola, nuts, and fruits. Clear plastic cups skirted with Sweet Pea cupcake wrappers are great for this menu item as well.

* For the protein, a smoked salmon tray is so elegant and easy. Just serve a tray of salmon with cream cheese, a few capers and lemon wedges. Crackers on the side will finish the presentation.

Cupcakes on the baby shower menu are a great way to avoid a messy cake that needs to be cut. You can make your own cupcake tower in minutes, and those precious Sweet Pea cupcake wrappers are great for cupcakes, too!

Spa Party Invitations:

We are thrilled to offer these free party printables for your own Holiday Home Spa Party. We highlighted the “dessert display” filled with spa essentials disguised as desserts, and now have some of the details ready for you to print for free! The hand painted designs on this invitation and party favor tags coordinate with the Holiday Brilliance collection of Dessert Skirtz cupcake wrappers from Confetti Couture that we used on our dessert display. The whimsical Christmas trees set the tone for a relaxing and fun day with the girls. Just customize the 4x6 printable party invitation for your own Holiday Home Spa Day, and print. It couldn’t be easier.

Spa Party Ideas…

This party favor of scented, homemade bath salts is equally simple, elegant and perfect for the ladies. Customize it with the tags from these free party printables and offer a gift of relaxation. You can include the bath salts recipe inside the tin, if you wish.

Bath Salts Recipe:

3 Parts Epsom Salts
1 Part Rock Salt
1 Part Baking Soda

a few drops of essential oils (a little bit goes a long way!)

To create the party favors, mix the first three ingredients in a large decorative container. Let the ladies fill small hinged window tins with your homemade bath salts. Offering an array of essential oils for each guest to customize their own bath salts with their favorite scent will be a hit!

Use the free party printables to insert in the window of each tin. These sweet bath salts party favors will help your girlfriends relax at home in a hot bath after the long hours of Christmas shopping and baking.

The girls will appreciate your unique holiday party ideas so much that they’ll be demanding a repeat for next year. This Holiday Home Spa Party is sure to become a holiday tradition for years to come!

Cake plate dreaming…Wouldn’t it be great if you had a magical cabinet? Each time you open the door, cake plates that perfectly coordinate with your party or event would be right inside? Love it. Well, we don’t have a magical cabinet for you, but we do have some DIY cake plate ideas that will make you feel as if you do. With a few supplies on hand, you can create cake plates or a cupcake tower in minutes.

This darling birthday party cupcake tower was created with cardboard cake circles with ribbon pinned to the edges, and clear vases. For the complete “how to” check out this cupcake tower tutorial. What we love about this one is that the clear vases can be filled with any type of candy, flowers, tissue, or other decorations in any colors. We used the whimsical, hand painted hats on the Birthday Wishes Dessert Skirtz cupcake wrappers collection as our color inspiration.

With just a mirror repurposed into an oversized platter, and a tiered plant stand topped with vases and dessert plates, we created this DIY cupcake tower with items from around the house. Add in some punches of color with fabric and cupcake wrappers. We chose Autumn Nights Dessert Skirtz cupcake wrappers, and accented with the color of the minute… warm plum. Notice what a difference these reversible cupcake wrappers make as compared to the cupcakes in their wrinkled panties!

This cupcake tower is super simple to create and inexpensive, too. We used a cylindrical vase, but a coffee can would work just as well. We covered it in scrapbooking paper that coordinated with our dessert table, and attached it with double sided tape. We simply set a large platter on top, upside down, because it has a lip. A cardboard cake circle trimmed in ribbon would be perfect as well. For more stability, or to make it more permanent, the platter can be glued to the can or vase.

Piece of cake!

Slip them into something gorgeous! Cake pops rest so elegantly in Mini Skirtz cupcake wrappers. A posh tuft of marabou is a chic touch for this beauty.

Need it now? Or, not the creative sort? Confetti Couture has done the work for you.  Sweet Petite Kits, perfectly coordinated cake pop kits, by Confetti Couture will help you to display your cake pops in haute couture.

Each Sweet Petite Kit cake pop kit includes twelve sweetly nostalgic wooden sticks with the classic wooden bead on top…

Twelve Mini Skirtz…

and twelve crystal clear bags with coordinating closures. Take your cake pops to the next level with new Sweet Petite Kits cake pop kits by Confetti Couture.

Cake Pops are all the rage right now. We love the idea of a pretty little two bite treat on a stick, and it definitely encourages creative interpretations. Use this list to create your own fancy pops… cake or otherwise.

• Rice Krispy pops
• Brownie pops
• Cheesecake pops
• Banana bread pops
• Cookie dough pops
• Truffle pops
• Chocolate covered cherry pops
• Éclair pops
• Pumpkin pie pops

Candy coating can be flavored to complement whatever filling you choose, and chocolate goes with almost anything! Roll, dip and top with a wooden lollipop stick - those hard-to-find rock candy sticks.