Baby Shower Flowers

Branch Tree

Materials:

tree branches from your yard
small photos of the parents as babies and/or photos of the parents*
bowl or vase
floral foam
craft foam
transparent tape
ribbon

* Note: Get baby photos of the parents by asking their parents or siblings for them ahead of time.

Steps:

1. Place craft foam inside the centerpiece container.

Materials:

terra-cotta pots
kitchen sponges cut into fun shapes and letters or store-bought ones (inexpensively available at most craft stores)
water-based craft paint
small paintbrush
cleaned-out steel can with label peeled off
floral frog
flowers of choice or those that are in season
moss

Steps:

1. Paint each pot the color of your choice, or coordinate with the gender of the child if you know it.

2. Place the can inside the pot, then add the floral frog.

3. Place the flowers inside the frog, then line rolled-up pieces of aluminum foil around the edge to hold the decorations up in the pot.

4. Hide all of that with moss.

5. Cut out kitchen sponges in various shapes and letters, or buy inexpensive alphabet foam letters at a craft store.

6. Dip the letters and shapes in paint, and press them onto each pot. If you don't know the name of the baby, include a package of the whole alphabet and paint so mom can do it later.

7. Touch up any smudges or holes from the sponge with a small paintbrush.

8. Use as a centerpiece or to sporadically decorate around the house. Once the party's over, have each guest take one home, or give them all to the expecting mom.

Other Ideas

• Place a plush toy inside a floral arrangement that you've created (figure B). Just place aluminum foil over a piece of floral foam to protect it from the getting wet.

• Make miniature floral arrangements with just a few flowers and miniature vases. Scatter them around the house as decoration.