You can create an amazing baby shower without breaking the bank
Throwing a baby shower for a loved one can really drain your pocketbook if you're not careful. Back in the day, baby showers used to consist of having a slice of cake and watching the expectant mama open presents, but modern baby showers have somehow turned into full-scale productions. Truthfully, you don't need to spend a fortune in order to create a great party.
Paper plate garland
Create decorative, baby-themed garland by using white paper plates and pastel craft paint. Lay a paper plate on a flat surface with the curved side facing up. Paint the outside of your pinkie finger and hand with pastel paint, and curl your hand up into a fist. Press the painted side of your fist on the middle of the plate, and lift your hand back up. This will create a shape that resembles the bottom of a newborn baby's foot. Add toes by painting your thumb and finger tips and pressing them on to the plate just above the foot shape. Repeat these steps on about 12 to 20 plates. Use a single-hole punch to cut out two holes 3 inches apart along the top edge of each plate. After they are dry, string all the plates together using a piece of twine or leftover ribbon from your craft supplies. For a gender-themed baby shower, use two shades of pink or blue paint to create a more dynamic garland. If the parents do not know the gender yet, you can use more neutral colors, such as green, yellow or purple.
Guess the Poopy game
Turn the baby shower into a roaring success by adding this hilarious game that uses very inexpensive items you can find at the grocery store. Start by opening 10 to 12 disposable newborn diapers and placing a mini-sized candy bar into the middle of each diaper. Pick out a different candy bar for each diaper. Write a number on the outside of each diaper using a marker, and keep track of which diaper contains which candy bar. Shortly before the guests arrive at the baby shower, heat up the diapers for a few seconds in the microwave to melt the candy bars inside. During the game, each person will have to open up the diapers to try to guess the "poopy." The guest who guesses the most diapers correctly wins a prize. It only takes about 30 seconds for the laughter to start!
Fruit bassinet or stroller
Make a fruit bassinet or stroller to serve fruit at a baby shower and to wow your guests. For the bassinet, start by cutting halfway down the center of the watermelon, then across one side to effectively cut off three-fourths of the top of the melon, leaving one-fourth of the top attached. Scoop out the inside of the watermelon using a melon baller, and place the balled melon in a separate container. Once emptied, cut triangles out along the cut edges of the watermelon using a knife. At this point, you'll have to decide how creative you want to be. You can simply place the watermelon balls inside the bassinet, or you can use pieces of fruit to construct a fruit baby to place inside of it. You can use a grapefruit for the baby's head and use toothpicks to attach blueberries for eyes and strawberries or apple slices for hands and feet. As a finishing touch, cut out a mouth in the front of the grapefruit and insert a real pacifier! If you make the fruit baby, you can place the balled watermelon around the bottom of the bassinet as garnish. To make a stroller instead, repeat all the first steps to make the bassinet, but cut out a handle with the leftover rind and add wheels by placing grapefruit slices on the bottom.
