If you’re like me and are looking for a practical yet unique gift to give your expectant friend, then you might also be interested in what is called a diaper cake. Yes, “diaper cake” it is called. I think it started a few years ago when diaper cakes for baby shower parties became the gift du jour and has somehow increased in popularity with the baby-shower crowd. I read it in passing because none of my friends were expecting then so I had no use for it. But now that I’ll be attending one in a couple of weeks and I don’t have a gift yet, that knowledge really comes in handy.

I really want to know who invented it. Was she like me, in need of a gift to bring to a baby shower? How did she see cakes in diapers? And who was the first recipient of this wonderful baby shower gift?

I, for one, think it’s such a great baby shower gift idea. I want one when it comes time for a baby shower for me. What else does a mother need besides baby bottles, right? I mean the mom can breastfeed. But babies poop and pee, and from the moment they are born, they will need diapers. And these diapers come in tiers, hence the cake in the name. Imagine coming into a baby shower with that three-tier creation in hand. Now that’s a grand entrance.

The best thing about these things is that you can make them. I really don’t have the extra $80 to buy a commercial diaper cake, but I do have the money to buy a couple of packs of diapers and some other extras to include in my self-made diaper cake. Not only do I save money, I will then have given the new mom something that I actually worked on.

Diaper cakes for baby shower gift ideas are probably one of the best ideas ever. Pretty, practical, and useful.

The baby shower cake has been the centerpiece of many a baby shower. It can set the theme or mood of the party and provide amusement to the festivities. When I’m in need of a quick recipe or idea for a baby shower cake, I turn to the one and only Martha (Stewart, that is).

We all know the domestic goddess has plenty of things up her sleeve for all occasions under the sun. I’ve bookmarked a lot of her recipes and come to them when I need something fast and reliable. Here are some of my go-to recipes for baby shower cake parties:

Nesting Baby Bluebird Cupcakes – first off, aren’t these adorable and perfect for a baby shower? A tier of these cupcakes are sure to be a hit. Cupcakes are the in thing to do these days because of their convenience. You can even take this cupcake recipe and run away with it in terms of design.

Baby Bootie Cake – a classic theme taken to new creative heights. Most baby shower attendees are used to the baby bootie theme, usually gumpaste or fondant booties placed on top of a cake, but I bet most of them have not seen a baby bootie cake just yet! You can change the colors to your taste and the gender of the child. The recipe makes 8 cakes, so there’s plenty to get around.

Mini Almond Bundt Cakes – perfect for moms-to-be who don’t really want the baby theme permeating every inch of the event or those who aren’t really big on fondant and other traditional sweet confections. While this also has icing, the amount can be controlled according to preferences.

S’mores Mini Cakes – who doesn’t like s’mores? They bring you back to childhood summers spent in camp. These ones are extra fun because they look like 3-tier cakes. Great fun even for adults.

You may also go to your favorite brownie or sheet cake recipe and make your own version of the ones above. They may serve as your inspiration for your future baby shower cake needs.

Themes for baby shower are plentiful, thanks to the really creative ones (party planners and other creative folk) before us who have done baby showers we never thought possible. In the first place, who else would have thought of themes but party planners? A theme helps you narrow down your choices in terms of decorations, invitations, favors, the centerpiece, even the food.

Baby showers often have an element of whimsy. And while the celebration is revolve around the impending birth of a child, keep in mind that baby showers are typically adult events and that the aesthetic, though whimsical, must still appeal and cater to adults. Sites such as this one have some recommendations coming from real people. You may want to check out what they have to say and pick out some ideas there.

When you are thinking about the decorations for a baby shower, supposing you already picked out a theme, you may also be thinking about which centerpiece to use. The popular idea is to use the baby shower cake as the focal point of the event and the table. For sure, the cake’s design reflects the theme, right? If not a cake, some people may opt for cupcakes on trays. These are beautiful as well. Another “cake” that people use as centerpieces are diaper cakes, which are diapers and other baby stuff made to form a two- or three-tier cake. Diaper cakes can range from the simple to the simply enormous. These can be bought ready-made at gift shops or you can try crafting one by buying the supplies needed (diapers, ribbon, various baby items) and assembling it yourself.

And when the baby shower’s over, give your guests something to remember this party by. Baby shower party favors could be food or little trinkets or whatever you deem fit. They usually are a small reminder of what the party was like, and hence they have to tie together with the theme. Common giveaways are food such as cookies, candy, or cupcakes since they are the easiest to decorate to go with the theme and are relatively inexpensive.

Whenever I go to baby showers, I always wish I was in the receiving end of the gifts because those baby shower gifts are the most thoughtful gifts ever. I don’t think there’s ever a party where the gifts have been given so much thought. It’s nice to know that people really think about the gifts they’re going to give to the mom-to-be and also the newborn. But as much thought that goes into each present, some of us are stumped on what to give. Of course we want to give a great gift, the best gift even, but there are simply times when the gift-thinking part of our brain just ceases to work.

But worry no further because we have several gift suggestions here that are sure to be a hit at that baby shower you are attending.

Diaper Genie
Often the practical gifts are the biggest hits during baby showers because you actually gave something that can be of great use to both mother and baby. A diaper genie assures easy and nearly odorless disposal of those dirty diapers (there’s sure to be many of that in the months to come). Having a system that makes sure your baby’s nursery doesn’t smell like baby poop is a great gift indeed.

Baby Bjorn Carrier
It really doesn’t have to be the Baby Bjorn brand, but why not get the best while you’re at it? The Baby Bjorn infant carrier allows the parents to be with their baby, carrying them safe and close to them, but letting them have their hands free to do other things.

Diaper Cake
It’s a somewhat unusual gift that is really starting to rise in popularity. The diaper cake is literally made out of diapers and arranged so that it will look like a two- or three-tier cake. It can also include some small baby-related stuff like toys and rattles, but the diapers are the main attraction. These could also serve as baby shower centerpieces because these tend to be very big. These are great gifts because for one, you can never have too many diapers, and second with the right packaging it could look really great and be a main attraction in the baby shower.

Baby Care Essentials
Anything from baby bath shampoo, baby wipes, burping cloths, bibs, and baby bottles will definitely be great gifts to give to any expectant parent. These are the stuff that usually run out fast and gets used often, so having a steady supply will truly be appreciated.

Baby Clothes
Though it is most likely that baby clothes will be the most numerous gift in the baby shower, all of them are very much appropriate gifts to give. As a rule, it is better to give clothing gifts in larger sizes so the baby can use them in the future. Weather-appropriate baby clothes are also great. Buy sizes that are approximate to the age the baby will be when the season comes, say, if the baby is born in the summer, he or she will be about 4-6 months in the wintertime. You should buy winter baby clothes in that age range then.

Baby shower favors are one of those things that you always have tons of great ideas for but when time comes to actually picking one it gets difficult simply because you have stored so many ideas for baby shower favors in your head that you just can’t pick one.
While we’re not here to tell you what to do or what exactly to choose, we could at least help you to narrow down the list until you can be sure that you have the baby shower favor that you want. And let’s face it, it’s just a favor, a souvenir of the event. Shouldn’t you be more concerned about giving the mom-to-be the best baby shower possible? We’re not saying drop it altogether, but don’t get crazy trying to get the baby shower favor perfect and spend all time choosing.
That being said, we want to reiterate that we are here to help you and so have simplified baby shower favors into several categories:
Food – Food and other food stuff are a practical idea for baby shower favors. Food gets eaten, nothing is wasted, and personalizing options are near endless. Candy in clear glass jars is one option. You can customize the label, pick the exact color of candy you want, and give it away. Chocolate bars with personalized wrappers? Cookies in baby-related shapes and colors? Rice krispies, brownies, the ever-present cupcake, honey in jars, lollipops – when it comes to food, we might as well stay here forever listing your options.
Trinkets and Keepsakes – Giving trinkets is one baby shower favor idea that is truly charming, with “charm” being the operative word. The baby shower favor could be a charm in the shape of a baby bootie, a heart, a baby bottle, or a wee bear, a bassinet, or a stroller. These could also work as pendants. You may also want to take a look into little keepsakes such as sun catchers and little figurines. If you want something that conjures “charming,” “adorable,” and “precious,” and have a bit of cash, then trinkets and keepsakes seem about right.

Useful Stuff –and by useful stuff we mean things that serve a purpose apart from its decorative value. May we suggest stationery and note pads perhaps, or pens? A deck of cards sound unique. There are also what’s called towel cakes (towels folded and packaged as though they are cake slices) that seem to be quite a hit. Note and picture holders are relatively inexpensive and highly customizable, bath items like soap are always useful, and never forget candles. Candles are a failsafe favor option.

Do-It-Yourself – Are you by any means crafty or handy with the glue gun or can bake batches and batches of goods without being fazed? If you’re looking to save money and are infinitely creative and able, then you can take the above product suggestions and do it yourself. Actually, it’s more like the personalization that you’ll do yourself, especially if you order such things as pens or stationery. The packaging is what you need to work on. If you have the time, talent, but not a lot of the cash then do-it-yourself is the creative way to go.

Baby showers are fun events meant to celebrate a baby’s impending entrance to the world. Baby shower favors, while important, shouldn’t take over any event. We hope the suggestions have helped somewhat in your search for perfect ideas for baby shower favors.

If you want to save on baby shower decorations and other supplies, you should get into a craft store ASAP. You know very well that the best way to save money is to quite literally take things into your own hands, meaning you engage in some do-it-yourself action. The great thing is that craft stores have about everything you want to ensure a successful decorating job on your baby shower. You can also get stationery there, or at least the materials to make baby shower invitations and thank you cards exactly the way you want.

Party supplies such as streamers, paper lanterns, banners, and even ready-made stationeries are available in craft stores. Party supply stores also offer a lot on the party front. It would be easier if a theme had been established when you were planning the baby shower. It doesn’t even have to be a specific theme per se, such as “Cool Mommy” theme or the very popular “Noah’s Ark” theme. It could be as simple as determining which colors you wanted to use for the shower. Knowing these things beforehand could help you save time in choosing which baby shower decorations you choose and how you choose to decorate them. Knowing this bit of information would also help in choosing cutlery, paper cups, plates, and that sort.

And luckily, there are many websites and magazines that could help you with your projects, complete with instructions and materials. Online craft and party supply stores often have craft projects on their sites as well. You can take advantage of these and tweak them according to your preferences. With all these references and you’re well on your to creating a truly spectacular baby shower.

Baby showers have somewhat grown to be very important events as opposed to just a several years ago when it doesn’t really happen that often. The importance put into a baby shower has caused a bit of stress for some, but as you know stress shouldn’t have a place in any gathering including baby showers. When you’re planning a baby shower, one of the first things you have to take care of is finding, making, and sending out invitations.

Going online to find great baby shower invitations is always a good idea. The internet is home to tons of ideas from professional printing places and people who have done thrown their own baby showers. You can customize these invitation ideas to suit your theme and budget. Or you could hire the services of these printers for your baby shower invitation needs. This sharing of information is one of the things that make the internet great.

However, if you’re leaning towards the more budget-friendly and inexpensive baby shower invitations, getting bits and pieces of baby shower invitations you like is a great start. You can then visit craft stores either online or near your home so you can start making your invitations. Make sure you allot enough time to crafting them and sending them. You may even find some really great ready-made baby shower invitations that you only had to fill out and send.

Another option that you have is to send e-invites. This is done either by putting up a website from which you can e-mail the people you want to invent. They could also RSVP there and it would make it easier for you to manage a guest list. One other thing you can do is you can e-mail the people you want to invite directly and having them RSVP directly to you. The ones who do not e-mail addresses (there are quite a small number of people that don’t have e-mail), you may just call them. After all, it is most likely that the people you’re inviting to your baby shower are people that live close by. A phone call wouldn’t cost that much.

Remember, when it comes to money-saving, there are tons of options. Feel free to have the most economical baby shower you’ll ever throw. It may even be better than more grandiose ones that have happened before.