stephmodo: A Watercolor Baby Shower

A Watercolor Baby Shower

• 15 April 2012


Do you have a friend that you wish would blog because she has so many great ideas to share?  One who has extraordinarily good taste, experience and is resourceful beyond measure?  I bet you do.  I am also lucky to have such a friend and last weekend I co-hosted a baby shower for Cristina in my home.  Oh, how wonderful and relaxing it was to sit down and celebrate her upcoming arrival!  It had been awhile since I put on a shower of any sort, and I have to admit it was really fun to jump on the planning-for-baby wagon again.  Since this was a "second-baby" shower, there was more of an emphasis on food, comraderie and support for the expectant mother.

The simple tablescape was inspired by my friend Jihan's eye-catching balloons (recognize anyone on her website? and no, it's not me).  When planning parties it's nice to have just one element, big or small, to serve as the overall inspiration for the event.  


My co-host, Jenny the Painter :), created watercolored pages so that I could put my handy circle punchto work.  She also watercolored the handwritten invitations (I used a silver pen purchased at Impress, a local stationery and rubber stamp store).  Cards and envelopes were purchased at Paper Source--their Luxe White line has a nice weight and although it's not technically watercolor paper, it's heavy enough for this sort of thing.   


A very feminine Christian Lacroix Evian bottle added interest.  Also, a sneak peek at the party favors...


Another Geronimo...



Gussied up goblets...



When it comes to party favors for baby showers, I don't feel there are many obvious options.  I tried to come up with something that related to being pregnant, but that would also be appropriate to send home with a non-expectant mother too (i.e. our guests).  Water came to mind!  We all need it, pregnant or not.  When I spotted a handful of lovely Voss bottles at Marshalls recently, I knew they would be perfect.  Plus, the pretty bottle is reusable...bonus! (Rachel taught me that trick).

And now you're wondering what's in those little pouches...




...because every expectant mother (and her friends!) appreciate a yummy, little treat.

A local French bakery, just happened to have enough of their vanilla bean white truffle macarons for our guests--2 each please!  I placed them in a clear cello bag and secured shut with a small piece of gray, Japanese masking tape before sliding them carefully into the pouches.  Again, hoping those pouches are reused as well--they would be perfect for small beauty items in a purse or diaper bag.


Jenny took the watercolor theme up a notch and even painted the gift bag she brought for Cristina.  I love the idea of taking a plain, white paper bag and turning it into something stunning like this.  So creative!

Also, I set little, single-stem bud vases at each place setting instead of a large floral arrangement.  This was not only more cost-effective (allowing more money to be spend on favors, food, etc.), but a bit unexpected too.  My husband actually picked out the peach tulips as I {somewhat nervously} sent him to the store with Baby Gray on the morning of the shower to choose fresh flowers* to match.  I was a bit nervous so I texted him a pic of the balloon trim for matching.  I think he did a pretty good job, don't you?

* locals, if you can't make it down to Pike Place for a deal on fresh flowers, hit up QFC.  They seem to have a little bit of every possible flower so you have a lot of options.  


For the menu we served the following...a vegetarian menu I would repeat in a heartbeat.

Asparagus Gruyère Tart
Baked Mexican Eggs with Salsa Verde (from here) 
Fresh Fruit (presented on a cake stand for fun)
Herb Roasted Potatoes (one of my all-time favorite crowd pleasing side dishes)
Spring Greens and Herbs with Radishes, Crumbled Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette

all images by me

17 comments:

  1. HOLY COW.

    This is wildly awesome. Such detail, and yet so simple.

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  2. Love all this. Such pretty colour. I bet your friend and all the guests loved it.

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  3. You have outdone yourself. Gorgeous.

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  4. So pretty and what a delicious menu!

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  5. What an honor, Steph! The shower was so magical and everything was perfect down to the last detail!

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  6. Calm, simple and beautiful. Great job!!

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  7. Thank you for posting this. It’s exactly what I was looking for!

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  8. Gorgeous! You and Jenny really created a beautiful, relaxing and sophisticated environment. Good job!

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  9. PS Didn't Jenny used to have a blog? I loved it. :)

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  10. Stephanie - - to die for. Love this so much.

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  11. ha! it's your daughter! that's awesome. beautiful shower! so many adorable, special details. way to go, as always.

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  12. Beautiful shower, beautiful images! Love the sweet pastels and details, down to the favors. You ladies are amazing. and so cute you sent your husband off for flowers, I think mine would be really unsure what to get. He did great ;)

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  13. Girls, thanks a million for the nice comments!

    Katie, yes Jenny used to have a blog, but alas does not anymore. She has moved on to other creative endeavors!

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  14. Okay, Stephanie-- you have done it again! Gorgeous.

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  15. oh my. This is beautiful and feminine and light and refreshing. Cristina is one lucky girl to have a friend like you. I, too, wish she had a blog. That lady has true style in all sense of the word.

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  16. Carrie, thank you! I'm not sure it's up there with your pie party, but I tried :)

    Brittany, I'm lucky to have her as a friend too. Also, here's some good news...she had her baby today!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to drop a line. I really appreciate it!

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