Baby shower: nesting theme

My mother's church is hosting a baby shower this weekend so I came in town to help decorate.

 I started by hanging pink and white tissue paper balls from the ceiling.  (Tablecloths were added to the tables prior to the shower, however, they weren't ironed and ready when I was taking these photographs.  Use your imagination and I'm certain you can envision how much more elegant the room became.)

 And then I used some pink silk flowers.  Mommy-to-be is having a baby girl after all.

And I just felt my milk glass vases were more appropriate than crystal.

 I had the idea of using a "nesting" theme and these birdcages were perfect!

Finding actual nests proved to be challenging, however.  So I used small baskets (only 59 cents) from Goodwill instead.  All it took was removing the wicker handles, and voila!  A bird's nest!

At each table I also placed a painted birdhouse (only 70 cents a piece courtesy of Michaels and a 25% off-my-entire-purchase coupon).  Grace helped with the pink.  She's very fond of pink.

 I framed one of the invitations.  It reads

How Tweet It Is

Mommy-to-be is waiting patiently

to meet her new baby girl

She's making her nest and getting her rest

before her sweet baby joins her family

follwed by the rest of the pertinent information.

But my favorite part of the shower was this.  I found a branch outside behind the church and put it in a bottle of sand.  Then I hung little birds, birdhouse windchimes, and little cards (all a la Michaels) from the branches.  It became a Baby Blessing Tree where guests could leave mothering advice for the new Mommy-to-be.

My poem reads:

Baby Blessing Tree

Take some time to leave a note

A word of wisdom; a dash of hope

A silly saying or a helpful hint

Heartfelt advice and encouragement

All for Mommy and Daddy-to-be

As Baby joins her new family.

And I simply couldn't resist leaving tidbits of wisdom from lessons I've learned over the past 3 years. 

Such as:

Make time for your husband.  He needs attention, too.

Sometimes babies cry to let off excess energy.  No baby has ever died from crying.

Before you go around sterilizing your entire house and everyone in it, remember, this kid will probably eat dirt (or worse) before she's two and live to tell the tale.

A clean house is over-rated. Choose to be remembered as a good mother rather than a good housekeeper.

And finally,

 

Welcome to parenthood. A few weeks from now you'll suddenly realize what all the fuss is about and how totally meaningless other things are.