A baby shower, with a vintage twist

So, finally... the baby shower I hosted a month ago.  You may have read about the making of the invitations (here or here).  I love planning and giving showers, baby or bridal.  When I heard my niece was pregnant last fall, I knew I wanted to give her a shower... and I wanted it to have a vintage theme.  They knew early on that they were having a boy.  These Martha Stewart hanging paper rounds were perfect in color and hung above the desert buffet. (Actually since I liked them so much, they're still there).





















Last fall, I started collecting any vintage baby items I came across at thrift stores, antique stores or yard sales.  There are quite a few baby vases out there, usually very inexpensive.  I found many for $.29 to $.49.  I also went through my cupboards and pulled out items from my own children's baby days... their silver baby cups, diaper pins and a few little clothing items.  Dusted off the two little, child sized chairs I own, which also happened to be the perfect colors of white and aqua blue.  I picked up a crib sized chenille baby blanket for $5.00.


I had a vintage baby book... I took a picture of the cover and had photos printed in 5 x 7 size.  These became the covers for the game books.  A number of years ago, I attended a shower where the host put all the games to be played in a little book.  I loved this idea and have used it at every shower I've had since then.  I tied the booklets together in the corner.


















One of my favorite shower games is "present bingo".  You play it as the gifts are opened.  It really keeps the guests involved in the gift opening... no getting distracted. Of course you do have to make each card different, not too difficult with a computer.  Some items are specific, some very generic.  If it's a large shower you could have more specific items.  The guests get to mark off one square per opened gift.

Then another personal favorite is the "tray game".  I filled a vintage metal tray with a large assortment of new and vintage baby items.  You allow the guest time to view the tray and then you remove it from the room.  The guest that can list, on paper, the most items wins.  And a little hint, if you ever play this game, COUNT the items first.  It will help you remember them!  At the end of the game, all the new baby items went to my niece to take home.

Another spin on this game is to have the mother or bride to be carry the tray around.  Have them leave the room with the tray... then you ask the guest questions about the mother or the bride!  What color is their shirt... do they have earrings... is their hair up or down... etc.  It really throws people off that have played the actual tray game...
















One of the vintage items for the tray game, diaper pins.  I've had these pins for over 23 years.  They still come in handy!  And I love the little bear, duck and piggy.

No shower is complete without a desert buffet. 





















I used my cake stands and my little white chair to add height.  Of course we had the incomparable Martha Stewart sugar cookies, cute little green and polka dotted Cath Kidston paper plates, pastel Hersey kisses...


and a variety of mini cupcakes... frosted in icing flavored as raspberry, blueberry and lemon.








The beverage tray included iced tea and bottles of sparkling lemonade.  Three flavors of regular, pink and french berry required little tags to identify them.  I used vintage baby cards that I picked up in a package at a local antique store for $.99.  The argyle print plastic (new) flower pot served as an ice bucket.

















And no vintage themed party would be complete without these cute paper straws I purchased on Etsy.  You can get them in every color imaginable... what fun to use and to display in a milk glass vase.

Another view of the food table, of course I forgot to take any pictures with the actual food in place.  Keep in mind that this shower was at 6:30 on a Tuesday evening, and I do work full-time... so a few things slipped my mind!  Following the mini everything theme, we had mini quiches (frozen from the store), pasta salad served in mini paper cups with mini spoons from IKEA, sandwiches of ham and cheese in puff pastry (thank you Barefoot Contessa), and fresh tomato pizzas.  Everything was cut and served as bite size, or tea sized on cute rectangular blue paper plates.















Here you can see said cute paper cups used for the pasta salad... I think they're meant for cupcakes... and the cute blue paper plates.





















Planning where all the serving plates will go.  I tried to add height to this table as well.

An adorable pair of baby shoes I picked up for $.50 at our local antique store.  They looked very cute on the table.





















A vintage flower vase, filled with blue napkins from IKEA.  Best place around for paper napkin selection!

An adorable little blue rocking horse.  I actually paid $2.99 at the antique store for this one, but it is very cute and couldn't be passed by.  I picked some plastic cake decorating items at Michael's when I was in Toronto.  Since i decided against using them on the actual mini cupcakes, I sprinkles them around the table.  Under the horse, and covering the table is my grandmother's white linen damask tablecloth.





















A couple of years ago I purchased a HUGE lot of vintage cake toppers and decorations on eBay for under $20.00 with shipping.  Just about every imaginable cake decoration was in this lot from Christmas, to Father's Day, to wedding toppers.  These two vintage, still in the package, baby rattles were in that lot.  They too looked cute hanging out on the table.

 For take home favors I had little blue paper bags for cookies and cupcakes.  I also planted sweet peas, in streamer blue, in little brown paper pots.  I punched a couple of holes at the rim and added a little aqua ribbon.  Speaking of sweet peas, another vintage baby vase.  Since real sweet peas weren't in season yet, it's filled with faux flowers from IKEA.






















And of course, I couldn't end the post with a picture of the real star of the evening...
my great nephew, Lincoln.




Comments

  1. What great attention to detail! I love all the little accessories you've picked up to complete the theme! Everything is tied together so well. The chairs on the tables with the coordinating items on them make perfect centerpieces! The food sounds/looks delicious - love having "tasting" sizes of things! I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets to take pics of the food while the party's happening!

    DD

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  3. Oops, had a typo so am reposting...What I meant to say was: All of those vintage baby items are making me so nostalgic. I love those baby ducky diaper pins; and the little shoes are precious. The time and energy you spent on the shower is amazing; given the fact that you have a full time job!

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  4. Oh my...you did an outstanding job on this shower...love the baby shoes...vases and diaper pins!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  5. Ohhh...congratulations on that adorable nephew!! What a blessing!!!

    I absolutely LOVE that you used that little white chair to add height!!!!

    And the lanterns....perfect pops of color!!!!

    Hugs,
    Lana

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  6. Oh how pretty and sweet! I love all your vintage touches. There were just so many details. You thought of everything!

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  7. I hardly know what to comment on as there is so much and everything is fabulous. You have such attention to detail and the time that you took on every piece...well, I do believe you must get 'The Best Aunt In The World Award'! So many cute ideas but I think my favorite is the game book or maybe the baby vases and the straws from Etsy...never mind, I can't pick, it's all wonderful!

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  8. How precious is that baby! Cute idea for a baby shower--would be fun to collect vintage nursery items for the event--thanks for sharing! Patty

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  9. Wow, that looks really nice. I have a baby shoe like the one you had the napkins in, as well as a bowl from Germany when I was born. Very cool.

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  10. With all your time and hard work, I am sure the lady appreciated it. What a grand way to have a shower.

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  11. I got so many good ideas from your photos! You did such a fabulous job! I love all the vintage touches, and the way you put the little chairs on the tables.
    Those diaper pins remind me of taking care of my younger brothers and sister. We had pins just like those, and getting them through the diaper was always a challenge for my 10 year old self.

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  12. I remember the post about the invitations, and have been waiting for pics of the shower. How lovely! The planters are adorable and the pins are SO sweet. And Lincoln is just precious!

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  13. Wow, oh WOW!!! Chris, you did a marvellous job putting this delightful shower together. It really shows, all the effort, time and thought you put into this event is amazing. I think you have a future ahead of you as a vintage party planner! : ) Great work, gorgeous!

    ~Andrea~

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  14. What beautiful baby shower decor and wonderful treats. So many sweet and sentimental touches. I'm sure the new Mommy appreciated the special event you hosted for her and the baby.

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  15. How darling!! Love all the vintage baby vases! Such a sweet setting, and sweet little baby boy! Thanks so much for linking up for VIF, now I want a cupcake! xo Debra

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  16. Your attention to the smallest detail made for a very lovely shower! I especially love the vintage diaper pins and planters.

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  17. I Love all the Fun & Vintage details you put into this Sweet Baby Boy Shower.... What great ideas for anyone hosting a Party~
    Have a wonderful weekend
    Cheryl

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  18. What a wonderful job you did on everything! It looks beautiful! The decorations, the food, the attentionto detail...you outdid yourself. And that nephew???? Ca Ute!!

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  19. Oh. My. I do think that is the cutest little baby shower EVER. You did a wonderful job and the little guy is precious, how sweet of you to do this! I am giving my niece a vintage toy baby shower this summer! I am so excited to do it for her, she just loves everything vintage!
    xoxo
    Joni

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  20. What a beautiful Baby Shower everything is just perfect, you did a great job!

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  21. What a wonderful baby shower. I love all the vintage items ---- so sweet.

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  22. This is the sweetest baby shower. Lincoln is a lucky boy! Love his name!

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  23. How pretty everything looks. Your shoes you bought look just like the ones on my mantel that belonged to my hubby.

    Love all of your sweet details.

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  24. A loving and creative vintage baby shower. What sweet memories.
    ~ Julie

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  25. What a wonderful vintage themed baby shower you created. Everything looks wonderful. Great theme. Love the bingo card.

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  26. I love it. Love it all!
    You know how to put on a shower, that's for sure. I'm sure your niece loved every single minute. (Lincoln too!)
    How fun to have all the vintage touches. The diaper pins are my favorite. So cute.
    Oh, and the straws! I've been shopping for straws for the rehearsal dinner. So many cute ones out there.

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  27. Wow...awesome shower Chris! I love those paper straws too...may have to visit etsy! Congrats on your sweet little nephew! ~Deb~

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  28. cute baby! what a great looking shower! I just love baby showers, they are so much fun!

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  29. Oh my !!!! How pretty and fun that all looks you done such a good job !!!! Thanks for all the pictures

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  30. Adorable! I love all of the special touches you added.

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  31. How very cute! I love vintage themed parties. I did one for my daughter's baby shower a few years ago, and it was beautiful. People just loved the novelty of it. I like your bingo game. I'll have to try that next go around. ;)

    Thanks for linking to Time Travel Thursday.

    Blessings,
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  32. I featured this project on our link party this week. You can come over and grab an "I've been featured button" if you'd like.

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  33. My mom always tells me that it's hard to know what to get for a gift for a baby shower. Seems easy to me. Cloths for the baby. That's what I would bring.

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