The Modern Baby Shower

As you saw yesterday in my Blue Door photoshoot, my friend Heather is expecting her second baby in the next few weeks, and we girls thought she deserved a little Diapers and Wipes Party since she's having her second boy and has pretty much everything she needs.  My friend Katie, who is going to be starting her own party planning business very soon, organized a fabulous, modern baby shower for Heather, keeping it low-key but sophisticated.  And it all revolved around this:

A homemade graphic mobile, the idea stolen from Martha Stewart herself here.

Want to make one for your next celebration, for your kid's bedroom, or just to spruce up your own home?  Here's how.

Martha's Materials (and Katie's Improvisations):

• Art-quality colored construction paper or card stock (available at art-supply stores) 
• Embroidery hoops or basket hoops (Katie used 18- to 20-inch hoops) 
• Colored waxed twine (Katie used fishing line)
• Eyelets (Katie skipped those, but you can use them to be fancy)

All the materials cost less than $20, and as Katie said, she'll have leftover fishing line for the rest of her life.  They're items you can buy at Michael's crafts, Kmart, JoAnn Fabrics--pretty much anywhere.

Directions from Martha:

I personally find these directions to be a bit hard-to-understand/wordy/presumptuous that I know what some of these words even mean, but between Martha's site and Katie's explanations, I'm sure you could make this mobile with little hassle.  Unless you're me and you had to look up with an eyelet was--then you'll probably need a little more help.  I hope you have some cool friends like I do!

1. Determine the length of your mobiles (Katie had two mobiles with 6-7 circles hanging from each). Remember, you want the mobile to have various lengths of circles to make it visually interesting. Cut the various lengths of waxed twine (or fishing line). Double the twine strings (as if you are going to thread a needle). Tie the loose ends in a knot.

2. Slip finished end through eyelet and pull through. This will create a slip knot. Repeat with all other lengths of twine and attach around diameter of hoop.

3. You will want to repeat the same slip knot with the twine/fishing line to hang the hoop.  Katie hung her mobile from the chandelier light fixture above the dining room table.  Once you have doubled the twine and made a slip knot at three points around the hoop, tie the unfinished ends of each in a knot and then tie all three knots together and hang it.  Katie said that this was the most time-consuming part of the entire project; getting the mobile to hang straight.  It took some trial and error, but the process took about ten minutes at most.  Remember if you make two mobiles that they will need to coordinate with heights of the hoops and the circles.

4. For the circles, choose varying sizes and colors and cut freehand (Katie traced plates and bowls--who can cut perfect circles freehand, Martha?); you can also purchase already cut card stock in circular shapes. Use a 1/8-inch hole punch to punch a hole at the top (about 1/2 inch from the rim of the circle). Attach eyelets to circles with eyelet punch (available at scrapbooking sites and art-supply stores) or you can just skip them.

And voila!  A beautiful, modern mobile that is the centerpiece for the room and doesn't take up room on the table!

Another cool touch I thought was Katie's use of bare tree branches (which I thought she got at Pier One but she just snapped from handy Mother Nature) to use as a pretty arrangement.

Something completely free yet creates an elegant touch.  I would have never thought of it.

Include some yummy snacks that you can just pop in the oven (scallops wrapped in bacon, little quiches)

...and you have a beautiful yet simple baby shower with a modern twist!

I think using placemats rather than a tablecloth in combination with the modern, geometric plates made the entire table very pleasing to the eye.  Very impressive, Katie!

All that was left to do was open gifts and celebrate with the girls. 

Cheers!  Here's to you, Heather and Baby L!  And congratulations to you, Katie, for organizing such a fabulous party!  And of course I'll let you all know when Katie's party planning business is off the ground!

And all I had to do was sit back, take some pictures, eat some great food, drink some yummy wine, and hang out with friends.  Sometimes I am just too lucky.