REAL PARTIES: whimsical garden baby shower // Hostess with the Mostess®

REAL PARTIES: whimsical garden baby shower

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I designed a baby shower for some friends a few months that was particularly special because of the circumstances… The couple had been trying to get pregnant for several years without success, so when it finally happened for them and they found out a little girl was on the way – mom-to-be described the feeling as somewhat “magical “.

She wanted the shower to reflect that kind of feeling – so I came up with this “Whimsical Garden ” theme that incorporates all sorts of girlie things like butterflies, rhinestones, metallic vases, and glittery details – as well as unusual organics like oversize moss balls, snapdragons, mini orchids, and stargazer lilies. For details on how to recreate this theme, read on…

Party Decor

*Photos by Anne Geddes (taken from greeting cards & calendars) are displayed in frames decorated with ribbon, rhinestones and butterflies.
*The “b-a-b-y” sign was created from glittered scrapbooking alphabet letters and simple clip frames.
*Pretty Chinese Peony paper plates from Plum Party were used for the buffet. Matching Coral Peony dessert plates were used for the cake.
* Different styles of butterflies (from craft & floral supply stores) hang from trees and adorn flower arrangements

Table Centerpieces (2 styles)

*Centerpiece #1: Roses, artifical lucy balls , mini butterflies, and glittered curly ting ting are displayed in low metallic flower pots. Pots are adorned with a band of ribbon and embellished with pacifiers on one side and Chinese Peony Placecards featuring baby-related words on the other. Tip: Fill the bottom half of the vase with vase gems or floral foam to help the rose stems stand upright.

*Centerpiece #2: Same base as above, but utilizing a taller version of the vase. An oversize moss ball sits at the top with glittered curly ting ting peeking out the sides.

Favors and Details

*Party favors chocolate & carmel Moose Munch Mix fills pretty favor boxes adorned with ribbon, matching tags , and glittery alphabet stickers. (favors were arranged in order of the alphabet) Tip: To create a “stair-stepped” display for your party favors, display them on cabinet shelf organizers.
* Tissue Poms from Martha Stewart Crafts adorned trees and bushes
*Rose petals floated in the spa

More details {not pictured}:
*Brightly-colored yoga mats purchased for only $7.99 each at Ross were used as surfaces for the food & beverage tables. These are especially great for the beverage area because the spongy surface makes it easy to clean up spills, and you’re not left with stains or wet spots on your tablecloth.
*Arrange pink and orange bottled drinks on multi-level shelf organizers for a pretty drink display
*Sprinkle rose petals on the cake/dessert table and in the bathtub of the guest bathroom
* Spray tissue poms with adhesive silver glitter spray to make them sparkle!

Special Note: Mike and Michelle’s baby girl arrived healthy and happy in December :)

49 Comments

Valerie January 10, 2008 at 3:49 pm

This is truly darling!
acaligurl January 10, 2008 at 5:01 pm

hey! i just picked up buckets of moose munch at macys. after xmas 70% off!!!!
sheri January 10, 2008 at 6:09 pm

This shower looks fantastic! I can’t believe you used yoga mats as table coverings. I never ever would’ve put that together, but I can see how it works! Love the butterflies :)
kawaii crafter January 12, 2008 at 10:26 am

what a lovely baby shower you desinged

your site is inspirational and a lot of fun

regards,
jessica
Andrea@shopbyog January 14, 2008 at 1:58 pm

I can always count on being inspired! The centerpieces are amazing!
Mansi Desai January 15, 2008 at 2:43 pm

that sure would fill my life with amazing colors:)
B_More BAP Life March 28, 2008 at 10:22 am

Totally Cute!
Michelle M July 9, 2008 at 9:57 am

This is really cute. I wanted to know where the flower pots were purchased?
Jenn July 9, 2008 at 10:09 am

Hi Michelle –

The post were purchased at a flower supply shop in San Diego. I don’t see them in the selection on their ecommerce website – but you might be able to call and see if you can order them over the phone!

Here’s the link to their website!
Vanessa August 31, 2008 at 10:58 am

These centerpieces are just adorable!! We’ve used them with different vases and colors.. and they’ve always turned out perfect!!
Astrid April 3, 2009 at 2:01 pm

I really love this idea, I think it is great. I’m currently trying to order all the items you have listed, to try to recreate this theme for my sister’s baby shower. I just would like to know where I can get the small glittery green flower pots next to the picture frame.

Thanks,
Chapel April 6, 2009 at 7:26 pm

yes! i would like to know where you got those sparkly green vases as well! thanks!
jenn s. April 7, 2009 at 6:36 am

Astrid & Chapel –
I got the sparkly green vases at a local flower supply shop in San Diego, but it was over a year ago and I don’t see them on their website anymore… I hate it when that happens!

You could probably achieve a similar effect by covering or spraying small vases with craft glue and rolling them in craft glitter though.

Also try searching for “beaded” vases or and “glitter” vases.

Good luck!
Jenn :)
jenn s. April 7, 2009 at 8:11 am

Astrid –
One more thing – since you think your sister would really like this look, you might also be able to get some ideas from the “Enchanted Fairy” 1st birthday party that I threw for this same little girl. Her mom loved the “whimsical/enchanted” look too, so the 2 parties had a similar feel, and honestly you could tailor either one of them to a baby shower :)

Here are some links to that party:
https://www.hwtm.com/2008/12/sneak-peek-enchanted-fairy-birthday-party/

(the full album is accessible from this link)
Astrid April 7, 2009 at 7:33 am

Thanks for your response.
I was also wondering if the baby girl dress hanging from the tree, is it a real one? What would you recommend I do in order to get the same look? Like I mentioned before, I truly love this baby shower idea, it is perfect for my sister.
Thanks,
jenn s. April 7, 2009 at 8:07 am

Yep – it’s just a real dress! $9.99 at Target :)

I actually just saw a bunch of cute baby girl summer dresses there for $6.99 though!
Astrid April 7, 2009 at 8:25 am

Thank you so much…I will let you know if I was able to put it all together. I truly hope my sister likes it.
jenn s. April 13, 2009 at 7:33 am

Hi Liz –
The vases are from a flower supply shop in San Diego, but unfortunately I don’t see them offered in their ecommerce store (aside from in silver and gold). Here’s the link just in case:

A lot of people have asked about the vases so I have a few alternate ideas to achieving a similar look in the comment thread above… good luck!
Liz April 13, 2009 at 7:12 am

oooh where did you get those vases for the centerpieces?? I LOVEEE this theme! It is ADORABLE!!
Nikki May 13, 2009 at 11:02 am

Hi,

I was wondering what invitation you used? thank you
Gina May 25, 2009 at 10:31 pm

I would love to know what invitation you used or any ideas for invitations that would work well with this theme. I can’t seem to come up with one on my own! Help!
jenn s. May 26, 2009 at 3:14 pm

Gina & Nikki –
One of the other hostesses sent out Anne Geddes-themed invites for this party, but there are several designs available at TinyPrints.com and their sister site WeddingPaperDivas.com that would work great! Here are some of my favorites – most of these are the girl version, but have “boy” or “neutral” colorways available as well:

Shower Flowers

Dragonfly Garden

Peaceful Posey

(The following are from Wedding Paper Divas, but you can easily change the wording to be reflective of a baby shower instead of a bridal shower, and they should work just fine.)

Floral Flurry : Midori
https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/1404/signature_white_bridal_shower_invitations_floral_flurry.html

Modern Marigolds : Azalea
https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/2988/signature_white_bridal_shower_invitations_modern_marigolds.html

Fields in Bloom : Medium Pink
https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/2104/signature_ecru_bridal_shower_invitations_fields_in_bloom.html

Spring Beauty : Mauve
https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/1355/signature_white_bridal_shower_invitations_spring_beauty.html

Lovely Butterfly : Deep Turquoise
https://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/2487/signature_ecru_bachelorette_party_invitations_lovely_butterfly.html

Good luck! :)
Nikki June 1, 2009 at 12:46 pm

Hi again,

thanks for the invite info. have you seen by chance any similar boxes to those shown above? i clicked the link and looked and they are no longer offered nor are the plates. any website or store suggestion would be appreciate. thanks again for your help. you are a true inspiration.
Gina June 3, 2009 at 9:26 pm

Thank you so much for the invitation ideas! I picked some of those invitations as well so I guess I’m on the right track. Thanks again for the information and for creating such beautiful theme!
jenn s. June 4, 2009 at 11:26 am

Hi Nikki –
Do you mean the favor boxes? Those are by Martha Stewart and I think she changes the designs a bit from season to season but everything she does has that same “signature style” to it. Check the Martha section at Michaels (it’s an entire aisle) and you should be able to find something cute/similar. The Brides (as in Brides magazine) collections at Michaels also have great favor boxes. Their stuff is in the wedding aisle at Michaels.

Good luck! :)
angie July 6, 2009 at 9:40 pm

I am so inspired by this for my sis. I am throwing her a shower. Any tips on food you served, that I could use? Thanks!!!
Nicole July 13, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Does anyone know where i can find the little pink dresses to hang on the lights? I’m looking everywhere!!

PLease help! Thanks so much

Nicole
Stacie August 31, 2009 at 8:38 pm

What did the cake look like?
jenn s. September 1, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Hi Stacie –
The cake was actually an Anne Geddes print that matched the invitation. (similar to the “photo” cakes that people do now a days..)

Nicole –
Those are actually just regular infant dresses that we used – ages 3-6m and 6-9m. They were only about $5 at Target at the time! (just now seeing your question – apologies for the delay in response!)

Angie – same to you – just now seeing your question! You might have already had the shower by now, but for the food – we did catered Mexican because it’s mom-to-be’s favorite, so we veered from the theme, but I think these adorable “toadstool bites” would be perfect for a party like this:

Jenn :)
Tabitha September 10, 2009 at 5:46 am

Hi there, your centerpieces are so adorable! I was just curious if you could tell me what size vase it was you used… Maybe it was a 4*4 or 6in.
jenn s. September 10, 2009 at 7:03 am

Thanks, Tabitha!

Some of the vases were 6″ square and some of them were a little taller – about 6 x 9″.
Tabitha September 10, 2009 at 10:29 am

Thanks, they looked small in the picture so i’m glad i ask before purchasing anything! Thanks again.
Colleen September 28, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Has anyone been able to find the vases. If not, any suggestion on how to recreate them. They will be the perfect centerpieces for my sister’s shower!
Elaine September 29, 2009 at 7:56 am

This Shower is gorgeous. I want to do the same kind of vases. Can you please point me in the right direction and tell me what kind of paint you used and where you bought the vases?
Elaine September 29, 2009 at 9:53 am

Okay, so the vases i found on the internet are called “square party vase” but most places only sell business to business or you have to place a minimum order.

Jenn, by any chance do you have pictures of the event?
jenn s. September 29, 2009 at 10:13 am

Hi Elaine –
I purchased the vases from a local florist supply, but they no longer carry them in anything besides silver and gold :(

I did just find them here, but only in the smaller 4×4 size:
http://ww38.idealfavors.com/Luminous-Colored-Ceramic-Square-Vase-4-Fuchsia.aspx

The wholesale supplier can be found here:
https://www.accentdecor.com/page-not-found/

You might be able to email them and ask if there’s an online store that stocks the colors you’re interested in.

Last but not least, you could also try to recreate this look yourself by using metallic craft pain, paper or gift wrap to cover any ceramic square vase. Here are a few places where you can purchase basic black and white square vases:

http://www.jamaligarden.com/index.php?option=com_404error

Good luck! :)
Colleen September 29, 2009 at 1:25 pm

Thanks for responding to the post. After a little reseach from the information everyone provide…I found them! They are a wholesaler that seller to florist but they were very open to selling directly to me….I hope everyone has a wonderful party!
April October 12, 2009 at 8:50 pm

Ladies, in case you are wondering, the bells of ireland and oriental lilies are quite common among florists and can also be found from online stores. One of my favorites is:

http://www.wholeblossoms.com

What’s nice about the oriental lilies is that they make your room smell nice and sweet!
Shannon January 13, 2010 at 4:16 pm

I love this party!!! Could you please tell me where you purchased the butterflies?
THANKS!!!
jenn s. January 14, 2010 at 10:51 am

Shannon –
The large butterflies are from:
https://www.butterflycraze.com/

and the small ones are from a local floral supply in San Diego, but you can even find similar ones at craft stores like Michael’s or online by searching “artificial butterflies”.

good luck! :)
Shannon January 20, 2010 at 4:30 pm

Thanks for your quick answer.
Also, do you know the size of the mirror you have under your centerpieces? Was it 8 or 12 inch?
Thanks
jenn s. January 20, 2010 at 4:34 pm

The mirrors were 8″ :)
Cynthia February 6, 2010 at 4:12 pm

This was a beautiful idea! Can you tell me where you got the frames used in the centerpieces? Also, did you decorate them with the butterflies yourself? Thanks!
jenn s. February 7, 2010 at 10:21 pm

Cynthia –
I actually got the frames at HomeGoods – just got lucky and stumbled on them there one day :)

And I did add the butterflies myself. Here’s another post with a lot more ideas/examples of butterfly embellishments. Hope this helps!
https://www.hwtm.com/2009/01/party-decor-on-a-budget-boston-event-recap-part-2/
jenna vicens February 15, 2010 at 11:50 am

WHERE WERE THE COLORED FAVOR TAGS AND GLITTER STICKERS PURCHASED?
THANKS
Pamela March 6, 2010 at 9:10 pm

I love the centerpieces. Where did you get the bright colored pacifiers?

thanks
gina March 7, 2010 at 4:07 pm

I ABSOLUETLY LOVE THIS THEME! I AM DOING ALL THE DECORATIONS AND FAVORS FOR MY SISTERS SHOWER AND I WAS WONDERING IF THE FIRST PICTURE SHOWN( WITH THE WORDS WHIMSICAL GARDEN ).IS THAT A CENTERPIECE FOR THE MAIN TABLE OR BUFFET? I WOULD LIKE TO RE CREATE THIS FOR HER SHOWER.DO YOU, BY CHANCE HAVE A FULL PICTURE OF THAT FLORAL ARRANGEMENT? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR KNOW WHAT KIND OF VESSEL YOU HAVE IT IN OR IF YOU COULD SUGGEST ONE.IT WOULD BE THE CENTERPIECE ON 10 LARGE ROUND TABLES. THE PRIMARY COLORS FOR THE SHOWER ARE PINK AND GREEN AND THEIR REALLY ISN’T A THEME. THIS TOO IS A MIRACLE BABY AND I JUST WANT EVERYTHING TO BE AS PERFECT AND AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS ONE SEEMED TO BE! THANK YOU
Jenn @ HWTM March 8, 2010 at 6:34 pm

Jenna –
The favor tags & stickers were both purchased at Michaels. It’s been a while though, so I don’t think they offer the favor tags any more (they were by Martha Stewart), but you should still be able to find similar glitter stickers.

Pamela –
The pacifiers were actually from Target! I think the brand was NUK. I’ve seen similar ones at babies r us recently too.

Gina –
Here’s a link to a larger picture of the arrangement you asked about:
https://www.hwtm.com/wp-content/uploads/uploaded_images/whimsical_bouquet.jpg

It was in a rectangle shaped galvanized metal container that was slightly tinted – but honestly any regular silver galvanized container would do (no tint necessary) – and you could also do a round bucket shaped container if you’re going to use them on round tables.

Good luck! :)
Suzanne Blake April 8, 2011 at 9:42 pm

Where did you get the pacifiers on the rose vases?

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