This weekend I helped to host a baby shower for a friend and member of my book club so it was only fitting to make it Children’s Book Themed.

Welcome to Once Upon a Baby Shower

First up the invitations I bought off of Etsy here.

I knew I would be doing a lot of DIY projects so I splurged having these designed for only $7. Worth it.

Then I scoured Pinterest to plan the menu.

For appetizers:

• Peter Rabbit veggie cups

• a Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Assortment

• Ten Apples Up On Top apple slices with peanut butter and chocolate chips on top.

For smaller bites:

• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Swedish Meatballs

• Taco Tuesday Taco Salad Cups

Bigger Bites;

• If You Give a Moose a Muffin mini spinach dip muffins

• Green Eggs and Ham green deviled eggs and Ham Sliders

Dessert:

Peanut Butter Cupcakes and Kissing Hand Hershey Kisses

I printed out small covers of my favorite books and hot glued them to toothpicks for the cupcake toppers.

The peanut butter cupcakes were made with a store bought white cake mixed altered to taste homemade using Rachel Ray’s recipe.

I topped them with this Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting and filled them with my own creation

• Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

  – follow this recipe for Chocolate Whipped Cream but substitute 1/4 cup of powdered peanut butter for the chocolate

 

I also did two word games:
Children’s Book Scramble

Childrens Books Emoji Pictionary

For the game winning prizes I picked up Dollar Store Travel Mugs, included a gift card inside to Panera and used this free printable label

I scoured the library’s 50 cent books and thrift stores to find old books with some wear and tear that I used to cut up and  make my own banner.  I made this one just cutting triangles.  I made another to spell out “Once Upon A Baby” and I used a copy of Good Night Moon to string across another wall.

I also replaced all my photos in frames with these Dr. Seuss Free Printables

I downloaded this free printable for the utensils

The diaper cake was so easy.  Just layer rolled up diapers with books in between.

Every guest left with a favor.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

I made a LOT of trips to the dollar store and during one I picked up these Mason Jars for $1 each and spray painted them blue.  I printed off the labels provided here and added a message to the front.

Give a Guest a Cookie

and they’ll remember

how much fun they had

at Erin’s Baby Shower

It took a little prep, planning and Pinterest to pull it all together and it was worth it to help the Mom-to-be begin to write a new chapter in the story of her life.