Need an Idea for those Baby Shower Gifts?

I thought I would take a break from table decorating and share some of my ideas with diapers.

Yes I know, I said the word,  DIAPERS!

Gosh, it has been soooo long since I have seen these tiny, little things that I have almost forgotten how little my son was 21 years ago.  Sshhhhh.....please don't tell him that I mention him and diapers in the same sentence.

I wish I had a shower coming up so I could do a tutorial on these gifts.

Don't you just get tired of giving the bag of diapers, wrapping them up and here you go Mom to be?

I will try to explain what I used and how I did these charming gifts.

The first one is the motorcycle. I do believe I used the newborn diapers on these because you will need at least 100 diapers, 2 receiving blankets,2 bibs, 1 bottle, 1 pair of socks and 1 adorable teddy bear. I think a bigger one than I bought would have worked better. I took my round 12'' cake pan and 8'' cake pan and used them as molds. You take those cute little diapers and lay them on the side and rim the outside of the inside of the pan. You just continue til fill the cake pan until you can't get anymore diapers in. Take a big rubber band and and place around the diapers. Un mold the diapers and wrap it with a ribbon of your choice to hide the band. (oops! I forgot that you will need ribbon)

Do the same for 2 back wheels. Stand up you wheels and take 1 of your folded receiving blanket and push it through the wheels until the ends of blankets meet. I used a baby pin but you can use a safety pin to connect. Take 1 bib and the bottle and lay it on top of the big wheel. Now take the other blanket and push it through the wheel. Bring it up and take a rubber band and wrap it up close to the bottle. The excess will be you handle bars to place you booties on. Take the other bib and lay it on the back wheels. It represents the seat. Place your adorable teddy bear and viola! You have made a motorcycle!

Can you just see this as a centerpiece?  Oh my gosh, I would have just loved to have done the table.

The purse...Just a couple of wash clothes rolled up and a bib wrapped around it. Tie ribbon on each end.

OK, now, this one is my favorite!

Dumbo!

I used bigger diapers so mama to be would have something in baby room to adore and then have some diapers for the next size.

What you will need:  1 baby blanket, 2 binkies, and diapers. Oh yeah, lots of rubber band!

Roll up your diapers and rubber band them. I used a 10'' cake pan for my mold. Once you fill the cake pan with diapers (leaving 2 out for the legs), I used a huge rubber band and band them together. Take ribbon of your choice and wrap the diapers.Wrap the back of the diapers with the blanket. Gather up the ends and rubber band each end to form the ears. Take the remaining of the blanket and push it through the middle of the diapers to form nose. Divide the nose into 3 sections with the bands and turn up the end.  Place the binkies  in for eyes and there you go! I think I just taped the legs on the ribbon or possibly safety pinned them.

Not a very good picture of the elephants back to see how the blanket goes on.

I am sure we all know about the diaper cakes. They also make great centerpieces and a great game to play. When I did my shower, I had the cake sitting out. When the guests came in, they did the usual things that women do when we see baby items....ohhhhed and aweeeeed.

I left it uncovered but never told them that it was going to be a game.  When it came time to play the game, I covered it up and then asked them to write down what they saw on the cake.  We had a lot of fun at that shower. 

Here is my version of a diaper cake!

The next time you are in a jam and just don't know what to give as a gift, I hope you remember this tutorial and make your own amazing gift!  The mom to be will just be wowed!

If you have any questions on any of the gifts, please ask  and I will try to help you out!

I hope you enjoyed this off the normal beaten blog for a little cuteness!

Thanks!  Andrea

ps....please leave a comment. I love to read your thoughts!

Applesauce Cinnamon Ornaments

I thought I would do a little tutorial with on these Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments.

It has been a while since I have made these. I use to make them with the day care children, which has been a few years ago.  Since my son is 21, I was missing the things we use to do. I guess that would explain the candy theme on the kitchen Christmas Tree and the tablescape.
      So why don't you take this journey with me and if you can find some free time in your busy schedule, make some of these wonderful, smell good ornaments.  They also make nice gift tags on the presents!


Recipe:
1 cup cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. allspice
1 tbsp ginger
3/4 c. applesauce

In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, allspice,
ginger & nutmeg. Add applesauce, stir to combine.
Work mixture with hands 2 to 3 minutes or until dough
is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut dough with cookie cutters.
Using straw or pencil, make small hole in top of ornament.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 150 degrees for 1 hour
Remove from the cookie sheet and bake on the oven
racks for another hour and a half.

Use these ornaments to decorate gifts, hang on tree, etc. 

A picture of the ingredients that I used.  I may have used just a tad bit more of the spices than the recipe called for.

I grind my own cloves, all spice, and nutmeg.

 This is what the mixture looks like when you add all of the ingredients together.

Place your dough ball on the counter that has been sprinkled with cinnamon and roll out your dough. You don't want it to be to moist, just a little on the dry side

Don't roll your dough out to think or when the ornaments dry they will be very fragile and break.

Use your favorite cookie cutter and cut out your ornaments.  Make sure you place a hole in your ornament so you can hang it.  You may also make a wire in a U shape and push it in the top of your ornament.

Place your ornaments on a cookie rack or something that they  can sit and dry on. It will take several days before they will be ready to use.

You can also take the left over dough and roll them into balls and place a U wire in the top of them.


While you are making your ornaments, pour yourself and drink, play some Christmas music and enjoy yourself. I choose to have a pot of tea.  It was nice and warm since the night I did these it was ReALLy CoLd outside!

I like my tea with a little cream and sugar! I also just adore the tea cozy my Sister-in-Law made for me. I wonder if I can get her to make a few more to match my tablescapes!


I decorated my ornaments with a royal icing that I made.

Royal Frosting

2 1/2 T. meringue powder or powdered egg white

4 1/2 C. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 C. water

1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

Beat the above for about 10 minutes.  ( I have cut the

frosting recipe in half from the original.  This should

still frost 2 batches of the cookies.)

Color as desired.  Place in squeeze bottles or pastry bags to decorate!

Thank you Jacqueline from over at Purple Chocolate Home. Such an easy recipe and tastes and works well with cookies and anything else you would like to decorate!  I added the Almond and Butter Flavoring to the frosting to step it up a notch.

I hope you get a chance to make these and thank you for strolling down memory lane with me!

 

Best Wishes,     Andrea