Orange You Glad the Theme Wasn’t Purple?
…because the menu for a purple baby shower would’ve included purple grapes, purple cabbage, eggplant, red onions, blueberry pie, and perhaps lavender cookies.
Hmm…not so bad, I suppose. Rather, this past weekend I hosted an orange-themed baby shower for Number 1’s 2nd Grade teacher. (We are a start-up school, and consequently, have a school board, staff, and parents, that feel like family.) Anyhow, this was a fun theme to work with. If you want to throw an orange party, this post is for you. Here was the predominantly orange menu:
Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk
Cantaloupe and Bocconcini (mozzarella balls) Salad with Prociutto and Mint
Veggie Tray with Mini Orange Peppers, Carrots, and Blanched Asparagus
served with a Chipotle Red-Pepper Dip
Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Sandwiches
Goat Cheese and Crackers, served with Apricot Preserves, Dried Apricots, Figs, and Grapes
Rooibos Blood Orange Iced Tea
Orange-Vanilla Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Candied Oranges
Did you notice these nifty removable shelves my uber-handy father-in-law crafted for my arbor? (and the cute plaid table-cloth I made to fit them?)
The guest of honor and I both agreed to forgo the shower games that everyone but us seems to enjoy. Instead, I made up pretty little 4×6 cards out of scrapbooking cardstock and papers, for the guests to write their best advice for the mother-to-be. These cards were hole-punched and bound with a single binder ring, ready to hang for quick and easy access!
She read these cards aloud at the end of the shower, and all of us felt that we could use a copy of such an inspiring index of encouragement and wisdom.
With a few basic supplies, a cute and functional piece of decor was born.
Using matching paper and cardstock, I fashioned a simple baby mobile to use as decor for the party, and a useful gift for the mother-to-be to take home.
I had considered wearing orange, but it was getting a bit overboard…
It was a wonderful time of fellowship, and as the host, I so greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get my creative (orange) juices flowing!
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Tags: baby showers
June 16th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
It all looks SO great! You are such a creative hostess=)
June 16th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Ruth! You are so very creative ~ where in the world do you get such great ideas? Seriously! Where do you find your inspiration?
Would love for you to decorate my home ~ I seem to be WAY too ecclectic for it to flow, not to mention I probably hold on to too many things “just in case”.
Thanks for sharing!!
June 16th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I used to be way too eclectic as well…it’s the artist in us!
June 17th, 2009 at 6:27 am
I think you outdid yourself with this one! I am beyond impressed.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Wow – that food looks fantastic, especially the smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches. YUM! I am visiting from TheBlogFrog and wanted to come visit you. What a lovely blog.
Holly at TheBlogFrog
June 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
What a lovely orange-y shower! And it figures that the mom-to-be is a redhead! ha-ha!
June 17th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Ruth! I love, love, love it! You outdid yourself. The gourmet food looks so summery, cool, and delicious, and, oh my, that tea dispenser is lovely!
Now, don’t get me started on your mobile… I *heart* it so much I’m about to reach through the computer screen and grab it! Hmmm, on second thought I think I’ll just add this link to my sidebar list of inspiring links.
You have such an artsy, chic, and gracious way of showing love to your friends and that is one of the things that I find most inspiring about your blog.
June 17th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Everything is gorgeous and fun and classy and orange has been my new favorite color (blue is in first place always), so I also *heart* your fun little shower. And the mobile is super classy.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
The shower is one of my favorite memories ever – especially for the baby. Thank you SO much, again, for doing all of this for us! It was just beautiful – my Granny and mom couldn’t stop talking about it!
And thank you also for letting it just be conversational and ’seasoned with salt’. I don’t think anyone missed the “games”:).
Love you all!
June 17th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
dang.
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:30 pm
It came out beautifully! I love all the little details….