I was looking for a vessel for frog gummies for a Frogs, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails theme baby shower.  Cello bags are generally my standard and I always have them on hand, but I had a lot of empty condiment jars that I had just cleaned out so I decided to use those instead.  Here’s how I made the favors:

Throughly wash “upcycled” jars with vinegar, soap and hot water to eliminate any lingering flavors.  Fill with gummy frogs, placing several of the frogs with their backs against the glass so the fill looks neat.  Cut squares of scrapbook paper (the dot pattern shown is from Michael’s single sheet section) slightly larger than the lid.  Fold paper over the lid and tie with ribbon or yarn (I used brown yarn and doubled it to make the bow look more substantial).  Buy printable labels, such as those from Gartner (also sold at Michael’s), and print a quote or name on the tags, and add a frog sticker.  Center the tags on top of the jars and you’re done!

I used the rhyme as my inspiration for the invites, decore, favors and dessert (check out the amazing cupcakes below), and served a killer brunch menu.  Here are some of the details from the party.  I’ll write a follow-up post with a how-to for the favors.

Cupcakes by the amazing Cowie’s Confections; wooden frog pull-toy by Melissa & Doug; favors by the Hip Hostess (how-to post coming soon); flowers are mix of hydrangeas and hypernicum.

These adorable cotton favor bags are ideal for an eco-friendly theme baby shower.  They are sweet, simple and sturdy.  Choose a design that matches you theme (selection shown below), fill them with with an edible treat, cinch the sack and the favors are ready for giving.

Available at Beau-Coup, $1.30 each (min. order 25)

Here’s an idea for a fun, simple and inexpensive party favor: Peep s’mores!  Give them as favors at Easter or a baby shower (particularly one with a duck or bunny theme).  Place 2 squares of graham crackers, half of a chocolate bar and 1 peep in a cello bag and tie with a ribbon.  S’mores can be made in seconds in the microwave.

Place anything in simple glass baby bottles to make a cute baby shower favor.  Use a jelly bean mixture that compliments your color theme, or the mom-to-be’s favorite candy.  Pictured is a Dragee mix (chocolate covered sunflower seeds, dried apricot, etc.) from The Cocoa Room.  Their chocolate mixes come in beautiful color and flavor combinations.  Check out their selection online at www.thecocoaroom.com (all varieties can be ordered in bulk for $15 per lb).

Host a garden party with ideas from my July 2010 column on The Family Groove.

http://www.thefamilygroove.com/jul10_EntertainingOnTheEasy.htm

Save yourself the trouble of having to cut and serve a cake at your next party by serving cupcakes.  Cupcakes are a huge hit for many reasons, but they really are a very practical dessert to serve.  It can take a while to cut and serve cake to a large group of people (trust me, I know!).  Consider serving cupcakes when hosting a large birthday party, shower or other event where cake is the norm.  Streamlining dessert means more time for you to enjoy the party.

One very lucky Hip Hostess Blog reader will win a fabulous custom baby gift from New Arrival Art ($75 value) to keep or to give.  New Arrival Art is a very thoughtful gift:  It’s a memorable keepsake and a unique way to decorate a nursery.

Enter this giveaway by clicking on the link below.  Winner will be randomly selected at 9pm EST on February 22, 2010 and notified via e-mail.  All information needed for customization will be collected after the end of the giveaway.  One entry per person.  Shipment to US address only.  Good luck!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dERDMDl3OTIxYmhxYVZuMHM0ZFFwc3c6MA

Stop spending your precious time pondered the words for your party invitations.   Use the sample invitation wording from any of the great sites listed below.  They offer sample invitation wording for weddings, showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, save the dates, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, corporate events, retirements, fundraisers, birth announcements and more.  Now you’ll have the perfect words for all your special occasions.

Sample Wording Sites:

www.tinyprints.com/sampleverses.htm

www.invitationconsultants.com/sw-main.aspx

www.lcipaper.com/invitation-wording.html

www.colorsbydesign.com/store/WORDING/wordlist.shtml

www.mygatsby.com/wording_for_invitations.jsp

Photo credit:  www.tinyprints.com

Give parents-to-be a memorable gift to take home from a baby shower by having each guest decorate a onesie.  Supplies for this project are inexpensive and easy to find:  White onesies in various sizes, a few pieces of cardboard (to put inside the onesie so the paint doesn’t bleed through), a package of stencils (animals, flowers, etc.), fabric paints in a few colors, a small plastic tray for the paint and a package of paint brushes.  Cover a table in newspaper and an inexpensive table cloth.  Buy a package of small clothespins and use a piece of ribbon, yarn or string to make a clothesline across the room (the paint will need time to dry).  If you have the space, have guests go into another room to do the decorating and bring the mom-to-be into the room after everyone has made one to present her with the gift.  Every new parent will appreciate having a plethora of cute onesies for their new bundle.