10 Shower Ideas You'll Love
Seriously you guys, when I started Artistic Atmosphere and began creating my felt letter boards, right away I started coming up with endless ways to use them, making me wonder where they had been my whole life…
So, since I am now obsessed, here are some ways to use your own felt letter board for baby or wedding showers that I wish I could have used… including some photos from my own dragon-themed baby shower two years ago (I know, my geek is showing…), as well as some from other showers I've attended.
1. On the cake table
Seriously, how amazing are these cakes?! (Credit to my BFF Melanie and my second mom Becky for the amazing baby shower they threw for me)
Just imagine, a beautiful felt letter board, gracing the table along with those cakes, with some witty quote or 80's movie line about fairy tales or dragons... maybe "You remind me of the babe..." or something like that on it… <3 <3 <3
2. On the gift table
Pretty self explanatory, you would think, to put your gift on the table that you see other gifts on, but instructional signs are SUPER helpful at events like these. Even so, it still won't stop Aunt Erma from asking what she should do with hers.
You could give some instructions for where to put cards or large gifts as well, if necessary, or just say "Gifts for baby ___".
You can also simply put a congratulations to the parents to be, or a welcome message to the baby.
Our letter boards come with flowers, hearts and emoji that can be used to make it look quite decorative and pretty, or you can also pick up 2 inch letters that will help your message to stand out. Your imagination is the limit!
3. Advice Cards
I know these seem cheesy, but once you're past the newlywed phase, or in the case of a baby shower, once your little one is a little older and you have a much altered perspective, you will look back at these with fondness and emotion (or laughter).
You could have your letter board say:
"Take a card
write a note
with your best advice
for the mommy-to-be (or happy couple)"
4. Shower Activities!
Whether it's onesie decorating, headband making, or something else, most baby showers have at least one hands-on activity for their guests to help make something for baby! So no matter which one's you've chosen, you can use your felt board to post instructions to make sure your guests know what they're doing!
Instructions are essential for anything with guest participation. Don't assume your guests have any common sense or that they will figure it out because it's "self-explanatory".
5. Guestbook
Who hasn't gone to a wedding and forgotten to sign the guestbook?
When you have a guestbook signed by 20 out of the 200 guests, it almost seems like, why bother? But if you have a reminder posted on your letter board, you should be able to up the percentage significantly without having to go around reminding everyone!
Even better, do what my sister-in-law did for her shower: A cute art canvas where the guests each write their name, and it can be hung in the nursery! I wish I'd thought of that for my own shower!
6. Books instead of cards for baby
At my baby shower, I asked for children's books in place of cards, which was a fantastic idea, and their messages were so meaningful! Except that most people forgot to write a message from them to baby on the inside of the cover. 😢
I wish I'd thought to give the guests at my shower a reminder to write their message, which would be a perfect use of a letter board.
7. Schedule of Events
Let your guests know what to expect by posting a schedule of events on a letterboard where people will see it when they first walk in. That will let Aunt Erma know when she can dig into those cupcakes. ;-)
8. Thank-You Message
Sometimes saying thank you goes a long way, and in my opinion you can never show your appreciation enough, especially in a situation where others are giving you gifts for a special life event. You might like to post something like this: "Thank you so much, baby ____ is (or "we are") so blessed to have such wonderful people in his/her (or "our") life!"
9. Nifty games or time fillers
Especially at weddings, while the guests are waiting for the bridal party to arrive between the ceremony and reception, you might have planned some games or activities, except the guests have no idea cause nobody told them… Use your felt board for that! I know from personal experience that these ideas seem super cute and original until nobody actually does the thing you planned… lol
10. Food Options
Might sound silly, but if you have gluten free or some other dietary specific options for your guests at the food table, this is a great way to label them, so the rest of the guests aren't eating all of your expensive gluten free cupcakes before Aunt Erma can get to them (she moves slow these days).
11. Births
I know I said 10... But this one's a bonus because it doesn't actually take place at your baby shower (I hope!).
If you're the think ahead type, have a felt board ready to go and have mom or mom-in-law get it set up for you with your newborn's name, birth date, weight, etc., to take new born photos of your beautiful new addition! I'm not saying it should be in your hospital bag, but I'm not saying it shouldn't be… lol ;-)
The photo below is my second son, taken a few days after he was born. 😍 This type of photos make FABULOUS additions to your baby books!
This is only the tip of the iceberg as far as ideas go, but it should give you a good start for your baby or wedding shower, especially since I doubt any of you have 10+ felt boards, like I do! 😂
Please send me photos or leave a comment with your own shower ideas, or how you used the ideas here! I would love to see your letterboard creativity!
Thanks for reading!!
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