Hey Ladies!!
How are you all? Gosh, it seems like I only ever come on here for womanly advice these days seeing as I rarely have time to scrap these days. Anyway... I've just been thrown into Turbo Aunty Mode as my SIL has given me hosting duties for her Baby Shower (she's due in August, party will be in June). I've been to a handful of baby showers so I've got a fair idea of what I want to do and don't want to do in the way of preparations, decorations and games.... but I really want advice on gifts as I don't want to be giving my sister-in-law, perhaps the closest thing to a sister that I have, a crappy or redundant present. Every baby shower I've been to has involved watching the Mum2Be get Muslin Wrap after Muslin Wrap. I know they're great, but surely they want to be showered with other stuff. So, as most of you already have kids... what were the best most useful presents given to you? They've already got the essential stuff on layby (cot, change-table, etc) so it's the "little things" we've got to worry about now.... ideas?

oh gosh, mine time was so long ago bloss...
but the last couple of showers I went to (a couple of years ago) I made a little mini album - it was small and I know the recipients loved them and used them for what they were intended for - the 1st 7 days - especially in hospital just jotting down all kinds of little things - and popping notes and pics into......

I found the post on my blog... (jan 09!)
http://teacupofscrapisms.blogspot.com.a ... urnal.html

If you like it - then you might find yourself back scrapping!
(btw.....its lovely to see youback here )

great to see you back maria.

love mandy's mini album idea. what is also a good idea is to buy a nappy bucket and fill it with an assortment of little things. wipes, powders, creams and the like.

oh....or/and do treats for the mum to be... sometimes she needs something just for her 'me time'.

I did a little envelope mini you could do here with the same 'first 7 days' idea and could be made for a girl or boy if you read to the end. (just use an 'envelope' (from the kit below) as a template to make three more to make up the 7 days.

viewtopic.php?f=276&t=10173&start=0



with these products in blue which is only $4.95 - thats got to be good hey!
http://www.scraptherapy.com.au/products.php?cat=544

I got lots of fun things for bub and I had mine mixed with a body shop party so I got pamper stuff from that

I like that idea Ant!

One of my aunts always makes a "nappy cake" - it's kind of a centrepiece of the gift table, and its practical too.

I found this pic online in case you didn't know what I meant

http://megan.cc/NappyCake/

I usually buy clothes - an outfit for the new born, and one the next size up (they grow so quickly!).

Love the envelope mini idea Mandy!

Love both the Nappy Cake and the album from a personal touch point of view - especially those albums - the first 7 days is such a crazy mix of emotions it would be great to have a premade album ready to jot everything down as you go

However my babies were pre-scrappy days and the bestest present I got by far was disposible napies - huggies to be precise - I did the cloth nappy thing with Tara and then someone gave me some disposibles for Rob - I NEVER looked back and I ALWAYS buy huggies for baby presents

LOL when Meaghan was a baby almost 29 years ago - disposibles were the 'new' thing.... and soooooo expensive. No one could afford to use them full time! They were only used as an emergency when out.

When Hannah was born - she lived in disposibles - yep huggies... it was so much easier... as I was so busy, and I had the same idea when Paige was born almost 2 yrs later.. but - she was allergic and disposibles sent her red from the elastic legs upwards... so we had to go out and buy cloth and I gave away the disposibles!

As a working mum disposables are the way to go - Cody could only wear huggies I did try the cheaper brands but he always got severe nappy rash

Didnt matter what brand we tried on Paige - it was the bleaching agents in them .

Im so glad my life is simpler now that he wears undies We only wear A Dry Nite (Big Kids Nappy) just in case

Hi Maria I am rarely here either

I saw a wonderful book in a gift store a few weeks ago which was a story book for the baby that you could read and record your own voice. Maybe more for a newborn baby gift, but I thought it was unique and a lovely idea.

What about a voucher for a newborn photo shoot from a reputable photographer in the area? I'm married to a photographer and didn't get those tiny baby shots and I wish I did. This is the type of thing I'm thinking of ... http://susanwall.com.au/portfolio/newborns/

Something else I've always liked is wall art canvases. You can buy them or make your own if you're handy with a bit of paint and jungle animals ... http://www.justforbubs.com.au/index.php ... ngings.htm

Good luck - sounds like a fun time ahead!

See I'll go against the grain and say I hate using disposables, so definately check what she would prefer to use. MCN's are becoming more popular as they are much easier to use these days.

I definately agree with something for the mum though. I got a body shop gift pack at mine, which I saved until I was in hospital and it was the bomb! I would steer clear of anything around feeding too unless you know her preferences.

Thanks everyone; that was a huge help
She is leaning towards the MCNs that 'grow with' the baby cos they have heapsa buttons or something i can't remember but we were looking at getting some at the markets and she was getting very interested but the brands she were checking out were UGLY... I honestly don't think she's seen what is out there if you have a good look... I have seen some really REALLY cute MCNs online so once we know what she's having I might get some of those.
I also love the idea of a nappy cake but would be more inclined to attempt to make one myself than pay somebody else to do something like that so just wondering what normally goes in them/on them apart from nappies. I've seen some with bath products stashed in the middle with a bath toy on top. Any others?