Introducing the Mini Bouquet

Maybe I have a thing with making items smaller, I don't know. I think it's an almost universal truth that women think little things are cute, so maybe that's it. In any case, I had a glass cup that I thought would be great to use for a vase for a baby bouquet on a small scale. So, the other day I decided to put it together and see how it looked.

I gathered half a dozen washcloths and rolled them into "roses". I used a burp cloth for a decorative element in the vase where I typically would have used tissue paper or a similar filling. I like the overall look, but I'm not sure if I would use a burp cloth in practice. If I do, I would probably still add tissue paper or another filling to make it look cleaner.

A cute little bouquet like this could be used as shower decorations where a larger vase would be cumbersome. At a large shower or party with multiple tables, mini bouquets would be great as a smaller centerpiece or several could line a longer refreshment table. I like the idea of small or miniature items being incorporated as shower decorations, especially if you have a larger area where decorations are needed in multiple locations. Another great benefit of these types of decorations is the fact that they are rather affordable if a large quantity is needed.

Going Green

Quite some time ago (last June, I think) I was asked if it was possible to make a diaper cake with cloth diapers. I happen to be in a mom group where a number of the moms cloth diaper (including myself). As environmentally conscious moms, they were curious if the craft could be applied in a manner using cloth diapers for other mamas that planned to "go green." Without thinking about it much, I figured it shouldn't be much of a challenge and proceeded to go home and experiment.

I don't use prefold diapers - but I had several that I use for burp cloths - and I figured these would work best for making a cake. I folded and rolled the prefold diapers as I did the disposables and built them into a cake. A burp cloth  was then used to wrap around the cake. I tied it with a decorative bow and added teethers and a squeaky duck as accents. Since I had a limited number of diapers, the cake was only a 1-tier cake, but it gives an idea of what a cloth diaper diaper cake would look like. A larger multi-tier cake can certainly be made. Likely in that case, I'd use different sizes for each tier and possibly place something in the center of the larger tiers if the diapers weren't bulky enough since the number of diapers in a cloth diaper diaper cake doesn't need to be as extensive as you'd need with disposable. This cake was just a display/test cake. I wanted to make sure that my initial thought that it was possible was correct. The cake came out really cute. Although, despite the fact that I had people asking about it, I still have yet to have someone order one. Like I mentioned, that was last June (and I can't believe I hadn't blogged about it yet...).

More recently on the diaper cake forum I joined, the discussion again presented itself. Are cloth diaper diaper cakes possible? Had anyone made them? So, of course, I responded with info about mine and suggestions like making sure to use the right kind of prefolds (assuming the new mom wanted to use prefolds) and recommending using different sizes. One of the people asked about making the cloth diaper diaper cake in a spiral style and questioning the stability of such a cake and if such a thing was possible. Me and my big mouth replied that of course it was possible. I couldn't see why it wouldn't be feasible. This, of course, gave me another project. I should put my money where my mouth is and actually make one before I start telling everyone it can be done. So, again, I gather my prefold diapers and fold them up and wrap them in a spiral configuration. I was right, it was possible. For this cake, I went completely simple. I spiraled the single tier cake and decorated it with ribbon and crinkle paper. I had to make sure that the diapers were visible in the spiral form so the forum members could see it put together. In practice, I might use more baby items to finish off the cake, but for demonstration purposes, this was enough.

I'm definitely happy to have these under my belt in the off chance that someone wants to order one. The down-side to such a project is a significant cost increase for such a cake because of the cost of diapers. I'm also not sure how many diapers would be needed in a cake like this if it was multiple tiers. These small cakes had 7 and 8 diapers respectively and were made with newborn diapers. It'd be an adventure to make one, and I'd be excited for the project. I probably will experiment with my other diapers at some point since I have more of them to see how that would work. I'm excited about the possibilities with these cakes especially considering it's a very specific market that I can be a part of.

Lots of new ideas...

This week I have been inspired. Most likely, it's because I recently joined a diaper cakes forum where various diaper cake makers get on and discuss ideas and concepts, talk about pricing methods, and share other general information. It's great to see what all is out there and discuss with others in the business, but at the same time, I'm starting to feel a bit of pressure to step up my game and try new things, especially since many of my ideas and items aren't as unique or uncommon as I may have previously thought. So, with inspiration from that group and other forms of inspiration, I've developed a few new items that I'd like to add to my product line. Some will need more tweaking than others, but that's ok.

My first new item is a piece of cake, no really, a piece of cake. A slice of cake! Inspired by some towel cake favors I saw, I decided to adapt the idea to diaper gifts. Like the cupcakes, these could be presented in a single serving bakery cake/pie container. The main shape is created by diapers. A burp cloth is wrapped around the "slice" and a wash cloth gives a nice clean top. I added an additional wash cloth for an icing effect. I'd like to tweak this a bit more by maybe adding some wash cloth flowers or other small baby items on top of the slice. I also thought that aside from single servings, I could make several and piece them together for an entire cake which would make a cute decoration for a shower. I think I need to experiment with this a little bit more before I add it to the product line, but it's a definite option and I think it's cute and have never seen it with diapers before, so that makes it even more unique.

My second new item is one I've seen in several places. It's similar to the wash cloth "candy" I've made before, but it's lollipops. The lollipops are rolled very much like the disk candy. I experimented with a few different sticks for the lollipops. The standard candy stick gives a great effect, but because of the way it's put together, it is less stable and the stick can slide out easily. The second lollipop stick option is a baby spoon. This works wonderfully since the varying contour of the spoon helps the whole thing to be more stable. Not only that, it provides an additional baby item to the gift. Similar lollipops are used as favors at baby showers, but I'm not sure how that works if those attending the shower go home with them, what would they do with baby items if they don't have a baby? As decorations around the shower they'd be super cute and then could be sent home with the expectant mom. They also could be incorporated into a diaper cake or basket quite easily to make an adorable candy theme. I can very easily start marketing these with a little more practice making sure I give a really clean look to these, but I'm comfortable adding them to the product line shortly as soon as I work out pricing for them (and gather a few more materials).

My third new idea is more wash cloth "art." I've seen many places where people have made little creatures and critters out of wash cloths so I decided to try my hand at it with a collection of sea creatures. I put together an octopus (inspired by a pic a friend posted on Facebook of a pet octopus he wanted), a turtle (which really I just wanted to see how it would come out), and some fish (which I've seen before but wanted to see if I could make my own). The critters all turned out really cute and I was pleased with the final outcome. Similar to the lollipops though, the application of items like these is slightly questionable. They too could be used as shower decorations that are then given to the expectant mom or they could be incorporated into an "under the sea" themed cake. The latter, I feel may be more popular. I would like to see if I can come up with additional sea creatures to add to the collection because I think it is super fun and different.

I'm constantly trying to think of new things to do for baby gifts and shower decorations. Some work, some don't, but I keep trying and I'm always open to suggestions. =)

Go Team!

Some time ago, I decided I wanted to make an Aggie diaper cake - mostly prompted by the fact that I attended Texas A&M University. My oldest received a gift basket full of Aggie items for babies as a gift when he was born and I was excited that there were such baby items and we could start the brain-washing early. Of course, the receipt of such items also got me thinking that they could be incorporated into a diaper cake. My sister-in-law had actually received such a diaper cake when she had one of her girls and after she passed that cake along to me (she didn't use it and had it sitting in her garage for several years), I had even more inspiration to make a cake of my own.

After thinking about it, I decided that my prejudice for Aggie items really could be extended and diaper cakes could be made for any number of teams or schools. Finding appropriate baby items may take a bit of extra time and cost, but once acquired, a diaper cake to support almost any group is possible. My boys had a number of items supporting various teams, so I decided to experiment a bit and use their items to build several sample cakes for demonstration purposes so people could get an idea of what is possible. I made four different items for what I refer to as my "Fan Series."

The first items I made were Cowboys gifts. I put together a two tier diaper cake and a baby basket. The diaper cake was composed of diapers in a spiral style. The tiers were wrapped in custom made decorative burp cloths which were a hand made gift from a friend of mine. The topper for the cake was a fabric toy cube that I made for my little one. White socks and wash cloths were added to finish the cake. The baby basket included many of the same items as the cake. The structure was formed from the custom made decorative burp cloths. The inside of the basket was lined with diapers arranged in a spiral fashion. A Cowboys toy football and wash cloth "flowers" were added to the basket to finish the gift. 

Next, I created a Cubs diaper cake from items that were given to me in a gift package. The collection included a number of items that worked quite well in a diaper cake. This cake was a 3-tier diaper cake built in a spiral style. A Cubs blanket was wrapped around th bottom tier. The middle tier held pre-fold diapers/burp cloths, and the top tier was covered with a Cubs hat. A Cubs onsie, bib, and pair of booties finished the cake. I added crinkle paper to this one for a completed look. It also came in handy to cover the part of the top tier that the hat did not cover completely.

The last (at least for now) item to be included in the Fan Series collection was my long awaited Aggie diaper cake. For this, I used items that were included in the Aggie baby gift basket we received for our oldest child. This cake was a two tier, off-centered cake. I chose this configuration because, for this cake, I included the plush bear that came in the basket. By creating an off-centered cake, the bear could be seated on the lower tier and attached to the upper tier. Unlike most other cakes, this one had a large lower tier and a small upper tier rather than a slowly graduated difference between tiers. The tiers were wrapped in pre-fold diapers/burp cloths. The lower tier held an Aggie onsie. The upper tier held a "Gig 'Em Aggies" beanie hat. A pair of Texas A&M socks topped the cake. As mentioned, the plush bear was seated on the lower tier and situated to hug the top tier. Two Aggie pacifiers and crinkle paper finished the cake.

I'm happy with the way these cakes turned out. They add some more choices for people who are interested in ordering a cake. Options like these were always available, but when people get an opportunity to see it in action, so to speak, it makes the possibility more real and adds an option they may not have known was available. As I mentioned before, these cakes were all sample cakes. The fan items used were all personal items so, those that gave them to us as gifts can rest assured that I'm not building these cakes with the intention of selling them. They were built for pictures to help people see what is possible and get more exposure to the style and look of diaper cakes that I make. The cakes were then broken down and the baby items placed back in their drawers. I look forward to seeing what I can create in the event that a fan cake is ordered in the future.

Celebrating Moms

Most often at baby showers, the gifts given focus on the baby and rightly so. Typically, babies need a lot of things that most expectant parents don't have when they don't have children. Showers help the parents not only celebrate the new arrival with food and friends, but also provide an outlet to gather baby items that help to defray the costs of a new baby. Unfortunately, the needs of the baby aren't the only ones that are new to the changing family. The mom also requires a few things to help her out in her new status. A breastfeeding mom has many needs such as nursing tops and other breastfeeding support items. Aside from that, all moms could use the opportunity to relax and pamper themselves as labor and new motherhood, even when they have other children, is busy and stressful. Without taking care of herself, a mom can't possibly take care of her children. Inspired by these ideas and Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, I decided to create a diaper cake that not only provides a few baby items, but also focuses on the mom to help pamper and care for herself as she cares for her baby.

This cake, created to add to the collection of holiday gifts, like the others was built as a display cake to represent ideas that could be incorporated in a custom made cake. This two tier cake was started with a boutique style spiral cake. A large receiving blanket and prefold diapers/burp cloths were used to decorate the layers. The lower tier features a bib that declares love for mom. All of the additional items on the cake focus on the expectant mom herself. Various herbal tea samples for healing, wellness, and milk production are included. Also included are samples of nipple cream and stretch mark cream. The cake is topped with lanolin, a must-have for nursing moms. The cake is finished off with decorative crinkle paper and tied with decorative bows and curling ribbon.

A mom focused cake is rather versatile and can be put together whether the expected baby is a boy or girl or if the gender is unknown. While the basic structure of this type of diaper cake is going to provide baby focused items, the added accents and decorative aspects of the cake can focus entirely on the mom. I love the idea of pampering the mom as she so often gets overlooked with the upcoming arrival of a baby and she needs to be cared for just as much as the newborn. For your next diaper cake order, consider a mom pampering cake. Even if Mother's Day isn't right around the corner, it's a fantastic gesture and is sure to be appreciated by the new mom.

New Gift Concept for Easter or Whenever

With Easter only a week away, I was again inspired to create a holiday baby gift. Ok, technically, I made it several weeks ago, but now, you get the inside scoop on my latest creation. Over the past couple of months I've created unique holiday inspired mini diaper cakes that brought to diaper cakes new ideas for themes. This month, I turned to the next major holiday: Easter. While I originally intended to create an Easter inspired diaper cake, I decided to go in a different direction. After all, an Easter basket is much more iconic.

You may be familiar with one basket I made in the past for a friend who was expecting a baby girl. The basket was intended as a centerpiece for her shower and given that the new baby was to be given the name Rose, I felt it was especially appropriate to create a Baby Bouquet for her. This was no ordinary bouquet, however, and I developed a diaper basket to hold the bouquet. (Check out the inside scoop here) The basket was created with ribbon woven into hand-rolled diapers and gave an awesome effect.

So, incorporating this idea to a certain extent and adding in Easter as a theme, I created a new option for baby gifts: the Easter Basket. This basket, similar to the first one I made, was formed of completely usable baby items - no actually basket was included. This basket was started as a spiral diaper cake with diapers creating the base of the basket. A burp cloth was used to wrap and decorate the outside of the basket and a handle was formed with a coordinating burp cloth making the basket cohesive. The basket was then filled with crinkle paper (rather than plastic grass). A stuffed bunny and wash cloth roses were then included to fill the basket with usable baby items and complete the effect.

Of course, the most exciting thing about this gift is that it's not limited to an Easter theme. This basket can be filled with a baby bouquet as it is here, or it can be filled with Baby Candy (baby items rolled and wrapped to resemble candy) or other baby items. The size is also variable, although larger size baskets may require structural adjustments. I'm excited about this newest addition to my product line, although, because of the versatility pricing may be a bit difficult to figure. The most exciting part of this project is that while many of the gifts that I make are available in similar forms from other boutiques and diaper cake producers, I have never seen a basket similar to this one, making it an incredibly unique option for a gift.

Versatility of Baby Buggies

Recently, a friend contacted me seeking a baby gift for a friend of hers. She wanted a buggy and while she started out saying anything was fine, after some discussion about specifics, we turned to looking at the expectant mom's registry. This really is my preferred method for developing baby gifts. I do have some ready-made inventory in stock which is great for last minute gifts, give-aways, auctions, moms who are unsure what they need or want, etc.; however, I feel customized gifts are more personal and take into account items that the mom wants (assuming she knows, of course). I never was particular about coordinating blankets with my little one's nursery, but many people are and by using registry items as a guideline, even if specific items can't be incorporated in the gift, a diaper cake, buggy, bouquet, or other gift can be made to coordinate and is sure to be a gift the expectant mom enjoys. Of course, ideally, registry items would be able to be used. This, luckily was the case for my friend's friend, though it did take me out of the box a bit and I incorporated registry items in new ways.

As I mentioned, my friend requested a buggy which are a very popular item since they are less commonly seen and tend to be more compact (and lower in cost) than a diaper cake but carry a lot of the same impact. I began "construction" with hand rolled diapers. The registry contained burp cloths which I felt could be incorporated beautifully where I traditionally use a blanket around the main structure of the buggy. A baby duck printed hat was used for the "blanket" in the buggy and matching baby mittens decorated the front. The hat and the mittens were both on the registry.

Aside from the use of the burp cloths and hat which were fun alternatives to my regular "components" I like that this gender neutral buggy stood out from the commonly seen green in gender neutral items. Yellow is, of course, also commonly used, but the beaks on the ducks printed on the hat and mittens really called for the use of orange on the buggy hood which really makes this buggy stand out. The printed hat allowed for the use of solid colors around the buggy and pulled it together quite well.

I also updated the packaging for the buggy in a small way. Buggies are presented to the mom-to-be (unless otherwise requested) on a cake board and shrink-wrapped. The wrapping is tied with curling ribbon and a tag is attached to let the recipient know what items are included in the gift. For this buggy, I included crinkle paper on the base to give it a more professional look. The effect turned out just as I had hoped and gave a great final presentation.  My friend seemed pleased with the buggy and I hope the expectant mom also enjoyed this adorable presentation of items she selected as well as a few extras.