Holiday...with Matthew Mead: Oh, Baby Shower!!

Jenny, my assistant Lisa, and I put on our event planners' hats a couple of weeks ago to produce a baby shower for friends Mary Welch and her daughter Lindsey Morin. Mary sews a great deal for us for our photo shoots and Lindsey has done both projects and modelling for us from time to time. So when we were asked to help, we jumped at the chance.

?Twigs from outside sprouts fill an urn to create a buffet table centerpiece (center). Stickers and paper flowers adorn its branches. Jelly jars are filled with pink and white sprinkles and battery-operated votives to add a a bit of sparkle. Tulips, daffodils, and pussy willows are welcome sights of spring.?

The colors were all inspired by a favorite baby quilt in shades of peach, sage green, and pink.? We used lots of scrapbook paper and fresh flowers to craft a spring-like bird theme which is so appropriate for the April birth of Lindsey's daughter. We made simple pennant garlands to help spread the theme all through the house.

? The shower was at Mary's house (Grandma) and she decided to turn her spare room into a weekend nursery for when her grandchildren come to stay.? A crib, rocker, and bureau were all prepped and readied for the event:

Mary went to great lengths to "feather the nest" for her future guest.
Plush toys, pretty quilts - both new and vintage, and soft surroundings set the scene (above). Miniature shelves add character when lined with family mementos and toys. A bureau gets a fresh coat of paint and a vintage baby lamp that casts the warmest bedtime light.

Lindsey Morin, looking forward to this day with family and friends, had one wish for the day: "I want it to move slowly so I can savor every last moment."? Her new baby girl is due in early April.

?Strawberry cupcakes (below, left) - with whipped cream cheese frosting - hold robin's egg jelly beans. We also employed some of our three-tiered stands (which we painted to match the theme) to hold cookies and extra cupcakes. A decoupaged plate adds some color and interest on a shelf rack in the nursery:

?We gathered vintage dishes in all the appropriate colors to hold the foods: Parmesan couscous salad with peas and toasted almonds seasoned with herbes de Provence; a green salad: one with strawberries and the other with avocado and tomato; and a Waldorf chicken salad with grapes and walnuts made up delicious wrap sandwiches:

?Macaroni salad and Greek pasta salad were among the tasty offerings served in colorful baking dishes. The guest of honor requested strawberry lemonade made with fresh strawberries pureed into a sauce and added to an icy lemonade. Mary had vintage Italian ceramic floral place card holders called into use for menu "shout-outs":

?A nest with marzipan eggs has a lovely sentiment (though it does not represent triplets!!):

?Lindsey's son Wesley helps with the details:

Paper birds were cut from scrapbook paper and hung from branches:

The hanging birds are a colorful and graphic ornament that can be used for Easter in just a few weeks:

A lemon cake with lemon curd filling is iced with whipped cream-cheese icing spiked with fresh lemon zest. Stickers attached to skewers strike a special floral note.

Napkins are wrapped in white linen and displayed in a vintage grain measure. Yellow blooms add a floral touch:

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Congratulations, Lindsey and family!

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Source: http://www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com/2013/03/oh-baby-shower.html

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