It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a week away... especially when you've still got tons of shopping to do. If this sounds familiar, don't worry - you are not alone! I recently held a Holiday Baby Shower for a close friend - and picked up a lot of great gift ideas to pass along if you're shopping for moms with little ones (or moms-to-be) this year. Here are a few favorites, starting with the image at top:

1. Palette Plate by Skip Hop ($28.00)
Create art with every meal! Pint-sized Picassos will have fun with this one, and mom will appreciate the clever design. The bowls can be lifted out of the plate and also have plastic lids for storage in the fridge.

2. bambu™ Kids Fork & Spoon Set ($13.00)
These delightfully eco-chic spoon and fork sets are made from renewable Bamboo, sized and shaped for a baby's mouth, and designed for ease of feeding!

3. Melamine Meal Trays ($17.95)
Special enough for parties, and fun enough for every day. Each set includes includes a tray, spoon and plastic cover. Dishwasher safe and shatter & heat resistant. Available in 2 patterns: "Game" (pictured above) and ABC'S.

4. Built NY Baby Thirsty Totes ($12.95 - $17.95)
Fearful of those baby spills or bottles going cold? Fear no more. These Baby Thirsty Totes will insulate those baby bottles and soak up any spills. They even come with a convenient carrying handle that snaps to strollers, car seats, diaper bags or whatever else is handy. Available in "Single" or "Double".

5. Built NY Munchlers Insulated Lunch Bag ($11.95)
These adorable lunch bags were designed by award-winning children's book illustrator, Stephen Savage and are guaranteed to win over both kids and kids at heart! Sturdy enough to hold and protect food and snacks. The zipper placement allows kids to unzip the entire lunchbox and lie it flat for an instant placemat. Tested lead and food safe.

GIFTS FOR MOMS ON THE GO:

6. Walk in the Park Baby Sling ($69)
Most moms could probably use an extra pair of hands, but the next best thing is help them free up their own pair - while still keeping baby in tow - with a stylish baby carrier. The fashion-forward Serendipity Slings from The Peanut Shell® have all the smart attributes you want - like 100% cotton sateen fabric, comfort leg padding, front pocket, and fabric toy loop – PLUS stylish fabrics like this orange blossoms & sparrows print, which reverses to a deep brown circular pattern on the other side.

(Make it a gift set! Coordinating Walk in the Park Nursing Cover also available for $38)

7. Patemm Pad Manhattan Momma Changing Pad ($49.95)
A smart, stylish and practical solution to the diaper bag, the award-winning patemm® pad makes changing little ones quick and simple. The round design accommodates squirmy infants and serves as a sleek, all-in-one bag for diapers, wipes, and even a change of clothes.

8. Smart Mom Jewelry (around $20 each for pendant necklaces / $12.75 for bangle bracelets)
One thing I repeatedly hear moms with little ones complain about is that they can no longer wear fun jewelry because it always ends up getting tugged on by their "mini-me". Well, Smart Mom came up with an idea that definitely rings true to their name. Their "Teething Bling" jewelry is made from the same material as many teething toys! It looks great on moms, but is also safe for curious babies to handle and chew. Pretty smart!

*****

What are some of your favorite gift ideas for moms this year?

Candy is often used in party favors for occasion showers, birthdays, and weddings, but here are a few creative candy themed favor ideas you might not have seen before, for a parting gift that’s extra sweet…

1. Mini Classic Gumball Machines - great for retro candy-themed parties and showers
These little cuties come pre-filled with Dubble Bubble gumballs and would look adorable lined up in rows on a favor table or customized with a tag to act as place cards for your place settings. ($2.95 - $3.25 at Beaucoup)

2. Mini Cupcake Lip Gloss - cute for dessert-themed showers and girlie birthday parties
These adorable, tiny treats come in strawberry, chocolate, and berry chocolate flavors, and are sure to be a hit with the girls! ($2.75 each at Wedding Things)

3.  Cool Bean Jelly Bean Cocktail Mixers – fun for weddings, bridal showers, or girls’ night!
Enjoy your favorite cocktail – sans the alcohol but with a sugary kick! These stylish candy tins are available in the following popular flavors: bellini, cosmopolitan, mojito, and lemon drop. ($3.75 - $4.00 at Beaucoup)

4. Candy “Cakes” made from Glass Top Candy Tins – perfect for bridal showers & weddings
Stack 2-3 sizes of these round candy tins together to create adorable mini wedding cakes for your guests, and embellish with ribbon, rhinestones, or a tiny paper flower on top to act as a “cake topper”. ($0.75 - $1 each at Wedding Things)

5. Bird’s Nests – cute for bird or “nesting” themed baby and bridal showers
These tiny twig birds nests are perfect holders for 5 colorful Jordan Almonds or an egg-shaped soap and look especially charming when incorporated into place settings. ($1.50 each at Wedding Things)

What are your favorite ideas for incorporating candy into party favors?  A good friend of mine did something really cute with candy at her wedding last year; she personalized cellophane bags with Hershey Kisses, ribbon ties, and custom labels that read “Enjoy these good night kisses… Thanks for making our Wedding so sweet!” and had the valets hang the bags from the rear view mirrors of guests’ cars when they went to retrieve them at the end of the night.

When you hear the phrase "baby shower", do visions of plastic rattles, knitted pastel booties and cartoon teddy bears instantly come to mind? These types of elements seem to be the norm in ready-made baby shower decorations, but in reality there's no reason a baby shower can't be just as stylish and cool as any other type of soirée! After all, the shower is actually a party for mom-to-be, so the best plan is to pick any type of party theme and color palette that you know she will love, then integrate baby-oriented elements into the decór to make the theme approriate for the occassion. Here are 3 of my favorite ideas for stylish baby shower celebrations...

BLING BABY

In the "Bling Baby" theme pictured above, the overall idea for the theme was based on elements that we knew mom-to-be would appreciate based on her sense of style:

1. stylish, contemporary patterns
2. bright colors (incorporating both pink and blue tones since mom and dad were waiting to find out baby's gender)
3. lots of "bling"! (rhinestones, shimmery papers, etc.)

After deciding on these main elements of the party, we turned the theme to a baby shower by incorporating pacifiers, rhinestone stickers shaped like baby rattles, and glittered chipboard letters and baby-themed stickers into the party decór. Click here for more details.

BEDTIME STORY

This is a fun, "think-outside-the-box" theme that features standard banquet-style tables made up to look like beds! Use patterned sheets, duvets or tablecloths (in any color scheme or style that you like) to act as the "bedspread", then top everything off with a pillow, stuffed animal, story book and your place settings. No need to worry about getting crumbs in bed at this party!

MODERN RUBBER DUCKY

Rubber duckies area long-time childhood favorite, and it's not unusual for these adorable little bath-time buddies to make an appearance at baby showers. To keep a rubber ducky theme from feeling too juvenile for your party guests, make sure to feature the toy ducks in a stylish, modern-day setting that "kids" of any age can appreciate!

Use styrofoam and "floating glass" balls inside of fishbowl vases to create contemporary-looking "bubble bath" centerpieces for your table, and keep the colors bright and fun with various shades of aqua blue and sunny yellow. For party decór, set out stacks of fluffy towels, hang pint-sized terry-cloth robes, and display baby bath-time products and rubber duckies in little groups throughout the party. As an added bonus - many of your "decorations" will double as gifts for mom-to-be once the shower is over!

Have you been to a super stylish baby shower recently or do you have a great idea for a hip and contemporary baby shower theme? Share it with us!