Over-the-Moon Baby Shower

Set the tone for this baby shower with the colors of a clear, beautiful night: Gold for the stars; silver, the moon; and royal blue, the sky.

Let guests mingle under a night sky. To make it, use a pattern to draw stars on yellow card stock, cut the stars out, punch a hole at the top of each star, and string the stars together on yellow or blue ribbon (1/2-inch thick). Secure to the wall with removable plastic hooks.

For simple and elegant place settings, sprinkle gold confetti stars around white dishes and silver forks. For an added touch of elegance, use paper napkins with a bit of gold sparkle, or encircle cloth napkins with gold napkin rings.

Wrap sparkly blue ribbon around LED tea lights in clear glass votives; secure with dots of glue. Scatter around the table for a sophisticated but casual look.

Add pizzazz to water goblets with cute star-and-moon charms. Simply add an assortment of beads and charms (from a crafts store) to silver rings.

Pick up precut wooden stars and wooden dowels at the crafts store. Paint the stars white, cover with glue, and sprinkle with gold glitter. Glue stars onto the ends of the dowels, and place in groups of 10 in clear vases filled with iridescent marbles.

Fold metallic silver card stock or solid white card stock in half. Punch a hole and affix a gold star?shaped paper fastener at the top of each one. Write each guest's name and table number in the center with a black calligraphy marker.

Cover chocolate cupcakes with blue frosting (to make, mix food coloring with vanilla frosting). Cut out moon and star shapes from fondant using a cookie cutter. Dust moons with edible silver pearl luster and the stars with gold sugar. Top each cupcake with a moon or star, and place in a silver foil cupcake wrapper. Arrange on a cupcake stand edged with silver and gold ribbon.

Or, whip up glittery Oreo pops. Place a lollipop stick in the filling part of the cookie, dip in melted white chocolate, and sprinkle with edible gold stars (from a crafts store). Once the cookies cool, stick 25 to 40 cookie pops in a circle-shaped piece of Styrofoam covered with either foil or thick silver wrapping paper. Sprinkle gold star confetti over the base and tabletop.

Create cute mini star soaps (kits available online) and wrap in cellophane bags. Make gift tags with small squares of gold or silver card stock. Cut it in half. Write "We're Over the Moon!" and baby's estimated due date on each card. Then punch a regular hole in the top and tie to your favor with blue sparkly ribbon.

Copyright © 2012 Meredith Corporation.