Diaper Cakes

I have had several friends that have had their first babies recently and I have made diaper cakes for them.  I start with a small bag of of diapers that I roll up and hold with rubberbands.  I roll up one diaper and then roll another around it and continue to layer them.  I make one round larger than the other for the different layers of the "cake".  I then wrap a receiving blanket around the outside.  I also custom embroider cloth diapers for burp cloths and I drap them over so the image is visible on the side of the cake.  I stack the layers and top it with a toy.  It is a fairly simple gift that always impresses, plus no wrapping necessary!

 

Simple Centerpieces

Here are a few different centerpieces I have made that are quick and easy to make.  The flowers can be placed in bud vases, mini clay pots or glass salt & pepper shakers from the dollar store.

Felt Flowers

Fold over a strip of felt and cut even slits throught he folded edge but not all the way through the width of the felt.  Roll the strip up from one end to the other and secure with floral wire.  Fluff the felt petals and place in vase.  You can layer differnt colors too for different looks.  You can also use them for other things like taping them to a pen and arranging the pens in a jar.  Then you have pens at hand but they look like pretty flowers.

Tissue Paper Flowers

Several layers of tissue paper and a little wire and you have a pretty flower.  The step by step directions can be found over at Hey Let's Make Stuff.

Plaster Flowers

Dip inexpensive fabric flowers from the dollar store into a thin plaster of paris mixture and you have porceline like flowers.  They can be placed in vases or perched on top of glass candle stick holders.