BABY ANNOUNCEMENT PHOTO SHOOT

People are coming up with so many fun ways to announce their pregnancies these days.  I love how Carrie Underwood chose "Labor" Day to announce her's to the public. This expecting couple, along with North Carolina photographer Catrina Earls, had some fun coming up with their own themes. A little teaser for family and friends since they are going to wait to find out the gender. What a fun couple. Their joy really shines through the photos.

GENDER REVEAL PHOTO SESSION

This photo session from Crystal Reyns Photography in Virginia offers two amusing ideas to reveal a baby's gender. These photos could be turned into a fun baby announcement to share with family and friends–and make a great keepsake.  The first idea is revealing baby's gender through cupcakes, which you may have seen done at parties.  The second is a little more daring using pink or blue paint!

Lollipops for Baby

Not real lollipops, of course! But lollipops made with baby washcloths. I made this for a friend of mine, who recently had a baby girl. I thought it was a cute alternative to a diaper wreath or cake, so wanted to share it with you.

I referenced this tutorial here, but did a couple of things differently.

• Once I rolled the washcloth, I secured it with some scotch tape.
• I didn't have small, clear rubberbands on hand, so I just tied the cellophane bags with regular curling ribbon, and it seemed to hold up well.

The tutorial notes this, but make sure to use washcloths that have the trim, otherwise you won't get the "swirl" in the lollipop.

I picked up a cute tub at Target, included some baby wash with a ribbon and garnished it with pink grass I had from Easter (yes, I save everything!). So easy and she really appreciated it! This can turn into a bigger gift basket or even as a shower centerpiece that the mom-to-be can take home.

DIY Wreath for Baby

I've seen plenty of diaper cakes, but thought this diaper wreath was different and adorable! It makes a great gift to hang on the new mommy's front door to greet her when she comes home from the hospital. You could use scrapbook letters or cut the letters out yourself to add "Welcome Home" with the baby's name. And how cute would it be to have a pair of booties hanging in the middle?! You also could customize the wreath to match the baby's nursery or shower theme. And once the shower is over, it's a gift that will actually be used.

They're very easy to make. You can use an inexpensive floral styrofoam wreath or a vine wreath sold in dollar stores. Here is a good tutorial on hubpages.com, click here.