You receive  a birth announcement in the mail. It is time to buy a baby gift for your favorite niece or best friend. Where do you start? It is tempting to take the easy way out; walk into your local department store and pick out a popular brand name baby blanket or towel, have it gift wrapped , write a cute message and cross one more errand off your list.

If this satisfies you, don’t read any further. But if you are the discriminating shopper that hates to think of your chosen gift lying useless in a closet or , ” heaven forbid” returned to the store for a gift certificate, we have some suggestions.

Nothing says I really care about the recepient better than a handcrafted baby gift.

• If you can knit, crochet or quilt, put on your creative cap and come up with a unique baby gift that will be cherished.
• If you can’t do the technical part yourself, all is not lost because you can still create a gift and have someone do the actual work. This is where www.namelynewborns.com comes into the picture. We offer a wide variety of unique handcrafted gifts.

Here is a list of handcrafted gifts that will become cherished keepsake . We do the work and you can take all of the credit for your clever gift ideas.

• Handcrafted baby quilts in traditional pinwheel, ABC and rocking horse patterns.

Traditional ABC quilts in any color

• Modern handcrafted baby qilts featuring giraffes, lions, princesses, mermaids, and the tree of life.
• Handcrafted blankets with appliqued butterflies, elephants, lions and giraffes.
• Embroidered birth announcement pillows.
• Patchwork pillows in denim or soft pinks and blues.
• Handmade baby blankets shaped like basketballs, footballs, or baseballs.
• Ruffled blankets from Boogie Baby featuring shopping themes , dogs, cats, flowers,cupcakes and ladybugs. These blankets are soft plush on both sides and have hand appliqued designs.and are personalized with baby’s name. They are fabulous for cribs and wall hangings.
• Flanged blankets from Boogie Baby featuring sports,dogs, cars, trucks, airplanes, firefighters.These more masculine designs are just as plush but feature bright colors and a more tailored trim for your little guy.
• Custom knit blankets from Butterscotch Blankee in 19 colors with 19 different accents featuring variations on names and monograms combined with flowers, hearts and sport motifs. There are almost 400 possible color combinations . These blankets are available in crib size or stroller and are sure to be a favorite in the nursery or when baby is out in his stroller or carseat.

Handcrafted  keepsakes take more time to create; but the wait is well worth it.Imagine walking into a baby shower  with a gorgeous handcrafted blanket or quilt.  Your gift will get rave reviews  and your gift may become a family heirloom.

As we head into the holiday weekend we have two more awesome Do-It-Yourself Baby Shower theme ideas! Check them out. Tell us what you think. Would you throw either of these types of quirky baby showers?

Born in the USA

A big nod to one of summer’s best days. The 4th of July, a theme so nice, you can celebrate twice! Great for a mother whose baby is due in early September. (Also, you might be able to save on party accessories that go on sale the DAY AFTER July 4th)

Tabletops

Throw on Old Glory! Or barring that any white, gold, red or blue linens would be set to fete. Stars are a fun decoration. Cut out your own or buy some pre-made at the craft store. You could write the name of each shower attendee on each star, a throwback to high school prom days.

Foods

Red, white and blue is the name of the game with foods too! Get geared up for blueberry and strawberry covered cakes and tarts. Don’t forget to have an apple pie on hand for good measure.  Keep the drinks theme-y with Raspberry Spritzers or Hibiscus Pomegranate Iced Tea.

Activities

No patriotic baby shower is complete without a complete run through of Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, all the tracks, just create a Springsteen Pandora station. Also, maybe everyone can talk about their favorite place to vacation in the USA, give the mom-to-be some ideas about kid-friendly get-aways. Pile the family in the car, head to Yellowstone? Enjoy children’s museums? Where, which ones?

Patriotic bandana baby wipe case available in our store.

Potluck

Perfect for the hippie mom or for the shower host who wants some help. Match the eclectic choice of foods with an all-around eclectic vibe. And, according to Wikipedia, these are some synonyms for Potluck: potluck dinner, spread, Jacob’s join, Jacob’s supper, faith supper, covered dish supper, bring and share, shared lunch, pitch-in, carry-in, bring-a-plate, smorgasbord, dish-to-pass. I have never heard of a single one of these, have you?

Tabletops

Mix and match is the name of the game. Use several table linens in clashing patterns. You can even use fabric scraps left over from crafty projects. And, if you don’t sew, you can buy some scraps from someone who does at this amazing Etsy store called What a Load of Scraps! Genius. Compliment the whimsy with all different types of dinnerware. Use old tea tins as vases. Pour beverage in all manner of containers. House your water in up-cycled wine bottles. Keep the juice in a big bowl! In keeping with the anything goes vibe, pick flowers from your yard or go to the market and purchase a smorgasboard of different types of flowers and style them in different types of containers.

Foods

Who knows what you will have. You can always recommend that each person focuses on area: sides, salads, sweets, main course, appetizers and drinks  . .  so you don’t end up with tons of dip and no main course to nosh on.

Activities

Each guest leaves a card with their best parenting advice for the mother or best wish for the new addition. And, you can start baby’s first photo album at the shower. Grab a polaroid camera and make sure there is a photograph taken of every guest. This way baby will know that she was being cared for by her community before she even made her appearance! We sell totally cute personalized albums in our shop.

We’ve been discussing all week, how to party like A BABY’S ABOUT TO ARRIVE. Here are some more simple starting points to launch the baby shower to end all baby showers.

Rainbow, Baby We’re Excited!

Photo Cori Ready

Perfect for the mom who has chosen for her baby’s sex to be a surprise on the baby’s birthday! A fab gift would be our personalized handmade rainbow ABC quilt.

Tabletops

The key is to make each piece stand out in a bright solid. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Lavender! What about a bowl full of dyed eggs as a centerpiece, yes, like Easter eggs, to celebrate new beginnings and birth.

Foods

A rainbow cake OF COURSE! It’s a must! This particular cake design has taken the blog world by storm in past years, and for good reason, it’s absolutely magical. Watch a how-to video.

Photo by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day

Rainbow sodas and sparkling juices in every color make a neat treat and a beautiful rainbow, plus it’s fun to keep a baby shower alcohol-free. Crush, Izze, Boylans and more, all come in outrageous hues representing the entire ROY G BIV spectrum. Check out this photoshoot by blogger extraordinaire, Jordan Ferney.

Photo from Oh Happy Day

A great companion theme could be MODERN MOM.

Modern Mom: Look Who’s Styling Now

Tabletops

Keep it simple. Whether it be stripes, polka dots, or her initials. Go big, bold and graphic for your modern mom baby shower.

Foods

Mocktails for everyone. Modern moms love Rosemary-infused Cucumber Lemonade with fresh rosemary, cucumbers and lemons.

Activities

Play only one kind of music during the shower, pretend you are living in Mad Men minus all the cigarette smoking. Something from Dwell baby would be perfect for your Modern Mom. There are so many great gifts for Modern Moms these days. We carry a bunch in our store. Check out this adorable and chic personalized crib blanket below.

January Jones Celebrates Beachside Baby Shower

Andrade/Shirley/Pacific Coast News

Baby shower — at the beach!

Mom-to-be January Jones was fêted by girlfriends — including Mad Men costar Christina Hendricks — at a shower to celebrate her upcoming arrival on Saturday in Malibu.

Mingling on an oceanfront patio with pals, Jones, 33, “seemed happy to be spending time at the beach with her friends” at the afternoon party, an onlooker tells PEOPLE. ”Everyone was laughing and seemed to have a great time.”

“January was in a happy and playful mood,” the source continues. “She even kicked off her sandals and strolled along the beach with a friend, dipping her toes into the ocean, smiled and playfully splashed her girlfriend.”

Jones’s baby — a delivery surprise — is due in early fall.

Curtis Stone, Lindsay Price Expecting First Child

Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

There’s a bun in the oven for Curtis Stone and Lindsay Price.

The Top Chef Masters host, 35, and actress, 34, are expecting their first child together, the couple confirm to PEOPLE.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be starting a family together,” Stone tells PEOPLE. “We are over the moon.”

The celebrity chef and Price, who most recently appeared on Love Bites, Eastwick and Lipstick Jungle, have been dating since 2009.

“She is a real sweetheart and I am lucky to have found her,” the celebrity chef told his native Australia’s Herald Sun earlier this year. “It has been awesome.”

Baby showers are a time where a woman’s community can gather around her in anticipation of her impending motherhood. It is a time to share advice about mothering, and give gifts that will make baby’s arrival as comfortable and easy as possible. AND who can resist a fun theme? Not us!  We have dreamt up some really fun and fab DIY baby shower ideas for all types of mothers and all types of communities. Also, we think that the best baby showers need not be spendy, save your money to send your favorite mom-to-be home with tons of gifts. You can easily create these themes with things you already have at home, or a few new additions from Craigslist or a discount retailer. Stay tuned for a different theme everyday this week! Here’s one to get you started, celebrating the Summer Solstice and our home in Florida — THE SUNSHINE STATE!

Good Day Sunshine

This is a basic theme that you can go into full-on craft mode with. It is also great for families who want to keep things gender neutral.

Tabletops

A gingham or yellow and white striped tablecloth says Here Comes the Sun . . . or maybe, SON! The food will go a long way on the tabletop here but yellow flowers seem like a no-brainer to add a special flair.

Foods

A number of usual party food suspects fit the bill for this sunny shower.

Sweets: yellow macarons become mini suns, lemon bars project the light of a summer’s day. Or if you want something really special, try this recipe from Martha Stewart.

Savories: deviled eggs, a traditional and sunny shower favorite. Since it is summer, what about some delicious corn on the cob or fresh corn salad. If you need some serious entrees, what about stuffed yellow bell peppers? Stuffed yellow squash? Both can be filled with yellow saffron rice seasoned with parsley, onion and rounded out with sausage.

To drink: A gorgeous lemonade or limonata punch. Not to mention mimosas, make sure and garnish with a snippet of orange peel! Why not have some lemon-y water on hand too.

Activities

Sunprints can be made by all the guests and then used later to decorate the baby’s nursery. Sunprints, also known as cyanotypes, are easy to make, they only require light-sensitive paper, water and . . . sun.

Decor

Handmade pinwheels in sunny colors like yellow and orange are easy and pretty.

Pennants in yellow would be a great compliment and easy to make out of paper, felt or fabric. An easy way to make this is to cut felt triangles and then make one easy stitch with a sewing machine on a piece of ribbon over the triangles you have a laid out in pennant formation.

Pennants by www.spoonflower.com

Voila! Say, “You are the sunshine of my life” to your loved ones with the  sunniest shower ever for the glowing summer mom-to-be! See you back here tomorrow to find out all the deets on how to throw a “Plantasia” themed shower for the mom-to-be with a green thumb!