The party was this weekend, and we had a fun time. We have a great room at my complex that I rent out often. It’s free to use, and always roomy for plenty of guests.

We did an ice cream parlor theme with a light lunch. My rules for party planning are: borrow when you can, and if you have to buy something, make sure it’s something you can reuse. I don’t like spending money on decorations if they are just going to be tossed, so I try to be extra careful about the things I buy. I’ll either use them as decorations in my home, or know I’ll use them again for parties in the future.

Here’s a super-quick video of the room before the guests arrived:

April’s Shower from Brooke Hall on Vimeo.

And here are the pictures of the details:

{any tips for taking pictures in a yellow room? Change the white balance?}

{you may recognize this ‘tablecloth’ from the panel behind my desk. It was a great start for a color theme and didn’t cost a thing.

I made a couple of signs in illustrator using the same fonts from her invitations. The rice paper lanterns were $1 each at my local party store. I’m thinking about hanging them above the crib, so I know I’ll be using them again.

I made little tags for all the toppings… certainly not necessary, but I wanted to make sure you could tell the difference between the Reeses pieces and the M&Ms. But, they’re cute, easy to make, and add a little personality. My mom had purchased the little card holders for my sister’s wedding, and we’ve used them multiple times since.

The scoops were a splurge at Wal-Mart in their cooking aisle. $3 for three scoops. Spoons would have worked, but I know I’ll be using these again.

I used styrafoam cups from Smart & Final, scrapbook paper and a $1 stamp from Michaels for the ice cream cups. Luckily April and I share the same last initial, so I know I’ll be using the stamp again, too.

Borrowed cake stands and brownie bites were the perfect centerpiece for the two tables. Even the tablecloths were borrowed. You could easily buy flowers or make a centerpiece, but using the food or drinks you’ll be serving makes no extra cost. I made the little ruffles with pink fabric and elastic. I’ll be adding them to a table runner for Valentine’s Day.

Another sign for the gift table, and the white posts were made for my wedding by my sister’s boyfriend seven years ago. My family and friends have reused those beautiful posts a million times over, and they always add so much.

Water bottles with scrapbook paper and strawberry crush for drinks. The straws were $4 at Party City, and they are REUSABLE! Seriously – dishwasher safe. Love this. Paper plates were also from party city, and napkins from Ikea. The metal baskets and little white basket were from my home.

Here’s me and my pregnant friends. Each about a month apart.

The food was enjoyed, and the shower was great. In case you missed the invitations for this little ice cream party, here they are again:

Here are the invitations I made and sent out a few weeks ago… designed in photoshop, printed one side on heavy paper and the other on a shiny thin paper, and sandwiched together over a popsicle stick using a xyron label maker. We’re having an ice cream party!

Inspiration for the invitation from the Imprintables Blog.