Retirement Gift

 

When someone retires, it is certainly an occasion worth celebrating.  It is an end to their labor of love in the office and the beginning of new possibilities.  It's sometimes a bittersweet occasion as the retiree says goodbye to people they love, knowing they won't see them as often.  For you, it is an opportunity to show you care, you see them, and you want to help them celebrate.

Team Encouragement: Locker Treats

Encouraging others can be as simple as supporting their interests.  If you have a child, grandchild, friend, or other connection you would like to encourage by celebrating their interests, a simple treat can be an easy and affordable way to let them know you care.

To encourage my daughter's volleyball team, I ordered cute volleyball zipper bags from Amazon and filled them with candy and a volleyball sticker.  My daughter was able to hand them out to her teammates as they were having their pre-game meal together.

Who can you encourage today with a simple treat to let them know you support their endeavors?

Choose to be an Intentional Encourager today -- You'll be glad you did.

With Cheer,

Niki

How to Create a Personalized Book for Baby

Recently, I showed you a DIY Diaper Cake I made for a shower gift, but I didn't show you my favorite part -- the DIY Personalized Book for Baby.  I am so excited to show you how to create this DIY Baby Book for yourself.  It is sure to be the hit of the celebration.

Celebrate Baby: DIY Diaper Cakes

Deciding on what to give for a baby gift can be almost impossible.  Everything is adorable, but if you are like me, you always want something personalized, precious, yet practical.  Lately, I have found that a DIY diaper cake is a great go-to option.

It's so easy to create a design that will reflect the recipient.  It's sure to bring joy, whether you are creating a jungle theme to match the nursery of a sweet little boy or a bunny and book theme for a "hoppy" little girl and her mom who is an avid reader.  The basics are the same, but the touches can be specialized to their interests and style.

How to Make a DIY Diaper Cake for Baby Gift

1.  When making a diaper cake, you can start with a thin, tall round box to make it super easy -- think wine or popcorn gift box.  It's fun to add goodies inside too.  For the base, I usually use a clear Dollar Tree Tray.  You can add paper or other things to the bottom if it needs more.

2.  Wrap the diapers around the box.  I like to get size 3 diapers because it keeps them from having to tear it apart immediately if they want to display it, the bigger size is probably easier to work with for diaper cake building, and people tend to get more small diapers (because aren't they just the cutest!).

3.  Hold the diapers together with a large rubber band, then wrap the ribbon of choice around it to cover the rubber band.

4. Decorate! This is the fun part. 

 

What to Include in a DIY Diaper Cake for Baby Gift

Here are a few ideas:

Shoes or toys make great toppers.

Hairbows, faux plants & flowers, fur, stickers and beads are great accessory options.

Other gift items can be added in as decor or inside the center box.  For example, the bunny cake above has a baby picnic blanket inside and a soft baby book (more details on how I made it special later) and booties on the outside.  The jungle cake has onesies, a kids book and other accessories on the inside and a baby wooden cross on the front.

The diaper cakes have been a total hit and were surprisingly simple to make.  They also look great as decorations at the baby shower or in the nursery.  

It's always fun to share in the joy of a new bundle of joy!  If you have questions, feel free to reach out, or I would love to hear any special touches you have used to make your diaper cakes special.

If you would like to see how I created the personalized baby book on the bunny cake, checkout that post here.

Happy Crafting!

Niki