AD this is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own // Hobbycraft had got in touch at the start of the year, they're a company I've worked with a few times now after being a lifelong fan {anybody else spend a large part of their childhood's making cards, buying rubber stamps or those hema beads and not wanting to leave the store?}, asking if I'd be hosting a baby shower this year. At first and for a couple of months I said no, I was adamant that I didn't want a baby shower at all. I feel like baby showers are often associated with people feeling like they have to bring a present for the baby before they're born, which I never really like, and then there are the nappy cakes and the cheesy games. All well and fun if you like that kind of thing, but I wasn't convinced. But then all of my friends kept asking if I was sure that I didn't want one, and one made a very good point that it's more about having all of your close friends round pre baby to celebrate friendship as well as the growing bump, especially as I'll never really have this time again. And so I decided to go for an afternoon tea instead, at home, with twenty of my favourite women. I went back to Hobbycraft and said yes please to your gorgeous decorations {they have SO much choice and just about everything from partywear to paper straws to balloon arches} with a dedicated baby shower range, and you know me and party decorations... And so, last Saturday happened and it was just the loveliest afternoon.

BEFORE

First up, a balloon arch kit. I've always seen and admired these but thought they would be way too difficult to attempt myself. I changed my mind when I realised that Hobbycraft sell this kit with a tape that you push the balloons through to hold them all together. It comes with 70 balloons, we didn't even need half of this number in the end to create the arch for our space. We started by inflating the balloons, they come in various sizes and colours {some with confetti inside!}, and the best tip I could give would be to have an electric balloon pump to inflate them all - we used this one from Hobbycraft. 

With our kitchen being taken over with balloons, and satisfied that we had enough, we started on threading them together. You just push the knots of the balloons through the holes in the tape and put different sized balloons in at differing angles. 

Once we'd done the first little section we fixed the tape up onto the wall to finish the rest of it as it would have been too big to manoeuvre by the end. We have hooks here normally where posters hang so just tied it onto those and then looped it around the curtain pole. 

It definitely helps if you have two people to help pass balloons and fix them in, we needed a ladder to get to the high ones. It's a little bit fiddly in parts but definitely not too tricky.

Once we were happy with the overall look, and satisfied that we couldn't fit many more balloons in, I added some sprigs of fresh eucalyptus through the spare holes in the tape {either pushing them through if the stems were thin or enough, or using string to tie them if they were thicker}.

Then tied on this Oh Baby garland. 

Love this Oh Baby range along with these paper straws, rose gold cups and plates. I also couldn't resist the huge Hobbycraft white balloons to tie with an ivy garland.  Hobbycraft have seriously upped their game with party decor recently, for all occasions.

Flowers will always be a huge part of any celebration for me. I used these mini milk bottles and these mini mason jars to create little displays to dot around the table. I went for peonies and stocks along with the leftover greenery from the arch display.

I had this water dispenser - a really great price - from last year and filled it with watermelon and mint. We also had tea, coffee and some pink fizz!

I used a couple of old crates we've had for years {I used them at our wedding!} to raise a couple of bits up to add some height to the table and display.

A local baker made the cake for me {white chocolate and raspberry, my favourite! that I added some garden roses on top of} and so it was just the food left to organise. My Mum and I did a big food shop the day before for all the sandwich ingredients, crudites and my friend made a big batch of scones. 

On the menu was;

Egg and cress sandwiches, ham and mustard, smoked salmon and cream cheese and cheese and pickle, my Mum was a trooper making them all into those little crustless fingers for traditional afternoon tea. Then I cut up loads of crudités for a platter with houmous, a big bowl of strawberries, some watermelon, little chocolatey bites from those M&S tubs, clotted cream and jam for the scones and cake. 

Such a feast.

We blew up the large white balloons with helium {which Hobbycraft also sells in an easy to lift canister} and tied onto an ivy garland to sit at the side of the table to balance out the other balloons. 

// Some photos from the afternoon

My Mum, who was such a big help! And can't wait to be a Grandma {although she's still working out what title she wants to be called!}.

Fresh scone delivery, thanks Amy!

My Dad had made us some print outs that people could guess the name of the baby, the date she'll be born, how much she'll weigh, what colour eyes and hair she'll have and the time of birth. It was so fun to look through everybody's predictions and I'll keep them to see who was closest to being right!

I insisted on no presents but a friend suggested that everybody bring a favourite baby/child's book if they really insisted, and it was such a lovely idea to stock up her book shelves and to be able to tell her who bought these books when we're reading them and she's old enough.

We also did a 'how big is the baby bump' as a little bit of fun.

Such a special afternoon spent with my favourite people {although we missed you Carolyn!}. Feeling so grateful and excited right now.

The leftover flowers made for a pretty display! I'm definitely not ready to take these balloons down just yet.

A lot of sandwiches, scones and cake eaten later...

R <3 xx