baby shower

Once upon a time, I went to the grocery store looking for The Country Almanac.... and came home with Tea Time... The reason I bought Tea Time was because of The Perfect Party article on page 30. Risa is a party planner; my secret dream job. Okay, so it's no longer a secret.... But I love to make every holiday, every family gathering, and every reason to celebrate, an event. It's all about the details. And I'll drive myself crazy, and I'm sure all those around me.... until I figure out the most perfect arrangement, the most perfect detail, the most perfect decorations, or the most perfect food! I'm not saying everything has to be perfect, but right.... It has to feel good.... It's like hanging a picture in the wrong spot. You can't just pound a nail in the wall and fling a picture on it; it has to be in the right spot. If it isn't, you pull the nail out, and re-pound it in half an inch to the left... until it's perfect, or right, pleasing to the eye. To do otherwise would bug the living daylights out of me. Imagine my delight when I found this magazine with colored pictures and ideas galore!

Here's my dilemma..... I'm planning my daughter's baby shower.... Originally it was going to be a couple's party so I went with an invitation and paper products that were pink and brown polka dots. I figured it was girly enough with the pink, yet masculine enough with the chocolate. I felt good about the invitation.

Then my daughter changed it from a couple's party to a girl's only party, and I'm not certain this is the theme I would have gone with had I known. It's not right in my mind.... I still love the cuteness of it, but it's not the pretty I had always envisioned my daughter's baby shower would be. You see, I've had it in my mind since May 10, 1999; I saw it in a Mary Englebreit's Home Companion magazine. A beautiful party, that just melts my heart... So I'm trying to change my direction midstream, and am having some difficulty doing so.

Here's a few of the details so far. It'll be an inside party since we're still in the middle of winter.... We expect between 15-25 girls. The shower will take place at 2:00 in the afternoon and the menu will consist of cocktail size croissants filled with chicken salad, a pasta salad with fresh garden vegetables, a fruit salad with poppy seed dressing, and miscellaneous items (subject to change, of course). Because most of my serving dishes have ravens, fish, whales, or some other theme on them, I've moved towards all white dishes. I'm hoping they will give some unity to the overall theme and that I can still squeeze in a pretty floral pink dish here and there. My colors will be pink, white, with a spot of chocolate here and there. Lots of flowers. I think it's important to have seating for all ladies, with a place to put their food plate, so the small bistro tables will come inside and adorned with a pretty tablecloth and a baby food jar overflowing with flowers. I have looked far and wide for some beautiful tablecloths (just like the pictures in my head....), but just didn't have any luck.... It has frustrated and disappointed me more than I care to admit. I feel that I'm letting my daughter down, when in reality I know she will be pleased with whatever I do. So I guess I'm letting myself down.... This is the most important party I've ever thrown, and I just can't get the details "right" in my mind.

But the time has come to "let go." It's too late to do any more on-line shopping as items wouldn't get here in time. Now I'm looking for ways to "frill" the shower up a little so if you have any ideas, please let me know! I also know that in the end, this party will turn out just fine, regardless of how much I fret and worry over it. It's all just part of what I do and who I am!