Ashley Brooke Designs: A Shower In A Box!!

This is why I love my clients!!

The lovely Penny contacted me a few weeks back needing something extra special for her daughter and son-in-law who are expecting their first child! Penny desperately wanted to throw them a shower but wasn't able to since they live in Colorado! So she came to me with the "Shower in a box" idea, which I think is SO brilliant! Penny is asking all of the "guests" to mail or bring gifts to her home for the parents-to-be and she is going to put all of the gifts in a box to ship to Colorado! How fun would it be to open up a huge box with tons of pink wrapped gifts over flowing out of it!

I hope you enjoy your shower in the box Luke and Destiny!!

xxoo- Ashley Brooke







Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Designs: From "Mom To Be" to "Mom And Baby"

Let's face it, when you are getting ready to have a baby you are not only nesting and putting together the nursery and researching car seats, you are also writing a ZILLION thank you notes! Everyone loves a baby, and nothing beats buying itsy-bitsy shoes and sweet cuddly pajamas! Even your neighbor down the street will bring you something she "just couldn't pass up!" So the fact of the matter is, you will be writing A LOT of thank you notes and if this is in fact the case, you might as well write them in style!

I have been doing these "Pre & Post Baby" sets lately where I will draw the mom-to-be with the baby bump and without! I think this is such a great idea and helps your thank you notes transition as smoothly as you will into motherhood!




Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Designs: A Bridal Shower + A Baby Shower (in the same weekend!)

This weekend was full of lovely ladies, great food, and TONS of cupcakes! That is right I hosted a Bridal shower at our house on Saturday and I co-hosted a Baby shower at my Parents house on Sunday with my sister and mom! There is nothing more fun than putting on a shower for your close friends to celebrate life's biggest moments!

I was thrilled to be apart of both showers and both Deanna (the bride) and Shavaun (the mom-to-be) were blushing with excitement!

Also, I was able to make both shower invites which is always so much fun! I kept both invites similar and changed out colors, pram, and wedding dress! I thought since they were in the same weekend it might be fun to do *almost* matching invites!


(Pink and yellow are Deanna's wedding colors so the shower kept that theme! Deanna is one of my dearest friends and I was honored to do something so special for her!)
-My sister made the delicious cupcakes and I prepared the rest!
- The gift was, a grocery list note pad with her new name, personalized recipe cards, and coordinating thank you cards!
** Oh and don't mind the photo where I am totally looking at the WRONG camera! Oops!

I love you Dee!! I Can't wait to stand by your side on your BIG day!
xoxo



(Sweet baby Anna is due in just TWO weeks and I know that I speak for the entire family when I say, we couldn't be more excited!!)
Shavaun is my cousin's wife but friend first! Shavuan is like a sister to me so throwing this shower for her was EXTRA special! We all know that Shavun will make a fantastic mother!


- Once again my sister made the delicious cupcakes! And my fabulous mother prepared all of the goodies!
-The gift was THE cutest tutu bathing suit, a mommy-to-be notepad that 10 sheets in turns into a mommy-to-do list, and of course matching thank you cards.


I love you Shavaun and I can't WAIT to meet sweet little Anna!! 
xoxo

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Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Designs: Cowboy Baby

This one is a complete first for me! Erin and her husband are having a baby boy in July (congratulations Erin!)and wanted their stationery to reflect their Kentucky style! So that is just what I did! I can't get over how cute the finished look turned out to be! And how great is it that both mom and dad have cowboy baby coffee mugs!
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Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Designs: Don't forget to say thank you!

And now for the last piece of the shower etiquette puzzle: saying thank you!  Even if you thank your guests at the shower, it's always best to follow up with a written thank you note.  If you are the guest of honor,  it is thoughtful to bring a thank you note and small gift to your host or hostess on the day of, for throwing you the shower.

Examples of Baby and Bridal Shower Thank Yous.

Dear Mary,

Thank you so much for the sweet onesies and receiving blanket.  We are so excited about this little one's impending arrival.  I can wait to see him in the onesies and I know the blanket will be very useful. Thanks again for coming and being so thoughtful.

Dear Mary,

Thanks so much for the lovely place-setting.  Joe and I are so excited for this next step in our lives and are so blessed to share it with so many wonderful friends and family.  I can't wait to put that place setting to good use in our kitchen.  Thank you for coming to the shower and being so thoughtful!

Content and Illustrations ©2009 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Ashley Brooke Design: Unconvential Showers

Encore Showers

Emily Post says it is perfectly fine to throw a shower for the second or even third baby when the guest list is kept to close relatives and very close friends and guests who did not attend the first shower.  If the family has moved, it makes sense for their new friends to throw them a shower regardless of how many children they have.

If the parents are well stocked with their baby supply needs, it could be fun to throw a themed shower like "stock the cabinets" or "fun for Mom & Dad" where guests bring things for the parents to enjoy like babysitting coupons or their favorite DVDs, maybe tickets to a movie or play.





Content and Illustrations ©2009 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.