The letters that a child will someday delight in learning are the building blocks of this elegant party in honor of the mother-to-be.

Block-Trimmed Mirror

For a party decoration (as well as a future nursery item for the expectant mother), glue wooden baby blocks onto a mirror. The blocks are mounted using hot glue, making the project easy and reversible (you can pry the blocks off later). The blocks aren't all from one set but were selected for their size and color. To preserve the charming, random quality of the design, resist the impulse to spell out a word.

Mobile Centerpiece

To hang above the mother-to-be seat of honor or over the buffet, make a charming mobile out of plastic letters easily found at a supply house. You can make your own mobile from scratch, using dowels and twine, or simply swap letters for whatever dangles from a store bought model. To decorate a wall or door frame, simply buy or cut out a garland made up of the entire alphabet or one special letter.

Favors

To give everyone a special keepsake of the party, have inexpensive rubber stamps custom-made with each guest's initial; then simply stamp plain stationery and tie each set with a ribbon.