A beloved and enduring tradition, baby showers call for memorable invitations. The six playful ideas explained here are all easy to make and are sure to generate excitement over the occasion.

Before making the invitations, be certain of the following information: the name of the parent or parents being honored; the date, time, and location of the shower; the name of the person hosting the shower; and the number of invitees. 

When choosing a date, determine whether the party will be held before or after the baby is born. If held before, the shower can provide welcome support for a potentially anxious mom-to-be; if held afterward, it can enable the guests to meet the newborn guest of honor for the first time.

Tools and Materials

• Buttons, available at crafts and sewing stores
• Handmade Card Kit
• Custom-Paper Stationery Kit, available at The Catalog for Living
• Scalloped paper edgers
• Softtouch micro-tip scissors, available at Fiskars
• Teddy bear rotary craft punch by Marvy Uchida
• Assorted charms
• White card stock
• Vellum paper
• Blue or pink card stock
• White envelopes (A-2 size)
• The Great American Stamp Store (203-221-1229)
• Diaper pins, available at Leff Brothers Baby Goods (800-231-7211)
• Daisy patterned fabric (Schoolhouse Quilt Shoppe)

Teddy Bear Fold-Out Invitation How-To
1. Find a pattern for the teddy bear. (Cookie cutters make great stencils.)

2. Fold a piece of heavy paper or card stock into thirds. Each third should be the same width as the pattern. Fold the first third away from you so that the flap is underneath the rest of the sheet. Fold the second third toward you, putting it on top of the paper. Cut the excess away to form the last third.

3. Making sure the edges of the figure are touching the folds of the card stock or paper, trace the pattern onto the top layer. Use a pair of small scissors to carefully cut out the figure without cutting through the folds that connect the paws.

4. To add a bow, punch two holes through the top layer of paper on each side of the neck. Thread a 3-inch piece of colored cord or ribbon through the holes, and tie a bow.

5. You can now write all the party information on the inside of the bottom layer.

Baby-Button Invitation
1. Cut a 4 1/2-by-6 1/4-inch piece of pink card stock.

2. Cut a 4-by-5 3/8-inch piece of vellum, and trim the top and bottom edges with pinking shears.

3. Center the vellum on top of the pink card stock. Place two baby buttons (two-hole buttons) on the vellum about 1/2 inch from the top edge of the piece of vellum and about 1 1/2 inches apart from each other. Make sure the buttons are centered (right to left) on the card.

4. Carefully poke a straight pin through the buttonholes and the vellum as well as the card stock.

5. Thread a piece of 3-inch waxed twine through the holes and the buttons, and knot it at the back.

6. To finish the card off, punch three decorative holes across the top with a micro-round hole punch.

Diaper-Pin Invitation
1. This is a variation on the Baby-Button Invitation. Cut a 4 1/2-by-6 1/4-inch piece of card stock and a 3-by-4 1/2-inch piece of vellum.

2. Using a micro-round hole punch, punch two holes through the vellum and the card stock, about 1 inch apart and about 1/2 inch down from the top of the edge, centered (right to left) on the card.

3. Across the top and bottom of the card, punch 5 additional evenly spaced holes. These add a nice decorative touch to the invitation.

4. Write the party information on the vellum, and attach the vellum to the card with the diaper pin.

Charm Invitation
1. Cut a 4 1/2-by-6 1/4-inch piece of pink card stock, and trim the top and bottom edges with a pair of scalloped pinking shears.

2. Cut a 3 3/8-by-4 1/2-inch piece of white card stock and a 4 1/8-by-2 7/8-inch piece of vellum.

3. Using a micro-round hole punch, punch a hole about 1/2 inch from the top of the white card stock and a hole about 1/4-inch from the top of the piece of vellum, both centered (left to right).

4. Tie the charm to the two punched sheets with waxed twine, threaded through both.

5. Attach the piece of white card stock, with vellum and the charm, onto the piece of pink card stock with rubber cement. Make sure that they are centered.

6. Wait for the rubber cement to dry before writing on the vellum.

Teddy-Bear Hole-Punch Invitation
1. Cut a 4 1/2-by-6 1/4-inch piece of white card stock. Cut a piece of decorative paper to the same size as the card. Glue the card to the paper.

2. Cut a 3 1/4-by-5 1/8-inch piece of thinner white card stock.

3. Using a teddy-bear hole punch, punch out one bear about 1/4 inch from the top of the thin sheet, equidistant from both sides.

4. Finish the card by spreading a thin layer of adhesive on the back of the punched sheet and placing it, centered, on the decorative paper-covered card. Let adhesive dry before writing on the card.

Print Flower Invitation
1. Cut a 4 5/8-by-9 1/4-inch piece of pale-blue card stock, and fold in half. Cut a 4 1/8-inch-square piece of white card stock.

2. Select a piece of decorative paper or fabric that you like. If you choose a fabric, make copies of it with a color photocopy machine.

3. Trace a flower template that you have drawn yourself or copied onto the paper. Cut out the flower shape. The template should be smaller than 4 inches across.

4. If desired, a small button can be glued or sewn onto the center of the flower.

5. Glue the flower, centered, to the square of card stock.

6. Finish the card by gluing the card stock square, with the flower attached, on the face of the folded blue card.