Simple Baby Shower Centerpieces

Vintage and new tins are often decorated with charming, old-fashioned prints and lettering. Clean out these containers, and give them a second life as informal flower vases for a tea party-themed baby shower. We filled one with roses, gomphrenas, and sweet peas. The tins are usually watertight and certainly shatterproof, so you don't have to worry about leaks or breakage.

Flowers and candlelight are nothing new, but together they create tabletop decorations fit for a relaxed summer baby shower. Place votive candles in tall glass vessels, and attach a flower (dahlias are shown here) outside each, trimming the stem to fit and tying with raffia that matches the flower. Set each display in a saucer of water to keep the flowers fresh.

Add color to a table with this easy bouquet technique. Use fall flowers as Martha does or choose blooms that match your shower theme.

This is the crisp sundress of flower arrangements: so pretty, so easy, so fresh. Its secret is a grid of tape, which holds blossoms -- such as these chartreuse spider mums -- upright in a shallow container. The result is a centerpiece that's striking but not fussy, with a low height that makes it particularly conversation-friendly.

Float flowers like these peonies in small bowls, and arrange them with votive candles on a cheese board for a quick, modern centerpiece. On a long table, you can place a few platters down the middle.

These leafy, picket-fence centerpieces are simple to make and would filll any room with a welcoming fragrance.

To create this illuminating centerpiece, place a glass vase inside another that is slightly larger (secure them with floral adhesive), and then pour tinted water in between them.

A brightly hued citrus centerpiece, piled high with velvet leaves and silver balls, brings sophisticated cheer to any table.

Large blooms clustered in cafe au lait bowls found at home- and kitchen-supply stores create a vintage-looking display. Place floral foam in the bowls to anchor the blooms, then group them on tables, stacking some atop inverted ones for visual interest.

Light up a table with this arrangement perfect for a seaside shower. Use candle adhesive to secure slender tapers to the bottom of a clear glass vase. Carefully pour in a few inches of sand, then arrange shells on top. Besides refracting the candlelight for added ambience, the vase will protect the flames from breeze.