Cowgirl Baby Shower

Here are the Cowgirl party details to the best of my documenting abilities in the midst of actually hosting the event, which is not everything, but enough that you get the idea.

A Little History: Not that you don't have the 'idea' already if you've read the excruciating details I've already blogged about during party preparation, and if you have-you are a good friend because I know it was a bit much, but...it's for me, you were along for the ride. I'm not always a good 'driver,' just check my driving record...or not. Sure enough, as soon as the first guest arrived, I set down my camera, and pretty much didn't touch it again (minus two pictures). During the gift opening, I did hand the camera to another of Carla's buddy and asked her to take some pictures, I'll post 'people pictures' in the next post along with my personal take on the shower, but I'll just keep this post on the details I was able to capture. I've already said this, but I'll say it again. I offered to host a shower for a friend of mine down in Austin (a 3.5 hour drive from my house). She and I have been friend since childhood, when she was a Dallas girl too, but her life is now in Austin, so it made more sense for me to travel down there since all the guest (minus two) were also in Austin. It's always hard to 'travel' to host a party b/c you never know the arrangements. I brought some of my own tables, and chairs, but I could not possibly bring all the set up I thought I might need, so I had to work with what I found. I've been to Carla's house, of course, but still, it's hard for me to wrap my mind around how it's all going to flow. Consider this a 'traveling shower.' Nothing hanging, the decorations are contained to the tables (I love turning a room over into a theme when I'm at my house). It was a Co-Ed, family friendly shower since Carla and Chris have a 4.5 year old. There were over 30 guest, I just know I counted to about 35 guest (the ones I can recall), so a nice turn out. The nursery is a pink, and mocha safari theme, and I usually try to match the nursery with a baby shower theme, but knowing this group of people (boys included), I just couldn't wrap my mind around some of these guys eating out of zebra print cupcake liners. I had some cowboy 'stuff' from prior Cowboy Themed showers, and I adapted it to pink, and I tried to keep the 'stuffed' horses and cuteness down to a minimum. Minimum in my book may look a little different from other's descriptions of the word, but trust me....this is "Christy Contained."
Invitations

Guest Sign-In/Gift Area
I blogged about these details before, but here they are 'set up.'



The only 'cake' at this shower was a "Diaper Cake." Please take my temperature b/c there is not a cupcake in sight. I don't even know who I am anymore!
Drinks: Pink Lemonade and Sweet Tea...In Mason Jars

I've used these mason jars for Garden Themed Showers and Parties in the past as well. Is there a 12 step program from Mason Jar Addiction?
The Food
At the family's request we had hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the fixings. Sides include fruit, veggies, potato salad, chips, and salsa, baked beans, lemonade, sweet tea, cobbler, and ice cream.


OK, this is where you will need some imagination because I didn't get to photograph the food after it all came off the grill, but....I'm pretty sure you've seen things like 'hot dogs' before!
Plates 'n Stuff

Chips and Salsa

I found these little galvanized pales in a garden section about a year ago at some store, Walmart maybe (?), but here is the cool thing....they came with little clear plastic liners for plants. I use them with dressings/salsa etc. I don't know if it's potentially dangerous to put these substances directly in a metal tin, but....I never have with the liners inside that slip out so I can wash them. Before that I'd save little butter tubs etc to slip down inside of the pales, or worse case scenario, Syran wrap.
Potato Salad

I used this watering tin in my Garden Party too, but it sort of went with this, so I used it. I have a more 'perfect fitting' plastic tub I usually slip down in the bottom, but in this case, I cheated and bought potato salad at Sam's and it fit pretty nicely into the tin, so I got over the edge showing....oh, and I'm also 'over' the fact that it's not homemade. I'm making some homemade potato salad for Easter, and I have a 'one potato salad a week' quota.
Fruit and Veggie Tray

The Fruit on a Stick was a huge hit. The idea was that the Ranch would be poured into the pail (I was taking pictures as I put things out). That didn't happen because I decided this only mattered to me, and I don't like cleaning up ranch.
Toppings in Metal Pie Plates

I still wish I could have used the pie plates for plates instead of what I did use, but I guess I'll leave that idea for my next shower.
Cobbler

We added ice cream to the cobbler later, but...who knows where my camera was at this point?
The Tables

This was the start of the tables....it was very windy...so I kept everything as flat as possible. The kids found these pails and claimed them for themselves, and carried them around pulling the trialmix from the innards. Ironically, the adults were the doing the most coloring with the pony crayons. These are my kind of people!
Favors: The Dessert Bar
The desserts included Pie Pops (a conversation favorite), Horse Pops (a kid favorite), "Hay Bales," Sheriff Sugar Cookies, Buck-Eyes (an adult, flavor favorite), Trail Mix (we later pulled this out to the fire pit and sat around munching on the mix and talking about memories), and "Miner's Gold" (formerly known as yellow M&M's.

This was a hit with the girls, and the guys. I think it turned into more of a 'conversation zone.' I love candy bars, and own enough apothocary jars to open a pharmacy. I've done various candy bars many, many times, but I'm really glad I went with homemade desserts this go 'round. It's actually probably more affordable than filling large jars with candy, and whenever I've done this in the past, it just draws people, and pulls out conversations. Sign me up for the dessert bar fan club!
Personal Account to come when I remember my first name again.
Linking To: 
The Girl Creative