Chocolate Monkey Suckers and a Cupcake Tree

I had an amazing weekend!  For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you'll know I was taking a poll a few months back as to which invitation to use for my sister's baby shower. (We decided on the pocket card.)  Saturday was the shower and it was wonderful fun!  We had a house full of family and friends.  We had family in from out of state that we hadn't seen in quite some time, too, so that helped make it an even more special day!  Lil Sis was showered with wonderful gifts that will be ever so useful when my nephew makes his debut sometime around the beginning of July.  I can't wait to meet him!!

So, you know if I was making the invitations, I had to make the decorations :)  The baby's room has a monkey theme so we kept with that and used Brocade Blue and Chocolate Chip as our colors. I had lots of help getting these decorations and favors ready.  Mickey, Audra, Madison, and Heather - Thank you for helping alleviate my stress.  You guys did a great job!!!  Below is a description of some my favorite party decorations and favors.  You can click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

WELCOME BABY Banner - We made this banner from the Stampin' Up! Pennant Die the morning of the shower.  It went together so quick easy!  Each of the pennants is connected with a 3/8" Chocolate Chip brad and the ends with the ribbon are reinforced with Pewter Jumbo Eyelets.

Cupcake Tree - With lots of help, we made Lemon, Chocolate, and Red Velvet cupcakes for the shower.  I was even able to mix icing that was frighteningly close to Brocade Blue!  Each cupcake was wrapped up so cute thanks to the Perfect Setting Big Shot die. BB - chocolate, CC - red velvet, CC DSP - lemon.  On the top of each one sits a great little cupcake pick made by sandwiching a toothpick between two scalloped circle punches.  Look closely at the photo.  I used a 16x20 mirror as the cupcake tree tray.  In the lower right corner, I applied the "M is for Monkey" Decor Element.  So cute, right??  Now that it's not being used as a cupcake tray, it will be put in a frame and hung in the baby's room.

Chocolate Monkey Suckers - I'll be brutally honest.  I hope I never have to get these chocolate molds out again :-)  I made about 60 of these monkeys in both milk chocolate and peanut butter chocolate.  They were really tasty and so cute!  Each monkey was wrapped in a cello bag and mounted on a flower made with the Stampin' Up! exclusive Flower Folds die.  We tied the little thank you notes to each one and put them into vases for fun and tasty table arrangements.  I'll definitely use this idea again!