I know, I know...It has been FOREVER since I said I would post other gender revealing party ideas! But fear not, I haven't forgotten - just been busy. Now that I have some breathing room this week, I thought I would go ahead and post one of those ideas. NOTE: that the photograph and craft above were done hastily in an effort to illustrate one of the ideas below (plus I did not have pink playdough like I originally thought - so I substituted pink marshmallows). I am sure there are piles of you crafty crafty's out there who could do a much better job if you were actually going to throw this party (which I did not, thus the scrounging around for materials that were on hand)...So without further ado, gender revealing idea #2: What's the Scoop?
(Number 1 was the classic "What Will it Bee" theme)
Invitations:
Idea 1: Buy up those small individual containers of ice cream (the really small ones that come in a package of multiples) in advance and let your family chow down! Wash out and keep the containers and when you are ready, fill them with balls of purchased or homemade playdough in blue and pink (both together) so that it looks like a small ice cream container with scoops of pink and blue ice cream inside. Next, get a plastic spoon and stamp or draw with a marker a question mark on the scoop of the spoon and wrap a small slip of written invitation with details around the handle of the spoon and tie with a gender neutral ribbon. Wrap up each small container in cellophane and tie with ribbon, attaching the spoon to the ribbon on the outside and a little tag that reads "What's the Scoop?" You could even have your kids add real sprinkles to the "ice cream" or punch out some pink and blue confetti or confetti that matches the paper on which you wrote the party details. Then pass out to your friends and family! Also, if you want to add more pizzaz - you could always wrap a piece of fun craft paper in pink and blue or gender neutral colors around the outside of your small container and attach a little question mark charm that you purchase or make yourself (I am thinking of bending wire to fashion something like that).
If you can afford even more expense, you could buy those little clear plastic condiment containers (check the kitchen utensil aisle at places like Walmart - I think they are roughly a dollar each). Some of them look a LOT like a miniature bowl you would put an ice cream sunday in (at least they do to me). Or you could purchase an ice cream scoop for each family you plan to invite and wrap your written invitation around the handle, tied with a bow and a tag with the theme on it.
For a cheaper version of the ice cream container idea - whenever you go to Sam's or Walmart and they have a sample day, eat every sample you can that comes in one of those small clear containers and keep the containers. After a while, you will have a nice stash of containers for invites! Or you could just find out where they buy those cups and purchase some yourself.
Idea 2: Need an even cheaper idea? Print out ice cream coupons that you make yourself saying something about: a fun time and free ice cream sunday for each family member or friend. Mail or hand out personally!
Idea 3: Another variation of invitation would be to purchase ice cream cones and roll up your written detailed invite and place inside the cone. Top (or leave it just the way it is) with a roll of pink and blue swirled playdough. Glue a circle of fun print paper to the front of the cone with a question mark on it. Wrap the entire thing in cellophane and tie with gender neutral ribbon and tag with the theme on it.
Decor:
1. Hang colored pom poms from the ceiling. For a fun experiment - try mixing shades of blue and pink together when you are making each pom pom (see my idea on the pom pom bumble bee in an earlier post). Or just hang varying shades of pom poms in those colors around the rooms. You could also try stringing them on a ribbon and hanging them with a brown paper cone attached at the bottom so they look like ice cream cones hanging from the ceiling.
Or you could take extra plates you have and draw or stamp question marks on them and glue them back to back (so if they spin with a breeze - people are not staring at the back of a plate and wondering what it is) and glue those to a ribbon/string with a paper cone on the bottom to look like hanging ice cream cones. You could also do something similar with all the fun patterned craft papers out there. Just don't go too crazy with a huge variety of papers - I would pick maybe one or two patterned pieces (and stick to those for any other decor or background ideas as well) and maybe one or two main solid colors. This might be the least expensive option especially if you pick these papers up when they are on sale - I think the major craft places like Michaels or Hobby Lobby tend to have sales on their papers at least once a month perhaps?
2. Banner - make smaller pompoms and string them along a banner string - attach a brown paper cone (or REAL cone if you can manage it with your hot glue gun or super glue) to each and add a circle to each cone with a letter printed on it to make up whatever you want to say...
Or you can just make paper circles and attach paper cones with your banner's greeting.
3. SAVE, SAVE, SAVE those large ice cream containers and turn them into holders for napkins, utensils, and yes - even flowers!
You can also turn ice cream cones into small vases for flowers to sit in. Just make sure you line the inside first before adding water or floral green foam or else your cones might not remain nice and stiff the whole time.
4. Perhaps keep one container available for baby name (flavor) suggestions...
5. Ice cream scoop babies: wrap some scoops in cut up baby blanket pieces so they look swaddled - place in a bed of ice in the middle of the table and add a rounded scoop of vanilla or chocolate or whatever color for the face in the scooping part. Add features with candy or frosting or other decorations. You could also just use playdough if you don't want to mess with the possible melting situation.
6. Balloon ice cream cones: get some balloons in the colors of your party to be the "ice cream scoops" and then glue them very carefully to paper cones you make yourself from brown construction or butcher paper. Place these around the room!
Food:
If you are going to have an ice cream bar, load it up with different flavors and toppings which allow guests to make their own fun concoction (if expense is a problem, just stick with basic vanilla and purchase several basic toppings - your guests will enjoy the treat!).
Need labels for your party? This person has GENEROUSLY made ice cream labels and offered them for FREE on her blog!! How neat and sweet is that!! They are adorable and decorative...and did I mention FREE!!!
So now all you have to do is decide whether you want to keep your labels simple (just list the toppings) or add some amusement to them by coming up with little ideas that tie your theme together with ice cream. For example:
Nuts (how Mommy feels after those first few sleepless nights) or "Diaper Creme" (whipping cream), etc.
The Big Reveal:
Now this could be done before or after guests eat depending on when and how you want to let everyone know about your new baby's gender.
Idea 1: Bring out a container of ice cream that you or a friend has loaded up with the color that lets everyone know what your baby will be. Make sure that the guests cannot tell what the color is from the outside. I suggest a plain white container with a large question mark written or stamped on the outside and decorated according to your color scheme for the evening. Give everyone a blindfold and then scoop out a little taste for each guest. On the count of three, let them eat it and see if anyone can figure out what the color is before actually seeing it (for example: blueberry for a boy and strawberry for a girl. Or something boyish like rocky road with additional blue marshmallows you add yourself or peaches -n - creme - think complexion - for a girl with some pink swirled in).
Idea 2: Borrow a homemade ice cream maker if you do not have one yourself. Before the guests arrive, you or a friend (if you are keeping it a surprise for yourself as well) add the ingredients for vanilla ice cream plus some generous amount of appropriate blue or pink food color. Depending on the ice cream maker - you may need to figure out a way to seal it from sight while the ice cream is being churned to avoid spoiling the surprise. Then have guests spend the evening helping you make the ice cream. When it is time to eat - reveal the color and let guests add their toppings. If they have already eaten ice cream and this is the last event - spoon some ice cream into styrofoam containers and send home with guests for later enjoyment as a party favor.
For this idea, you can also probably find directions online as to how to make your own ice cream maker from scratch using just a tin or container that guests shake up or roll around all evening until the ice cream is ready.
Idea 3: Baked Alaska! Just use the appropriate color of ice cream and cover it with a generous layer of meringue (at least I think that is what it is) and bake according to instructions. When it is done, let the new parents or some honored person in your family (perhaps a great great grandfather or grandmother) cut it open to reveal the color.
Idea 4: I am not sure this would be possible - but perhaps you could order an ice cream cake from a local bakery just as you would with a normal cake and tell them to put the color ice cream or icing of the gender inside the cake. Make sure they know what it is for so they understand the color needs to be hidden so it will remain a surprise until the appropriate moment!
Okay - so there you go! Ideas for a What's the Scoop gender reveal party... And if anyone happens to use this idea - I would love to see pictures of it!
If you want more suggestions for this idea or need help with anything - I can offer free assistance from afar as needed or as possible since some weeks are rather busy for me. Just e-mail me and I will try to respond when I can.
I would cut those oversize marshmallows and shake them in colored sugar to put into the ice cream dishes.
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