Baby Shower Theme: Noah's Ark

It’s been done before…but you can do it better. Noah’s Ark-themed baby showers are a favorite, especially when twins are on the way (“two by two”). The adaptability of this theme makes it extra-fun — you can go sweet (rainbows), sassy (leopard prints), or even Zen (wooden accents and lush greenery). Or follow our lead and mix all those elements together for a fresh look.

The Invite: Go for style over sentiment with this unusual zebra invite from The Stationery Studio, $87 for set of 25.

The Decor: Set the tables with bamboo placemats and wooden chopsticks from Pearl River and oblong-shaped white dishes. Splurge on these ridiculously adorable felt PetPencils for table centerpieces. Line them up in silver-plated windowsill planters filled with faux grass by lining the bottom of the planter with floral foam and jamming in the pencil ends. To complete the animal theme, head to The Land of Nod for some seriously cute animal toys that baby will be able to play with later on. (We especially love this adorable giraffe, which doubles as a playmate for baby and a reliable teether once you get to that stage of the game.)

The Cake: In lieu of a cake, go for cupcakes topped with animal faces. Order them from a local bakery, or invite over a few crafty friends and decorate your own. Serve on trays lined with zebra-patterned cloths or paper napkins.

The Game: Decorate onesies! Turn multicolored felt into applique material by fusing it with Heat’n Bond. Then, cut out lots of animal shapes as well as shapes of animal ears, eyes, and tails, and funny clothing like bow ties and hats. Guests can put the pieces together to create quirky animals and iron them onto onesies. _Materials needed: Heat’n Bond, felt, glue, plain white onesies, scissors, and iron. _

The Favors: Loop zebra-striped ribbon around animal-shaped cookie-cutters. Drop them into a large wooden bowl and set it by the door so guests can grab their gift on the way out.