Baby Shower Theme: the Very Hungry Caterpillar

Take a storybook classic and turn it into a one-of-a-kind baby shower. We used Eric Carle’s vibrant The Very Hungry Caterpillar as inspiration for this colorful butterfly theme.

The Invite: Introduce the theme with an invitation that features a beautiful, colorful butterfly. Check out this elegant invite by Odd Balls ($92 for set of 50, FineStationery.com).

The Decor: Go for bright colors — fuchsia, violet, teal, and tangerine will cheer up any room. Blow up dozens of balloons in each hue and let them float to the ceiling and make a blanket of color overhead. Buy fabric butterflies from a craft site like The Butterfly Grove or Heart to Heart to sprinkle throughout the house on tabletops and windowsills.

The Food/Drinks: On the buffet table, fill bowls with some of the foods Eric Carle’s caterpillar indulges in during the story — strawberries, oranges, watermelon, and even lollipops. Serve cocktails in tall glasses and top them off with homemade butterfly straws. Cut simple butterfly shapes out of pretty decorative paper and make a slit down the center of each one so you can easily slide them onto straws.

The Cake: Adorn a chocolate or vanilla fondant-covered cake with a combination of small edible butterflies (your cake baker should be able to create these) and a few paper or plastic butterflies for decoration.

The Game: Just like the very hungry caterpillar, baby is still growing and growing. Take a poll: Just how big will baby be at birth? Set out strips of colorful paper for guests to write their guesses on and then drop them into a clear glass fishbowl. The winner gets a special present in their thank-you note: a gift certificate to a favorite local ice cream shop. Materials: paper, pens, and glass fishbowl.

The Favors: Indulge another one of guests’ senses and send them home with sweet-smelling, leaf-shaped soaps,like these from PlumParty.