Fun fact:  I love interior design but I also have a passion for party planning.  So as you can imagine, I was thrilled to throw my daughter, who recently had her first baby (a little girl!) a bee-themed baby shower.  This was the first party I’d planned post-pandemic, which required a shift in creativity to put together a special event that was both safe and meaningful for the mama-to-“bee.”

I decided to host the shower in the front yard so guests had the option to come and go as they pleased.  The big tree in my front yard is highly visual so I hung white umbrellas to symbolize “shower.”  This made a big statement but it also held a bigger meaning to my family. We planted this tree together 18 years ago and so often my my source of inspiration for design is found in trees. Being in nature gives me such a sense of peacefulness, and I always think about that feeling when I’m designing interiors.

Jess and Nathan did not find out the baby’s gender prior to birth, so we needed a gender-neutral theme for the shower.  We ultimately decided on a bee theme because the online invites we used already had an adorable honeybee design.  Not only are bees gender neutral, but interesting side note, Jessalyn’s husband has dabbled with beekeeping himself.  It’s like it was meant to bee!

With this theme in the mind, I knew we had to have honey.  I always love to support local business owners and Roark Acres had exactly what I had in mind for party favors.  Aren’t these mini hex jars darling?  I also purchased larger jars of their flavored and creamed honey to serve on the biscuit bar.

In addition to the biscuit bar, I put together some covid-friendly, bento-style snacks for our guests.

The best part of being a grandparent is having the opportunity at a re-do.  All those times we were in such a hurry when our kids were growing up reminds me just how quickly these special moments become memories.