For bridal showers, I "wrap" the gifts with a bath/hand towel and secure it with safety pins. For baby showers, I use receiving blankets/sheets/diapers fastened with baby pins. Thus EVERYTHING can be used - no discard needed.
When each of our four daughters had a bridal or baby shower, one of my gifts was a spreadsheet with everyone's name and address on it that also had a column in which to write the gift. For their convenience and cost, I bought them thank you notes and stamps (this amounted to about $30 - $40!).
For bridal showers, I presented "Helpful Helda" to our daughters, just as my mother did for my sisters and me.
Begin with a broom for the "body" (bristles down). Invert a mop with strands for the "hair". Secure them together with heavy duty clear packing tape so it will support the rest of the body - make it as tall as you wish.
These are things I have used.
- Colander (plastic as it is lighter) - top of head
- Large sponge - face: small scrubbies for eyes, nose: rolled up wash cloth for mouth
- Bed pillows - body (upper and lower, front and back) - use rope for a"waist" and also to keep pillows attached
- Full body apron with pockets to cover pillow body
- Rolled up bath towels - arms
- Rolled up wash cloths - hands
- Dusting wands - hands
- Towel/sheet - cover wooden legs
- All of these I attach with clear packing tape and/or safety pins and/or rope and/or clothespins - anything else you can think of.
Then use your imagination! Fill the apron pockets with kitchen gadgets:use kitchen utensils/dusting wands for "earrings":
It is fun to see what you come up with and you will be amazed at the end result. Of course, it will be heavy and tipsy and you need to transport/handle it cautiously, but it will stand up leaning against something.
So all of Helda's body can be dismantled and used (with the exception of the clear tape you have used). It can cost whatever you want it to - I got a lot of things at the $ store. Good luck and have fun. Submitted by:
