Inspiration Board: Chickadee Sip and See

I love nothing more than when a friend has a new baby.  Is there any greater joy in the world?  I always want to rush to meet the baby and welcome it to the world but I also worry that I will be intruding on a very tired new mother!  Although we loved having well wishing visitors when our son was born, I often felt like we had a revolving door.  It wasn't easy for me to recover or to get our new born on a healthy sleep schedule.  That is why the Sip & See party is so clever!  Ladies in the south have been doing them for generations but my friends from up north seem to latch on to the idea when they hear about it!

Here are my ideas for the perfect Sip & See:

I think this chubby chick invitation is perfect for our party.  It even has corresponding Thank You Note cards that you can order at the same time!  If you are hosting for a friend, order her the Thank you Note suite when you order the invitations as a gift.

Of course, no Chickadee Sip & See would be complete with out a few Chenille Easter Chickies!  Set them on orange cupcakes or arrange them across your mantle!

Use yellow and orange Gerbera Daisies simply by cutting off the stems and placing them face up in small round dishes.  So simple and so dramatic! Check out FiftyFlowers.com to order!

A Sip & See Party should last for two to four hours and be scheduled around the baby's sleep schedule.  Typically, afternoon Champagne Teas are the best format. Setting up a small buffet of tea sandwiches and cupcakes is the perfect!   Check out What's New Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson for fun and fantastic recipies and ideas!

Also set up a drink station so that your guests may help themselves to Coffee, Tea, Champagne, Lemonade, Iced Tea and all of the condiments.  I love this Colin Cowie Flavor-Infusing 20-Cup Glass Beverage Server from HSN!  It holds enough of your drink of choice for 20 guests!  

A few more simple tips:

Set up a handwashing station or keep a bottle of anti-bacterial lotion near the baby.

Have a photographer take photos of your guests with your bambino.

Leave a guest book or small squares of paper out for the guests to write messages to the baby on the way out the door, after they have Sipped and Seen!