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Laundry Themed Baby Shower Gift Idea

Laundry Themed Baby Shower Gift Idea | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Today I’m sharing my newest favorite baby shower gift idea. Like many people, I love to shop for baby clothes and other fun baby items. I also have many many friends who have received far more baby clothes and other fun items (i.e. stuffed animals, toys) than their babies will ever possibly use. Practical gifts aren’t as exciting to buy, but they are often very much appreciated.

This past year I attended a baby shower for a very good friend. Part of my gift was basic laundry supplies, which she really loved, especially the mesh laundry bags. You can never have too many mesh laundry bags, particularly when you’re washing tons of baby socks and other small clothing items. This past month, I put together another large baby gift for another good friend and decided to stick with the laundry theme.

Laundry Themed Baby Shower Gift Idea | https://www.roseclearfield.com

In addition to the obvious need for laundry supplies when you have a new baby in the house, there are a couple reasons I really like the laundry themed baby shower gift basket.

  1. You use up laundry supplies. Again, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in toys and books. You’ll continue to use and consequently, use up laundry supplies every month and then need to buy more.
  2. Laundry supplies aren’t gender-specific. The first time I gave the laundry gift, the recipient wasn’t finding out the gender at all. The second time, the recipient wasn’t sharing the gender with anyone but her husband. Buying a more practical gift, such as feeding or bath time supplies, instead of clothes or toys is often easier when you don’t know the gender.

What I included in my laundry gift:

  • Basic large white laundry basket
  • 64-load baby laundry detergent (I bought the generic Target brand, but Dreft is also a great option)
  • Dreft Blissfuls In-Wash Scent Booster
  • 105-count free + clear dryer sheets
  • Three mesh laundry bags – 2 small, 1 large

Laundry Themed Baby Shower Gift Idea | https://www.roseclearfield.com

In the basket, you’ll also see a set of baby towels and washcloths, which wasn’t laundry themed but was part of the gift. (I just really like giving gifts and can never seem to help myself from picking up one more item for someone.) I purchased all of these items at Target. Dreft also sells a laundry stain remover. I’ve never found it at Target and have never gotten my act together to order it online or check another store before a shower, but it would be a great item to include in the basket as well.

The second recipient was also very welcoming of the laundry gift. I know I’ll have many more opportunities to use the idea in the future.

Laundry Themed Baby Shower Gift Idea | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Finally, some of you may be wondering how I wrapped the big laundry basket gift. Confession: I didn’t. I wasn’t able to attend the shower. I attended the recipient’s birthday party a couple days before the shower and gave it to her then exactly as you see it here. If I were going to wrap it, I would do something really simple and inexpensive like covering it with a couple garbage bags and decorating it with large cardstock polka dots.

Do you have any go-to baby shower gifts?
I’d love to hear your best ideas!

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the first year of Hobbes

Hobbes black and white

As of a couple weeks ago, Hobbes has been in our lives for a whole year. A lot has happened this past year, and Hobbes has such a dynamic personality that it’s actually hard to believe that he hasn’t been in our lives for more than a year. Of all the cats I’ve lived with over the years, Hobbes has definitely challenged me the most, especially during the first couple months. He was often way too excited to sleep during the day unless he could calm down on someone’s lap (which made it…tough to get anything done), he frequently got into the garbage and any food item sitting out (i.e. a bag of pretzels on the counter), and he constantly chased the other two cats around the house.

Hobbes is really lucky that he’s so cute.

baby Hobbes on the suitcase

It’s hard to stay mad at that face. (And yes, he’s sitting on a suitcase.)

Thankfully Hobbes has mellowed out quite a bit over the last year. He still has a lot of energy and loves to play with us and the other cats. But he’s much less naughty and has learned how to calm himself down independently, even when there are people around.

Today I’m sharing just a few highlights of the past year with Hobbes.

We purposely adopted a young male cat because we thought that he would be a good fit with our two slightly older male cats. While it’s always a transition bringing new cats together, these boys have all done amazingly well together.

Ares and Hobbes with the laundry basket

all three cats on the guest bed

Hobbes and Apollo on the dressing room window seat

Hobbes is just as snugly as he is playful. He loves to curl up right next to or on me or Jake for minutes on end and is happy to tuck in with us at night, too.

baby Hobbes on my lap

Hobbes snuggled up with Jake

Like many cats, Hobbes loves to “help” with jewelry making. He actually usually does pretty well settling down and not attacking everything mercilessly.

jewelry helper Hobbes

In recent months as I’ve picked up cross-stitch again, Hobbes has also discovered the joy of “helping” with cross-stitch, especially the pattern.

Hobbes under the cross-stitch pattern

Hobbes thinks that laundry days are the best days ever. He loves getting wrapped up in sheets and placed in a laundry basket, and he almost always insists on getting under the fitted sheet when I make the bed again.

Hobbes in the sheets

Hobbes in the sheets

And he has no fear. About basically anything in the house.

Hobbes in the food container

Hobbes in the washing machine

Hobbes is extremely active and frequently requests to play fetch with toy mice. When he’s in the right mood, he’ll fetch a couple dozen times in a row.

Hobbes playing with a toy mouse

Finally, one of the joys of moving and working on painting projects in two houses has been having a ladder in the house. Hobbes loves to the climb this step ladder and will do it on command for company (don’t judge).

Hobbes on the ladder

We love you, Hobbes! We can’t wait to see what this next year holds for all of us.

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the start of roseclearfield.com

Lake Michigan at Wind Point Lighthouse at Golden Hour June 2016 Best With Text-3

After a ten month blogging break, I’m back blogging at a brand new site: roseclearfield.com. I blogged regularly at randomcreativeart.com from late 2008 through mid 2015. By early 2015, I was really ready for a break from my regular blogging routine. Then in late 2015, after spending nine days with my family during my grandma’s final days, I found out in the same hour that she had passed away and that I had failed my final fertility treatment. I was preparing for a big trip with my husband, and we were one week away from closing on a new home. I made the blogging break official and spent the first half of 2016 enjoying a fresh start and working on a lot of home and craft projects without documenting every bit of my progress.

Earlier this month I decided that I was ready to get back in the blogging game and take the plunge and move to WordPress with a new blog that better fits my current blogging goals. randomcreativeart.com isn’t going anywhere any time soon, and I’ll still be referring back to posts there from time to time. The break from blogging was much needed and helped me come back to blogging with a fresh perspective. During the past ten months, I’ve been brainstorming lots of post ideas including home updates, Milwaukee and other southeast WI events, craft tutorials, new Etsy happenings, and all things photography related.

I’m excited to be back to blogging and blogging here at roseclearfield.com. If there is anything you’d like to see here, please let me know.

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