Baby Shower Diaper Cakes: Simple Craft

Oh, baby, it's all about the cake. And this one? It's even calorie free.

One of today's most popular baby shower decorations is a diaper cake, which, in its most basic form, is simply a bunch of diapers rolled up and put together to create tiers that stack to make a cake.

Depending on size, prices range from about $30 for a small cake to $100 or more for a big one. But to personalize your diaper cake -- and save some money -- why not make your own? Baby shower diaper cakes are a relatively simple baby shower craft, as long as you have the right materials.

Here's how to make a rolled diaper cake.

You will need:

• 50-90 newborn sized diapers. Use good quality diapers so that the mom will actually want to use them once the baby arrives.
• 50-90 small rubber bands (to secure each diaper after you roll it)
• 2-5 larger rubber bands (to secure each tier)
• Elastic cord (to tie around the larger tiers)
• Cardboard cake platter (to build your cake on)
• Something for the middle of the baby shower diaper cake, such as a large baby shampoo bottle or an empty jar filled with small baby goodies.
• Ribbon to wrap around each tier. Coordinating ribbons in different widths look nice together, or you may use a nice wide ribbon. Make sure you stick with a color scheme or baby theme.
• Baby items such as shoes, toys, bibs, etc., to decorate the cake
• Cake topper. This could be a stuffed animal, or an empty baby bottle with the lid removed, filled with flowers.
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

First, roll your diapers. To do this, hold the diaper with the waist toward you, front side up, and roll. Don't open the diapers. Take a small rubber band and put it around the middle of the rolled diaper. Make sure the rubber band is tight enough to keep the diaper rolled up, but not so tight that it damages the diaper (remember one of the best things about a baby shower diaper cake is that the diapers can be used).

Next, assemble. Once all the diapers are rolled up and secured with rubber bands, you can start assembling your diaper cake. Start with the bottom tier. Take your large shampoo bottle or jar filled with baby goodies and place it at the center of the cardboard cake platter. It will be taller than your diapers. Place rolled diapers around the center (like flower petals), so that you have one layer of rolled diapers around your platter. Take a large rubber band and put it around that entire layer to hold them in place.

Now, make another layer of rolled diapers around that first layer. When you have them all around, take a long piece of elastic cord and tie it around that layer. Make one more layer around those and secure with one more piece of elastic cord. That's the first tier of your baby shower diaper cake.

Now, continue the tiers. To make the second tier of your baby shower diaper cake, start at the center of your first tier. That bottle or jar should be sticking up out of the first tier, so make a layer of rolled diapers around it, like you did before. Secure it with a large rubber band. Make one more layer and secure it with a piece of elastic cord. To make the top tier of your baby shower diaper cake, first, take the baby bottle, if you are using one, and use it for your center. If you are going to top your cake with a stuffed animal, just use a rolled diaper for your center. Make one layer of rolled diapers around your center and secure them with a large rubber band.

If you want to make a larger cake, all you need is more diapers. If you want a five-tier cake, the bottom tier will need five layers of rolled diapers around the center, then four layers on the next tier, three layers, two layers and one layer at the top.

Finally, make it fancy. To decorate your baby shower diaper cake, take the ribbon and wrap the bottom tier. Allow for an inch or two of overlap and cut the ribbon. Use the hot glue to secure the ribbon to itself (don't put hot glue on the diapers). Do the same thing to each tier, securing the ribbon to itself each time with hot glue.

Add little items around each tier if you'd like. Place your cake topper and you've made a simple baby shower decoration that is sure to be the talk of the party.