Baby Showers
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Making a diaper cake...
If you've made a diaper cake before, do you remember how many diapers it took? I'm wanting to make one that is 3 or 4 tiers. Did you you different sizes of diapers? I was thinking getting a large box of size 2's (100 count). 100 diapers seems like a lot, but I'm not sure how far they would go and don't want to purchase 2 boxes if I don't need all of them...
Any other tips you have about making a one of these? Bonus points if you have a PIP!
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Re: Making a diaper cake...
I haven't made one personally, but 100 should be enough. I got 2 one had roughly 98 diapers and the other had around 105. You should be able to make it work. A friend of mine makes them as a small business and she sometimes puts things inside the cake, like a bottle in the middle.
I also recommend using size 2 or larger.
I don't remember how many I used, honestly, but worse comes to worse, you can take the extra container back if you don't use it or keep it for a shower gift for the next shower.
Like PP said, I also used stuff on the inside, a container of formula, a bottle, a thing of wipes, etc.
He's the single greatest thing I've done in my life and reminds me daily of how fun (and funny) life can be. He's turned out pretty swell for having such a heartless and evil mother.
Haven't made one either, but the one that was made for my shower had 109 diapers in assorted sizes. It was 4 tiers. However, it was solid diapers, nothing in the middle. So if you do what the previous poster suggested and put bottles in the middle or something like that, you could definitely do it with less diapers!
And just for fun, the reason that I know the number of diapers in the cake is because it was part of a fun shower game. The diaper cake was the centerpiece on the food table, and my two sisters-in-law, who made it, stuck all kinds neat stuff in with it, like teething toys, a baby nail clipper, baby toiletries, a tube of lanolin, and topped it off with a rubber ducky. Then when it was game time, they asked everybody to take another quick look at it, then they took it out of sight. The person who was able remember and write down the most diaper cake items and guess the number of diapers in the cake won a prize. It was pretty cute!
I love this idea! I was needing another small, easy game that people wouldn't mind playing and I've never played that before! I was planning on putting a wrapping paper tube up the middle of it, but I'll see what else I can come up with to put inside it. Thanks!
I made one for my SIL. It was kind of small, but at least you can get an idea. I used about 50 size 1 diapers. I also filled space with onesies, travel size lotions, hats, etc. I used a cake round, from craft store for the base. The middle base, was a large bottle of baby powder. I used wide wire ribbon over rubberbands to hold everything together. I have inserted a picture (sorry that it is a little blurry.)
Another cute idea I have heard of is to use a bottle of champange for the middle that the mom can enjoy after the baby is born. It really comes down to how much you want to spend. The less diapers, the more stuff you have to fill it with. Good luck!
ETA: Here is a better picture.
DS - Born 6/17/12
DS#2 - Due 2/11/15
Hi,
I don't post a lot on these boards because I'm not a Mom yet but I throw a lot of baby showers so I love to see everyone's ideas on here. I saw your post and thought I could help. I'm a teacher and have make baby gifts as a side business so I make a bunch.
Depending what size board you use will also affect the number of diapers. When making a 3 tier I usually use a 12 inch cake board and when making a 4 tier I usually use a 14 inch cake board. When I first starting making it I thought 100 was a lot too! But a 3 tier usually uses at least 100 diapers and a 4 tier closer to 115. The value size boxes at Costco, Sams Club, or Target work great.
In the middle I usually use an 8oz bottle and a 4 oz bottle taped together for a 3 tier or 2 8oz bottles taped together for a 4 tier. If the mom is EBF you can use breast feeding supplies for a pump or a large bottle of baby wash/lotion with receiving blankets wrapped around it to make it more cylinder like. The goody clear tiny elastic hair ties work awesome for rolling diapers. I always keep those, regular rubber bands, and packing tape at my work station.
Once you have your base the easiest way is to put a rubberband around the bottle and start tucking your rolled diapers inside of that. Once I have my tiers done I wrap ribbon tightly around it, gluing only the ends of the ribbon and then cut the rubber bands off. Once you have your ribbon you can attach things with smaller ribbon or if I'm using something plastic I put 4 layers of packing tape on the back of the item, then a dab of hot glue, and stick it on the ribbon. The toy is protected and the diapers are protected.
If you are not planning on individually rolling the diapers and just having a fanned look the easiest way I have found is to have bottles as the base again and layer the diapers in hat boxes, then slide a rubber band over the hat box and slide the diapers out and then have the rubber band hold them. You then slide that layer over the bottles and then wrap ribbon around them again. I find it easier to make a rolled diaper cake then a fanned diaper cake.
If you have any other questions free free to message me and have fun. My love for making them all started when my BFF had her first little girl and I wanted to make her something special
Here are some pics that might help....
I can't figure out how to put them in this post but here is a link to an album with pics. Some of them not so good and some of them better. Hope this helps
Wow! Thanks for all the detailed info! And you have made some really cute diaper cakes!! I'm feeling a lot more confident about making this after your post!
Here's a picture of the one I made for my SIL. We used NB and size 1. Be careful in buying diapers because a lot have decorations on them. I wanted to use ones that were only white. I individually rolled each one and used a rubber band to connect them all. I just googled "how to make a diaper cake" and used some directions as inspiration. I also hid little goodies inside (like bibs, clothing, etc.).
I highly recommend going to an AC Moore or some place like that. I bought round cake bottoms so that I had a solid base. I bought a lot of ribbon to hide the rubber bands. I also got the pink wrap there (you heat it with a hair dryer and it shrink-wraps itself).
This is the diaper cake I made for my cousin's shower. Three tier. I prefer the diapers flat like this rather than rolled individually, I think it's more cake-like. I used a 100 pack of size 1 target diapers and had some left over. 16 for top tier, 32 for middle, 48 for bottom = 96 diapers.
What made it super easy was using that tray with the lip, it held the diapers in as I did the spiral before tying it. You could also use a pizza tray with a lip.
Here's the tutorial I used- https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1218773149794319858
I have made about 5 diaper cakes and here is what I have used when I make them:
-about 60-70 size 1 Pampers Swaddlers
-small and large rubberbands
-8-10 feet of 1 inch ribbon
-15-17 inch platter (I usually buy the cardboard cake platters)
-2 baby bottles
-candy to fill bottles
-decorations like flowers for girls cakes and stuffed animals for boys'
-push pins if putting a stuffed animal on top
Here are some pics of diaper cakes I've made: