• Making baby shower gifts can be free and memorable.baby present image by lidian neeleman from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Baby showers can be expensive, to both the guests and the person throwing the shower. However, there are inexpensive --- even free --- ways to show the mother-to-be that you care and to give a gift that's meaningful and will be in the baby's life for a long time. There are also easy ways to decorate a baby shower that require little to no money, but yield great results.
  
  

Shirt, Dress or Jean Diaper Bag

• If you're handy with a needle and thread, there is no reason why you can't fashion for free an unforgettably stylish and unique diaper bag. Look through your wardrobe for a shirt, dress or old pair of jeans you no longer wear. Focus on finding colorful prints that are interesting and fun, or jeans that are in good condition, without stained or fraying fabric. Follow a messenger bag pattern, or create your own. Use cardboard covered in clear plastic packing tape between layers of fabric to reinforce the bottom of the bag --- keep in mind, diaper bags do a lot of work and serve a lot of functions. If you have extra buttons or beads around the house, use these to decorate the bag.
  
  

Name Plate for the Nursery Wall

• If you have an old china set that's missing pieces, or any lone white porcelain plate that you can spare, make a decorative name plate (that is literally a plate!) for the nursery wall. Use acrylic art paints to stencil or hand-paint the child's name, assuming you already know what it is. Make a design with your paint. If you are artistically gifted, paint away. If you lack the artistic gene use some stencils that fit the picture or design you'd like to see on the name plate. Make the colors fun, but not too crazy. Remember that the baby will not be able to appreciate the fun name plate for a while, but that her parents will see it every day. Keep it playful, but also tasteful and artistic.
  
  

Baby-sitting Coupon Book

• New parents and experienced parents alike will appreciate a genuine offer to take care of their child so they can enjoy a night out once in a while. This could be perhaps the most valuable gift they could receive, depending on the individuals. This may be an especially appropriate and good gift if you are a family member or a close friend. Make your offer to watch the new baby official by creating a baby-sitting coupon book. This will provide you with something official to give at the baby shower. It will also give the parents peace of mind. If they have something to give back to you when you baby-sit (redeeming the coupon), they are less likely to feel uncomfortable.
  
  

Hand-print Decorations

• If you are throwing a baby shower and are looking for inexpensive but cute decorations, consider making wall hangings of hand-prints. Use your own hands, or, better yet, if you have access to smaller children (if you are a mother, an older sister or an aunt for instance), ask them to land their hands. They'll most likely enjoy coating their hands with paint. Press the little painted hands (or your own) on paper cutouts of baby bottles or teddy bears. String these up with pastel-colored ribbon and hang these hand-printed cutouts around the room in which you will be throwing the baby shower.
  
  

Wild Flower Arrangments and Hangings

• Flowers are a wonderfully faithful decorations, they're always welcome and always serve to brighten any event. While cut flowers purchased from a vendor can be extremely expensive, local wild flowers are just as beautiful, and they are free. Gather large bouquets of the wild flowers and set them around the party area in vases. You can also create flower hangings by stringing together wild flowers (think back to the daisy chains of your childhood) and draping this above doorways.