Looking to add a statement piece to your baby shower? Look no further than a hand crafted, cost effective watermelon baby carriage. Not only are these aesthetically pleasing but they are also entirely edible.
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What is a Watermelon Baby Carriage?
Just like pumpkin cutting and carving, watermelon cutting and carving is common. While extravagant designs take practice and patience, simple cutting skills needed to create a watermelon baby carriage can be handled by most of the population.
Now if you haven’t yet heard of a watermelon baby carriage you may be questioning what they are and why they are created. A watermelon carriage is basically a watermelon cut into a pram shape and hollowed so that it can act as a fruit salad bowl. The baby carriage is then filled with a selection of cut up fruit that guests at a baby shower, baby sprinkle, christening or a child’s first birthday can enjoy. While a watermelon baby carriage, also referred to as a watermelon baby bassinet or watermelon baby pram is most commonly seen as a center piece at a baby shower, they sometimes make an appearance at a number of events held within the first year of a child’s life.
Considerations When Creating a Watermelon Baby Carriage
- The carriage should be made the night before or the day of the baby shower to ensure it is vibrant in color and the fruit is fresh.
- To avoid a build up of fruit fluid at the base of the carriage, do not add the fruit salad until a few hours before the shower commences.
- The best watermelon for a baby carriage will be oblong in shape and fairly large.
Crafting a Watermelon Baby Carriage
The hardest part about creating a watermelon carriage is the carving. It is a good idea to purchase an additional whole watermelon in case something goes wrong with the first.
The following recipe is to create a basic watermelon carriage with a fruit baby inside. Once you complete the instructions you will have created a similar masterpiece to that pictured below:
Utensils Required:
1 x Sharp Knife
1 x Watermelon Carving Kit (If you intend on leaving a message/design)
1 x Watermelon Scoop
Ingredients Required:
1 x Large Watermelon
1 x Orange
1 x Punnet of Strawberries
1 x Rock-melon
1 x Punnet Blueberries
1 x Handful Green Grapes
1 x Pacifier (for fruit baby)
1 x Packet of Tooth Picks
Method:
No matter what shaped watermelon you have, a watermelon baby carriage is always a possibility. The image below demonstrates the cut that is need to create the carriage shape.
- You will firstly need to cut a thin slice from the bottom of your watermelon. Due to the rounded shape of a watermelon they will tilt and fall so evening out one surface allows your carriage to stay upright.
- Draw the outline of your carriage on the outside of the watermelon. This will be what you will cut along.
- Now you will need to use your sharp knife to carefully cut along the outline you previously drew. It should be a horizontal cut followed by a vertical cut. The two cuts should meet and once they do that piece of watermelon should come away easily.
- You are now left with a watermelon shell and lots of watermelon flesh.
- Using a round watermelon scoop, scoop out the watermelon flesh and set it aside as we will fill back up our carriage with this fruit later on.
- Using the sharp knife, cut four round orange slices that can be used as wheels.
- Now attach your wheels to the watermelon shell with toothpicks.
- Cut a round shape from your rock melon (or similar fruit). This will be used as the fruit babies head. Place the head in the hollow watermelon carriage.
- Use blueberries as eyes and other parts of the rock melon to form a nose and ears.
- Cut a hole where the mouth would sit so that the pacifier can be slid in.
- Cut up the rest of your fruit and add it to the carriage. The carriage should be full so that the watermelon skin is not visible from within.
- Display your watermelon carriage on a grazing platter or on a table.
If you are not serving your watermelon carriage immediately, wrap it with cling wrap and place it in the refrigerator until you wish to display it.
Other Season Fruit for a Watermelon Carriage
The fruit salad you fill your watermelon carriage with is entirely up to you. While most fruits will work well, avoid fruits with a tendency to brown such as bananas. While rounded fruits are ideal to fill the empty space, cubed pieces of fruit can also be used. If you are looking for other types of fruit to add to your watermelon carriage, see the list below:
- Cubed Apple
- Cubed Orange
- Blackberries
- Cubed Pineapple
- Scooped Kiwi Fruit
- Scooped Honeydew Melon
A Collection of Inspirational Watermelon Baby Carriages and Prams
If you’ve decided you’ll craft a watermelon baby carriage as a center piece for your baby shower, you’ll need to select how much detail you are willing to put into the watermelon skin, what selection of fruit you will fill the carriage with and whether or not you will create a fruit baby to lay within.
Below we’ve collected a number of different watermelon prams and carriages that can be created at home to form an eye drawing center piece for any baby shower.
Watermelon Ideas for a Baby Shower
If you are throwing a baby shower and you have a love for watermelon, there are a number of ways you can make this fruit a star of the party. Of course the most obvious idea is a watermelon baby carriage, spoken about above. If you don’t feel as though a watermelon carriage will be the best fit for you baby shower perhaps one of the following watermelon inspired ideas will work out better:
Baby Shower Watermelon ‘High Tea’ Cup
High Tea’s are commonly thrown to celebrate an impending arrival and this watermelon shaped tea cup and fairy will work well at any high tea especially a shower for a baby girl.
Minnie or Mickey Mouse Watermelon for Baby Shower
If you are having a baby shower and you have already found out the gender of your baby, a Minnie or Mickey carved watermelon can make a stand-out center piece. If you don’t know the gender of your baby, you could create both a Minnie and Mickey watermelon to sit side by side.
Baby Shower BBQ
If you are planning a less traditional baby shower, a BBQ themed watermelon may suit the style. Similar to the ‘I Do BBQ’, a BBQ can allow your guests to come together to celebrate the newest family member.
Noah’s Ark Watermelon
Whether you are planning a baptism, christening or baby shower perhaps for twins, a Noah’s ark carved watermelon can be an ideal center piece. Similar to the baby carriage, a fruit salad can be held in the watermelon.
If you wish to included more watermelon decor at your baby shower or similar event, see our ideas here.
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