As I’ve mentioned, I like to add a touch of fancy to everything I do. I’m not really certain if what I’m about to share constitutes ‘fancy’, but it’s definitely a touch of something. It started with the traditional watermelon fruit salad bowl. I then upgraded the bowl to a basket. What happened next was completely unscripted!
I was asked to bring a fruit salad to a best friend’s baby shower. You’ll learn over time that my friendships mean to the world to me. I am blessed with the best girlfriends. We did a lot of our growing up together and are subsequently growing old together. I couldn’t bring just an ordinary fruit salad to a party honoring someone who means so much to me. So I headed to Pinterest! I found a picture of a baby carriage fruit salad and thought I would give it a try.
Baby Carrier Fruit Salad
- Start with a large watermelon – try to find one that is a nice oval shape. If it is too round some of the baby carrier ascetic will be lost.
- Make a cut on the top of the watermelon at about the 1/3 point and goes about 1/2 way down.
- Make a second cut in the middle of the watermelon that goes about 2/3 the way across and meets at your first incision.
- Clean out the inside of the watermelon carrier and set fruit aside as the watermelon will be used in the fruit salad.
- If you are making this ahead of time I suggest you put some paper towels in the inside of emptied watermelon and store in the refrigerator. I hate when fruit salad sits together for too long and get watery.
- The baby head is created out of a cantaloupe.
- Simply cut off the outer rind and cut a small hole for the nook.
- Insert 2 toothpicks where you want the eyes. Use 1/2 a grape for each eye.
- The nose is simply a small piece of cantaloupe held by a toothpick.
- Cut up the rest of the fruit for the salad.
- Again, I like to store the fruit separately until it is ready to serve.
- I used a couple toothpicks stuck in the back of the watermelon to hold the head in place.
- Then fill the baby carrier with fruit.
This guy was lovingly named ‘Creepy Baby’ at the shower. If nothing else, we had a centerpiece and a good laugh! Creepy baby has returned for showers and baptisms.
I wish I would say my watermelon obsession ended here. For my son’s 1st birthday we had a Finding Nemo Pool Party. I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate for the occasion than a watermelon shark.
Watermelon Shark
- Cut the bottom of the watermelon at a slight angle, so the watermelon stands up, but also tilts slightly forward.
- Then make a V shaped cut for the mouth.
- Hollow out the inside of the shark by removing the watermelon. Set aside because you will use the watermelon in the fruit salad.
- Take the section you cut out of the mouth and cut it roughly in half to create a fin.
- Secure the fin to the back of the shark with toothpicks.
- Use toothpicks to secure the eyes (made of grapes)
- I used the white rind part of the watermelon rind to create teeth. You could use cantaloupe or honey dew melon as well.
- Secure the teeth with toothpicks.
- Fill with fruit
I used a plastic blue tablecloth to resemble the ocean. Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have made the serving spoon look like a fishing pole. Next time!
Please let me know if you have any watermelon creations you have been struggling to create. I’d be happy to give them a try!
the pARTy planning 
Who knew you could do that with a watermelon! Great ideas and thank you for sharing at #WednesdaysWisdom
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Thank you so much for the call-out! I really appreciate you spreading the word 🙂
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Great work this is and thanks for sharing it with us
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gah! the shark watermelon bowl would be perfect for my family vacation next month! I have got to try it!
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my comment was ate…
I want to try the shark bowl! it would be perfect for our beach house vacation next month!
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I promise you it is way easier than it looks!
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Fun stuff! The fishing pole would be super cute!
Jenna
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These are adorable! They would be more than perfect for a summer bbq and I can’t wait to try making one of my own.
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I made the baby carrier a few years back. I thought it was going to be extremely difficult … I was shock it was actually not so hard.
I love your Shark Watermelon. I think that would be a cute deco for a boys pirate party.
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Thank you so much for the call-out!
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Very clever ideas! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty – we love partying with you! Hope to see you next Friday. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
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These are so cute, you are always so creative! Thanks for joining the Link-It To Me Link Up Party this week, looking forward to seeing you again next week!
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These are amazing!! I love them! I’m always looking for creative food ideas 🙂 especially for parties!
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I’m making another fruit shark think weekend 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
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I love the ideas. I was going to make a mine into a simple fruit bowl, but I think I may have to change it up! 🙂
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Let me know what you come up with! Thanks for visiting!
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Food carving is totally an art! Thank you for linking your recipe to Creative K Kid’s Tasty Tuesdays’ party. I have pinned your post to the Tasty Tuesdays Pinterest board
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Thank you so much for visiting! It’s definitely easier than it looks – which I love. I’m working on some ideas for next Tasty Tuesday!
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Luv this! I am going to make for Fourth of July which is a huge deal in our town. – Kat
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I love the 4th of July! Enjoy & thanks for visiting!
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