If you've been readig my blog for a while, you know I'm a big believer that you don't need much money to have style and live a creative life! Living in the Midwest, you hear a lot about hardwork and making ends meet, but it drives me up a wall when I hear people brag about how they don't need nice things. I will be the first one to raise my hand and say, "I NEED NICE THINGS!" (Okay, so I don't neeeed them, but I wither a little without them.) And I also don't need much money. I promise you- my lack of funds is the biggest source of inspiration and creativity I have.

So, when listening to older moms reminisce with me about how they only had two or three maternity items to wear during their pregnancies, I felt a little pit growing in my stomach, and wondered how I was going to maintain my style as my belly grew. I started out by ambitiously purchasing a few vintage sewing patterns- the kind from the early '60s with lots of style variations to them. Then, of course, I had to get some fabric and learn how to sew! This dress was made from a thrifted bed sheet that I scored for $1, and the dress was a simple pattern that a novice seamstress like me could easily fit together. And how cute is it? Cute and comfy.

I also made a top from this same pattern, with a variation on the neckline and shoulders. I'll share soon, and show you what pattern I used.

O U T F I T   D E T A I L S :

dress: made by me from vintage pattern | socks: Hue
shoes: thrifted | hat: Secret Past (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

I have a feeling hand-crochet toys will be one of those luxuries I don't mind saving for, to give our future kiddos quality keepsakes that are just as fun as they are cute. While browsing Etsy to see what kind of hand-knit and hand-crochet stuffed animals were out there, I stumbled on this Etsy shop: Peanut Butter Dynamite. Check out the cute puppy faces! I think they are my favorite. I can just imagine one of these guys sitting on a rocking chair in our kiddo's nursery. And we would be supporting the handmade community too! My wishlist just got longer.

We're getting closer to being ready to reveal our baby's gender with all of you! I was hoping Phil and I could find time to make a fun video for the announcement, after we finally make and send out cards to family. But in the meantime, I want to milk all of this not-knowing time for all its worth.

Here's little Phil, just as cute as you suspected he would be as a youngster. I wouldn't mind having a little boy like that, all my own to cuddle and love on. Or a little girl... what do you think? Last time I'll ask! If you want to make your guesses, now's your chance. There will be no prizes for winning guessers, just know that you are awesome if you guess correctly. ;)

The night the hospital nurse told me I could finally eat solid food again in the morning, I literally dreamed about oatmeal. I'm a silly girl, but to me, a heathfully loaded bowl of oats is the perfect, if not craveable, way to start the day. Of course, the oatmeal they brought me in the morning was worthy of only nightmares, but as soon as I came home, my mother made me some oatmeal just the way I like it. Even my no-hot-cereal-eating husband loves this healthy version of oatmeal! "It tasts like apple pie!" His words, not mine. Though I whole-heartedly agree.

The trick to this recipe is cooking the oats with apple in milk instead of water.

I N G R E D I E N T S   F O R   O N E   S E R V I N G :

• 1 Cup of Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 small apple, chopped (I used Gala)
• Cinnamon to taste (I just used probably 1/16 of a teaspoon)
• 3/4 Cup of milk (I used skim, not non dairy milk should work too!)
• Honey to taste

• optional: apple slice for garnish (and eating, of course!)

M E T H O D :

Combine all ingredients except for the honey in a small sauce pan, cooking on low temperature for 5-10 minutes, or until oats get a little mushy. Be sure to stir frequently so the milk doesn't burn and the oats don't stick to the pan. When finished cooking, I usually leave the lid on the pan for a few minutes so everything softens up a tiny bit more.

Pour into your bowl of choice, top with the apple-slice garnish, and drizzle with honey. You'll love the dimension that the cooked apples and cinnamon give to the oats, and I promise, when adding honey to the cooked apples, you won't even miss the sugar!

Jumpers are a favorite wardrobe staple for me, due mainly to their versatility, but also for their little-girl vibe. I swear I'm more inspired by vintage children's fashion than anything. That'll make shopping for baby clothes a breeze, but maternity clothes? Yeah, not so much.

When I found this dress on clearance at ASOS, I knew I had to snatch it up right away. I bought it during my previous pregnancy, and even though that ended before I started showing, I knew this dress would be good for any season. Wear a blouse under it, a sweater or blazer over it, pair it with tights and boots, or go bare-legged with a pair of sandals. Jumpers are amazing.

O U T F I T   D E T A I L S

jumper/dress: ASOS Maternity | shirt: thrifted | socks: past of my high school uniform!
shoes: a now defunct Etsy shop | hat: Wear It Again Patty on Etsy

Today's Fine & Dandy shop update is full of hand-selected vintage items that are dear to my heart. All of these purses are from my own wardrobe, and I've decided to let them go in lieu of the diaper bags and mom purses I will soon be carrying! The shoes are also great- I love the details in each pair! Click the numbers below to see each specific item. (The shoes range from size 5-8.5)

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