Ever heard of Houzz? If not, then you should check it out. That is, if you like tons and tons of home design and decorating inspiration.

Houzz offers a huge compilation of photos from professionals, designers and architects alike. You can search through the database by style, space {wine cellars, anyone?} or keyword.

If you create an account {free of charge}, you can save images that spark your interest in Ideabooks to look back on for inspiration when decorating your own home. You can write up little notes attached to your saved Ideabook images to specify what exactly about the space caught your eye.

If you have heard of Houzz before now then you probably knew all that. But there’s more. Product Picks Ideabooks.

I’ve been an avid Houzz follower for over a year now and didn’t know a thing about the Product Picks…that is until Houzz contacted me and asked me to create my own Product Picks Ideabooks. Basically, Product Picks feature items {instead of entire room shots} that can be incorporated into the design of spaces. Of course, I jumped at the chance to become a member of the Houzz contributing team! How couldn’t I?

You may have already noticed the link on H*T’s side bar to my first Product Picks Ideabook, A Gender-Neutral Nursery. It’s a selection of products that I put together that would be appropriate for a boy or girl. Not only is it relevant to parents who choose not to find out the gender of their baby prior to the birth but also to families who plan on reusing nursery items from one child to the next. I wasn’t given a budget to work with and a few of the items reflect that {i.e. crib and chair}, so it’s more of a ‘dream’ nursery to me. Still, it’s meant to inspire an overall look.

And, yes, I do plan on referring to my gender-neutral Ideabook for our own nursery. Maybe not item-for-item but as a loose reference. So, for those of you who have been wondering and asking how I would approach the design of our unborn baby’s {boy or girl??} nursery, there you go! I definitely want to incorporate pieces that can follow baby through to his/her older years, and I want to avoid a theme of any kind. I really want the nursery to fit into the rest of our home but be sweet and warm and cozy too. Of course, our nursery will have to be completed on a budget. As much as I looooove that freakin’ awesome chair, it’s not going to happen. Neither is the modern crib. I’ll be working with what I’ve got to tweak an old crib {already on hand…the only baby thing we have leftover from our boys} and secondhand chair {hint} into affordable, stylish options for us. Stay tuned…

I’m set to create a Houzz Ideabook monthly and I’ll be linking to them on my sidebar and probably giving you a heads up about them in blog posts. You can follow me over on Houzz too if you want. I’m crazy excited about this newest venture. It’s fun. I have free reign – no forced themes. I find it way more fulfilling than I probably should.

So now that I’ve spilled the beans about my newest gig, I have a quick question for ya. Any requests for future Ideabooks? It could be as specific as ‘striped rugs’ or as broad as ‘family living.’ Have at it, peeps.

images: Houzz

FYI – All images in this post were designed by James Radin, the famous ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ set designer. Other than the title, this post has nothing to do with the designer or movie. Carry on.

{love the upper glass-front cabinets and symmetry in this kitchen}

I have a feeling I’ll regret starting this post at 10:44 p.m. But that seems to be the only time I have to blog nowadays – late at night. Most of the time I choose precious sleep over typing since my body is getting more fatigued as my due date inches closer.

I’m a few hours away from working full-time at my day job as a pharmacist {loathe the job, love the coworkers}. Ever since our first was born nearly seven years ago, I’ve always worked part-time. However, in recent weeks my hours have increased due to volume. It’s draining me physically {standing for 10-12 hours at a time with maybe one bathroom break and one fifteen minute break to shove something to eat down my throat} and mentally {it’s sucking all inspiration out of me on my days off}. On top of my day job, we’re renovating {duh!}, preparing for a baby {oops!}, and trying to keep our two boys’ lives as ‘normal’ as possible. Handy Hubby is traveling more than ever for work and it’s throwing our reno/moving schedule all off.

This news isn’t meant to bring on a pity party. I’m grateful I have a job and thankful that HH was promoted even if it requires him to be away from us. Instead, this is more of an explanation as to why I’m not posting as much as I normally do. Unfortunately, House*Tweaking is taking a back seat to life.

{love the recessed TV, striped chairs and tongue and groove ceiling}

It irks me because this is what I really want to do. Write, design, answer emails about decorating conundrums, etc. You know the saying, ‘There’s no time like the present.” Well, I do believe that. In fact, I have a few non-H*T projects in the works that are design-related and I’m super excited to share them with you when they come to fruition.

But for now, I’m in this transition period where I feel I’m doing a little bit everything and not doing any of it as well as I could. And that irks me too because I have high expectations for myself and my work. I’d much rather be focusing on one or two things at a time and giving them my full attention than be pulled in so many different directions that no one/nothing is getting the best of me. It kills me to not be able to answer every single email that comes my way and to not be able to help every single person who asks for design advice. I want to say ‘yes!’ because I love seeing the potential in any space and bringing it to life. I love improving things.

{love the grasscloth on the walls paired with white, teal and green}

So, I’m asking that you be patient with me. I’m on the cusp of a big change. A big change for me anyways. A change that I’ve been working towards and yearning for for a long time while waiting for the correct timing. But until that time comes, I have to suck it up and fulfill my duties at my day job and put my family and my health above H*T. Something’s gotta give.

This doesn’t mean I’m quitting H*T or anything like that. I could never do that! But my ideal goal of 4-6 weekly posts isn’t realistic at the moment. I have a vision of where I’d like to take H*T if I had the time. I have so many ideas! I sort of feel like a caterpillar in a cocoon growing wings and preparing to start a different kind of life. I’m excited and extremely scared at the same time.

Stick with me. H*T’s not going anywhere.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a total meltdown while folding laundry in the middle of the living room floor a few weeks ago. Poor HH. One minute I’m sitting there cross-legged folding away and the next I’ve got tears streaming down my face because I let the gravity of our situation get to me. I’m an ugly crier. My face gets all contorted and red. My nose snots up. My eyes swell shut. But things could be much worse.

We’re so lucky that we’re healthy, that our boys are healthy…and loud!…and rambunctious! We’re lucky that we’ll soon get to see another lil’ guy or gal grow and change right before our very own eyes. We’re lucky that we have a ton of friends who are graciously giving us baby stuff since we got rid of ours thinking we were done-zo with kiddos. We’re lucky that a very thoughtful H*T reader selflessly donated her fashionable maternity wardrobe to me just as I was outgrowing my non-maternity pants. {That really did happen!} We’re lucky that we have a safe haven away from our renovation. We’re lucky that we’re getting to renovate an old house into our own home. We’re lucky that the only pressure on us to get into our Underdog is the pressure we put on ourselves. We’re lucky that we have jobs that need us. We’re lucky that somehow this entire experience {selling by owner, downsizing, renovating, unexpectedly expecting #3, moving to another city, meeting more demands at work, etc.} has made us closer.

We’re downright lucky.

What about you? Got anything that you feel especially lucky about? Any big changes coming your way that you’re crazy excited-scared for? Have you had to put something you love on the back burner for a while and let it stew until the timing was right? Had any laundry folding breakdowns lately? C’mon, I can’t be the only one.

images: all James Radin

Handy Hubby gave me the weekend off from renovating to meet some deadlines and rest. I’ve been down with a minor cold and trying to take it easy since discovering my iron levels are low. I seriously thought I was just getting old and weary, so I was kind of happy to find out I’m anemic. I’m on the mend…taking an iron supplement and eating burgers.

Today I took the boys to the library while HH was working over at the Underdog. Here’s what I came home with…

I went into the library with the goal of finding a book on natural childbirth but came out with these instead. I think it’s official. I’m nesting.

Nope. We don’t have a name picked out for baby #3 yet. Heck, we don’t even know where {apartment or Underdog?} we’ll be living in 2.5 months! But I’m preparing for both…baby and small space living.

What about you? What are you reading nowadays?

image: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Okay, I’m doing it. I’m answering the ‘How do you stay fit while pregnant?‘ question. As an added *bonus* {i.e. comedic relief} I’m including real life photos…of me…7 months pregnant…working out…in our blah apartment…with my three-year-old assistant. I’m embarrassed already.

First up, my supplies. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t include a pricey gym membership, a hot personal trainer, fancy exercise machines or a nanny to watch the kids.

1 – Two supportive pillows to prop my head higher than my heart for certain exercises.

2 – A pair of Embark 5-lb weights I bought at Target.

3 – The Perfect Pregnancy Workout {TPPW} Volume 1: Sculpting video I bought on Amazon.

4 – A step stool borrowed from my kids’ bathroom.

5 – A chair – not shown.

In all, my supplies cost me less than $30 {free weights + video} about 4 months ago. That’s right. What I’m about to show you is what I’ve been doing three times per week since the end of my first trimester. Before then, I was working out at a local gym ~2 times per week, mostly strength training and a little cardio. But with baby #3 on the way unexpectedly, a renovation in the works, and, hopefully, a career change in my future, I figured now was as good a time as any to cut my gym membership from the budget and find a more affordable way to exercise.

I work out in our ~980 sq ft apartment. No home gym here.

I play the video on my laptop in the middle of the living room floor. I prefer to workout in the morning after I get Layne off to school and it’s just me and Everett. But sometimes, I will wake up early on a Saturday or Sunday to squeeze in a session. It just depends what’s going on that week.

{step ups on the stool}

Oh, and I workout barefoot. It’s my personal preference. I just feel more grounded, balanced without socks and shoes on.

I love TPPW. I read reviews on a bunch of prenatal exercise videos on Amazon and this one appealed to me most. I was looking for a workout to maintain muscle tone, stamina and strength during my pregnancy. I want to be strong for labor and delivery this time around.

{pulls and extensions using free weights and a chair for balance}

You see, my last labor {nearly 4 years ago with Everett} was insane. 48 minutes from first contraction to baby’s arrival. That might sound nice but let me tell you it wasn’t. It was 15 hours worth of labor and pain crammed into a very intense, very scary 48 minutes. We barely made it to a hospital and I was completely not in control of the pain, my body or the situation. Not to mention that serious complications – for mother or baby – can arise due to such a short labor. We were quite lucky. Everett and I made it through without any complications. My doctor says it’s likely I will experience precipitous labor and delivery again, so I want to be as strong as possible to endure another natural, non-medicated childbirth.

{extensions with free weights}

TPPW is about 45 minutes long including the warm up and cool down sessions. The pregnant instructor is a former Cirque du Soleil acrobat who comes across as kind and calm – not in your face. The workout is not easy but it’s not impossible either. Because my body is changing so much, so rapidly, each workout gets a little more difficult for me. But in a good way. There are different options {beginner, intermediate, advanced} for certain exercises depending on your level of athleticism. I’ve yet to master the advanced versions of shoulder dips and side crunches. Oh, the side crunches. I think they’re my least favorite thing on the entire video.

So, where is Everett during all of this? Here’s my lovely assistant now…

{reverse lunges using the chair for balance}

Notice Everett is still in his pj’s. I get about 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted workout time before Everett wants in on the action. I don’t mind though. I think it’s important for kids to see their parents being active. Plus, I end up laughing and smiling a lot more during my workout than I would otherwise. Yes, every once in a while I do have to pause the video to get Everett a snack or something but he’s usually pretty good at waiting until I’m done. Like I said, no nanny.

{propped up on pillows for small ab movements}

I love it when he gets right down with me and mimics my movements.

{warm up stretching}

He always lets me know when I don’t do a movement exactly like the woman on the video. By far, my favorite exercises are the shoulder dips. I swear I’m gonna conquer the advanced version of the shoulder dips before this baby is born. It’s a personal goal.

{shoulder dips}

One more thing I’d like to mention. Kegels. I think they’re important and this video makes you do ‘em. And so, yes, there are moments when you are staring the instructor in the face as she practices her Kegels and you practice yours. At first, it’s slightly uncomfortable {assuming you’ve never stared a complete stranger in the face whilst knowingly doing Kegels simultaneously} then it’s comical for a while. Eventually, it becomes just another part of the workout but sometimes I do find myself thinking, ‘Doesn’t she find it odd that lots of people are watching her while she contracts and relaxes her vaginal muscles?’ But 6 seconds later I’m thinking, ‘Her lip gloss looks nice.’ That’s how my pregnancy brain works nowadays. I’m easily distracted.

{Hello. These are our muscles and the faces we make when we flex them. Welcome to the gun show.}

Anyhow, doing this workout three times weekly does make me feel stronger and give me some confidence going into what I’m assuming will be another intense, non-medicated childbirth experience. I wish I would have found it 7 years ago when I was prego with our first child. I did prenatal water aerobics 2 times per week throughout my first pregnancy which I liked but, honestly, it was a little too easy for me. During my second pregnancy I skipped working out all together. During that pregnancy we were selling our house in Illinois by owner and moving {sound familiar??} across state lines. I thought things were too hectic to worry about exercising. Whew. Little did I know…

Now, I have two kids, a blog, a house under renovation + an apartment, am working more hours at my real job than I ever have since having kids {more on that later} and was told by my OB just today that I’m anemic {so that’s why I’ve been so freakishly exhausted the past few weeks!} BUT…I’m making prenatal exercise a priority. Because it’s important to me. I always feel better after I complete a workout. And, surprisingly, I end up getting more stuff done on the days I work out. It’s funny how putting aside one hour for working out can produce hours of productivity later. No joke.

So here’s my question for you. I think I’ve got the physical strength under my belt for labor and delivery but I’d like to add some visualization techniques to my coping-with-drug-free-childbirth bag. I practiced HypBirth during my other two pregnancies but wasn’t able to utilize any of the methods during my precipitous labor. Things just progressed waaaaay too quickly for me to even get in the HypBirth mindset. Any suggestions for childbirth visualization techniques that could be implemented during a precipitous labor? I’d love to hear ‘em.

I guess if all else fails, Everett could always be my labor coach. Ha!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the products above. I’m just sharing what works for me! Please seek approval from your doctor before trying any form of prenatal exercise.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I mentioned a while back that I was on the hunt for a comfy yet stylish pair of everyday casual sneakers. My requirements? Nothing expensive. Nothing too loud. Nothing with a thick, bulky rubber sole. Nothing white. Nothing uncomfortable. Nothing orthopedic. Was that really too much to ask?

Many of you wanted to know if/when I found those elusive sneakers. Well, I found ‘em!

I actually started drooling over these Asics a few months back when school started. But I wasn’t in need of new sneakers then. Typically, I buy one pair of tennies annually only after my current pair is worn out and beyond the help of our washing machine. For the past several years, I’ve relied on Zappos.com for affordable, unique sneakers. The selection is great, shipping is free and they have a 365-day return policy. And let’s face it. I don’t have time to be driving all around town in search of shoes.

I’ve had my Onitsuka Tigers for over a month now, so I think it’s safe to say that I’m in love with them. I have average-to-narrow feet with high arches and these Asics fit me to a T. They were comfy right out of the box. Aren’t you impressed that I can still see my feet at seven months pregnant? Hehe.

The army green fabric is neutral enough to wear with just about anything – plus hide dirt! – and the pop of orange keeps things interesting. Wouldn’t that color combo be great for a boys’ room? Hmmm…

I wear these bad boys everywhere: grocery shopping, work {I stand for 10-12 hours at a time}, shuffling kids to and from school, etc. My old tennies have become my DIY shoes. I wear them to work on the Underdog. The only con I can come up with for the Tigers is that the soles are similar to volleyball shoes – as in they squeak on smooth flooring. But that’s just proof that they’re super grippy which is actually a pro for me right now since my center of gravity is off kilter.

How ’bout you? Found any great shoes out there recently? Do you have a favorite brand of sneakers? Ever tried buying from Zappos? Apparently, some hackers got into Zappos files recently so be sure to reset your account password! I changed mine last night.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention any of the companies or products above. I just love sharing good finds!

images:  1) collage by Dana Miller using Zappos images  2-4) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

A few months ago I shared my plan for the master bathroom. I really like the aesthetic of a simple floating sink area in the bathroom. This is my favorite modern rustic bathroom by far…

I had this grand idea {for Handy Hubby} to DIY a wooden vanity top similar to the one above. But over the past few weeks, HH has hinted around to me that he’d prefer a bathroom vanity with a little more closed storage. He’s a smart guy. He’s knows better than to tell a pregger entering her third trimester that he outright doesn’t like her ideas. Other hubbies with prego wives should take notice.

A first I shrugged off his suggestion. I had an image of my dream bathroom in mind and nobody was going to touch it. Then I started thinking logistically and took a mental inventory of the bathroom toiletries in our apartment bathroom. While we don’t keep a ton of toiletries hidden under the sink and in drawers, it’s probably more than a small shelf or medicine cabinet could hold. Reality set in. My dream floating bathroom sink wasn’t practical.

Or was it?

On a recent browsing trip to IKEA, I passed by the bathroom section on my way to the lighting area. I decided to take a quick peek at the sink I planned on using in the master bathroom.

And whatd’ya know? One display had my sink installed on top of a floating vanity with drawers.

The GODMORGON sink cabinet is available in a width less than 24″ which should be petite enough to fit in our tiny master bathroom. {HH says it’ll fit; I still need to measure to make sure.} It can be mounted to the wall for a floating effect {yippee!} or placed on legs sold separately. It includes two drawers to hide toiletries. The high gloss gray option is just screaming to be placed alongside the grayish penny floor tile and shimmery white shower tile surround that I’ve already chosen for the bathroom. And at $149 we won’t go broke.

Basically, it’s the perfect compromise between my desire for a floating vanity and HH’s need for bathroom storage. We both win. For good measure, I rounded up a bunch of images of floating IKEA vanities.

I’m also digging the fact that the floating drawers cover up the plumbing to the sink. My dream vanity would have left the plumbing exposed. Not that I would have minded but the vanity will be directly visible from the master bedroom.

That’ll be the view from our bed someday. The vanity will be centered right through the doorway in the bathroom.

Since the vanity has a much sleeker, slicker feel than I had originally planned for, I’d like to tone it down a bit with some rustic touches. Perhaps a mirror with a wooden frame, a woven stool/basket/trash can, natural wood shelving above the toilet or a natural fiber rug? As you can see, the mood board I started with in the beginning is getting tweaked. But that’s exactly why I make mood boards. They give me an overall aesthetic to strive for. They’re not meant to be followed to a T. When one of the elements changes {here, the vanity} I have a good idea of how that effects the rest of the room {in this case it takes away that natural feel I like} and can make changes accordingly {like switching the mirror for one that has more rustic qualities}.

So, it looks like I’ll be making a quick trip to IKEA this weekend to pick up a bathroom sink and vanity…as long as everything measures up okay. At least it will be a nice break from installing those darn floors. Those darn floors that I love more and more with each passing day.

images:  1) Polyvore collage by Dana Miller  2) Rate My Space  3-10) IKEA 11) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

This is my final installment of Everyday Maternity and my hope is that I’ve given you some ideas for dressing affordably and stylishly during pregnancy.

As apprehensive as I was about plastering myself and my style all over the web, it’s been fun! Especially because you all are so kind with your compliments. Thank you! It looks like a few posts regarding my pregnancy fitness routine and hair styling will be coming to H*T in the near future…stay tuned.

Today’s non-maternity-turned-maternity apparel idea involves a little tweaking. This is House*Tweaking after all. I found this super soft, casual and comfy striped tee at Target a few weeks ago.

I tried it on in one size larger than I normally wear and found it to provide adequate baby bump coverage and I fell hard for the stripes. On clearance for less than $8, I decided to bring it home with me.

Once I got it home though I realized that something was off. The bottom of the non-maternity shirt needed some oompf.

See how the bottom hem is stretched away from my body? I immediately thought of ruching the side seams in hopes of bringing the bottom of the shirt in closer to my body. I googled around for ‘diy ruche’ and found this very simple, very easy-to-follow diy tutorial for side seam ruching. I guesstimated how high I wanted the ruching to come up on each side the shirt and went from there. It took me about 15-20 minutes to measure, set up my sewing machine and ruche the sides.

Of note: I do own a sewing machine and know how to use it but I’m far from a pro. You could easily diy this project by hand with a straight seam if you don’t own a sewing machine. It just might take a little longer.

This was my first time using any sort of ruching technique. It was quite easy and I love the results! It was just the extra detail my clearanced, non-maternity tee needed. Can you see how the side seam ruching brings the bottom of the shirt in around my body more?

I decided only to ruche up about 6″ on either side of the tee to allow my belly to expand more over the coming {third trimester} months. Post-pregnancy I could ruche further up the seams once my belly shrinks. {In fact, I think more ruching is in my future…pregnancy or not.} So this shirt will take me beyond my baby bump days!

The newly ruched striped tee looks great on its own or layered under a jacket as seen here. And it cost me less than $8!!! That’s a lot cheaper than all the ruched maternity shirts I’ve been seeing at specialty maternity shops.

In more apparel news, Susan is the lucky winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway! She’s dying for a pair of UGGS but maybe the Andes skirt will hold her over.

Even though you may not have won the giveaway, don’t forget that Shabby Apple is offering a special 10% off discount to all House*Tweaking readers for the next 3 weeks. Just use the coupon code HOUSETWEAKING10OFF at checkout.

So, there, you’re all winners. Have a great weekend!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning Target or Shabby Apple. I just love sharing great places to shop!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I’m back with another easy maternity look to try: flirty shirts. Flirty as in a little girly. Not as in midriff baring or bra strap showing. Those would be bad maternity wardrobe choices. Bad, bad. Very bad.

Instead, I prefer flowing tops with high waists {much like these comfy dresses} and/or ribbon ties above the belly. The key here is to make sure that the top hits you at crotch level – for lack of a better description – or lower. {Yes, I realize everyone is looking at my crotch now. Oy.} Anything shorter will result in what I like to call the ‘umbrella’ effect where the shirt will poof out from the most prominent part of your belly…like all the old maternity shirts did back in the day when there weren’t as many options.

Of note: The red door in the background is our apartment door. I like the color. I’m thinking it wouldn’t look half bad on the Underdog’s front door with the red brick exterior and gray metal roof. What do you think?

To keep things balanced and to avoid looking frumpy, I pair these types of shirts with fitted bottoms.  Leggings, jeggings, fitted jeans…you get the idea. I’ll be honest. I’m going to have to invest in a pair of maternity leggings or skinny jeans soon. There is some squirming and deep lunges involved in getting these babies on at this time. Once they’re on they’re fine but I don’t think that’s going to last much longer.

THE OUTFIT:

• button-up cotton shirt: FREE {a Wet Seal gift from my sister a few years ago}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

All pieces from this outfit I’ve had on hand for years. That’s why I’m going to need some maternity skinny jeans soon!

This is my favorite non-maternity maternity outfit to date. It’s comfy, easy to wear and I can’t get enough of the deep navy silk. The kimono-esque top has a ribbon tie just above the belly. It was meant to be tied in the back but I thought the bow looked cute tied off to one side of my bump. This was another happy accident I found at a local shopping mall on Black Friday while Handy Hubby was spending some gift cards.

I like the contrast of the deep navy against the bright white jeans. The cognac leather boots {which aren’t shown very well here} pick up on the caramel tones of the floral print. I love this color scheme for an interior as well. Hmmm…maybe in the Underdog?

THE OUTFIT:

• navy silk blouse: $7!!!! {Rue 21 – I couldn’t say no to $7}
• white jeans: $15 {Walmart}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

I wore this outfit to HH’s 15-year high school reunion a few weeks ago. I was the only prego there. Good times.

Try hunting down flowing flirty non-maternity tops to dress your bump. They’ll transition easily into your post-pregnancy wardrobe and beyond!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the items above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

First, let me say that you all sure know how to make a regular girl feel special about her prego-ness and inability to duplicate model hands. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

I already showed you how I use high-waisted dresses to my advantage when dressing the baby bump. Today I’m moving onto jackets and cardigans. These pieces can be left wide open in the front {with a shirt underneath of course} to let my belly breathe and, once again, they are totally adaptable post-baby. I’m into the hot flash stage of pregnancy now that I’m well into my second trimester, so I’ll layer a jacket or cardigan over a light cotton shirt or sleeveless blouse to keep from overheating.

Of note: I ventured out onto our apartment’s balcony to capture this set of photos. The lighting is better but I apologize for the parking lot in the background. It was barely above freezing and had just stopped flurrying so I couldn’t talk myself into dragging my ear-infected three-year-old out to a local park just for better scenery.

Who says pregos can’t wear horizontal stripes? Not me. It helps when you sport narrower stripes and let them play peekaboo under a sweater or jacket.

With my first two pregnancies, I thought I had to buy maternity jeans just because I was pregnant. This time around I’m happily discovering that many of the stretchy skinny jeans I already have are lasting further into my pregnancy because the waistlines are so low and sit well below my bump. Skinny jeans weren’t as prevalent during my past pregnancies or I would have tried ‘em then too.

I do have one of those elastic belly bands on loan from a formerly pregnant friend for when I’m not able to button my pants anymore. I’ve also purchased one pair of below-the-belly elastic waist jeans that I wear when I know I’ll be sitting for a long period of time {i.e. watching my kids’ gymnastics classes} because the buttoned skinny jeans can start to dig in after a while. Otherwise, the skinny jeans are fine as-is for running errands, working around the house and chasing the kids.

Normally I don’t wear open toes in snowy weather. Brrrr. But I really wanted to show them to you. They’re flexible and comfy and I love the little pop of color they add. I’ve had them for at least 5 years and they still look like new.

THE OUTFIT:

• jacket: FREE on loan from a friend {Motherhood Maternity but you could easily substitute a regular jacket}
• black and white striped long sleeve tee: $8 {on clearance at Target}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• red flats: $60 {MIA Bridget from Zappos.com}
• patterned canvas tote: $15 {local shop in Daytona, FL}

The only item I’ve purchased for this outfit during my pregnancy is the striped tee. All other items I already had minus the black jacket which a girlfriend has kindly loaned to me while I’m pregnant.

Another easy maternity option is a cardigan or button-up sweater. They can be purchased in the regular women’s section of nearly any clothing store.

I layered mine over a sleeveless champagne silk blouse I already had in my closet. Either piece will be wearable after baby is born.

I added a wooden bead necklace, taupe flats and a teal leather purse to the ensemble.

Now these flats…I would absolutely wear them in wintry weather…well, flurries…maybe not a foot of snow. I bought them a few months ago while on the hunt for dressy yet comfortable work shoes. An average work day requires me to stand in the same 2′x2′ square area for 10-12 hours at a time. I have crazy high arches that make cheap, flat flats unbearable at work. My work shoes must be supportive and comfortable. These shoes fit the bill with no ‘wear in’ period necessary. They’re Naturalizers and I felt old buying them just because up until now I’ve always associated Naturalizer with orthopedic shoes and nylon stockings. But the brand has younger, hipper styles available and they’re the most comfortable flats I’ve ever owned. I might be a convert. I highly recommend them.

THE OUTFIT:

• white sweater cardigan: $17 {Target}
• silk blouse: $14 {Target}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• taupe flats: $40 {Naturalizer at DSW}
• teal purse: FREE {gift from my mom years ago}
• wood bead necklace: $2 {estate sale}

The sweater is the one item I’ve purchased since finding out I was pregnant.

There you have it. More ideas for making non-maternity items work during and after pregnancy: jackets and cardigans.

How did I do with my hands this time? I contemplated spirit fingers and/or jazz hands. I was a little less sweaty this time. The snow and freezing temps helped.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning the above items. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I gave away all of my maternity clothing. ALL of it. I had thought we were finished having babies. Not so. I had lots of good stuff too. My maternity wardrobe had been purchased nearly 8 years ago on a D.I.N.K. budget which means I probably had more than I needed and spent more than I should have.

I’m starting from scratch this time around and working on a much tighter budget. In general, I find that maternity clothing is overpriced. Maybe it’s the extra belly fabric? Maybe it’s the fact that pregnant women don’t really have time on their side when shopping for clothing? I mean, it’s not like we can wait a few months until stuff goes on sale. Typically, we’re at the store looking for something because our pre-pregnancy wardrobe is starting to cut off circulation to essential body parts. Whatever the reason, buying for the sole purpose of dressing a growing bump can get pricey. If you let it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week I’m sharing how I’ve created a practical, versatile and comfy maternity wardrobe without breaking the bank…and without sacrificing style.

Of note: I had hoped to take higher quality photos outdoors but the midwest December weather isn’t cooperating this week. Oh. And my iron is in storage…we’re living with only the necessities you know. Not that I would have ironed anything anyway.

I’ve found a few great ‘maternity’ pieces in the regular ol’ women’s section. One of them being casual dresses with a high or empire waistline. Since the baby bump tends to lift the front of non-maternity dresses a tad, I like to pair them with cotton tights for more coverage. Here I’ll show you three different women’s dresses that I’ve been able to fit into my maternity wardrobe.

This olive dress with charcoal tights is super comfy.

I layered a striped non-maternity tank underneath and accessorized with a colorful necklace and leather boots.

I wore this outfit to Thanksgiving dinner just a few weeks ago. I’m pleased to say it passed the eat-as-much-food-as-you-can-with-a-baby-bump test. Hopefully, that means I’ll get a few more months out of it.

THE OUTFIT:

• olive dress – $14 {on clearance at Target}
• charcoal cotton tights – $6 {Macy’s last winter}
• gray and white striped tank – $4 {on clearance at Target}
• wood bead necklace – $3 {on clearance at Kohl’s years ago}
• leather boots – $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

This next high-waisted dress was a recent non-maternity purchase too.

The dress is showing much darker in the image than in real life. In reality, it’s a medium navy color.

The studded belt detail is attached and the dress ties in the back.

I chose patterned tights along with the same boots from the first outfit. I accidentally came across this dress on Black Friday when Handy Hubby and I stopped at a local shopping mall on our way out to Pennsylvania for his 15-year high school reunion. It was a steal!

THE OUTFIT:

• navy belted dress: $9 {Rue 21}
• patterned tights: FREE {a past Christmas gift from my mom}
• leather boots: $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

Finally, I have another dress that was a purchase over the summer when I had no plans of wearing it with a baby bump in tow. In fact, I wore it to a friend’s wedding reception just a couple of weeks before I found out I was expecting. It was never meant to be a maternity dress but I’ve found its elastic chest band, high waist and layers of ruffles to be very forgiving.

It’s a strapless dress, so on colder days I add a plum button-up sweater. The sweater also hides the shoulder straps of a much needed supportive bra. My boobs are a little ridiculous {HH would say awesome} right now. One of the true ‘perks’ of pregnancy!

I didn’t get a shot of my shoes but I wore lavender flats. My center of gravity is off-kilter nowadays and I have a history of losing my balance during pregnancy, so I steer clear of heels.

THE OUTFIT:

• strapless dress: $25 {Old Navy}
• sweater: $15 {Target a while back}
• leather flats: $20 {Target}

The best part about all of these outfits is that I can see myself wearing each piece post-pregnancy. Like all things home decor, I’m a sucker for clothing that does double duty. And while I showed the price of each item, the only pieces I’ve purchased since becoming pregnant are the olive dress {$14}, the stripe tank {$4} and the navy belted dress {$9}. That’s $27 spent on three maternity outfits. Not too shabby. {Btw, have you entered to win the Shabby Apple giveaway yet?}

Have I mentioned that taking pictures of myself to put on the internet is weird? And strange? And it makes me nervous sweaty? And I can’t figure out what to do with my hands? If I didn’t know any better, I would say that the last image looks like my water just broke and I’m holding myself staring into the puddle. I guess I’ll keep trying though…I still have more everyday maternity ideas to share.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention any item shown above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking