STILL SASHAYING

// Dress: Winners;  Top:  H&M;  Necklace:  Ebay //

{ Linking up with Style Elixir; The Pleated Poppy; Transatlantic Blonde; Get Your Pretty On;  My Greatest Hits;  DC in Style;  Watch out for the Woestmans;  Lena B, Actually; Plane Pretty }

I feel good about myself in this dress.  It's not maternity, but it's doing an admirable job of stretching to accommodate Baby Boy (plus I got it for $6 on clearance, which somehow just makes it even better!)

For me, being thoughtful and creative about the way I dress as a pregnant woman is something that just helps me feel better about my whole day.   Sure, there are days when I feel just all slap-dashed together and generally not great about myself, but when I do have the time and space to set aside some outfits for the week, it's worth the trouble for sure.   

If you would like some further ideas on pre-planning outfits, check out this post!  

Or for some more thoughts on handling body image during pregnancy, check out this post!

Oh and guess what - I AM DONE WORK FOR THE SUMMER!

Huuuuuge WAHOO!

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THREE NEW BEAUTY FAVES

I am not one to recommend products just to fill up a blog post - I only like to recommend products that have really, genuinely worked for me and that I can say are worth purchasing.   I'm really, really cheap when it comes to hair and beauty products - I nearly died spending $40 on tinted moisturizer for my wedding, and really that wasn't even all that expensive compared to what I could have bought - so whenever I find an inexpensive product that I really like, I get a real sense of victory.  There are a lot of crappy cheap products out there, but there are an equal amount of crappy expensive products too.  The whole beauty industry can be such a minefield.  If I'm going to experiment with products until I can assume a sense of brand loyalty in any particular direction, I'm going to be doing that with the smallest possible amount of money, thank you very much!

Anyways, enough of that rant and onto some products I can wholeheartedly recommend!

>> Tresemme Naturals shampoo (and conditioner) <<

My hair has been colour-treated a couple of times over the past year and is pretty dried out.  Even after both washing and conditioning, it can be really hard to comb out and style after the shower.

This shampoo (and the corresponding conditioner) have been really nice to my hair.  I have highlighted the shampoo particularly because normally a shampoo does nothing for my tangles.  This one, however, leaves my hair feeling conditioned and much silkier to the touch, even before I've conditioned.  I still need to use conditioner, but the big difference is that after the shower, I hardly have any tangles left to comb through.  Since colouring my hair, this is the first shampoo/conditioner combo I've ever used that have done that for me.

>> L'Oreal Total Repair replenishing mask <<

This is a really nice, inexpensive deep conditioning treatment.  It leaves my hair smoother, shinier and much easier to style post-shower.

>> Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream <<

This is probably my favourite new beauty product from the entire past year, period.  Not only does this BB cream give lovely light coverage - like a really lightweight foundation - but is easy to blend, doesn't go patchy on my skin, and comes in 2 formulas depending on your skin type.  I'm using the formula for combination skin.  Since being pregnant I have been more prone to mild breakouts and oiliness on my T-zone, and over the past couple of weeks this product has really helped to control that.  I no longer get to the end of my day with a super shiny forehead, and it has not caused me to break out at all.  Highly recommend it!

What are some of your drug store faves?  Would love to hear!

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DASH OF CHERRY

// Jacket: Ebay;  Skirt:  Winners;  Necklace:  Jessica Wolf Designs;  Belt: Wal-mart;  Shoes: Bella & Mimi //
{ Linking up with Style Elixir; The Pleated Poppy; Transatlantic Blonde; Get Your Pretty On;  My Greatest Hits;  DC in Style;  Watch out for the Woestmans;  Lena B, Actually; Plane Pretty }
This week marks the big 3-0 in this pregnancy - wahoo!  Glad to have reached this milestone just at the point when I'm winding down work for the summer.  I am really starting to slow down, and also really anxious to get started on preparing for Baby.  I just haven't had mental space for it thus far.  Our nursery is currently under construction, so I'm looking forward to sharing some photos with you as it comes together over the next few weeks  :)
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DESIGN FREEBIE > "Be excellent"

"Be excellent at what is good"

(see bottom of post for image links)

This past year has been good, but also very busy, and challenging in a lot of ways.  I have often found myself questioning why I do the things I do. Why do I keep teaching piano (aside from financial reasons)?  Why do I keep blogging?  Why do I keep experimenting with what I wear?  Why am I driven to keep creating?

Why bother with any of it?

In the midst of that, I've really come to believe that creative expression can be about something bigger than just personal gratification.  I also believe that most of us are seeking a sense of purpose in our creativity.  We're looking to make some ripples in the pond.  I think that's why we get blue when we feel uninspired.  When creative pursuits feel choked or stifled, it seems like we're not making any ripples and it's not a good feeling.

This little phrase "be excellent at what is good" (it's actually part of a Bible verse) has been lingering in my mind recently.   I feel like this is part of my personal commission in life - to be excellent at good creative expression.  And when I say "good", I don't just mean well-crafted.  I mean something that can make a positive impact on another person, in some way.

Because I blog a lot about outfits, I've been thinking particularly about the way I dress myself, and how it can be used for good - not just as a means of grabbing for attention.  

The way we dress ourselves speaks not just of our personalities, but of our values systems.  I heard a really wise saying once, about how the content of our hearts is made obvious by the way we empty our wallets.  A person who blows their whole budget on their wardrobe is expressing a particular values system, while a person who spends very little on themselves in order that they might give more to others is expressing another values system entirely.

Also, the way we dress speaks of how we feel about our bodies.  

And it speaks of our sense of identity, too, and what we feel we need to spend money on in order to fit in with everyone else.

I feel really challenged to think about it more.  I want to continue enjoying my creative expression of style and fashion, but in a really mindful manner.  

Anyways, there's a little food for thought.  If it resonates with you, here's a little desktop background you might enjoy.   Each size of image should be downloaded directly from the link.  Let me know if you have troubles with the download!  And if anyone has any further thoughts to add to the above, I'd love to hear it!

2880 x 1800

1920 x 1200

1600 x 1200

1280 x 1024

IPad

Cellphone

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29 WEEKS

WEIGHT GAIN?  

12 pounds.  I only gained one pound over this past stretch - but grew 5 inches out the front!  I really have no idea how that works!  haha.  This baby is just taking everything!

In related news, my midwife told me that women with short torsos tend to carry babies more out the front, whereas taller women will carry deeper in their bellies because there's more space in there. Makes sense.  Hence why my tummy measurement is growing so rapidly :)   

FEELING?

Well, this past month has been more taxing on my body.  Even before I got pregnant I had low blood pressure and tendencies towards dizziness/fainting, so it's probably no surprise that this third trimester has brought that to the forefront.  I've had 3 or 4 strong dizzy spells lately, one of them in the middle of Wal-Mart!  Thankfully Josh was with me at the store, but he was in a different section at that moment, so for a while I was staggering through the aisles trying to find him. So that wasn't very fun, but I'm assured that while annoying, it's not abnormal.  My latest round of bloodwork came back normal and I'm not iron deficient, which is good news.  

I've also had lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions, for about three weeks now and at least once or twice a day.  I didn't realize what it was the first few times and was a little worried when my belly tightened up as hard as a rock!  I need to breathe deeply through them to make sure I don't get dizzy.

I'm more achy and stiff now, and prone to muscle cramps and spasms.  Working with kids every day is really kinetic, and so I have to be super careful not to do as much movement.  But most days I forget, and then I pay for it later.  This pregnancy has been relatively uneventful, but has definitely held a few major low points, one of which happened the other night.  While lying in bed I had an awful spasm in my lower abdomen, just by my right hip.  It was so painful that I couldn't even move.  I was tired, scared, and massively hormonal, and completely lost it to a big long (and very ugly) sob session.  Josh (bless him, the poor man) managed to get me up and into the bathtub (at 11 o clock at night) and we soaked for a little while which took the edge off.  I took an Ibuprofen and managed to fall asleep hunched over a pillow.  By the time I woke up in the morning, the muscle had loosened itself up again and I was fine.

EXERCISE?

I'm doing a lot of Pilates and yoga, which is really helping with the general muscle tightness and discomfort.  I like to challenge myself with the deep strengthening moves, as well as doing the gentle stretching and breathing.  Strangely, while I can do 45 minutes of fairly intense yoga at home and feel really good afterwards, the same amount of time spent walking outside just completely drains me.  I'm exercising almost exclusively at home for about 45 minutes first thing in the morning, 3 or 4 mornings per week.

CRAVING?

Fizzy drinks!  And only in the evening.  We've gotten onto a thing for sparkling water.  Or diet ginger ale with a bit of orange juice mixed in - yum!

BABY MOVEMENT?
LOADS.  This kid just loves to kick and punch and roll around in there.  It's not painful and most of the time it's not uncomfortable - just weird and funny.  My whole belly rolls and moves with him - it is hilarious to watch!  I never get sick of it.  

WEIRD STUFF?

It might just be me, but I feel like my fingernails and toenails are growing at about twice the speed as normal!  

>>>>><<<<<

Also, we started prenatal classes a couple weekends ago and it has been so great.  Our friend from church is running it with us and 2 other couples, so it's nice and small and intimate.  She's a doula and mom of 4, and explains everything so well and so thoroughly.  I'm really enjoying it and am just amazed at the sheer wonder of the birthing process. 

I'm looking forward to my next ultrasound and seeing the face of my little boy once again :)  I know that even the most miserable moments of this pregnancy will be completely eclipsed by joy when I hold him in my arms in a couple of months.  

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PRECIOUS CARGO

// Vest, top, scarf, and jeans:  thrifted;  Necklace:  gift;  Belt:  Ardene;  Shoes:  Bella & Mimi (UK) //

{ Linking up with Style Elixir; The Pleated Poppy; Transatlantic Blonde; Get Your Pretty On;  My Greatest Hits;  DC in Style;  Watch out for the Woestmans;  Plane Pretty }

 A humongous thank-you to the little petite lady somewhere out there who donated these jeans (and one other flared pair which I also nabbed) to the thrift store, enabling me to have 2 pairs of maternity jeans for $4.99 a piece!  

Is there a gigantic stretchy stomach panel hiding under there?  YOU BET.  And I LOVE IT.   As I barrel towards the 30 week mark (eeek!), there are few things more glorious than feeling simultaneously comfortable AND reasonably well put together.  

Have a lovely day, you :)

ON SCALING BACK: blog design update

Just checking in quickly here to debut a new logo and design for this blog :)  I've been picking away at finishing it in my spare time over the past couple of weeks.

You'll notice that everything is sleeker, and tidier, and smaller.  I liked my previous design, but as my goals for this blog evolve, I really just wanted to reign everything in and compact it.  

The thing is that growing a blog is demanding.  It's not just about posting;  it's about visiting other blogs and commenting;  it's about getting to know other bloggers;  it's about tweeting and Facebooking and Instagramming regularly.  It's about advertising.  It's about promoting yourself and networking in whatever way you can, on a daily basis.

I really don't have money to throw around on advertising, and I already have a day job that is very demanding on both a creative and an interpersonal level.  So, I'm realizing that as long as life looks like this, whatever ambitions I have for this space will have to remain somewhat capped.  It's not realistic for me to post every day and neither it is realistic for me to be engaging every day on social media.  My time is too full with other things.

You can expect to see at least a couple posts a week still, and I'm hoping that once I'm done work for the summer I will be able to re-evaluate once again and put some more time into this, because I really enjoy blogging.  It's been a great creative exercise for me in a lot of ways.  As a full-time musician, I would never had identified myself as being creative outside of that sphere, until I started fiddling around with Loverly She.   Over the past year I've learned a lot about stuff I never thought I'd get into, like graphic design and photography.  I'm no professional and never will be, but it has been very freeing to experiment.

So, thank-you so much to those of you who follow - especially those who've followed from the beginning - and I hope to keep writing good content and growing in creativity as I carry on from here :)