DIY Nursing & Teething Necklace

I'm posting here today for the mamas and the babies. This DIY is so simple it doesn't really require a post, but I see a lot of ladies in my local breastfeeding group paying a lot of money for nursing necklaces. I admit, I bought one for almost $20 when one day I had enough of getting smacked in the face while nursing Levi. This necklace is also so great for teething, since the silicone feels great on their gums!

You will need:
Parachute cord with safety clasps (I purchased mine here)
Food-grade silicone beads (purchased here)

All I did was figure out the way I wanted the beads to look and then place them on the string. After that, put the other end of the clasp on and then tie a knot. Place your beads so that they will hang evenly, then tie a knot on both sides to keep them in place. Fasten and enjoy!

Baby approved! I love that these necklaces provide relief for both of us and they still look stylish. I even wear mine to work sometimes. I was able to make two necklaces for only $18!

Rose Garden

I hope y'all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, whether you shared it with a significant other or not! Me, I'll take any reason to get dressed up and eat delicious food. We had a Groupon for a fancy restaurant and made reservations. When we got there, they said they weren't taking them for the night. Would've been nice if the girl on the phone had told us that! I almost passed out when we got our bill. It's only the second time we've ever eaten at a fancy restaurant, and we decided that it's just not for us. It felt like we had to whisper the entire time, and then I dropped my fork on my plate and I think the whole restaurant heard. Lack of manners aside, we did have a great dinner. One of the appetizers was a seared scallop (yep, just one) over something incredible that I can't pronounce or spell, but resembled a warm macaroni and cheese/potato salad combo. Doesn't sound very good, but you'll just have to trust me that it was one of the best things I've ever tasted. Ever.

dress: ModCloth // tights: Target // shoes: Urban Outfitters (similar)

The picture above sums of my outfit picture taking experiences. I set Levi all the way across the room so that he doesn't knock my tripod over, and he gets into ALL. THE. THINGS. while I try to snap pictures as quickly as possible!

And another bonus picture! Here's us feeling really weird at the aforementioned dinner:

DIY Fabric Coasters

We had to start crate training our dog, Grizzly, because when we moved into our house he began chewing random things up while we were gone. We let this slide until he ate a $300 automatic car key! He actually grew to love it insanely fast and sleeps in there even when we're home. The other day, though, I noticed two of our coasters were missing. When I got home from work that day, I found them. Chewed up, swallowed, and pooped out. Yeah, pretty gross. That dog is pretty smart. He hid them in his crate so he could go to town on them when we weren't around! This was two things: Disgusting, because I had to clean it up. But also a good thing because I had been wanting to make some new fabric coasters and now I was forced into it.

So here's a simple DIY project made from my misfortune! All you need is a little bit of fabric and basic sewing skills. 

You will need:
8 - 4.5 inch squares for your coaster design
4 - 4.5 inch squares of batting

First, place two pieces of your fabric right sides together and place the batting on top.

Next, start near the edge of one side and sew all the way around, leaving a 1.5 inch opening on one side. Cut off the corners to make poking the edges out easier.

Now, turn your fabric right side out! It might take a little bit of work. There will be the open gap you didn't sew in step two.

Lastly, fold the fabric inward and sew a top stitch around the entire square, making sure you sew the gap together. Repeat for the rest of the coasters.

So easy! It took me about 30 minutes, and that included a couple breaks of me having to throw toys around Levi to keep him entertained! If you make the coasters, let me know how it went. I'd love to see pictures!

Life Lately: 01.2015

January has been such a great month and time is flyin' on by. Levi had a few fussy spells, but gained two new teeth from it! At eight months, he's learning new things every day and loves to crawl and climb on everything. He also loves to be worn, and I love it, too! Baby wearing has saved my sanity and it's also brought such a close bond between us.

I've been eating so much. Seriously, everything in sight. I was dairy-free for about five months because Levi had a dairy intolerance. We're still breastfeeding, but I introduced dairy again around Thanksgiving and he has been fine. I still don't eat a ton of it, but pizza: I love you.

On the 31st, I turned 25. Holy shit. I'm seriously getting old! Something about being midway to 30 makes me feel a little crazy. I keep thinking: Am I too old to wear this? Am I too old to be dancing to the new Taylor Swift album? But the answer is hell no. Becoming a mother has made me a much more confident human. If I want to wear bright red tights and sing "Welcome to New York" in the living room, that's 100 percent okay. And seriously, who is not blasting this new album right now? You're missing out. ;)

I hope you all had a great first month of 2015!

Strawberry Sangria

Geez, I'm ready for warmer weather. This is the perfect summer dress, but pairing it with tights and a chambray top work, too. I'm really looking forward to this coming summer with Levi. I can't wait to take him swimming at the lake and the ocean! All the firsts are so exciting, and they happen so fast. He's already crawling around like a crazy little zombie and I can't ever take my eyes off of him. He's gonna grow up way too fast. 

top: Target // dress: h&m // tights: Target // shoes: Modcloth (similar)

Begin Again

Life has been slowing down a little bit. I'm halfway through my classes right now and Little Riot has been pretty dead since the holiday season ended. Honestly, I'm not complaining. Going to school, working, taking care of a baby, and having a clothing business is a lot to handle. Levi has been a very high needs baby, but he's over eight months old now and getting more independent by the day! It's bittersweet.

Top: Target // Skirt: H&M (similar) // Tights: Target // Shoes: B.A.I.T.

I've been taking the A Beautiful Mess blogging class, and it had me aching to start blogging again. I really miss being able to have my own thing going on that isn't something I have to do. It's a creative outlet for me, and I'm at a point where I'd like to start taking more time for myself. So anyway, lots of outfit posts and DIYs coming this way soon! I hope y'all have been doing well. <3