Bianca's Bedroom Tour

BEFORE & AFTER

This is the latest interior decorating project I have been working on. It kept me occupied while I was pregnant with Sienna. Here is a before and after picture of Bianca's bedroom. I was so happy with the final outcome and pleased that I managed it on a shoe string budget. Most things are second hand, repainted, picked up from markets and garage sales etc.

Online Shopping Addiction

Well I have found my vice at the moment. In those rare but precious moments when both of my cherubs are sleeping I like to relax in front of the computer to puruse the shops.

I brought these gorgeous items for Bianca's room from a site calledhttp://felt.co.nz/

One is a cushion and the other goes on the wall.

I also brought these door plaques for the girls rooms (obviously with their own names on them). They are $19.95 each and available on trademe, the sellers name is kamhlz for anyone who is interested.

Second Hand Junkie

Before Bianca was born Sunday mornings were for nursing a hangover or a lazy sleep-in. Today I was up with a bright eyed and bushy tailed toddler at 6.30 and we were ready to head out the door at 8.30 down to the Sunday market but it was raining so disappointingly I missed out on my weekly fix of bargain hunting.

I am passionate about second hand stuff. I love visiting the recycling centre, auction house, market and garage sales. Most of my favourite items have been gleaned from these places or online at Trademe.(I love retro toys - Bianca loves this ducky trundler and pushing her Ernie and Bert around in the dolls stroller)

The first thing I love is the money saving of course, I brought a jolly jumper last week brand new in its box with price tag still on it for only 15% of its original price. Its also the aspect of it that my husband appreciates as well, which is why he doesn't roll his eyes too much when I come home with another supermarket bag of 'must haves'.

The other aspect is buying something that is beautiful but just needs a bit of tender love and care, a print that needs a new frame or piece of furniture that needs a paint. I have included some pictures of some of my favourite market purchases.




These ballet prints go for up to $40 on trade me I got this one for $3


You don't always know at the time you are buying something that you are going to love, until you get it home and find it a place to live. But all these items I got for under $5 and they were worth every penny



I brought these two mirrors at a garage sale a year ago and have sprayed them both and turned one into a jewellry board for Bianca


The aqua floor lamp isn't everyone's cup of tea but it works perfectly with the aqua accents in my lounge, as does the aqua floral vase that I picked up for $2.I picked this cabinet up from a garage sale for $20, I was hesitant at the time but it has worked perfectly in our lounge with a new lick of paint and handles from the $2 shop. This Crown Lyn Vase I picked up for $2 at a garage sale they sell for up to $100 in the antique stores, and the french trug was perfect for the space I had free.


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You can have too much Pooh Bear!!

One of my biggest passions is interior decorating. I have especially enjoyed decorating my daughter's nursery. One of the things that is hard in a small city in New Zealand is finding the 'right look'. Everywhere I turn there is Dora the Explorer and Winnie the Pooh, duvets, curtains, wall decalls. Dont get me wrong if you are into that sort of thing, good for you but I appreciate a more eclectic style, veering to the side of vintage I suppose you could say.

This has led to my other great passion, finding old furniture and home-wares to restore and reinvent. I love scouring the markets, recycling centre and the internet for great ideas that I can piece together myself.




This picture is of two pieces of art I made for my daughter's nursery to hang eitherside of her window. I brought the art canvases on special. I used silk flowers which I cut the heads off and arranged on the canvas using a hot glue gun, with a lick of paint on some timber framing both of these cost $30. I always get comments on them.

They were an easy project that I did in front of the TV in the later weeks of my pregnancy.