the tip shop

It's actually called the Reuse Shop. But it's located at the front of the tip and everything inside has been salvaged from it. I like to pay a visit every now and then, and if I need a little piece of furniture, it's usually the first place I look. I bought this bed head for Cole a while ago. Five bucks, thankyou very much.

It actually had the foot to match but the middle piece to support the mattress was beyond salvage. It's also only a single, and I needed a king single. After I found it I called the husband to give me the difference in width between a single and a king single. I thought about those six centimetres each side of the bed head.. would it really be that noticeable? I decided no, it wouldn't. It was just too beautiful to leave in that shed for someone else to snap up. I sent a message to my tip shop guy - yes, our relationship is on that level - and he stuck that little sticker on for me.

You could quite easily have left it the way it was. But I'm not a lover of dark, shiny wood. And I could already see it finished, the way it should be in our home. A few coats of paint later and it looked much more like Cole.

Given I only had a headboard to work with, I needed to attach it to the ensemble base. I like a project and I DEFINITELY like getting the drill out. The boys and I headed to Masters - DEFINITELY because of those genius faux car trolley thingies that they love to ride in - and spent five times as much as the bed cost on nuts, bolts, washers and ply. Those bastard bolt companies selling THREE bolts in a packet must be using cash as loo paper. Who would EVER need just THREE bolts for ANYTHING? Three legged tables and chairs aren't that popular.

A bit of measuring, drilling, screaming at the boys not to touch the drill later.. my plan had come together and the boy finally had a pretty bed. Isn't that what all boys want? Need? He told me he loooooooved it and how very proud of me he was that I made him the best bed in the whole entire world. Even though he adds in the whole entire world to almost every sentence at the moment.. I'll still take it. Time for some new linen and he's done.

Meanwhile, all three ended up with new blankets over the weekend. I spied the sale table at Bed Bath & Table and couldn't resist. I wanted to buy the fruit for Missy, but she insisted on pink and grey owls. I tried to convince her that a beautiful multicoloured pattern was more appealing but she was having none of it. Cole proudly told the shop assistant that the bikes are miiiine. Eliot wasn't with us and could not care less about such important matters as pretty bedding, so I was happy to force the fruit on him.

So, are you a DIY-er?
Do you salvage old gems of furniture and instantly see them in your head, the way they should be?
Do you have your tip shop guy's mobile number?
Have you EVER had a use for ONLY THREE BOLTS?

a series :: kids' room tours :: cole

{As with Eliot's room tour, I must preface this post by saying these photos were taken months ago too, and the quality is below par. And just to make them look even worse, I have added some of Tim's photos (images 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 17).}

Seeing these photos again makes me feel a little nostalgic now that Cole's room is no longer, and he is sharing a room with his sister. Ruby had been asking to share with him for a while, and then Cole started getting out of bed in the wee hours, coming down to creep in beside me. Then Ruby started doing the same, for the first time since we brought Cole home from hospital. We thought perhaps putting them in together with settle both of them. It worked instantly for Ruby, it took Cole a week or two and then he settled really well.

As with Eliot's room, again, I just tried to furnish the room using what we already had, or for as little cost as possible. I do enjoy a little project, picking something up cheaply and giving it a sand and a coat of paint to bring it back to life, or just tweaking it a little to suit our needs.

:: Hardwood bed, bought on ebay for $80.
:: 3 tier wooden garage we gave him for his second birthday, purchased from an elderly gentleman at the Flemington Market who actually lives very close to us and makes them by hand in his garage. He also makes log trucks, doll cots/highchairs/bassinettes, kiddie kitchens among other things, all at very reasonable prices.
:: More cheapo art with canvases covered in fabric, cars by Alexander Henry. Cars and apple fabric from here.
:: Scrabble C canvas from Typo, C is for Clown print from here, New York City Subway map poster collected by hubby on worldly travels.
:: Cole's Quiet Book was a birth present from a very dear friend, handmade by a lady in Adelaide, South Australia, who has since retired - in her retirement! (When she retired, she made the books for ten years because she enjoyed the craft, eventually she had to stop taking orders because she was so flat out and wasn't enjoying her retirement! I just crept in before she stopped taking orders, to get one made for Ruby after she took such a liking to it as a toddler.) I have seen many similar styles on Etsy but, just quietly, none quite as wonderful.
:: Frog backpack from here (though I'm not sure whether lovely Germaine still stocks them).
:: Little table and chairs picked up on ebay as a full five piece dining setting for $5 (yes - $5!) which I cut the legs off to become kiddie sized. I also cut the tops off the chair backs as they were too big and then made little fabric scrap covers to cover edges.
:: Cube shelving (not pictured very well, similar to the Ikea Expedit range) bought on ebay for $30 from an ex-office furniture store. It was beech melamine, upcycled using griplock primer and leftover front door paint.
:: New York Yellow Cab came all the way from New York, a Christmas present from his aunty and uncle.
:: Hand knitted clown on bed was a beautiful gift from a relative, with Mr Bean's Teddy, who was mine as a kid.
:: Duck cushion on bed, by me.
:: Vintage sketched Pooh & Christopher Robin print is a beautiful card from a dear friend following Cole's birth.
:: Walt Disney's Peter Pan print (which I block mounted) bought at Eumundi Market when I was pregnant with Ruby.
:: Elephant and Dinosaur Craft Panel in frame, from here.


Eliot's room

a series :: kids' room tours :: eliot

I may have mentioned a while ago that I was going to do a little room tour series for the smalls. I'm quick like that. Ahem.

Seeing as the Small had a room change back in July and is due for another this weekend to make way for his new bed, we'll start with him. I must preface this tour {tour? that sounds so ridiculous in my head but I'm going with it} by confessing how rubbish these photos are. I had to seriously edit to make them remotely useable. But it's all I've got. And crying is for babies. I also had to put my standard kit lens back on for a few shots, for the first time in months because of space, which are also rubbish. How much I have learnt behind that lens in three months!

So here's Master Eliot's wee baby room. Which is no longer..

When I was pregnant with Eliot, I thought he was a girl. I thought they were all girls. I was excited that our little girl would have a blue room. Clearly, I did not have a girl. When we bought our house it was still being built and were lucky to purchase at fit out stage, so had some say in colour and style (within the budget) so we would not end up with a beige builder's house. Mmmm beige. My favourite. We didn't expect to be in this house for #3. But here we are. Eliot's room used to be the study which is why it's the only coloured room of the kids, it was never intended to be used as a bedroom. This colour choice was totally Carrie Bradshaw SATC The Movie inspired. Our front lounge room is the same colour too, and I still love it. We kept the other two kids' rooms white for resale value. Blah blah blah. Resale value aside, those other rooms would be coloured too.

Eliot's room is a little smaller than the other two, but a very good size for a baby/toddler room. Choice of furniture and styling was pretty much based on what could be used with what we already had. All the essential baby stuff has served all three kids well.

:: The armchair and ottoman have seen many a late night/early morning feed, from Ruby right through to Eliot. $50 from the Salvos, thankyou very much. It was so bloody comfortable, I couldn't leave it there.
:: The bookcase was purchased from a beautiful shop in Noosa (Sunshine Coast, Queensland) while on our honeymoon, a special piece for us.
:: The little name train in the windowsill was a christening gift from my lovely cousin and family.
:: The original artwork above his cot is clearly a one off. The talented artist created this piece shortly before Eliot arrived.
:: Vintage Ee print purchased in person from Vintage Prints at a local market, as is the train print on top of the bookcase.
:: Eliot Paul print, including his birth details, ever so kindly gifted from a sweet friend.
:: Large Alexander Henry owl print is an old corkboard wrapped in fabric from here.
:: Felt and button hanging cloud, by me.
:: Coloured crocheted granny blankets over cot and ottoman, thrifted. All the other knitted blankets were lovely gifts.
:: The little birds were all gifts from my Mum. Eliot just loves birds, I attached them to a tree branch above the change mat to try and get business done easily. It worked for a short time.. he mostly loved looking at them from his cot.
:: Cot blanket was a cheapo from Best & Less, with the bear and giraffe stitched on. This one was bought for Ruby so has washed and worn so well. Before I had Eliot I did a little scrap patchwork and stitched over the bear and giraffe to brighten it up.
:: Happy Horse Mr Monkey in cot, gifted from a dear friend.
:: Mr Owl in cot, was handmade and also gifted from another dear friend.
:: Canvas above change mat printed by Cheap Canvas Prints, who I have used a good handful of times with satisfaction every time. The large canvas in our lounge room was also done by them.