{It's raining. It's pouring}

Hi all. I'm back after another mini break. It seems when it rains it really does pour, and once again we've all been sick. Generally I try to avoid posting personal tidbits on this blog but I need a caring shoulder right now. I've spent many hours in waiting rooms, hospitals and doctors offices. My son was hospitalised over the weekend with a severe case of gastro that lead to dehydration and a high white blood cell count. Yesterday my almost-two-year old daughter got her cast taken off, oh yeah - did I tell you she broke her wrist with a bad tumble? And today my 4-year-old daughter had a renal ultrasound. This has been such a bad year for my family's health, so naturally I'm looking forward to the end of the year, and new beginnings too.

{Sienna's Bedroom Tour}

Back in Brisbane now, we're given a warm welcome of tea and {felt} strawberries, cookies and an abundance of sweets. This is Sienna's bedroom, she is the younger sister of Harvey.

Who lives here: Sienna 1 ½ years old

Describe your style: girly, with a mix of both vintage and new.

Where do you find inspiration: my Mummy loves home decorating magazines and likes to visit shops for ideas.

What's your favourite piece in your bedroom: My little table with my tea set and the felt food mummy made for me – I play with these every day.

What are your favourite shopping haunts: Anywhere I can get a chocolate milkshake!

Are there any heirloom pieces: Mum has some antique jewellery put away for when I am older, but I am not allowed these yet!

What has been your most extravagant purchase: my cot was probably the most expensive thing in my room – but even that was a hand-me-down from Harvey!

Your best bargain buys: The white planter which stores my nappies was $2 from an Op shop, the cane chair was $5 at a garage sale, and Mummy bought some of my special clothes in a huge sale in London before I was even born (lucky I was a girl...)

Are you coveting anything: Anything sparkly

Are there any handmade touches: Mummy made my cot quilt from scraps of fabric and vintage hankies, and the cushion from a Mozi tea towel. She is completely addicted to sewing felt food for my collection. The vintage doll softies are from Retro Bird Designs – mummy buys me one every time she goes to the Boutique Markets.

What storage solutions do your recommend for keeping an organised space: Mummy tries not to buy baby stuff that I will grow out of. My changing table is actually just a storage cupboard that will be still beautiful and useful as I grow up.

What's next for the room: Buy a big bed and decorate the room with Pip Studios wallpaper. Mum's also on the lookout for a little dressing table for my growing collection of hair clips and other sparkly things.

How can others achieve this look: Use white furniture as a base and add colour through fabric, accessories and other things that are easy to change.

Thanks JJ for the tour! Sienna is such a lucky girl. Remember, dear readers to visit the Mondo Cherry blog and see what craftiness they've been up to lately.

{Not all girls like pink}

It's true. Not all little girls dream of pink rooms. My two daughter's really are chalk and cheese. My 4-year-old is your typical tulle-loving princess who requests everything in pink {oh, and the occasional red} and has since she could speak her first words. I'm pretty sure her first word was pink, actually. My youngest daughter is far more outgoing and seems to enjoy an array of colours. When given the opportunity, she usually asks for blue. Blue ice-blocks. Blue hairbands. Blue shoes.

Here is a collection of some of my favourite not-your-typical girls bedrooms. If you have a daughter that doesn't love pink, think outside the box.

Thanks so much for being patient with me last week while I recovered. xx

Images 1 to 6 via Ish and Chi. Image 7 via Shop 4 Kids magazine. Image 8 via Home Beautiful magazine. Image 9 via Make room for living. Image 10 and 11 via If the lampshade fits. Image 12 via French atmosphere. Image 13 via Cookie. Image 14 via Desire to Inspire. Image 15 via Emma's blogg. Image 16 via Alkemie.

*cough* Apologies for the lack of posts this week. The kidlets and I are all feeling under the weather with a head cold. I'll be back really soon.

Image via Lavender and Limes.

{Harvey's Bedroom Tour}

Today we take a peek in little Harvey's bedroom. His mum is JJ, one third of the creative Mondo Cherry team who craft the most beautiful designs with fabric and paper. Stop by their blog for some real eye candy (and meet the newest addition to the Mondo Cherry kidlets).


Who lives here: Harvey, 3 1/2 years.

Describe your style: colourful, stripy and fun.

Where do you find inspiration: my Mummy loves home decorating magazines and likes to visit shops.

What's your favourite piece in your bedroom: my vintage truck from Grandma in which I keepy my favourite Topsy and Tim book collection (the same books that my Mummy and Auntie Clare used to have when they were little in England).

What are your favourite shopping haunts: My favourite shop is Bunnings but Mum loves the antique store in Paddington, specialty children's stores, bookshops and second hand shops.

Are there any heirloom pieces: The rocking horse is my Daddy's from when he was little, but mummy says that since it survived him it can survive anyone.

What has been your most extravagant purchase: My big boy's bed.

Your best bargain buys: Mummy was very pleased to find my navy and white star Gant cushion 75% off. My bedside table was from a junk shop and Daddy painted it for me.

Are you coveting anything: A whipper-snipper from Bunnings - just like Dads!

Are there any handmade touches: Mummy made the owl on my bed from a tea towel, the Marrimekko car & truck artwork above my bed and the bug softie hanging from my wardrobe. She also sewed the little policeman on my bed from my Daddy's old nursery curtains.

What storage solutions do you recommend for keeping an organised space: Mum loves the Ikea Expedit bookshelf with baskets. My Mum is also an obsessive labeller and has put tags on almost everything in my room. We colour coordinate my books (Mum says it looks nicer).

What's next for the room: Make it a little more big-boyish by changing the pictures in my red frames and adding practical stuff for my kindy gear next year.

How can others achieve this look: Mummy says if it doesn't fit in a labelled basket it doesn't go in my room! We have a playroom upstairs for most of our toys, which makes it easier to keep the bedroom tidy. Add some vintage items to make it look more interesting, and some handmade touches for fun (and it keeps Mummy happy too).

Thanks Harvey! I love all the handmade touches in your room.

Later today I'm going to share Harvey's little sister's bedroom. See you then!

{Giveaway: Catherine Campbell art}

Catherine Campbell is a Melbourne based illustrator, well known for her ethereal sketches and collages. With work showcased in Real Living, Frankie and Notebook magazines, chances are you're already a fan! Catherine has ever so kindly offered to giveaway two prints from her little papercuts collection to one reader of Swish and Swanky. These beautiful papercuts are perfect to hang in a girls bedroom, my daughter has one hanging in her room that she just loves!

The winner of this giveaway will receive both the Pink and Green 5 x 7 prints pictured above. Printed on a textured, heavy weight fine art paper, they are a beautiful quality. To win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Monday 2nd November. The winner will be randomly selected and announced the following day. You can find out more about Catherine's art on her website and blog.

Good luck!

{Wall decor}

Image via Cookie

In a child's room think outside the square when it comes to wall decor. You don't have to completely cover the walls but give them something stimulating to look at. Above, a beautiful vintage tactile rug has been hung behind a casual bed setting. If you love this look, ebay will be your friend.

Image via Inside Out magazine

In this neutral nursery, a collection of vintage and handmade items provide decorative accents and a chic splash of colour. The embroidery hoops are a real statement piece and a cost effective project to try - just pop an assortment of your favourite fabrics inside.

Image via Real Living magazine

Vintage flash cards are a merry addition to a child's room. Start with tacking your cards (I'm a big fan of this Cavallini & Co set here) in a grid like pattern. The glass and backing has been removed from the frame then it's been given a vibrant coat of glossy red paint. Easy peasy!

Image via Cookie

A spectacular collection of flash cards has simply been tacked to the wall...

Image via Charlotte magazine

... here a set of animal flash cards have been cleverly linked together and hung from a long branch.

Image via Home Beautiful magazine

Children love personal collections of art. Dig out that first pair of shoes or that special leaving-hospital outfit you have carefully wrapped and boxed and display them in a frame. Black and white photos forming a timeline of their young life will boost lots of wonderful memories and a framed baby handprint will show just how much they've grown.

I'd love you to share some of your clever ideas. What have you made for your child's bedroom?

{And the winners are}

Hello! How have you been? We all had a fabulous time down in Brisbane. Busy, but fun all the same. Here's a snap of all my favourite little people from our holiday. I love this photo so much. But what you really popped by for is to find out the winners of the giveaways I've been hosting, so I won't keep you waiting any longer.

*Drumroll*

The winner of the swanky Isak ABC alphabet poster from Kinder Gallery is:

Natalie from Tiny and Little

The winner of the Play, Laugh, Dream canvas art from Gelati Art is:

Tamsyn from My (not so) Perfect Life

The winner of the Tutti Fruiti pocket cushion + babushka doll is:

Jo

The winner of Nigel the robot print from Tsk Tsk is:

Yamila from Yamila Inspire

and last but certainly not least, the three winners of the Fiona Kate art folder packs are:

Nellbe from Nellbe's Scribblings

Trina from la la Lovely

Shan from Absolute Balance Acupuncture

Congratulations guys! Can the winners please email me your postage details so we can get your great prizes on their way. A big thanks to everyone who entered, I have lots more goodies up my sleeve so be sure to pop back soon.

{A quick break}

Thanks so much for all of the lovely comments and emails, and all the feedback I have received about the Kids series. It makes my heart sing. Thank you. It's wonderful you're finding just as much inspiration in these images as I am.

Later today my family are travelling to Brisbane for a couple of days away. My daughter has a camp to attend that she is very excited about, and our exchange student, Nina is competing in the state athletic finals for her school. It's going to be lots of fun.

The giveaways will remain open until I return on Sunday, when the winners will also be announced, sign up if you haven't already! I have lots more fabulous ideas, giveaways and decor to share when I return so come back and join me next week. I look forward to seeing you then.

{Robert's Bedroom Tour}

Good morning! Do you know Viv who blogs at Ish and Chi? Surely you must! She is our special guest here today who has kindly invited us into her Sydney home to show us around her son Robert's fun nursery. When you've finished oggling the beautiful room, stop by Viv's blog for a visit. She also has an etsy shop that I'm sure you are going to love.


Who lives here: Robert, 11 months old.

Describe your style: A mix of modern and traditional with lots of whites. I am trying to add splashes of colour here and there too.

Where do you find inspiration: Interior magazines, design blogs, the sixties, fashion photography and fabrics.

What's your favourite piece in your bedroom: The Catherine Martin circus silhouette wallpaper.

What are your favourite shopping haunts: I'm addicted to online shopping especially Etsy and Ebay. I also like strolling through the markets although I rarely find the time these days.

Are there any heirloom pieces: Not in the room as such however my in laws have given Robert a bracelet that was his uncle's and whom he was named after. I am thinking of framing the bracelet or keeping it somewhere special as a keepsake.

What has been your most extravagant purchase: The wallpaper. The paper itself wasn't too expensive however I didn't trust myself to line the pattern up correctly so we paid a professional to hang it which was a cost we hadn't originally factored in.

Your best bargain buys: We had seen sleigh cots retailing for upwards of $1000 in stores. We bought ours from Ebay for around $300 and was brand new (flat packed).

Are you coveting anything: The ABC Love Print by MadeByGirl. I wish I had the wall space for it though.

Are there any handmade touches: The loveseat originally had a varnished mahogany frame that I painted white. I was very pregnant at the time so it was tricky to get down low and paint it but it was one of those things I just had to do before he was born.

What storage solutions do your recommend for keeping an organised space: The dresser has really worked for us. We keep the change mat on top and his clothes in the drawers so that they are nearby as we change him. Each drawer is organised by size. He grew so fast in the first few months and rather than having to rummage through clothes to find something that fit I would just look in the next drawer down.

What's next for the room: When my son outgrows his cot we'll buy a single bed for him. I'm thinking of trying to upholster a bedhead myself and creating some custom sheets for him. As with the nursery, I will post my progress on my blog.

How can others achieve this look: Start with a neutral base and work up from there. A lot of people prefer colourful nurseries but I think a baby's room should be a calm and peaceful place which is why I chose to use a lot of whites. The wallpaper adds interest and my son loves looking at it and touching all the circus animals. There are lots of pretty papers on the market to chose from.

{Light Loves}

Images via Jan Eleni

Spark your child's imagination with these oh so fun novelty lights. Aswell as ambient lighting to make the room feel cosier, add task lighting to brighten a small area and make a fun starry feature for your child with a string of fairy lights. My 4-year-old daughter has a string of pink flower lights draped around the mirror of her dresser that she uses every night as a night light. The lovely soft glow they give off looks pretty, but they also act as a sleep aid making her feel safe, and happy.

I'm coveting this set of kooky felt monster lights for my sons room, available here from Mini Style. Monsters aren't for every child though, perhaps they'd rather this string of car lights.

This quirky dragon pendant from Buyster Lighting would make a great accent. Positioned above a comfy chair your child would love learning to read with Drakey the dragon perched above. There are other fun critters in the range too.

For awesome night lights you can't go past try the Gimmo range available from Kido Store. Lemon the rabbit, sitting above is the coolest of the bunch.

{Somewhere to...}

... play, somewhere to dream, somewhere to make, somewhere to sleep, somewhere to work. Busy kids need a space suitable for all the different activities they enjoy. When setting up a childs room, think about what their room will be used for and try creating different nooks throughout the room. Avid readers would love a little reading corner, a desk would come in handy for budding writers and artists, a shelf to display (and contain) a special collection of wild animal figurines or a little basket for that much-loved collection of feathers, a coat rack to hang the plethora of sparkly costumes would make a young girls heart sing and a small table and chairs set would be perfect for lovers of tea parties. If your child is old enough, ask some questions like “what do you want to be able to do in your bedroom” and “when you grow up what do you want your room to be like”. You could even ask them to draw a picture of what they wish their room looked like which would make great inspiration for decorating.

Images via Desire to Inspire, Vida Style, Emma's Design Blogg, Make room for living, Home Beautiful magazine, Shop for Kids magazine, Real Living magazine, Alkemie, Cookie, Country Living.

{Yasmin's Bedroom Tour}

The lovely Erin, author of the blog The Wifestyle Files is next up to show us around her daughters sweet bedroom. I'm so glad to have discovered her inspiring blog, it's one of the first places I visit each morning while blog surfing. I like to think of her style as perfectly Australian. Thanks for showing us around your room Yasmin!


Who lives here: Yasmin, 3 years old.

Describe your style: Pink, Pink, ummmm and pink.

Where do you find inspiration: Mummy spends time looking at blogs and we both like to look at lots and lots of magazines....

What's your favourite piece in your bedroom: Probably my pink guitar. Mummy puts music on, I play the guitar and we dance around the room together. I also really, really love my makeup box. Because I love to put makeup on, especially lipsmackers.

What are your favourite shopping haunts: Donut king for pink iced donuts and also cotton on kids for all of their beautiful tutu's and wings.

Are there any heirloom pieces: What is an heirloom?

What has been your most extravagant purchase: My big girl bed.

Your best bargain buys: Nanna went to an op shop and got me my little cane reading chair for $2.00.

Are you coveting anything: A pink scooter from Santa and more fairy wings.

Are there any handmade touches: Mummy makes all of my hair clips, badges & brooches to dress up my outfits. She also did up my dresser that daddy made in highschool.

What storage solutions do you recommend for keeping an organised space: Mum keeps all of my toys in the toy box, Ikea bin and plastic tubs. But when she asks me to clean my room I just push it all under the bed. She never knows to look there.

What's next for the room: Scrapbook paper the back of my built in wardrobe, take off the sliding doors and hang curtains there instead.

How can others achieve this look: Get mummy to tidy up their room all the time....

{Displaying kids artwork + a giveaway}

Displaying children's artwork can look great in family rooms (as shown below) and kids will get enjoyment out of seeing their work displayed. Select a couple of your favourites and hang them amongst you own art collection and family photos. Ornate frames are great for childrens colourful creations; you could try fossicking the pages of ebay. Pop them in a classic black frame for a modern look.

Via Absolutely Beautiful Things

Via Home Beautiful magazine

For the budding Picasso that loves to admire his own work (speaking from experience) try hanging strings of clothes lines on an empty wall. The pictures can then be rotated as his favourites change.

Image via Home Beautiful

A bathroom towel rack has been used for clipping up artworks. Via Real Living magazine.

Image via Cookie

AND now for the giveaway!

What to do with the massive stacks of drawings that can't be displayed? Oh yeah, there will be plenty of them. Storage guru Fiona Kate has kindly offered three packs to giveaway that each include an art folder and a pack of alphabet decals. Your kiddo will have lots of fun labeling their special new folder.

To be in the running for one of these packs, all you have to do is take a wander over to Fiona Kate's website then leave a comment back here telling me which storage solution would help your child get organised. Easy peasy.

{Charli's Bedroom Tour}

Hello! Isn't it wonderful the weekend is now in sight. I have another fab bedroom tour to share with you now, I hope you're enjoying them as much as I am. Simone who blogs over at Beach Vintage is going to show us around her daughter Charli's vintage storybook bedroom.


Who lives here: Charli, 4 yrs.

Describe your style: Vintage Storybooks.

Where do you find inspiration: Mums magazine scrap books, old books, vintage toys, mum loves anything vintage.

What's your favourite piece in your bedroom: The blue trunk that my dollhouse sits on.

What are your favourite shopping haunts: Mum likes the local tip, Ebay (Fav = theoldboathouse), second hand stores, junk shops.

Are there any heirloom pieces: No way. There is no such thing as "don't touch that!" in my room.

What has been your most extravagant purchase: I think my new bed - and thats from Ikea!

Your best bargain buys: Mum is yelling out "That blue wooden trunk. I think it was $30".

Are you coveting anything: What does this mean mum?...she said: No and I should be happy where I am.

Are there any handmade touches: Yes, mum painted all my walls and dots on them too. I helped mum paint the table and chairs. All the paintings are done by mummy. And she made the curtains - gee mum slow down!

What storage solutions do your recommend for keeping an organised space: A big wardrobe with big doors that hide things, quickly. We have boxes under the bed for the same thing.

What's next for the room: Maybe a rug? My room is so small I don't think much more will fit!

How can others achieve this look: Read a vintage storybook and see what pages you like. Have fun cause it's a kids room after all.