Children rooms

Today is the party hosted by Laura Bray at katydiddys! As I was madly taking photos of my two wee one's rooms, I realized that they weren't up to showroom quality. I mean, who wants to see Tinkerbell undies strewn across the floor, or Barbie shoes sprinkled on the carpet? I decided that since the unmade beds & dollhouse debris wouldn't make for impressive snapshots, I would take pictures of special things in my girls room instead: close up shots that make you THINK the atmosphere is tidy.

We moved into our house 5 months ago & you'd think that would be enough time to get settled in. But, it's not. I'm not sure what the problem is, but my girls' rooms don't have that warmth & "homey" feel to them. They've shared a room for the past 2 years, so this is the first time they've had their own rooms. Maybe I just need to give them (& their rooms) some time to find their own decor identity. Anyway, I hope to get some ideas from other participants in this blog party on how to make their rooms more cozy & girly & less cold & uninspired.

The picture at the top is how I store my oldest daughter's dress-up attire. The large puffy dresses get hung right on the wall above her bed! It's artwork, it's a dress, it's artwork, it's a dress.

I painted the hangers to make it "extra special". And look! It's a cupcake! This was one of my very first cupcake paintings, about 5 years ago--long before I realized that I loved them so! I think I copied it right from a catalogue.

My daughter's pink bed is one of my favorite pieces. My mom picked it up at a garage sale for 3 bucks. I wish I had a "before" shot. It came with a headboard & footboard--but it belonged to a bunk bed. It was nasty looking. I sanded it, painted it, distressed it, waxed it, added finials to the posts & adorable white wood embellishments to each end. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. It was a surprise for her 2nd birthday---a big girl bed!

And I LOVE using mismatched linens--both old vintage & new vintage-looking. My oldest has pinks & blues & my youngest has yellows & greens.
I found this drawer to an old desk in someones trash! I added vintage kitty wrapping paper & hotglued buttons to the outside & now it hangs above my daughter's desk & holds her precious keepsakes. Free stuff rocks.

Hanging under the drawer is a banner I made. I found some vintage "ABC" clipart online & copied them, punched holes in them, strung some ribbon through, & swagged it above her desk. It's not only decorative--but useful: she refers to it often when stumped on her alphabet.

A trip to a nearby pottery painting studio resulted in this adorable hanging sign.

Artwork is very important to me & my kid's get to put theirs just about anywhere. Zoey decorates her door with loads of paintings & drawings.

I love the wooden letters you see at craft stores. And the wacky odd sized letters are right up my alley. I painted them out in different colors & hung them with that tacky putty stuff.

I also gave each of my girls a painting when they were born. Pazely has this above her desk.
Another cool find was this piece. I was told it is for holding patterns?? I use it to hold my girls magazines & coloring books. It sits in our living/dining room right next to a baker's rack which is FILLED with their art & creative supplies.

This is weird, but everywhere we have ever lived I have always had an obsession with making the girls bathroom cute. I love bathrooms! They are tiny & make-over pretty quickly.

The shower curtain rings were purchased from the Target $2.50 bin. I added the vintage buttons.

Above the girls towel rod is this vintage hand mirror that used to belong to my grandmother. I hung it on the wall at kidlet height so the girls can see themselves---you know, for that final check before heading out to play.

I love being "hands-on" in my girls' rooms. Most of their things have been thrifted or handmade. A lot of inspiration comes from books or magazines. Better Homes & Gardens puts out really cool Special Publications about "quick & easy decorating" or "kids' rooms". I snatch these up when I see them because they give SO many great ideas.

Now that you got a peek at MY children's rooms, go check out Laura's blog post (dated July 11 2008) to see links in the comment section & find other great children's rooms!! Party on!

Ice Luxury Hotels, Sweden

If we said the Explora Hotel on Easter Island was the most isolated luxury hotels in the world, we were wrong.

The IceHotel is the latest, craziest name on the Luxury Hotel circuit and it's 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden.

It's the world's first ice hotel and it's exactly what it says on the packet - a hotel with over 80 individually designed rooms, a bar, reception, and even a church, all made entirely out of blocks of ice taken from the nearby Torne River.

Colder than ice
You'll be wondering what the weather's like inside this baby. Rest assured, it's pretty damn icy, between 17 and 28 degrees Fahrenheit all the time. You can't even warm yourself up in the bar, because all the glasses are made of ice too. No warmth for the wicked.

And how about snuggling up at bedtime? Thankfully, although the bed's made of ice, they've thoughtfully covered it in reindeer skin and provided a thermal sleeping bag to keep your bits from freezing off. Here's the hotel's advice on going to bed:

"Dress in warm thermal underwear, put on a hat and slip into the cozy sleeping bag. Share the whole surrealistic ice-night with someone special. Let it be a night to remember."

No doubt.

Warming up in the morning
Staff come to thaw you out in the morning with a mug of hot lingonberry juice, whatever that is, and then stuff you in a sauna until you can move again. You'll spend your day ice fishing, moose tracking, or skating about on dog and reindeer sled trips. And in the evening, you can come back and stay in one of the hotel's separate heated cabins. By all accounts, one night in the IceHotel is enough of an experience for anyone.

Whose idea was it anyway?
Trust the French to have come up with this crazy idea. The IceHotel was born when French artist Jannot Derid held an exhibition in an igloo near the village of Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, the location of the current IceHotel. The town's limited accommodation was packed out and some guests had to spend the night inside the igloo. They must have been the trendy crowd, because the idea caught on.

If you're in Paris, not Lapland, you can have a similar (shorter) experience at the Kube Hotel, which has an Ice Bar along the same lines.

Nice Prices
A night in the freezer will set you back anything between 1120 and 5200 Swedish Kronors (US$175 to US$815) per person sharing a double room, including breakfast. The hotel only exists between December and April - in summer, the whole jamboree is dismantled and thrown back into the river.

Hotels Onda Verde

“The Mediterranean has the color of mackerel, changeable I mean. You don't always know if it is green or violet, you can't even say it's blue, because the next moment the changing reflection has taken on a tint of rose or gray.”

Brisbane Hotels

Brisbane, capital city of Queensland Australia, is home to countless recreational opportunities and boasts big-city arts, entertainment, and shopping. Coined Australia's “most livable city,” Brisbane is more than livable in the way of accommodations for the visitor.

Brisbane hotels are found throughout the city, and include options for all tastes and travel budgets. From the stately and classic, to the ultra-modern or simply the economical, Brisbane hotels treat the visitor to an overnight stay that compliments a stop to this exciting and beautiful city. Many Brisbane hotels are conveniently situated near the Brisbane Airport and downtown Brisbane, in close proximity to all the city has to offer.

The Brisbane Riverview Hotel, located on the Brisbane River, is a five-star Australian hotel that goes to great lengths in its service and accommodations. Boasting fabulous views of the river, the Brisbane Riverview Hotel offers luxurious guest rooms and suites, and its in-hotel restaurant, The Zig Zag, features the freshest Queensland seafood and over 100 premium Australian wines. The Brisbane Riverview Hotel is the closest hotel to the Brisbane Airport, a mere ten minute drive--- and only six minutes from Brisbane's central business district. Also be sure to give the Marriott Hotel Brisbane a good look if you're looking for an option that will enhance your stay in the country.

Other Brisbane hotels include the newer 212 Margaret Street Hotel, situated near the Brisbane Botanical Gardens and offering views of both the Brisbane River and downtown Brisbane skyline. For the corporate traveler, Brisbane offers several extended-stay, apartment style accommodations that include well-appointed corporate meeting rooms and facilities.

Delightful bed and breakfast accommodations are located throughout the city and surrounding areas such as Fortitude Valley and Highgate Hill, and offer the traveler a home away from home-experience. Several Brisbane bed and breakfasts are turn-of-the-century or older Victorian homes, lovingly renovated and equipped with modern amenities that will enable you to enjoy your trip in comfort.

Last minute hotels in Brisbane can be found, especially during the off-season. To book last minute hotels in Brisbane, check with a travel agent or online for web specials. Last minute hotels in Brisbane can be tough to find during the busy tourist season or during special Brisbane city events, but a phone call may net the traveler a room in the event of cancellations.

With all the plentiful options for accommodations that Brisbane offers, the traveler to this wondrous and exciting city is sure to find a perfect fit for one night or several days.