Room Tour & Room Decor Ideas

People often ask me how I did this with the fairy lights.  Basically, at the bottom and top of the canvas I have placed 3 tiny hooks (the transparent, stick on, non-damaging ones) at the corners and in the middle.  I have then wrapped the fairy lights around the canvas, keeping them staying up at the top and bottom by sitting them on the hooks.  A bit difficult to describe but very easy to do! These lights are actually of snowflakes from IKEA that come out around Christmas time but any fairy lights would give a really good effect.

PJATTERYD picture of Audrey Hepburn $69 AUD IKEA
Find it here

I have a huge problem with storage in my room.  While I seem to have tonnes of storage space it is never enough because I find myself hanging on to old clothing items and other things I probably don't need.  When I got my new bedside table I lost a lot of storage space that I used to keep my DVDs and CDs.  I had planned to get a chair for this are of my room but instead I thought I would go with this Ikea footstool which has a tonne of storage space under the seat cushion.  I had no idea how it would look and it was a very spontaneous decision to go out to Ikea and buy it without really thinking about my options but it worked out so well because it ended up looking so nice against the end of my bed.  Its really spacious for a footstool and could basically sit two people, not to mention it is really comfy and sturdy.  This is such a great item from Ikea because it really doesn't look as cheap as it is.  The amount it can store is actually incredible and I have so many DVDs, CDs and electrical items in there with a lot of space still remaining.   I would highly recommend this to be used as extra seating.  The only downside is that it was really difficult to get the white cover on and I think my dad and I actually had to rip a bit of it on the bottom to make it fit! But the footstool itself was simple to put together.  I love this Peter Alexander teddy bear that came with a set of pyjamas (I'm obsessed) so I always have it on display in my room, I think its so adorable!

EKTORP footstool in Blekinge white $179 AUD from IKEA
Find it here 

I had been eyeing this Ikea blanket for the longest time and bought it with no real idea of where I was going to put it.  While the footstool looked great on its own in just the white cover, I decided to put the blanket on it to just add a bit more texture and make it a little less plain.  I think it looks really nice especially under the fairy lights on the wall.  

OFELIA blanket in white $29.99 AUD IKEA
Get it here

Again, I had bought the pink Urban Outfitters cushion without having any plans of what to do with it.  I just saw it on sale while browsing the website and couldn't pass up the adorable ruffles.  It appears they don't sell the cushion it at the moment but they have bedding and curtains in the same texture which you can find here.  The pink cushion was looking a bit lonely on its own so I picked up the white one at Laura Ashley. It has such a pretty pattern on it and adds to textures from the ruffles of the blanket and the Urban Outfitters cushion.

A funny story with the redecorating of my room was that I bought the bedding before I had even found a new bed.  I happened to see this bedding at Laura Ashley on a huge sale so I just got it and decided I would have to find a bed around the bedding.  As far as I know they don't sell this particular bedding any more but they have some really great similar ones if you're after something similar.  If you are interested in this particular pattern, 'Josette', they have a number of different items in that exact pattern which you can find here.  Continuing the story, I had found the perfect bed on the website of a furniture store.  I went with my family down to the shopping centre and it turns out the store had closed down ages ago.  So as we were about to leave I had a look in Snooze and found this really great bed.  It is so girly and pretty and I got the trundle/storage underneath to keep a lot of oldish clothes that I rarely use but aren't willing to throw out yet.

Paris Sleigh bed frame available in a range of sizes and 3 drawer bedside table from Snooze
Find it here 

I love love love everything about this lamp!  I think it speaks for itself.

LYRIK table lamp $49.99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

This little pink pot with the lace trim is from Daiso and they have a bunch of cute ones there.  I just use it to stack my favourite pastel nail polishes that I wear on a regular basis.  The fake flowers are from Ikea as well as the pot and I am loving Ikea's detailing on their pots and candle holders.  In case you are wondering, the Victoria's Secret Angel fragrance spray in Dream is absolutely amazing and I got it at the QVB store for around $30 AUD.  

SKURAR plant pot $2.99 AUD from IKEA
Find it here

I have had this desk chair for years and its still in great condition.  The only issue I have is that the white gets dirty very easily especially as I normally do my makeup there and touch it with foundation-covered hands!  I have fixed this by just repainting it when it gets too bad that it can't be cleaned and it looks brand new.  

JULES swivel chair in white and silver $99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

I have had the desk for ages as well and its actually so helpful to have the little shelf.  I love the look of the glass and I can't imagine ever getting rid of this desk.  

Zed desk in white $399 AUD Freedom Furniture
Find it here
I think they sell the shelf separately!  

VIDJA table lamp in pink $29.99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

As soon as I saw these candle holders on the Ikea website I knew they would be perfect for holding my makeup brushes.  They are so cute and inexpensive and you can use them to hold pens and pencils, flowers or even just stack up nailpolishes.  I have a lot of photo frames in my room because they are probably my favourite thing to decorate rooms with and I really like this one from Ikea.  The edge is quite thick and there is also a border around the photo so it looks a bit more modern than other photo frames.

SKURAR candle holder $2.99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

RIBBA frame in Aluminium $5.99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

I love how much space I have in my bookcase and the white and silver go so perfectly with the rest of my bedroom.

Roma Zig Zag bookcase $599 AUD from Dare Gallery
Find it here

GARNITYR boxes in beige and white flower $34.99 AUD IKEA
Find it here

My makeup drawers are actually desk filing drawers from Officeworks but they look really great for makeup storage and work really well. While they aren't as nice as the acrylic makeup storage drawers you can get for at least over a hundred dollars, for the price these are amazing and still look pretty fancy.  They are also available in a 5 drawer style but the bigger bottom drawer works a lot better for storing my nail polishes and bigger makeup sets and palettes.  I will probably be doing a more detailed review on these very soon and going through my makeup collection.

Keji 4 drawer desktop file $16.96 AUD at Officeworks
Find it here

I love this jewellery stand from Urban Outfitters and it matches the candle holders from Ikea really well.  I just use this to store extra little makeup brushes that come with products as well as any loose jewellery and some nail polishes.  As you can see I also have some flower crowns on it as I didn't know where else to put them!  The two perfumes on the left are Katy Perry and the right are Marc Jacobs Daisy, Britney Spears Fantasy and Britney Spears Curious (don't lie, we all know Britney Spears perfumes smell amazing). Unfortunately Urban Outfitters no longer has the jewellery stand listed on their website but they always have a tonne of cute ones and who knows - they may restock! 

Jars with ribbons or buttons in them are a really easy way to add some decoration to your room and look great on a bookshelf or bedside table.  These jars are from Ikea and I love the really large closure.  You can have so much fun with mixing colours together or dividing them up into separate jars for each colour.  

I recently got my wardrobe redone because I had doors which opened out and took up a lot of space in my room, as well as were falling apart.  I really loved the glass doors and it matches so well with my glass desk but I needed a full-length mirror in my room which is why I went with one door of each.  I really like it - it is very unique and looks a bit fancier than having both doors being mirrored.  I got them done by Easy-Fit Wardrobes and they did a great job. 

Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote in Almond

Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote in Almond $330 AUD from Shopbop
Get it here

I am so excited over this recent purchase!  This had been on my wishlist for quite a while and I decided to purchase it a couple of weeks ago.  I bought this bag from Shopbop and it was quite a good price compared to other retailers.  Shopbop also has free 3 day shipping to Australia on orders over $100 AUD.  Unfortunately I ordered around Easter so it took a pretty long time to get it.  The bag came very well packed and protected, and came with the Rebecca Minkoff dust bag that matches the inside lining of the bag.  It also came with spare tassels in case the ones on the front zip come off or are damaged and need replacing which was really good.  The colour of the bag, "Almond", tends to look quite orange in photos on the internet but it is a true tan and more of a brown than an orange tone.  It is such a big bag - you could fit so much in it which is great for me to take to University, when I am taking my laptop with me or even shopping and can put the items I buy in my bag and not have to carry them all.  It keeps its shape well so even if you don't want to take too much with you, you can't notice there isn't much in there as the bag stays very structured.

The leather is very soft and while the bag is structured, the leather does slouch a bit on the sides which looks really nice.  The tassels on the front zip is also a nice touch, keeping it very minimalistic. 

I'm not crazy about the inside lining of the bag but you cant see it at all from the outside so that isn't an issue at all.  There are two pockets that fit a phone and another larger pocket with a zip on the other side as you can see. The magnetic closure is very sturdy and also helps the bag keep a really nice shape.

Overall, this is a really great bag and I highly recommend it.  It isn't too expensive for a leather, designer label handbag, especially of the size that it is.  If you aren't sure about such a large size bag, I would recommend looking at the Medium MAB tote because this one really is huge.  The leather is so nice and structured, yet has a nice slouch to it and the hardware is great quality.  I would highly recommend this colour as it looks great with almost everything and suits every season.  Rebecca Minkoff is really making her way into my favourite designers and I definitely will purchase from her brand again in the future.

Handbag Wishlist

I am currently obsessing over handbags at the moment and I think the reason it is such an intense obsession is because I am compensating for never having had any interest in them before! I actually have a wishlist of handbags (and a couple of wallets/purses) written in the back of my planner so I thought I'd share them with you!  I have crossed off two on my list and I will have reviews of those coming very soon.  Okay let's get started...

1.  Michael Kors Saffiano Jet Set Travel Tote

Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Tote $349.95 AUD from Apple Store
Image from Apple Store
Check it out here 

This is the "laptop bag" version of the Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Tote, which is only available at the Apple Store.  It is the first of the two bags I have gotten already from my list and I will have a detailed review of this bag coming soon where I will talk about its function as a laptop bag.  I had been wanting this purple colour since they first came out.  Even though it is quite expensive, it functions as both a laptop case and a handbag for everyday use so it is really good value for money, especially considering the quality of the saffiano leather. 

2.  Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote in Almond

Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote $330 AUD from Shopbop
Image from Rebecca Minkoff
Get it here

This bag is the second of the two bags I have crossed off my list and more details to follow.  Most pictures show the bag as being quite orange but it is very much a brown/tan colour.  I love the Rebecca Minkoff MAB totes, they are so minimalistic and the leather is really nice.  

3.  Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC 

Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC $218 AUD from Shopbop
Image from vivaluxury
Get it here

I am in love with this bag!  While the colour probably isn't the most practical for pairing with the clothes I own, it looks incredible and is definitely one I want to get in the future.  I have so many large bags as I tend to carry a lot of things with me but I think it would be good to purchase a nice quality smaller bag for going out at night or when I don't need many things with me.  There are so many other nice colours to choose from but nothing beats mint.  Rebecca Minkoff always does an amazing job with the hardware on her handbags.  The price isn't too bad either so I think this is a great bag to get if you want something nice quality and real leather, as well as a designer label.

4.  Michael Kors Mini Hamilton 

Michael Kors Mini Hamilton Crossbody Bag $230 AUD from Bloomingdales
Image from FiveFiveFabulous 
Get it here

This is such a cute crossbody bag but it is so tiny for the price.  While it is really good quality, you can basically only fit your phone, keys and a lipgloss in there so this is something you'd have to think a lot about before purchasing.  There is something so cute about mini bags though.

5. Louis Vuitton Speedy 35 in Damier Ebene

Louis Vuitton Speedy 35 in Damier Ebene $1150 from Louis Vuitton
Image from Purseblog
Get it here

Okay so this is the most expensive of the lot by far.  I really am not one that would ever justify spending this much money on a bag but there is just something about this bag that makes me think it is worth it.  I had always told myself the only Louis Vuitton bag I think is worth purchasing is the Speedy because it is definitely one to go with everything and be a great everyday bag.  The price isn't too steep compared to most other Louis Vuitton bags.  I had never really been a fan of the monogram pattern of their handbags because they do look quite cheap so I had always been looking at the Damier Ebene and Damier Azur.  I was at University a month or so ago and saw a girl in my class had this bag in the Damier Ebene and it looked so great in person and such good quality, especially the hardware.  I think this is definitely the only Louis Vuitton I will ever have interest in and I think it would be a perfect everyday bag and last a very long time.

and some wallets...

There are also a couple of wallets I have been loving lately so I thought I'd include them in this post...

1. Kate Spade Heart Coin Purse

Kate Spade Heart Coin Purse $87 AUD from Shopbop
Image from Shopbop
Get it here

The colour of this coin purse is so fun and would be really great for Spring and Summer.  While I love my Louis Vuitton coin purse, I have been using it since 2008 and I think this would be a great purchase just to change things up a bit.  The quote just gives it such a nice minimalistic touch.  Just super cute!

2. Kate Spade Cherry Lane Stacy Wallet

Kate Spade Cherry Lane Stacy Wallet $111 AUD from Shopbop
Image from Shopbop
Get it here

Another amazing bright colour!  I have never had a wallet that isn't basically all black before and I really want to just get out of my comfort-zone with some bright accessories.  Again, I love the minimalistic style with the "Kate Spade New York" and the little spade above it.  Kate Spade does accessories very well.

Thats it!

These are all I plan to keep on my handbag/purse wishlist and I don't think I'll be adding anything else in the foreseeable future unless I replace something due to it being discontinued and sold out, etc.

Let's see what I end up getting and crossing off the list!  I hope you got some ideas from this of items you'd like to get :) 

Floppy hats

Salem Hat in Black $55 AUD from Beginning Boutique

I am seriously loving the 'floppy hat' trend lately for autumn and winter.  I have never been a hat person or ventured into buying any other type of hat ever since I was old enough to do my own shopping (haha) but I kept picturing some really nice outfits with a wide, floppy brimmed hat!  Recently Beginning Boutique had a 25% off sale and I saw this black floppy hat on there and thought "why not?" and talked myself into buying it.  While I had been thinking of getting one for a while, it was definitely an impulse buy as I had no idea if I would look ridiculous in one or if black was the right colour I should go for, etc. I am so glad that I got it because I really love it! Although I'm not sure how confident I would be to wear it to certain places, it makes such a cute outfit when going to the park or for walks, especially in the cooler weather while it is still sunny.  I love the cute little bow/tie on the side of the hat and it adds a nice detail.  If you are thinking of getting one but aren't sure how it will look, I really recommend just going for it because if it doesn't look bad on me, it won't look bad on you! I have seen them in so many colours and they are a really great item to make any plain outfit look a thousand times more put-together and cute!  I am really loving the burgundy and wine coloured ones which are so perfect for autumn and winter but the black was definitely a good choice for me as it goes with a lot more of my clothes.  I would eventually like to get another one in a wine colour but for the moment I'm going to just stick to the black.  

Here are some pictures from when I went for a walk to the park the other day...(please excuse the bad quality photos as these were taken on my phone)

As you can see from these pictures I wore a very simple outfit - plain black Supre leggings, a light grey top with white sleeves with black stripes (bought it in a bigger size for a "sweater" look) from a random store in the City but they also sold it at Beginning Boutique, and just a pair of flip flops as I was running too late to look for sandals in my closet! I think the hat definitely made the outfit look so much more dressy and put-together, and it looked so perfect with my loose curls and my Luxy Hair Extensions.

Here are some similar hats if you'd like to check them out:

Salem Hat $55 AUD from Beginning Boutique
Image from Beginning Boutique
Get it here

Peaked Hat $49 AUD from Beginning Boutique
Image from Beginning Boutique
Get it here

Wool Hat $36 AUD from Showpo
Image from Showpo
Get it here

Felt Hat $39.95 AUD from Dissh
Image from Dissh
Get it here

Definitely check these links out and don't forget to look up some discount codes as there are always some for these websites :)

Chi Chi Glamorous Nudes Eye Shadow Palette

I had been hearing a lot about the Chi Chi eyeshadow palettes from Australian beauty bloggers and was always wanting to pick one up.  I was in Target today and saw they had a Chi Chi gift set (exclusive to Target) on clearance for $12 down from $24.95 which included the "Glamorous Nudes Eye Shadow Palette", four mini "Viva la Diva" lip glosses and a full-sized "Pink Rose" blush (apparently a value of over $50).  The Chi Chi eyeshadow palettes are $22.95 and come in a variety of colours - "Nudes", "Brights", "Bronzes", "Bases", "Classics", "Oasis", "Rich Gems" and "Sultry".

Starting off with the packaging, the palette does look quite nice and it is great to be able to see the shades (although once the palette gets a bit of wear or gets damaged this could be a bad thing!).  However, it is made of a cheap plastic which seems pretty flimsy and I can imagine it could break very easily. You might also notice that the eyeshadow pans are very crooked but I'm not sure if this is just a bad one I picked up or if it is something that runs throughout their products.

As you can see, there is a great mix of matte and shimmer colours, so this palette is great for both a dramatic smokey eye or just a natural everyday look.  I tend to always go for the same neutral eye looks and rarely change it up, so this palette is perfect for me as it has all the colours I need.  

The best thing about this palette is that it is almost identical in colour range to the Urban Decay Naked Palette. Here is a comparison:

Urban Decay Naked Palette (image from Dyno Pretty Pup)

Chi Chi Glamorous Nudes Eye Shadow Palette 

The colours of this Chi Chi palette are clearly dupes for the Urban Decay Naked Palette, however I cannot comment on how the performance measures up having not tried the Naked palette.  It is very difficult to get the Naked palette in Australia (not to mention expensive) so I would recommend this Chi Chi palette as a great alternative based on my experience with it and the clear similarity in colour range.  The pigmentation of these shadows are quite good. Not the best but for the price it is very reasonable and does the job well.  I have also tested these out when wet and that works really brilliantly, especially the light shimmer shades.  Overall, this is a great product for the price and is perfect for someone after the Urban Decay Naked Palette but can't get access to it or isn't sure if it will be worth the price.

Swatches - left to right