Cottage Bedroom*

Cottage bedroom by sunae-reilly featuring a glass vase

With my plans to travel Europe coming to fruition later this year, my mind has started to wander off in wild fantasies of running away to the English countryside when I finish uni, buying a cute little cottage and settling down as a homebirthing midwife. I picture myself warming my hands by a fire, drinking tea as I look out the window across snowy fields. Ideally, my little cottage wouldn't be too far from Cornwall, so that in the summer I could drive through the fields, now lush and green, for day trips to the seaside. My cottage would be a little run down when I bought it, but I'd take a lot of pride in renovating and decorating it.

I've recently become a brand ambassador for Graham & Brown and I think their Northern Rose wallpaper would make the perfect feature wall in my cottage's french provincial style bedroom. I'd pair it with furniture in neutral colours. The big, puffy settee, large bed full of cushions and throws, and coloured glass evoke a soft, country vintage charm when paired with the bright and beautiful floral wallpaper. This room would be the kind that you'd happily lounge around in on a Sunday morning, and struggle to leave on a dreary day. Soft blues and pinks in the accessories would tie the room together and sweet smelling candles would perfume the air. 

My dreams of owning an English cottage are a long way off coming true, and I haven't even convinced Jake to come on my holiday with me yet, let alone move half way around the world, but who knows what the future has in store? 

Bright Bedroom Wishlist & Moving Home*

Bright Bedroom by sunae-reilly featuring a hooked rug

Those of you who follow me on various social media platforms will probably already know that I moved back in with my parents this weekend. There were a variety of reasons for this - the main one being my health and I've realised that it's definitely the right option for me at this time in my life. I won't be moving out again in a hurry, and for the first time in a long time, I'm finally going to have the money to decorate a little!

The above colour scheme was inspired by that awesome, lime green bean bag which is from Bean Bag Boss, and the brightly coloured floral duvet cover which is from K-mart and is currently on special for just $29! Moving back into mum and dads means that a lot of my stuff is having to go into storage, and I'll be back to a single bedroom again, so I like the idea of the bean bag so I have somewhere to sit and read, away from the rest of the crazy house, and can just tuck it out the way under the bed or in a corner when I'm done.

This is a slightly brighter take on the pastels that I usually go for, but I love that all I'd have to do is switch out the duvet cover to return to that softer look if I wanted to. I'm currently working on a bright/pastel granny square blanket to fit a double bed and think the pops of colour in this little collage would go really well with the yarn I've chosen. Any guesses what my favourite colour is? Hint: it's everywhere in the above picture! Follow the links below the collage to find out where everything is from! What do you think of this colour scheme? Anything in particular that you love from this collage?

Summer lovin'

Summer lovin' by sunae-reilly featuring a floppy hat

It's not even halfway through spring in Australia right now, and already temperatures are above 30 degrees C. This means I am already trying to cover up my pale, freckly skin when I go outside and I'm in desperate need of fashionable, reasonably sun-safe outfits that can be thrown over swimmers this summer.

On Sunday while waiting for my fish and chips at The Bream Hole in Lennox Head, Jake and I decided to browse the surf shop next door. Neither of us seem to go in there often for some reason, so I was surprised at how much of the stuff in there I fell in love with! Originally I just wanted a simple black skirt which was on the sale rack outside for $30, but when I went in to try it on, I just fell in love with these high-waisted shorts! I've wanted some high-waisted denim for so long, and these are just perfect. The cross-stitch detail is so cute and adds the perfect vintage-style touch. I also found a gorgeous brown felt hat with feathers all around the base, but I can't find it anywhere online! Jake convinced me to lay-by them so I can spread out the investment (because it's obviously an investment buying $70 shorts) over a couple of weeks, so I should be able to get them out next weekend.

With these shorts, I've created two different summer looks which I think would be perfect for lazy summer days in Lennox Head, and which I know will translate perfectly from beach wear, to an outfit I can wear out to lunch, or browsing the local markets. The red saltwater shoes are an especially exciting addition to this wish list, as I've been coveting them for ages and they retail for about $110 in shops around Byron. The Iconic's price is a total bargain, and I'm pretty sure I could get an extra 10% off with Unidays as well.

The trend I am most excited about this summer is obviously hats, as I have always considered it important to shade my face while I'm outside (mostly in an attempt to fade my freckles) and the massive range available at the moment excited me so much! As well as the pretty, feathery hat I saw in the surf shop, I would love a plain black felt one, and a couple of straw ones as well for a little bit of choice when accessorising my summer outfits.

Are there any summer trends exciting you this year? Or even if it's Autumn where you are, what are you most excited about for the coming season? For me it's definitely 3 months off uni and lazy beach days!

The Dream Rental and a Wednesday Bedroom Wishlist

So, Jake and I have officially started house hunting after inspecting one property on Monday together, and me inspecting another alone  yesterday. It's really starting to sink in that soon all our living arrangement hassles will be over and we will be living together, like we should be!

The unit we went and looked at on Monday was in such a great spot, with views overlooking North Creek and big sliding doors which led out onto a verandah off the living room, but inside it was really disappointing! The photos on the internet made it look quite okay, where in reality, it looked like the chipboard in the kitchen and bathroom cupboards was about to turn to dust, the bedrooms were more like cupboards than anything, and everything was quite chipped and outdated. I wanted to apply for it anyway after looking, convinced that we couldn't afford anything better but Jake wasn't keen at all, and for once I listened to him and agreed we would find something better suited to our needs.

Then we saw this beauty in the real estate listings:

It was a little ($80) over our price range, but I instantly fell in love with it and just knew I had to find a way to convince Jake to let me go to the inspection the next day. I sat down and drew up a budget - one with my estimated weekly earnings doing one day of child care a week plus my benefit, and one with my benefit alone to prove to Jake that even if I had a bad week for work we could still make ends meet in this place with careful budgeting on my part (he is fine, he is about to get a pay rise so Mr. Richpants didn't need a budget drawn up). Although he was a little sceptical of my ability to actually stick to a budget, finally he agreed that I could go and look at the house and see if it suited our needs.

Well, what can I say? IT'S PERFECT! I'm not kidding. Its even nicer in real life than in the photos and I just about died walking around it and seeing how gorgeous it is! The fireplace had me actually, literally squealing with delight, as I've always wanted a fireplace to curl up with a book beside, and it has a shed and everything, which will keep Jake happy. Oh, and it's right across the road from my old school, which is where I am planning on doing my work experience for uni, and hopefully getting a job one day. Can you see why it's my dream rental?

My biggest thing for Jake and I at the moment is finding a place where we will be comfortable for the next few years. This will be my third move this year and I am so sick of the whole process - I just want somewhere we can settle down and start making some memories together. Somewhere we can actually call home! I don't really think we would be happy living in a poky, little unit because we both like our space, and we really need something with a garage for his motorbike, tools, bmx, kite board and whatnot (yeah, he has a lot of hobbies and a lot of junk). I know we would be comfortable in this house, and if we got it, I don't think we would move unless we got kicked out, or found the money to buy our own home. With two bedrooms, an office, a sun room, an entertaining area, a shed and separate dining and lounge room, it honestly has everything we could ask for. Unfortunately, with about 30 other people at the inspection yesterday, most of them older, wiser and in better financial positions than Jake and I, I'm not feeling too hopeful about getting this place. I will certainly try though!

1*/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

When we move, I really want to update our bedroom. I started doing this at my place in Southport, but decorating a room you hate spending time in isn't much fun, so I didn't get very far. I did buy a gorgeous, pink and white floral Laura Ashley quilt set though, and ordered a custom bright, floral watercolour print from Autumn's shop to hang on the wall. This wish list is inspired by the colours in that print, and by my desire to bring a bit more colour into our bedroom. 

The chest of drawers from Bedroom Furniture Solutions* is exactly what I need to store my vast amounts of clothes, and the top two drawers are the perfect size to house accessories. I thought that replacing the wooden knobs with cute, ceramic ones would help to brighten the room a little and make the chest of drawers mine. I loved some of the beds from Bedroom Furniture Solutions as well, but since we already have two perfectly good ones of those, and a limited budget that was out of the question! At the moment half of my clothes are in a small, broken pine set of drawers in the garage, and I've been meaning to paint it and fix it up for ages, but I really do need something bigger, so I'm better off buying something new and saving my DIY energy for another project.

I love everything in this set so much, even though some of it is a little out of my price range (ahem, vintage alarm clock). Turquiose, yellow and pink are the perfect colours for our bedroom, and if we get that awesome house, I will have to buy myself a few things off this wishlist to celebrate! 

Wish me luck!

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Bedroom Furniture Solutions. All opinions are 100% my own. Photos of the house are from the Ballina McGrath Real Estate website

Wednesday Wish List: Black Milk Hogwarts Collection

Undesirable Top/ Patronus Leggings/ Deathly Hallows Swimsuit 

Ravenclaw Shooter/ Deathly Hallows Leggings/ Weasley Weather Top

So, many of you will already know that Black Milk Clothing's Hogwarts collection came out last week, and if you follow Leona, Becky and I on twitter, you will most definitely know that I am crazy about it, as I think it's basically all we could talk about in the lead up to the collection going on sale last Tuesday. Ever since I first heard about the collection, I just knew I'd be crazy about it. It's no secret that I'm a die-hard Harry Potter fan, and most of my friends probably think that I'm bordering insanity with the amazing height my obsession has reached, but I just can't help it. Is it so wrong for someone to want to believe in magic in this world we are living in?

Anyway, since I lost my job a few weeks ago, I unfortunately can't afford anything from the collection just yet. Thankfully, my birthday is just around the corner, and I've managed to convince basically everyone I love to buy me a piece from the collection as a gift, so I thought I'd share my little wish list on the blog. It was so hard trying to narrow down which pieces I really want, and I still am a little bit torn between the Deathly Hallows swimsuit and this Ravenclaw one, but I know for sure that that Undesirable shirt will be mine, and I'm absolutely stoked that my family, friends and Jake (who hates Harry Potter, btw) support my obsession!

What would you like from the collection, if anything? Are you as obsessed with Harry Potter, and this collection, as Leona, Becky and myself?

BEDM: Spring is here?

I had a really great idea for this post today. I was going to go for a nice, long walk and take pictures of pretty, blooming flowers and sunshine and other spring-ish things and then (because I'm from Australia) talk all about how great Autumn is. You know, just to be confusing and what-not since I had no bloody idea what to write about Spring in the middle of Autumn in a country which doesn't really actually have proper seasons other than "flood" and "drought".

Unfortunately, it started pouring with rain just as I stepped outside and so I had to rethink my options. Cue polyvore and a wish list which would work well for Spring up the top of the world, or Autumn down here at the bottom:

Uni Casual #4 by sunae-reilly featuring pamela mann tights
cardigan / top / skirt / tights / shoes
jewellery is real gold, modelled after what I wear every day.

I basically live in skater skirts these days, especially for a day at uni. Only problem is I only have two and so basically look the same every day. I need more tops like this polka dot one and fun, coloured cardigans to mix them up with to create some different looks. These je t' aime tights are basically the cutest thing I have ever seen, as well! I first saw a pair like them on Annika's blog, but I'm not sure if they were the exact same ones. Tights are a must at uni for me lately - the air con is always freezing in the lecture rooms and I always feel warmer with even that little bit of light cover on my legs. 

What do you think? 

Does my "Autumn" outfit work for Spring as well? 

If you're doing BEDM as well, leave me a comment below so I can check your posts out!

Cute Cushions

Since getting our new-to-us lounge last week, I have been super excited about finally getting our living room looking the way I have always wanted it to look. We have a bit of a blue, white and orange theme going on at the moment thanks to my Blue Willow collection and an antique plate given to me by mum, and I am absolutely loving the pop of brightness it brings to an otherwise boring room. I would really like to bring this all together with some nice, bright cushions on the lounge but right now choice is not my friend, and neither is my bank balance!

I can't decide whether I'd like plain blue cushions with orange patterned ones or plain orange cushions with blue patterned ones. What do you think? I've put together a little wish list below of patterned cushions which I love, but besides from number 3 which, being Blue Willow, is obviously my first choice and is wayyy out of my price range, I can't decide which I like best.

Since budget is an issue, I will probably end up making whichever patterned cushions I end up with, but I'm curious - which type of pattern do you think I should go with based on the pictures below? Orange or blue? And simple like the middle two, or busy like the others?

Decisions, decisions, decisions I tell you!

Cute Cushions by sunae-reilly on Polyvore

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Nervous!

Oh my goodness! I have my first O-week activity for uni tomorrow and I am absolutely freaking out guys! This moment has been such a long, long moment in the making and now it is finally here, I am beside myself with nerves! I'm so worried that I won't make a good impression, or might find it hard making friends, and I'm so worried that I'm not going to be able to keep up with my workload that I've been sitting here all night with my tummy in a knot, and I can't even eat my dinner!

Funnily enough, the thing that is worrying me the most is what to wear. I knowww, how girly and predictable of me, right? But i swear, it's not like me at all! I'm the girl who chucks on whatever she feel good in and heads out the door. The girl who dresses for her mood, for her taste, for her own aesthetic and doesn't give a hoot what anyone thinks of her. The girl with "the tablecloth dress", the jarmy shirt and the funky hippy dress which get worn absolutely all the time! So why am I stressing out? Why am I so adamant that I make a good impression on these people? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that people keep on telling me the friends you have in uni are the friends you'll have for the rest of your life! The rest of my life is hopefully going to be a long, long time, people! In fact, I'm really holding out hope that humans are immortal by the time I reach like, 45. Forever is a long time to be talking to the same old girls, so naturally, I want to make friends with the right people! 

I know this is a trivial thing to worry about, and I know that I should just dress in what I feel comfortable in so that I make friends with similar aesthestic taste and interests as me, but I still feel like I have nothing to wear. I'm sorted for tomorrow, because I'm wearing the new outfit I bought the other week, but for the next three years' worth of classes - I'm worried!

The new outfit

I made a few Polyvore wishlists that I would like to share with you - three different styles which I would totally wear in a heartbeat, and all of the clothes in the sets are under $50 a piece, so I might eventually be able to actually buy a few of these things to incorporate into my wardrobe and make dressing for uni that much easier. All of the jewellery in the pictures is similar to stuff I already have and wear everyday. I'm not such a fool as to think I'll be getting any new jewellery any time soon - student budgets are not forgiving!

Anyway, take a look and see what you think. The pretty nude bag is something I REALLY want! I need a good, big, neutral bag for uni, so if I budget hard enough...

My Polyvore

What do you think of the styles I picked out? Anything in there that you think I'd get a lot of wear out of? Obviously the black skirt would be a winner, but what about the other things?

P.S. Sorry for my overuse of exclamation marks in this post. I'm seriously just that nervous!