Friday 11 September 2009

Bargain big boy room

I'm not sure if I would really ever want to win the lottery. I mean sure it would be nice to suddenly have a lot of money but when I think about the responsibility of it and how it would change my life, I wonder if it would be worth it.

For as long as I can remember, I have always gotten excited over finding bargains. One of my favourite things to do on a Saturday morning is to go garage sale-ing. Actually, it's something Shaune and I love doing together. I'm one of those people who when you tell me you like something I'm wearing - I can't help but blurt out it was ten bucks!

Maybe that doesn't make me very chic or sophisticated but I really don't care. My love for a great deal trumps my need to appear cool. So that's why I wanted to share this post with you. Shaune and I recently finished renovating our guest bedroom into Deaglan's 'big boy' room and it is filled with DIY (that's do it yourself for people like Jennifer who had never heard of that acronym before) projects and Kijiji finds.

This postcard was a gift from one of Aunt Chrissy's (Shaune's youngest sister) friends who is from Ireland. The common spelling of Deaglan's name is Declan, but I love that it also has the gaelic spelling. We encased this in a dollar store frame and drilled it into his door.

On this wall I printed out eight 8x10 black and white prints of some of my most recent favourite pictures. These frames are white and were each $1.50. They look really good against the grey walls.

I found this race car bed on kijiji (a community website sort of like Craig's list) for $40. I bought the comforter, matching lamp, light switch plate, bolster and pillow sham for under $50. at Liquidation world. Deaglan loves this bed and it is low enough that we don't worry about him falling out.
On the wall opposite to the one with the 8x10's we put up three finger painting masterpieces done by our little artist. The canvases were $2.00 each and I already had the finger paints.

The dollar store also had these 5x7 mini canvases on which I traced stencilled letters (I printed out extra large letters from the computer and traced them onto the canvases and coloured them in with a blue marker). Shaune had a piece of wood that we painted (with paint left over from the wall colour) and then hammered each letter onto. Total the project cost us $3.00. On the left is a tire wall clock from Walmart and opposite is a little mirror. (I'm not crazy about the mirror and am keeping an eye out for something more interesting.)


I found the dresser, matching night table (which we put near the foot of the bed) and the book shelf on kijiji for $70.00 total. All three pieces are in excellent condition.
Deaglan just loves this room. At least once a day he tells us that he wants to go up to his new room and play. Tonight is the first full night that he will sleep in there. I hope it's a peaceful night. So far so good.

13 comments:

  1. Wow! I just love it! Does he like it? How did he do his first night? That bed is REALLY cool!

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  2. So fun. I love decorating my kid's rooms. You are far more creative than I am though.

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  3. Very cute stuff - I love the photo collage! I hope he slept through the night in there - let us know how it went.

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  4. Very pretty room. And those finger paintings look like masterpieces :)

    Love the photo collection too

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  5. You've got some great ideas!

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  6. I love a bargain! It's in my blood. I've been down and out and I've been fairly well-off, but I've always been on the lookout for a bargain.

    I love Deaglan's big boy room. It's so cute when they get their first bed, wow, $40! What a find. The room is very well put together, and he looks so big in this pic. They grow so fast. Sigh.

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  7. I love his room and I am thinking that I may be creating a photo collage for my girls too. Bargain shopping is the best and I always get excited when i find deals.

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  8. I love love love the black and whites!

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  9. Hi, Kim...just working my way around the world to see my friends again, and to say hello...and of course, I didn't want to miss you!!! Deaglan is getting so grown up!!! Wow!!! What a difference a summer makes! And what a wonderful room you have designed for him!!!! What a lucky little boy!! Hope all is well for you and your family! Love to you~Janine XO

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  10. I bark out my bargains too! :0 I think his room looks great!

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  11. Wow! You did a great job. Can you come over and decorate for me? I love finding good bargains too. The photo collage is really nice. I'm sure Deaglan will love his big boy room!

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  12. The room turned out soo well!!! I just love the way the photos turned out and his little personalized door knocker. So many Do IT Yourself ideas! Jt

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  13. Awesome. I think bargain decorating is the BEST. You have done a wonderful job. What also matters is the love you have put into it. Including Deaglan's art is a bonus!

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