I’m writing this with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Not just because it’s Monday (although that never helps). But because Flea – my tiny, precious Flea – is currently in Switzerland on her first ever ski trip, with school.
I’m trying not to hyperventilate just typing that sentence. I mean, do you have ANY idea how many Terrible Things can happen to a small child on a mountain?
I do.
Since she left at 5am on Saturday, I’ve been mentally compiling an A-Z of Terrible Things That Could Happen, starting with ‘avalanche’ and ending with ‘zip line snapping’.
It’s been a long weekend.
Don’t get me wrong. I am THRILLED for Flea that she’s getting to go on such an exciting adventure with some of her best friends. I am confident she’ll have an amazing time and learning to ski at 9 has to be easier than learning in your teens and twenties, right?
But it’s hard. Really hard.
So I’ve been keeping myself busy by finishing off Flea’s bedroom. I also emptied both laundry baskets completely for the first time since 2005, which is no small achievement.
Flea’s bedroom makeover is quite a big deal – she’s been living with yellow walls and Winnie the Pooh since we moved in to this house seven years ago, and it’s well overdue a makeover – so we’re going for a Harry Potter theme. I’ll do a full post once it’s all complete but I couldn’t resist sharing a sneak peek at this amazing wall mural from Wallsauce that we’ve just put up.
Wallsauce has the most amazing range of murals for all sorts of rooms, and I am a bit jealous that Flea gets to have this Hogwarts mural on her wall. It’s the sort of thing I can imagine falling asleep looking at, and imagining I’m on my way to the Great Hall for sorting…
Cleverly, it’s made to measure so you don’t get that issue of having to chop off part of the picture, or have blank wall at either side that you get with some kids’ wall murals. Although I will say that our decorator told me the paper was actually 1.5cm shorter than the order form suggested it should be, so I would over-over-estimate if you do order from the site, as the mural ended up ever so slightly short.
The mural cost £250 for the most expensive, textured and ready-pasted version that just needed to be stuck to the wall (dead simple) and I love it. It arrived with a diagram showing which order the panels should be put up in, along with detailed instructions. It was all carefully packaged, and the decorator says it went up on the wall very easily.
Walls done (we painted the remainder in a simple off-white shade), we added some cute Harry Potter prints, some new furniture, rugs and lighting and the makeover is almost done. All I need to do now is take down the curtain pole I installed yesterday (my best friend HELPFULLY tells me it isn’t level), and wait for my Mum to drop off the curtains she’s making for me (thanks, Mum).
And hopefully, when Flea comes home in six days or so, she’ll arrive to a fully completed, brand new bedroom.
Can’t wait.
Love love love the mural and the prints! She’s a lucky kid.
All that AND she has me for a mother.
Oh gosh yes, it’s horrible when they’re away. Whoever dreamt up school trips?
I remember the last time you blogged about school trips, Flea didn’t want to go on one, and was the only one in the class not to want to go. You were trying to decide whether to encourage her, or just let her do her own thing. How times have changed!
School trips are evil. Evil. And yes I do remember (fondly) the days when she refused to go!
Great wall mural, by the way. She’ll love it.
thanks 🙂
Oh my! I can’t decide whether to put snow or beach on M’s wall! I have to do hers this summer too, though I wish she would wait until next year when she has to go on PGL for a week. At which point I will also be in need of a project. Apparently another year is too long to wait though, for the ousting of One Direction and pink walls.
Ah, 1D. Sniff. I am not sure I’m ready to talk about it yet.
Wow! That is a great project! I am sure she will love it. I cannot imagine how you are feeling as have never been left on my own, but would probably be the same. I have mentioned on twitter how happy I am for you and Flea and skiing is one of my most favourite sports! I used to be a ski instructor in the Czech Republic, so if you in the future are after cheap ski holidays, give me a shout! I could even help with teaching you ;_) And she is fine, having probable amazing time with her mates, try to take it easy!
It’s a funny feeling and you worry a LOT (or I do, at least) but I know it’s only me feeling this way, I’m sure she’s having a ball.
That mural looks amazing AND Flea is going to love it. I’m sure Flea’s having an incredible time – amazing experience for a 9 year old and will come home in one piece x
Yes, hopefully she hasn’t inherited my clumsy gene!
Definitely better to learn how to ski when you’re 9 rather than 39! She will love every minute of it. Tough to be the one at home, though…
That mural is amazing, Sally! She’s going to love it. Those prints look great. Where did you get them?
The prints are from Etsy and the larger one is from the Studio tour, we picked it up a few months back on our last visit.
Looks anazing! We did exactly the same thing when my youngest daughter went on her Year 6 residential. She’s horse mad and we found some lovely grown up (not pink) horsey wallpaper for a feature wall and redecorated her entire room , new furniture, duvet/blinds etc. She arrived back home the day before her birthday and we told her she could have one present early – it was in her room. She raced upstairs and when she saw her bedroom she actually cried she was so overwhelmed and happy!! We’ll never forget it (and the staying up till 2am painting the walls!)
Thanks Debbie, I’m hoping she’ll be pleased 🙂
Hello! We are looking to create a Harry Potter room for my 12 year old and I LOVE this mural. I went to the site though and couldn’t find it. Was this custom ordered?
I think it’s been discontinued from the Walltastic site as they stopped selling the range it was part of. I haven’t seen anything similar, though.