November is almost done, and our Queen Bee Janine is reflecting on the month that was - and sharing some of her classic anecdotes in the process. [caption id="attachment_5446" align="alignleft" width="248"]

 Our Queen Bee, Janine[/caption] I'm often asked what age a Harper Bee girl is. I always answer that a Harper Bee girl is not a certain age, it's when she reaches a particular stage - where she wakes up one morning and states 'I hate my bedroom. That Disney doona cover is so embarrassing. I want my own space - with fluffy cushions on the bed, a sitting area to gossip with my BFF and a cool homework desk with pinboards and organisers. Hot pink is SO not in. I want rose gold and aqua. On everything.' This month, to celebrate our Harper Bee girls, we focused on Bedroom makeovers. Gabby from The Fat Cushion was in our Chermside store to talk to mums about great styling tips, and we created some fantastic bedroom gift packs that are sure to transform any tween's bedroom. When I was young, I had to share my bedroom with Michael, my older brother. If that wasn't bad enough, the bedroom didn't get much light, and the walls had a boring patterned wallpaper on them. Obviously Harper Bee wasn't around back then, so I took matters into my own hands and decided to do a bit of redecorating when mum and dad were asleep. The wallpaper pattern had gaps in it, so, armed with a red crayon, I drew ballerinas in all the places I could reach.  My father, a strict disciplinarian, was not at all impressed and I can still remember the telling off I got. At the time I thought I had done a great job, with the ballerinas blending into the overall pattern. Years later, Dad showed me a photo of the wallpaper. I had just drawn lopsided circles and squiggles all over the wall. No ballerina in sight. [caption id="attachment_5445" align="alignright" width="216"]

'Tween' Janine[/caption] Still, it got the desired effect - Dad and mum got rid of the horrible wallpaper, stuck Michael in a bedroom near the garage, and did a bedroom makeover that made my BFF's swoon. It was dark purple and hot pink - the walls, the carpet, the beds, the cupboards, the desk and the painting on the wall. To top it off, at night Dad would bring in a stereo speaker on a long cord from the 'front room' (the formal living room where the grown-ups went to drink spirits and listen to music) and I would go to sleep listening to the soundtrack from Jesus Christ Superstar.  Life was perfect. (That is, until Malcolm Pentecost put his arm around me in video class and I obviously had to drop him.But that's another story.) I hope you enjoyed the month of bedroom mayhem at Harper Bee. If you have decided to update your tween's bedroom in the run up to Xmas, I would love to hear your ideas - and see before and after photos! Until next month Janine