26 March 2011

the FIRST IKEA Sydney sleepover

Greetings all,
Well what can i say, this was SO MUCH FUN!!  Thank you One Green Bean for inviting me & IKEA for the awesome hospitality at the sleepover last night in Sydney.  10000 ladies across Australia entered & 25 lucky girls were chosen to attend the party with their best friend, for the ultimate sleepover party in everybody's favourite furniture department store. 
 After changing into pyjamas & gowns, we were invited into Smalland where we got to play up like our children in the ball pit, see saws & just go nuts, it was a blast.
 I might mention now we had male models to wait on us all night & play with us too!!
 The night was filled with television cameras & interviews, IKEA will be making a movie & the Today Show will televise it on Sunday morning (channel 9) - their sweet reporter was very brave in the ball pit in that dress!! 
 Then we went on a treasure hunt to find the bedding we'd be sleeping in (& get to keep in an Oprah style "you get a doona" kind of fashion) so a haul of sheets, quilt cover set + doona of our choice (warm for Canberra) & pillow to suit how you sleep (i'm a side/ belly sleeper - i slept like a baby with my new pillow).
 While my bedding was being delivered to bed number 11 . . . we dined at pretty tables with flowers & heard from the volunteer manager of Bear Cottage (the hospice for terminally ill children which IKEA Family supports - they donated $5000 to them on the night, $100 for every lady at the sleepover).
 I was behind a queue of hungry meat ball lovers, but i went for salmon & vegetables, oh & a muffin & a chocolate mousse & a bread roll & a slice of cake & an organic juice - no, i didn't eat it all at once!!
 After dinner we were escourted to the bedding department which was about to be transformed into a massive sleepover party by making up all the beds!!
 Check it out, Johnsons&Johnsons bags filled with incredible products . . . i'm sharing my bounty with my daughters (my son has already taken the toothbrush) & my darling Shop Handmade girls!!  Thank you J&J - loving it all.
 Now where are these guys when i'm making up all the beds at my home??  They seriously took love & care with my hospital corners (they found out my husband was military & knew i'd have standards) & even turned down my bed like seasoned housekeepers at the Intercontinental.
 Oh yes, really, sleeping in the bedding department!!
 It was very well organised, we felt very welcome, thanks ladies!!
 I was bam smack in the middle of all the beds, so guess where the cameraman on the ladder was . . . RIGHT above me, taking all the shots of us ALL in bed at the same time.  I was thinking about the most flattering chin angle i could pose while fake sleeping!!
 Complimentary slippers, check.
 There were activities all night . . . this fortune teller was hilarious.
 Oh heavenly, massages for everyone.
 Manicures were very popular late into the night.
 There were best friends having a great girlie catch up.  Lots of pyjama chat too - i went into Peter Alexander in Chatswood at lunchtime to pick out a new set of jammies & a robe, only to find another lucky IKEA sleepover lady doing the same thing - what are the chances??  So we made sure we chose different sets & caught up at the event - turns out, she teaches as my old school!!
  Girls giving midnight DIY a go, as you do!!
 These lucky ladies had a full room set up as their bedroom for the night, ah serenity (these mummies have 9 children between, a tranquil night off indeed).
 We were all settling in & making new friends, talking late into the night.
 The male models brought around chilled bottles of water & sparkling apple cidar. 
 Mmmm midnight snacks.
 It's not a girlie sleepover without chick flicks - first up "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" & "Valentine's Day" which amazingly are girlie movies i was happy to watch.
 This chill out zone was popular, what better way to spend a Friday night, flopped out with girlfriends in front of big screens - i had a neat view of both from my bed!!  Look at this lovely lady in her pretty night gown, she was gorgeous, truly a night for girls of all ages.
 Oh, more food . . . a full breakfast & no, couldn't finish all this either!!
 Oh yes, we all ROLLED out of IKEA in the morning, so well looked after, filled bellies, whole new range of bedlinen & every possible toiletry a girl could ever want for + new friends. 
 This was how i left my hire car at sunset on Friday night, told you i hired the smallest car possible!!
So there you have it, the first ever sleepover at IKEA in Australia, a huge night of fun & freebies . . . rumour has it Melbourne is next??!!  Stay tuned, love Posie
EDIT: yes, i did get some sleep, about 2-6a.m. - i can't watch Valentine's Day with the soldier reunion part without crying my eyes out so i went to sleep early & . . . yes, i was on my own, i was the only solo girl there, my gal pal Abi couldn't come at the last minute (some excuse about not leaving an 8y.o. home alone, her husband was working, & responsible parenting, whatever) but there will be a GIVEAWAY of lots of IKEA goodies!!

43 comments:

Cate said...

What a screamingly fun idea!!! It isn't often as adults we get the chnace to do something so silly and fun!! I'm really pleased you got to have so much fun!
hope the kids and handsome soldier had a nice time too
xxxCate

Felicity said...

Seeing your last image of your carriage and the sunset made me think it was a bit like a reverse Cinderella experience. You got to stay past midnight but when the sun came up the next morning you were back to the lovely reality of more crafty fun!

It looks like you had a terrific time [loving the sneak peek of your PJs] and will have to keep my eyes posted if they ever do one in Brissy - the 5+ hour return drive would be worth it.

xx to you.

melissa said...

Sounds like lots of fun was had!

Were you there with anyone else or just yourself?

Cat said...

How cool was your sleepover party! I love it:) Thanks for sharing in your fun. Your girls are going to love all those goodies. Enjoy your new goodies. xo

trash said...

So jealous. Can't imagine something like that EVER happening here in the UK.

Nic said...

Fabulous! I want in on the next one :) So lovely to meet you today! :) :)

Bron said...

Oh how fantastic...something to talk about forever.....it will make a great "remember when" story!

Heidi said...

I am so JEALOUS..... man what a blast!

Unknown said...

thanks so much for sharing it looks like you had a blast. I am however wondering how you all went with using the loo's, was there a line? LOL.

Tammy said...

Oh Jennie it sounds so awesome! Such a lot of thought seems to have gone into making it the ultimate relaxing and fun girly night!

Just Martha said...

Sounds absolutely wonderful! Glad you had a great time...

Makeminemidcentury said...

You've done a wonderful job on the run-down.

What fun for you! It did look very well organised. Did you get any sleep?

Dammit. I'm going to have to go to Ikea now.

Brenda said...

IKEA just blows me away. I have never before seen any business which loves its customers as much as they do! Lucky you Jennie, to be chosen to have such girly fun!

yardage girl said...

That looks so fun - haven't seen it on the today show yet, but will keep my eye out! Nic x

Corinne (aka Rinny of Arabia) said...

Oh my that looks like a lot of fun! How lucky were you!

Did you get any sleep?

Knicky Knacks said...

How fantastic. Looks like you had an absolute hoot of a time. What a great marketing idea.

Simone - honeyandfizz said...

Sounds like a fun night! xx

seabreezequilts said...

Wow looks like a very full and fun night.

tartankiwi said...

Sounds like it was SOOO much fun! Glad you enjoyed it.

Amy said...

I am green with envy right now! Lucky You!

The Moerks said...

It's a shame your friend missed out, I am glad you still went. Looks like a great time was had by all! Enjoy all those goodies. I imagine organizing the children would have Almost have been a military operation in itself!

Thea said...

What a great idea and cause. What I'm wondering is, how do you always manage to surround yourself with such hunks? First, fireman and now this. You hussy. x

Cathie said...

oh wow Ms POsie!! how absolutely a.m.a.z.i.n.g! (sorry, that IS how I am saying it!)
looks like sooo much fun.
roll out melbourne I say!!
you deserve it lucky girl, glad you had such a ball ♥

Anonymous said...

Sounds like an absolute blast and something that will go down in history :)
I would have happily filled in for your friend, hehe
xx

Fer said...

Looks like a real hoot! :-)

Jen (Melei) said...

Wow, it all looks like so much fun! Jennie, if i had known your friend pulled out i would have 'voluntered' in a heartbeat. I live in Sydney and could have been there in no time. Would have been such a fantastic night! On a different note, i hope you got my reply to your latest comment. Not that you have to reply but just making sure you got it. I have been having trouble with my replies, they don't always seem to get there. Jen xxx

Sarah B said...

What fun! Boy, I like all of the goodies - what a great haul. IKEA Rocks!!!

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had a super fun night Miss Posie. Who wouldn't with male models, manicures and midnight snacks!?!?

The Provincial Homemaker said...

Sounds like a fantastic weekend. Lucky you! Great that the kids can benefit from your stash too.

Seaweed and Raine said...

Sounds like you had a very pampered time :) I was talking with the hubby Saturday morning about living a little more like we did BK (before kids)once in a while... Taking time out sometimes is good for being rejuvenated :)

petals and vintage said...

What a fabulous idea. Looks like you had a ton of 'girl' fun. Very lucky you!!

Have a great week. Pam x

Jennie said...

What a great experience Jennie!
Looks like they had sooo much cool stuff going on for you guys!X

Becky said...

I am jealous of the Ikea stuff, but very glad I got to meet up with you before and after at SIT. Will keep an eye out for the giveaway :)

Rosie said...

Oh if I wasn't jealous enough at the fact that you are less than a day's drive to an Ikea, you got to sleep there??? And had a party with goodies??? I want to go next time.

Trying to convince my husband to take a small detour in a few weeks on our trip to Byron just to go to the Brisbane one.

I have offered him and our son unlimited time at the eatery. If that doesn't work. My have to pull the pregnacy hormone card.

NessaKnits said...

Glad you had fun!

quilary said...

What a great idea! Glad you got to experience it. Now, whenever I go through that IKEA I will think of you sleeping in the bedding dept!

Stacey said...

Wow, what a fantastic idea! Glad you had a blast. X

Kylie said...

Looks like you had so much fun:) So happy that you managed to squeeze in so much over one weekend - I am in bug trouble for not getting Mr Posie's Mobile number off of you my my Mr.
Chat soon
Love K

Maxabella said...

That's so awesome! When I was a kid it was my dream to live in a department store for a day and a night. You're living the dream, baby!! x

Nikki @ Styling You said...

Oh, that is my idea of heaven. Girly fun and IKEA. So glad you got to enjoy!

Tania McCartney said...

What a GLORIOUS experience! It all sounded so surreal and fabulous - so glad you had a fantastic time. Did you get ANY sleep??

Rosalind said...

That is hilarious! how fun - I am sure you found a friend or two :-) xx

Shelley said...

What a perfect girls night!! I'm so curious as to how you slept though - whether you dreamt of all things Ikea! xx