Exclusively Shiffler is now The Sleepy Time Gal

You will be automatically redirected to the new address. If that does not occur, visit
http://www.thesleepytimegal.com
and update your bookmarks.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Two Baby Girls Coming

Not mine. Two sisters in-law both having their first girls is something to celebrate. And we did.

Fun times were had by hopefully all.

I decided against the usual sewing projects I do for showers and did what I've done all week: paint.

Can you tell I'm loving turquoise these days? After painting Lynn's nursery artwork and hanging it on my wall for a moment I felt secure about doing that grand size painting in all turquoise. I knew Lynn's baby room had white walls, too.

Little baby Sadie will be dreaming in a pick and brown accented room, so white canvas and brown and pink highlights was a no brainer.

And talk about a full house. There were at least 20 adults and that's not including children.

I've always thought that every baby coming into the world deserves a party. This was quite a party--thanks to everyone that helped out!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Take a Peek Inside: the Living Room

One inspiration: the ocean. Crisp whites, cool colors, and lots of natural textures. All along I've wanted to create a primary living space that is reminiscent of slow days at the beach and it's relaxing beach house. But the space has to be modern at the same time.

Combining beach house and modern would mean intertwining the two themes with a new piece of art for the space.

So I spend many hours yesterday painting, summoning the big girls to watch Pollyanna so I could, and late hours completing this. (It's based on a photo I took visiting Rome with Bobby of Bernini's angel sculptures lining the Ponte Sant'Angelo.)

I switched out dark curtains for crisp, linen-want-to-be curtains. Very beachy.

Our new couch. A great neutral color that compliments the blues throughout the room.


Ask Bobby--I've switched out the mantle pieces daily. I think I'll like this for a while. I wanted a bit of color against the white wall, but not too much since the blue canvas was large and bold. I painted three recently purchased Costco apples just so, so that Caroline's art could lean against the apples without too much business. I love how the apples kind of float against the white wall.

And lastly, my "faking" it. I told you I would be doing that for today's baby shower. That's the cool retro modern fabric from IKEA that will be covering our newly acquired Danish Modern chairs. Not upholstered yet, just nicely tucked in to create the illusion that I spent a lot of time measuring and sewing them. Faking it doesn't hurt.

More on the swingin' double shower for another time. I'm beat.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Take a Peek Inside: Frames

There is something about beginning life again in a new home full of new walls, corners, and little crannies that begs for fresh ideas you've always wanted to try, but haven't had the excuse to.

You've always heard that paint is the easiest and cheapest way to change up a room, I would add wall hangings to first runner up.

I've been gathering interesting frames for the last month. Some new, some repurposed. By repurposed I mean like taking out Caroline's first year photo with me and replacing it with new life, life now: her incredible soft/oil pastel piece which depicts her own species of flowers including pinkies, orangies, and blueblees. (see above)

I've always hung my childrens' artwork in the typical places like the fridge or on a bulletin board. Now I'm doing what I've always wanted to do: framing their art and placing it with the other things that I value in my living space, like the envied space on the mantel, for example. Framed behind glass for all to see and admire, including that particular artist.

A floating frame is an all around great frame for changing out their art through the seasons of their creating, like Johanna's first use of real paints. That's a green and yellow sun up there in that corner of her artwork, in case you were wondering.

Besides framing artwork, there are lots of recent photos I'm planning to develop, to change up what we look at day in and out. I love the past, the photos from the past, but life keeps moving. I want myself and my children to stay connected to life most recently lived as it keeps the memories real and close, close enough to still encourage conversation about the image and its life. And I'm tiring of the constant black and white trend everywhere. Bring on the super saturated photos of kids playing and intimately close portrait shots where you can see deep into your child's eyes.

A small change: Take down a framed photo you've had up for ions and do something risky-- change out the photo to something fresh, recent, artsy, something that triggers happy emotions. Then hang it up again, step back, and let the photo inspire you a bit more in your daily life as you pass by it over and over again.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Pieces in their Places

I've been so bummed lately to not be able to photograph daily life and the process of transforming a house into a home. Bobby saved the day by finding the camera's battery charger tonight and now I feel whole with the camera not more than a few feet away from my glance.

Home. Home. I've longed to take you on a tour of our home. So many lists of future projects which mostly involve fabric, canvases, and paint, make me smile all day, happily looking forward to the moments I can transform.

We have some exciting new acquisitions and some new purchases that require clean hands at all times.

I've got a room by room tour coming up, with some how-to projects that will get you running to your nearest IKEA to buy out their incredibly mod fabrics. That fabric there still has my head spinning.

But at midnight, the dishes are finally done, the mountain of trash from our entire move is piled up outside, and we're beat. Much is still needed to be unpacked and at least "faked" by Saturday for this house's debut: a baby shower for two friends. Nothing is more thrilling (and motivating) for me than an exciting deadline!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Eat through the New Year

A new year's project for you to give or eat.


Hope you all are living up this last weekend before work begins, laundry actually becomes a necessity, and the 75% off "after-Christmas" sale's racks are all totally deplete. We've made quite a bit of progress with the unpacking-thing. If I could just find my camera's battery charger I'd send you folks some pictures. There is still a mountain of boxes I'm trying to avoid in the garage and that's where it's hiding--wish me luck that I come out alive.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

And the Winner is...

So before I reveal the winner, let me say I've LOVED seeing all of the imaginative creations you wonderful people have come up with! Here are just some highlights of the submissions:

Character aprons...

A bedtime bag complete with books, PJs, stuffed animal, and bath toy...

and homemade marshmallows with cocoa packaged tightly with a bit of peppermint by Christine.

Baby doll diapers...

a rainbow ribbon wand...

an adorable fishing set...

and crayon roll by Kate.

Lynn's alphabet blocks and ABC tote.

Cute nativity...

Fashionable flower headband...

Colorful tote...

Little girl's purse...

and character pillows by Zeelightful.

Repurposed jeans for a sewing notions roll...

and quiet book by Cindy.


Seeing everyone's projects was inspiring! I want to try some of your ideas... be prepared. But the homemade Christmas gift that was most inspiring, unique, and interesting was:

A child's kitchen made from a worn desk. Awesome! Kate is the winner! The crayons will be on their way Kate, just drop me a line with your address at nicole.shiffler@gmail.com.


Thanks everyone!