Monday, June 20, 2011

Glamorous Review of Ooh La Frou Frou Girl Alex ... Close Up!

Happy Monday, Darlings!

I've so enjoyed the Glamorous Reviews of the
eight illustrated girls of the cardline
these last few weeks
and I hope you have too.

We've had seven Glamorous Reviews so far.
If you've missed any of the previous Reviews
and would like to not miss any adventures,
just click on each girl's name below and you'll be transported!

That means that the final Review is our card line cutie
with the lush, fiery mane of hair ...
Did you know ...
the girls of the card line
 represent fabulous Y-O-U?
More than likely, little pieces of each of the girls
can be found in each of you too.

I'd describe Alex as
part fashionplate ~ part domestic goddess.
If you saw Alex walking down the city street,
you'd see a sophisticated and chic beauty
with auburn hair flowing in the breeze ...
and isn't red hair on a woman devastatingly mysterious?

But did you know
 that Alex also
loves to whip up luscious and dreamy desserts
in her beautiful kitchen?
Entertaining is one of her passions.
Does that sound like you?
She's always looking for new ways to
"glamour up" a party ...

and looking for new ways to spell out how much she adores her friends ...

via

She collects recipes galore ...
always on the hunt for delights that would make a
"chic treat"
at one of her parties
~like this one~
from
The Curvy Carrot

Alex's idea of fun at the end of the day is to:
~kick off her heels~
~drop her jewels into the silver compote on her dressing table~
~slip into a silky bath~
~slide into a soft, long white summer chemise~
~open her terrace french doors to the evening twinkling lights~
~and turn on some sultry tunes~

She then feels restored and ready
to pick up her phone
to invite a few friends over
for perhaps flutes of pink champagne with crushed berries
and tasty nibbles she's so good at whipping up.

So far we've seen Alex on the
following Ooh La Frou Frou cards:
(clockwise)



Also:
All of the girls appear in the new
"Summer City Girls"
boxed notes:
(Alex is the girl on the left side of the table in the fourth card)


~A Quick Look Back at Alex's Previous Posts~
she mentioned that she sometimes feels a little rather like
Nicole Kidman with her flowing red hair ....
and like most of us, she loves to imagine wearing haute couture ...
and Nicole's pink feather Karl Lagerfeld gown in the Chanel campaign
was certainly one to dream about ...

And in that same post, Alex's couture fantasies took a whimsical turn ...
she imagined being the star of a gorgeous ad campaign
like Scarlett Johansson's photoshoot for Moet and Chandon,
and that beautiful pale blue gown ... 
via
... but in Alex's fantasy, resting on her knee
she may have one of her mouth-watering luscious dessert creations ...

In our post about New Year's resolutions called
Alex thought she'd love to put an arched mirrored door
in her kitchen ...
and her New Year's resolution was to
organize all of her own recipe creations ...
for those someday-cookbook-author dreams ...

In yet another post called:
we saw how much she loved the oval window
in her kitchen ...
and the importance of a wardrobe of glamorous aprons ...

But lest you think Alex is ALL about the kitchen,
let me clear that up for you.
Alex is quite the glamour girl.
In a post called:
she invited spring in and
we saw her elegant apartment terrace.
In the "Glamour in the Garden" card introduced in that post (below),
we see that even gardening finds her looking glamorous ...
I simply love her couture tulip gown ...
So, you see, Alex is quite an enigma ...
a glamour girl extraordinaire ...
that has a lust for creating divine food ...

To celebrate Alex's fabulous personality,
I thought it would be fun to
share some images that combine her two loves:
~glamorous fashion and food~

Let's see ...
need flowers for the table?
Wouldn't this be oh-so-perfect for a
fashionista like Alex (or you)?

Is fashion delicious, you might ask?
We say ~ oh, yes!












Above Flower/Food Fashion Images via 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14


Ready to see a quick rough sketch of where Alex lives in the city?
We know a couple of details about her home already ...
that she has a lovely white marble kitchen with
oval window and sparkly chandelier ...
and we know she has french doors that open to a terrace ...
but this is the first time you've seen the exterior ...

Alex lives in a very elegant, brick 35-story
fantasy highrise apartment building in the city
called "The Gardens."
Appropriately named, as the upper portion of the apartment building
has two levels with lovely wrap-around brick terraces.
Alex lives in the lower terrace level of the two,
in the center portion of the building that juts out
(see arrows).
See Alex's brick terrace in the center?
Her terrace isn't open to her neighbors, as there is a brick half wall
on either side, enclosing it.
When she opens the single french doors of her living room,
she has quite the view!
Alex's oval kitchen window in on the right side
of the area that juts out (not visible in this sketch).
You can see Alex's terrace in the "Glamour in the Garden" card above,
with boxwoods and hydrangeas.

Below is the rough sketch of the top 12 floors of her 35-story
apartment building:

At street level, the center of her building
is the entrance into a grand apartment lobby.
Flanking on either side are retail spaces ...
she often stops in at Espresso
for a cappuccino to start her morning.


Now we know where each of the girls live in the city ...
we've set the stage ...
our Reviews are now complete
and lots of glamorous adventures lie ahead!

Thanks for joining us today for the eighth
Glamorous Review!
I'll finish by letting everyone know
that I'm going to be away for a couple of weeks
on a summer beach vacation ...
I will put up some beautiful beach inspiration
on those weeks while I am gone
and our regular posts will resume after that!
Even though I'll be gone,
I'll be able to read all of your comments on my blackberry.
I'll get back to you with responses
when I return!
So come back next week to
enjoy a little summer fantasy in the sun!

All illustration in this post
is by the artist and creator of
Ooh La Frou Frou:
Sandra Shelton Markwalder.

The photos used in this post do not belong to me.
Links are either provided above or:

Website printed on the image of photo 1 of redhead

The photos 6-8 (referred to below) that you see above
were already linked on this blog
and we are simply referring to them again.
If you go back to the original post we are referring to,
you will find the links for the following images.
The links for those posts are mentioned in the post text above
.
6. Nicole Kidman in pink feather gown is a Chanel ad.
7. Scarlett Johannsen
8. Kitchen with arched door

31 comments:

JanandJill.com said...

Your posts are always so cute and fun. This one made me want some dessert so bad. hehe, I really like the rasberry one and those lollipops in the tiffany color.

xoDale

Anonymous said...

Quite possibly your most glamorous post yet! Truly fabulous Sandy! One of my dreams is to spend a day in the world of your illustrations - how amazing would that be!

classiq said...

The "Glamour in the Garden" illustration is one of my favourites, Sandy! I so enjoy reading your posts, a drop of magic to start the week with. That Chanel dress Nicole is wearing in the ad campaign is fabulous! Enjoy your vacation! :)Ada

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Dale: Thanks, Dale, for the compliment on the posts ... I'm so glad you enjoy them. I loved the macaron lollipops too ... such striking colors! Thanks so much, sweetie, for stopping by Ooh La Frou Frou! xo

Milla @ notjustanothermilla.com: Hi Milla! Thank you, darling .. always such a pleasure when you visit .. and Ooh La Frou Frou would love to have you slip into the world of the illustrations! Let's see .. what would you and the girls do? Have tea perhaps! The girls would love it, I'm sure! ;)

Classiq: I'm so glad you love Glamour in the Garden! I love it too ... it was a lot of fun to illustrate. And thank you so much, sweetie, for saying that the posts are a drop of magic to start the week with ... just what I'm hoping they'd be and such a lovely compliment. Have a wonderful week! xo

SoapyMermaid said...

Alex is lovely with her wonderful auburn hair (I would love to have been born with that hair colour..). I love tha fact that she loves to cook and garden. Her oval window is adorable.

Christel @ Captivated by image said...

What a delight to follow Alex' story as the final one out of eight. I adore her personality;) And the incredible cupcakes in this post, wow! Hope you will have a fabulous time on your Summer holiday, maybe even getting inspired for what the girls can be up to next.

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

SoapyMermaid: Hi lovely! Always so nice to hear from you .. hope you and your darling daughter have a lovely week together ;) Yes, when I created Alex I thought it would be fun to have a character with ravishing red hair that loves to entertain ... what a dreamgirl! ;)

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Christel @ Captivated by Image: Hi darling! So glad you enjoy Alex's glamorous personality ... she' be quite the captivating creature in real life, I do believe! And you're right .. a little time lying on a beach with a big hat, sunglasses and margarita can only serve to create magnificent adventures! ;) xo So glad you could stop by!

lizzylafosse said...

J'adore Alex, and this post--you've really outdone yourself, darling! I feel so inspired to put on something gorgeous & invite my girlfriends over for a glam little supper...those Chanel cupcakes! And that gorgeous white perfume bottle...oh, so much pretty in one place...

I can't tell you how much I love Monday mornings because of your blog. In the chaos of my morning, getting to sit down with an espresso & immerse myself in the beauty you create here every week is a balm to my spirit & it always leaves me refreshed & inspired to tackle my week with the panache & elegance of your girls...THANK YOU!

kristina@beancakes said...

oh my goodness ~ i loved everything about this post! i cannot get over that parmesan cheese purse and all of the chanel make-up cakes!! yum!! i like alex too, i agree that red hair is beautiful ~ and like alex, i have a thing for baked goods!! happy monday to you ;)
xoxo ~ bises ~ baci ~ kristina

THE WILDFLEUR said...

Hi darling Sandy! Your Scarlet-inspired illustration is beyond GORGEOUS! And my jaw literally dropped at the sight of the macaron popsicle. DIVINE!

Hugs xx

Camille @ The Wildfleur

Pink Champagne said...

Ooh la la, yummie! Alex can whip up a dessert for me anytime... I'll bring the pink champagne! XOXO

Ruby said...

It is as if you know me, the real me! I even once had auburn locks that reached to the center of my back!

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

lizzylafosse: What a lovely comment Lizzy! It makes me so very happy that you loved the post and the fun fantasy world of Alex. Your compliments on the blog literally made me smile inside. I love creating a fantasy world especially for women and it always brings me joy when I hear comments like yours. Thank YOU! xo

kristina@beancakes: Hi Kristina! I, too, thought the food made into fashion images were fabulous! How fun, and those make-up cakes, divine! Almost too pretty to eat! So glad you could stop by today! xo

The Wildfleur: Yes, Camille, I think that macaron popsicle is YOU YOU YOU! Thanks so much for your compliment on the Alex illustration, sweets. I collect all of these comments in little pockets in my heart. xo

Pink Champagne: And what could be better with dessert than pink champagne! We'd be sure to invite you to the party!! Thanks for dropping by, sweetie ;) xo

Ruby@Ruby'sMusings: Ohwow, really Ruby! I'm trying to imagine the Ruby that I have seen pictures of with long auburn hair to the center of your back ... I can see why you have a hard time deciding who you're most like ... you're a woman of many images! ;)

Unknown said...

Hello dearest Sandy! What a great post. I'm so loving the fabulous Alex. She sure knows her tasty desserts and is quite a lady. Just divine! Oh how I've missed reading your dreamy posts! xoxo

Stitchfork said...

Another glamorous member of your family! How could she be anything less?!!
xo Cathy - who always wanted a fiery mane of hair...

Unknown said...

Dear Sandy, I just love your weekly eye candy! You always find the best images to delight and enchant! It almost makes me wish I was a better baker, well a girl can dream...

Hope you are having a lovely week!

xo Mary Jo

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Fashionista622: Thanks for stopping by, sweetie and Happy First Day of Summer! So very glad you enjoy the posts ;)

Stitchfork: I wonder if all girls wonder at some point what they would look like and what they would feel like with that fiery mane? I know I have! ;) Thanks for coming by, sweetie! Happy First Day of Summer1 xo

Mary Jo from TrustYourStyle: Hi Mary Jo, darling. Thanks so much for your compliments. And, yes, I am having a lovely week ... I am leaving in the morning for the beach vacation and am excited. Picked up a new swimsuit, cover-up, big hat and sunglasses and I'm all set! Simply add margarita! ;)

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Everybody loves a pretty ginger!

Alexa said...

rasberries and cream! yes please! Great photos!
xo
Alexa
www.theshortandthesweetofit.com

stylemefab said...

Ok....so ladies...I thought I loved the previous reviews...now i realise that this might just be the best of them all. Love the illustrations, and the picture of the blue macaron made me want one. I miss glamorous Nicole Kidman, that Chanel ad was the height of her style evolution....not sure what happened to her since, or did it all go away with the divorce from Tom Cruise.

FAB post ladies!!!

Anonymous said...

those pictures are amazing.
And you can draw really good.
I don't think i will ever draw like this.
Lovely blog.
Xx Liefs

THE ALTERNATIVE WIFE said...

She's gorgeous and a fabulous cook/entertainer to boot?!?! Can one person really have it all? That's it! I love her and need to be her friend :)

xoxo

Margarita Bloom said...

GLAM-OR-OUS!!!!! LOVE...LOVE that flower shaped parfume bottle! Pink Champagne and crushed berries sounds delightful...we're even making pink champagne lotions today! :)

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Kristin: You're right, ginger rocks! ;)

Alexa: Raspberries and cream ... mmmmm one of my favorites! I love raspberries in anything, but with cream or whipped cream ... divine! ;)

Style Me Fab: Thanks, honey. You're right, we don't see that much of Nicole anymore! Seems like I've only seen her sitting in the audience at award shows for hubby Keith Urban! ;)

Liefs (Mel): Hi darling. Thank you so much for the compliment on the illustrations. You're young enough, if you really would like to draw, you have lots of time to practice and take classes ... you may be surprised at what you can create!

The Alternative Wife: I think we all need a fabulous friend that can whip up treats and entertain at a moment's notice and invite us up to her chic apartment, don't you? You're so sweet, Dawn, I know she'd be inviting you up to stare at the stars as a part of her group of friends! ;)

Margarita Bloom: I know .. I LOVE that perfume bottle too ... was wondering how I could make one! Pink champagne lotion sounds lovely! Does it have bubbles (tee-hee!) ;)

Happy Summer Solstice to all of you! xoxo

Anonymous said...

My, my, such enchanting images. And speaking of enchanting, have a lovely sea sojourn. Little coco and I recently returned from our own sea tiding ~ memories ~ xox Alexandra

Angelica Ng said...

Oh the last review! But surely not the end of all the fantasy your blog provides! Ah red hair...so captivating! I remember when Coco Rocha went red. That was one fabulous fashion moment. Alex seems like a girl of food! Delicious desserts, to be precise. Yum! I'd love a fashion sweet!

http://red-soledfashionista.blogspot.com/

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Coco Coterie: Thank you, darling for your lovely sea wishes. Am answering from the beach and it's breathtaking! XoX

Angelica Ng: Thank you sweetie! No, not the end of the posts by ANY means (we're only getting started) .. Just the end of this set of Glamorous Reviews! I thought the Review posts were a good way to catch everyone up in case they'd missed any of the earliest posts (we have so many new readers each month) and review each illustrated girl's details. XoX ;)

Alessandra (HowToBeInStyle) said...

Dear Sandy. I really adore your glamorous cards and I love how you've created the different styles and characters of the gorgeous girls. I'm really Alex - hair color included :-D But I also find a little whiff of Viola in me because I love decorating and beautiful architecture. I think every woman will be able to identify with one of the glamorous girls! Everyone must love these girls! Stunning illustrations with emotional words which create beautiful stories. And I am also completely fascinated bylwith your awesome pictures in your blog! Love it!
xoxo

Sarah Klassen said...

This post is tooooooo beautiful! I am literally speechless.

Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou said...

Sarah Klassen: Thanks, Sarah ... the Glamorous Review posts have been fun to do. Thought it would be fun to do one for each of the girls as we have so many new fans that haven't been here since the beginning. Now that the eight Glamorous Reviews are finished and each girls' apartment has been revealed, the adventures continue! ;)