Monday, May 21, 2012

Summer Girl

Hello lovelies!
 Remember the days when we were kids?
Counting down the last days of school
 before summer break ...
and when those days of summer were finally here
they seemed to last forever?
I do!
If you were like me, you
you were outdoors each and every day
from morning till night,
wrapped up in a world of make-believe.
The days were filled with
musical ice cream trucks,
 running through sprinklers,
swinging as high as we could go,
long beach days
and picnics at the park ...


Even after the sun went down,
the fun didn't end.
There was always
catching fireflies,
 flashlight tag,
bonfires,
roasting marshmallows
and finally ...
 lying in bed listening to crickets.
For me, summers were heaven.

But childhood ends, we all grow up
and the playing comes to an end.
But ... does it really have to?
Who made that rule?
I think summer girls
 need absolutely no excuse for
playing as much as we wish in the summer!


Days of lying on the beach or by the pool until
our warm muscles feel totally relaxed
shouldn't be considered a luxury during summer ...
those days are necessities.


We all have busy lives and before we know it,
it is autumn again.
Let's vow to really enjoy the moments of summer this year!

If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram,
you've probably seen pics and heard me mention
that we just purchased a new home
and will be moving the end of June.
My new home is a lovely
 historical house on the water with a
wrap-around porch and side porch just begging for
barefoot summer swinging.
Sounds idyllic, but up to and after the work of moving,
there is a lot of work to do
to turn it into the bit of heaven it will definitely be.
Not-fun-things like removing wallpaper and painting,
pulling the weeds in the flower gardens
and many, many more not-so-glamorous jobs.

Even so,
carved out between those jobs,
I will be finding time for fresh squeezed lemonaide,
not feeling guilty for reading a book in the shade
and long days of swimming.


I am going to take time to feel the joy
of swinging as high as I can go ...

... to soak in the scent of fresh-cut grass
and earth all around me ...


I hope you are too!
Along with this summer enjoyment,
I'll also be working on creating a brand new site for
SANDY M ILLUSTRATION
 and a new blog design.
So happy that my career as an illustrator is zooming,
and the new sites will reflect that exciting growth.
So, because of the house, the new site designs,
creating new illustrations for the new sites
and just taking the time to enjoy summer,
I am going to take a semi-blogging break
starting next week and continuing over the summer months.
I will still be checking in every Monday during the summer,
sharing a photo or two and a paragraph of what
I've been up to ... and look forward to hearing
comments of what your summers are like.
I also will still be working on custom illustration projects
over the summer, so if you're interested in one,
just contact me here.

Then, sometime in the fall, I'll reveal the new sites!

Before I close, I recently received this Blogger award
from sweet LV at Food, Fashion & Flow!
Thank you LV!

With the award, I am required to tell
seven little random tidbits about myself, so here goes:

1. My eyes are very blue ... a gift from my mom and dad.
2. One of my favorite things about summer is fresh raspberries.
3. I collect lots of white dishes with black words or numbers.
4. I am making a small butler's pantry with little sink
 out of a closet off my new dining room.
5. I love interior design next to art and illustrating.
6. I'm a hopeless romantic ... and always will be.
7. I sleep in one of my cute tee-shirts most of the time.

What's everyone doing for Memorial Day?
I'll be out of town ... starting the summer off with a bang.
I'll drop by next Monday while I'm away to say hello, though ...
look forward to chatting with you again then!

Oh ...
by the way, for all of you Summer Girls ...
my watercolor of the beachy girl above
 will be placed on a notecard soon ...
for little summer notes you want to send!
You'll be able to purchase it right here
on the blog in a couple of weeks!




This blog is written by and all illustration by
the founder of Ooh La Frou Frou
Sandy M.

Illustration of Summer Girl above by illustrator Sandy M.
For custom illustration, contact Sandy here.
Photos on this post via Pinterest.

20 comments:

miss b said...

Your lovely post has made me think about summer (it's actually quite warm and sunny here in the UK today!)and I love your Summmer Girl illustration with her copy of Vogue just peeping out! You have exciting times ahead and I'll continue to pop by.....
PS Congratulations on your award - you deserve it.
http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/

Vintage Lucero said...

I am DEF a summer girl! Your childhood memories more than mirror my own! Thank you for refreshing my memories! My heart is singing!
Good luck on your home renovations! I have done quite a lot to my own little nest! When all is said and done ~ your hard work will be reflected in your customized beauty!!

Fabrizia Spinelli said...

Thank you for your comment on my blog dear!! I’m following you on twitter, wait for you to return the favour! Such a lovely post, can't wait for the summer to arrive!
Come back soon to visit my blog: Cosa mi metto???
Win a wonderful long dress from Shabby Apple

Anonymous said...

Summer is sublime, and it began today. The weather was SO warm! I'm hoping to use the sunshine to take gorgeous pictures :)
And once the work is done I'm sure your home will be a personal palace!

Dee said...

Hi Sandy! This was a great summer post....I felt like a kid again reading it. Summers do not seem to last as long as they did back then. You are so right we all need to enjoy the summer and all it's glory.
Thanks for sharing,
Dee xx

Vannessa@Luxuria said...

Ooooh! I will miss your Monday escapisms, but can't wait to hear more about the refurbishment of your new place. It sounds wonderful, and the things I enjoy most are the very things you hate; weeding, peeling wall-paper etc. May your summer be filled with sun, happiness, love and lots of raspberries (also my fav fruit which I have missed for the 12 years I've lived in Spain, as I have never seen them here :-(
Big hugs Sandy xx

Fashion-isha said...

Hi Sandy!
Thanks for you sweet message about my event and yes I'm so in the mood for the summer, but it doesn't look like the weather will be cooperating this week!

Did you get my email about the business cards?
Have a super week!
xo
Sharon

Unknown said...

Dear Sandy, all these wonderful things coming to pass for you--so deserved! Can't wait to see your new sites and also photos of your new home! Hope your weekend was a great one!

xo Mary Jo

Rowena @ rolala loves said...

I love all this summer inspiration! And I'm so happy that things are going so well for you both personally and professionally. You totally deserve it! Looking forward to the grand unveilings when they happen. Have a beautiful week Sandy! We're doing a staycation for Memorial Day cause we have some friends and family coming into the city :)

Rowena @ rolala loves
Enter my Shabby Apple giveaway!

THE ALTERNATIVE WIFE said...

You brought me right back to my childhood, Sandy! I lived for summers then just as much as I do now. I plan on taking full advantage of the summer and even started early with the beach house two weeks ago followed by roof top sunning this weekend.

Good luck with the new home. I know that must me an enormous amount of work but I hope that you're able to squeeze som down time & summer lovin in. :) xoxo

Elizabeth {Ms Classic Glamour} said...

I just found your blog! YEAH! It looks lovely... I'm happy to be your follower. :)
xoxo

Unknown said...

Hi Sandy,

First of all, Congrats on all your wonderful endeavors and on your new house. This all sounds fantastic & I can sense the excitement through your blog.
Thank you for reminding us of how short and precious the Summer time & how we should take it all in.

You will be missed but I know you are just a click away.

Enjoy & Be well,

Maria
http://onestyleatatime.blogspot.com/

Not Just Another Milla said...

Your girls know how to enjoy a holiday. Clearly I need to take some tips from them... Have a great week Sandy!

xx

Michelle said...

Today was the last day of school for my boys and I am determined that even though we are still crazy busy through the summer months (my oldest son is in HS so football practice keeps us back and forth to school all summer) we are going to enjoy summer! We are going to breath it in and make some memories!

Pink Champagne said...

Hooray for the arrival of summer! I cannot wait to celebrate the long weekend on Nantucket with Husband. And you KNOW how in love with your gorgeous home I am... I cannot wait to see it all unfold. Enjoy, love!

Julye said...

your illustrations are beautiful~~

A Very Sweet Blog said...

Sandy, super congratulations on the purchase of a new house. I am so happy for you!!! I'm also happy to hear business is well. You are so talented and sweet you deserve all of this and more. I've been on a blog break myself. Swamped with work, I haven't had time to comment like I normally would. Please know, all of your comments and tweets haven't gone unnoticed. You and Maria are angels. Take all the time you need for we all will be right here. LOVE your newest illustrations. I'll be in Texas all next week. So have a wonderful holiday weekend.
http://www.averysweetblog.com/

Angelica Ng said...

Sigh, childhood seriously goes by way too fast. Such a short period in our lives! Sad how it's one of the most fun periods of our lives (in a way). Haha, what a good excuse to wander off and enjoy the summer sun with a good book.

Congrats on the blogger award btw!

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

Unknown said...

Sandy,
Thanks for all of your sweet comments today!! I always love hearing from you. SO excited about your new home purchase and all the plans you have to make it your own + all the exciting changes ahead for your blog and business. You are hitched to a shooting star - hang on and enjoy the ride!! :)

And, I SO love the summer girls illustration, being an actual summer girl...born on the first day of summer. I'll keep my eye out for those notecards. And, though I'm a brunette...I'll "pretend" I have that bikini worthy body!

Here's to an amazing summer!!
xoxo Elizabeth

Margarita Bloom said...

Ah, summer...my absolute favorite season. It's been sweltering here at 92 degrees lately...but you know what...I LOVE IT! and I love this post!! Such delightful pictures...I just want to go zoom to a beach somewhere right now and float on top of the water....le sigh..
Mwah!!

Kisses, Regina
Margarita Bloom
Retro Vintage Beauty & Skincare
http://margaritabloom-glamourville.blogspot.com/