ooh la frou frou

PRETTY THINGS

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about how many times every week
things cross our paths that we fleetingly acknowledge as pretty
and then go on about our lives?
Maybe we should start a PRETTY journal,
sort of like the better-known grateful journal ...
to make note of all of the many lovely things that
we notice on any given day.

I can't imagine a world without pretty.
They don't have to be big dramatic things ...
even though they sometimes are.

Here are a just a few of the pretty things

that have met my eyes and were remembered lately ...

My first pretty thing was SO pretty
that I had to illustrate it ...
this gorgeous glazed and dreamy Christian Dior floral skirt
reminded me of watercolors the moment I saw it on Pinterest,
so you know I had to create it in watercolor.
This bit of prettiness is from

Paris Fashion Week, Spring 2013
and the tight black tee and flouncy black scarf

are the perfect accompaniment ...

For a different type of prettiness,
if you follow me on Instragram

you may have seen two of the following three
personal photos of pretty things
snapped in the last few days ...

In the first,
as the sun was setting one evening, this crabapple tree in my backyard
with all of its white flowers seemed to glow
as I watched from the side porch swing ...

... and when those white petals fell, it looked exactly like big handfuls of confetti
being thrown and landing on the backyard path ...

Sometimes even a mid-afternoon snack can
beg to be photographed ...
this glossy and juicy pineapple was as pretty
as it was delicious ...

Speaking of Instagram,
three of the lovelies that I follow there
never fail to fill my i-phone screen with
NYC PRETTINESS on a regular basis ...
I love their snapped glimpses of New York
(a city you know I adore).
Following are the Instagram links to each and
a photo that they recently posted ...

The first of these is @jessikaholiday ...

... the next is @iviwolf

and the third is @katiearmour ...

And we all know
there's so much beauty on Pinterest,
I had to include just a little of the prettiness that I've pinned lately ...

... you may think these gloves are real, but they're not ...
they're the decorations on the top of a cake ...

via

... what is it about macarons that makes them so pretty? ...

via

... I love a photo that makes you wonder what the accompanying
storyline would be ... and whatever the storyline would be for this image,
I'm sure it's as deliciously pretty as the picture ...

via

If you're like me, chocolate is always pretty ...
and this pretty Chocolate Truffle Tart is a good example ...

via

Whatever the new week holds,
I hope it's filled with pretty things!
Till next Monday ...

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
contact Sandy here

INSPIRED: PAPER DOLL LIFE

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Have you ever imagined what you'd look like
as a paper doll?

How would you imagine your hair styled?

What pose would you be in?
Which outfits would you choose for your paper-doll self?
Maybe you'd even go so far
to create a backdrop of a chic room to pose in ...
and let's not forget all of the accessories that would make up your
paper-doll life.

It's rather inspiring to imagine yourself not as your real self
but as a paper self ... with paper clothes ... and paper accessories.

Do you think that by letting ourselves
dream of what we'd choose to wear in a paper-doll world,
it may just open up a world of ideas
and styles that we may just want to keep an eye out for
in our real-life world?
Here's just a sample of pretty things I might choose
for my paper-doll self ...

Leopard Sunnies ...

via

Soft Pleats

via

Bows ...

via

This Dior Skirt ...

via

A Little Chanel ...

via

This Lovely Mimosa Bandeau Maillot
(because it looks like it's splashed with watercolor) ...

via

Some pointy toes ...

via

And For My Paper-Doll Fingers ...

via

Of Course, Something Pink ...

via

And since we're dreaming ...
when my paper-doll self is dressed in a sparkling paper-doll evening gown ...
I'd probably be walking up these paper-doll stairs ...

via

And, of course, when I left,
I'd leave in this paper-doll car ...

perfect, don't you think? Haha!

via

Thanks for joining me for a little inspiration this week, loves ...
I hope your week is paper-doll perfect!
I hear we're supposed to have temps in the mid-80's here by mid-week ...
and that would be just the perfect temperature ...
I couldn't think of anything more perfect,
even in a paper-doll life!

See you next Monday!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration
drop her a note here

COMMISSIONED {plus a little weekend fun!}

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Aren't you so happy that it's May?
I hope you had a great weekend!
Mine included an ice cream sundae,
and two alfresco dinners in the sunshine,
some lake-gazing in the backyard,
and even {just because it was magical} ...
a carnival ride!
Sometimes it's good to be a kid again ...
here are a few snaps from the impulsive stop by the roadside carnival.
The tall ferris wheel was the ride that we bought tickets for ...

Who says sparkle is only for fashion?

Snapped while waiting in line ...

... and then while on it ...

Can you almost smell the cotton candy?
It was a perfect first weekend of May!

~ And Now ~
moving on to two new illustration additions to the
COMMISSIONED
series of posts!

~ Illustration One ~
The first illustration I'd like to introduce you to is one that I was

commissioned to create for a fabulous skincare spa
located in Canada called:

The illustration I created is to be used on a variety of things,
including Bella Clinique's bags.
If you follow me on Instagram,
you probably saw the following photo that I shared
of the beginning stages of painting the illustration ...

And here's another peek of the illustration-in-progress
with the background further along ...

The star of this BELLA CLINIQUE illustration
is the new logo girl that I was asked to design for them
and she is named ... Bella!
She is modeled after the lovely owner,
Jennifer Brodeur (@jenniferbrodeur on Twitter)

As is my standard practice with my lovely clients,
e-mails flew back and forth between Jennifer and I ...
it's all part of my preliminary process
in order to capture as many little details as I can ...
things that make the illustration very personal.

Some of the details that Jennifer mentioned she'd like to see
on Bella were:
long ombre hair, like hers;
a sleek black dress, as she wears black most often;
a specific Tiffany bracelet on her wrist;
a Bella Blue scarf that was a gift from a friend;
her Louis Vuitton Galleria handbag;
spa shopping bags;
her lovely dog Sisu;
and two magazines tucked into the handbag (Vogue and Clin d'oeil)
that Bella Clinique has appeared in.
Also, I decided to illustrate a row three crystal pendant lights in the window
after seeing the actual light fixtures photographed inside the spa.
And, here's the finished illustration ...

You can catch the illustration
on the Bella Clinique Facebook page right now!
Thank you, Jennifer!
A pleasure to work with you.
~

.~ Illustration Two ~
I'd like to introduce you to a second illustration this week.
This is an illustration that was recently commissioned
by the
MICHEL GERMAIN
perfume line
for their Mother's Day campaign.
(You can read about Michel Germain's beautiful perfume line
called "Sexual" and how it came to be here.)

This is my second illustration for the Micahel Germain perfume line.
{See the holiday illustration created for them in a previous post (here).}
That first holiday illustration for them was featured
on their website for the holidays
and on holiday gift boxes in stores
(Bloomingdales and Macy's).}

The new Mother's Day illustration shows a
luxurious boudoir in a luxe Paris apartment,
where the SP logo girl that I designed for them
(and that appeared in the first illustration)
appears again (on the right) ... and this time, she is with her mother
as they are preparing to head out to a Mother's Day brunch ...
and, of course, they're spritzing on only ONE perfume
as a finishing touch before they leave!
I think you'd love the fragrance "Sexual Sugar" ...
I was sent one of the beautiful pink bottles
and everyone asks me what I'm wearing!

You can catch this illustration right now
on the Michel Germain website here!

It's always a delight working with fabulous clients like
Michel and Norma Germain.

Thanks for joining me this week, everyone!

These are just a taste of what's been on my
illustration calendar lately ...
hope you all have a wonderful week!
See you next Monday!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

The carnival photos above are property of Ooh La Frou Frou.
The photo of Jennifer Brodeur via Bella Clinique.
Bella Clinique illustration and Michel Germain illustration
by illustrator SANDY M, (c) 2013 SANDY M ~ all rights reserved.

For custom illustration inquiries,
drop a note to Sandy here.

POODLE-ISCIOUS

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Happy Monday, darlings.

One of the "chicest" things on the end of a leash
has to be a poodle, don't you think?
With their luxurious and sometimes curly manes
and sophisticated long noses,
there's just something about them.
Maybe it is simply the fact that they are often seen
"walking" some very chic owners.

One of those owners is a 65 year-old former fashion model
named Linda Rodin ...

{she currently has her own praised skincare line}

Not long ago in this post,
I mentioned that Linda was recently
featured in the Coveteur and that
there was also a very charming photo in the feature
of Linda's sophisticated poodle, Winky,
sitting on Linda's pretty pink chaise
and surrounded by her shoes, clutch and scarf.
I had also mentioned
that I hadn't been able to resist

whipping up a little painting of
Winky but that it wasn't quite finished ...

Well, Winky is now here to
send you off into a brand new week ...

Winky's obviously "in the pink" ...
and we're both sending wishes that your week
will be "in the pink" too!

If you missed this post last week, I announced
a new summer schedule for the blog
and as a part of that schedule,
I mentioned that until the end of May
Ooh La Frou Frou will be Mondays only
{due to an illustration calendar that thinks it's a jetsetter!}.

See you next Monday, lovies!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

To reach Sandy regarding
having a custom illustration created,
drop her a line here.

Poodle photos above via Pinterest.
Photos of Linda Rodin walking Winky
via Google image search.

Illustration of Linda Rodin's Winky
by SANDY M

Sassy

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Happy Friday, Lovies!

As an artist and illustrator,

I love poses and am always studying them.

So much can be said by a pose without saying a word!

Let's take Sassy ...
the definition is:
Adjective: lively, bold, full of spirit, cheeky
Synonyms: saucy, impudent, pert, forward

I see a little
"Sassy"
in all of the above photos!
How would "sassy" describe an item, do you think?
Let's say .... a pair of shoes?
As we head into the weekend,
what if you were heading out for an elegant evening
and you wanted to put on a sassy pair of shoes ...
what would you wear?

I whipped up a watercolor sketch {below} of a particular
Celine {spring-summer 2013} sparkler that
fits the definition of sassy very well, I think!
It's definitely "bold" and "full of spirit,"
with its multi-colored jewels
and if we slipped our feet into a pair, I'm sure
eyes would turn as they
flashed and glittered
and we just may hear someone say as we walked by ...
"Wow, Sassy!"
Take a peek at this actual Celine shoe HERE.

Have a wonderfully sassy weekend, everyone!

See you Monday!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of artist/illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration,
contact Sandy here.

The photos in this post were via
Pinterest and here.

Watercolor illustration of Celine heel
is by SANDY M

Summer Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:18:00 +0000

Hi Lovies!

When you were a child in school,

did your teacher ever ask you

what you did on your summer vacation?

If a teacher should ask me today

what I PLANNED to do

on my upcoming summer vacation,

I'd have the answer.

I could pretty much hold up

my Summer Girl illustration above!

So, I thought I'd take today to announce

Ooh La Frou Frou's

upcoming summer schedule

so you'll have a little head's up!

I've mentioned a few times recently

how full my custom illustration schedule

has been since the beginning of the year.

More and more new and exciting requests

are coming in every week.

It's all so wonderful ... but a bit exhausting!

Also ...

before I even knew my illustration schedule would

be going from BUSY to SUPER BUSY this year,

I decided to take the blog

from one day a week to three

for the first time ever.
Crazeeeee girl.

My
SUPER BUSY

schedule then zoomed up to

EXTREMELY SUPER BUSY.

Now I know why television shows

show run reruns in the summer.

A fellow blogger friend and fabulous hat designer

with a blog named

"Couture Milinery Atelier"

takes each summer off in order to plan and create

for the next season.

With my current schedule,

that sounds like a perfect plan to me.

SO ...

here's what I'm going to do:

Beginning next week through the end of May,

this illustrated blog will go back to
one day per week, on Mondays.

Then, from June through August

I'll be taking the summer off from the blog.
I may pop in now and again throughout the summer to say hey
with a photo of something I've been doing
but no "real" posts will be happening for the summer.

This much needed time will not only:

(1) give me time to enjoy this precious summer before it's gone

(I really am a summer girl, you know, and as an artist
I'm normally inside in the studio A LOT); and,

(2) have time to take a deep breath in the sunshine

which equals inspiration. Inspiration to create
future illustrations for YOU.
You see, along with all of the custom work,

I also have a zillion ideas floating around

every day and night ...
ideas of illustrations I want to create

to place on items for purchase.
But with my current schedule ...
I. just. haven't. had. the. time.
This will let me come back after the summer,
in September, with a bang.

During the summer, I will still be taking

custom illustration commissions ...

drop me a line here

if you're interested in getting on my calendar.
And I ALWAYS read all comments
my fabulous readers leave for me here.

So that's it, guys!

Does that make you want to take the summer off too?
Believe me, if it wasn't necessary, I wouldn't be doing it.
But great work requires time for inspiration.

So, I'll be back this Friday with a post,
and next week and through May it will be Mondays only
and then I'll be on:
Summer Vacation.
You'll be able keep up with me during the summer months
of June through August
and see what I'm up to via Instagram ...
(if you don't follow, please do so before then ...
I post photos of what I'm doing daily there)
You'll will also be able to
keep up with me on Twitter and Facebook.

See you Friday, everyone!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

Summer Girl illustration by SANDY M

Photos via my Pinterest "Summer" board.

Pretty and Sweet Captured on Canvas

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

So ...

I was in a mood this weekend.

A mood for painting a

pretty little something on canvas.

As you know, this year has been

a very busy year illustration commission-wise

(thank you to all of my wonderful. clients!)

and most of my work that I post here on

Ooh La Frou Frou

has been of my illustrations.

But I have a little secret.

You may not be aware that I

also love painting on canvas.

Since my illustration world has become so

all-encompassing, it's been a bit

since I've had the time to sit down

and create a canvas, but I so looooove it.

And I was in a mood.

So ...

I needed to find the perfect subject to paint.

My subject needed to be Pretty (of course!)

(and not too complicated, as I didn't have a lot of time).

Enter the Sweet part ... Connie Cupcake.

Are you familiar?

I recently ran across a Pinterest pin of a

breathtaking bit of deliciousness.

When I clicked over to her site,

I was ahh-mazed to say the least.

And I knew I'd found my subject ...

something Pretty and Sweet ...

and, of course, I call this painting exactly

what Connie Cupcake calls this gorgeous dessert

"Goldfeather Ladyfinger."

In her words:

"It's just a little biscuit ...

but our Goldfeather Ladyfinger has made a big impact ...

a crowd favorite for someone who's all about the details."

And I am definitely all about the details.

Pretty and Sweet!

If I've now given you a craving for even more

Connie Cupcake,

the following will be a feast for the eyes ...

The shells are white Belgian chocolate lined with seafoam sugar ...

Connie Cupcake
has a line of cake jewelry ... the cake is designed around
one stunning sparkling piece that can be easily removed for devouring ...

To visit Connie Cupcake, go here.

So ...
in case you were wondering,
painting on canvas again was so much fun.
So much fun, in fact,
that I'm now thinking of other pretty things
that would make lovely canvas paintings
(not saying what yet ... it'll be a surprise!)
and I'll be sure to have prints made
of those future canvases
that will be available for purchase.

Have a Pretty and Sweet week!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of artist and illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
drop Sandy a line here.

Credits:
Painting above of "Goldfeather Ladyfinger"
by artist/illustrator SANDY M

Dessert photos via Connie Cupcake
Photo credits

Picnic Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

"A favorite blanket, a pillow or two,
a good book for me and a good book for you,
the juciest of berries, a sparkling white wine,
and napkin-wrapped surprises on which we may dine ..."

At the end of a long day of sketching and painting
(yes, even on a week that's been as busy as this one has been!),
I often close my eyes at night with my mind wandering off
to fantasy scenes that would make
lovely upcoming illustrations.

I recently saw and started crushing on THIS
and it sent my thoughts to this fantasy world:
an afternoon of leisure, with no agenda,
no e-mails, a soft breeze, a trickling creek,
the sound of birds ...
I could see that a Picnic Girl definitely will drip from my
paintbrush and onto paper sometime soon ...
are you a Picnic Girl?

Slip with me into the dream ...

via

via

via

So ... what do you think ...
are you a Picnic Girl too?
If you're thinking you might just be,
what would make the perfect picnic to you?

Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
just drop Sandy a note HERE.

INSPIRED: Bring on the Pretty

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Hi Lovies.
Working on several deadlines this week
so I'll simply bring on the pretty with some
of the images that I have found inspiring recently ...
do they inspire you as well?

I love this photo of a french clock
and it made me wonder
if it really worked ...
or perhaps the bird has the job of
tweeting every hour?

via

Poodle cookies ...
I love to bake and decorate cookies for special occasions
and can't imagine any that would be more fun to decorate
than these pink poodles ...

via

Everytime I see beautiful gowns
on hangers, I want to paint them ...
and the fact that these also have a sparkly
necklace hanging around with them
makes painting them all the more irrisistible ...

via

It's probably not surprising that I found
this paint box filled with colorful glass votives
delightful ... each votive color is even
noted on the box, as if they were actual paints ...
so whimsically charming.

via

Love this Jo Malone Sugar and Spice campaign image ...
it's such a fun fantasy ... the description says:
"a collection of five fragrances created for moments of delicious pleasure,
inspired by delectable ingredients. Decadently tempting."
If you click on the link below and run your mouse over the image,
you will see that perfume bottles adorn those decadent desserts ...
making them look as delicious as the desserts themselves ;) ...

via

I love lilac and these nails make me want to rush out
for some gorgeous lilac polish for spring ...
and it's now on my to do list!
Doesn't the ring-finger gold glitter just add that perfect touch?

via

I've always had a thing for bows ...
tied around a wrist, on a handle of a bag ...
and now I see I need one on my finger ...

via

A little beauty for the middle of the week
is always a good thing, no?
Hope you're having an inspiring week!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
drop Sandy a note here.

COMMISSIONED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

HIGH HEELED LIFE

All of the above photos and their sources can be found via
"Shoe Love" Pinterest board here.

High Heels.
We just love to look at them, to slip into them ...
they're truly works of art.

And sometimes they stand for something ...
and, in fact, inspire other works of art.
Have you met Celia of the blog:
"High Heeled Life ... Are You Living Yours?" ...
if not, please let me introduce you!

Without divulging too much about Celia's story,
(as NO one could tell it better that Celia herself),
let me just say that she was living what
she considered to be a
High Heeled Life a few years ago
when something happened that made her feel as if
she had fallen off that High Heeled Life
and sent her on a search to rediscover herself.
Her blog, in fact, used to be called
"Falling off a High Heeled Life."

Fast forward.
Now Celia is launching a brand new look
to celebrate a new direction and the
discoveries she's made along the way
and she shares it all with us.
She recently contacted me to create
three illustrations for her blog to help her tell her story.

The first illustration is of a striking red high heel
with two diamond butterflies
to symbolize change.

The second illustration is of a chic red chaise lounge
that she is currently using as her symbol for readers' questions ...

The third illustration is a cute yoga girl
to symbolize Celia's connection
to mind-body-spirit .

To learn more about Celia's story, go here and
to see where she is now and to see the introduction
of the illustrations, go here.

Thank you, Celia!
It was a pleasure creating a little magic for you and
I can't wait to read more of
your future adventures in your new
High Heeled Life!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!
See you Wednesday!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration

drop a note to Sandy here.

A Girl's Best Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:28:00 +0000

"Pinky Novak" via by Lucy Snowe Photography

via

via

Happy Friday, lovelies.
What is it about a girl and her dog?
We just love 'em!
I'm working on a fab commission right now
that includes a very chic woman and her dog
and it made me realize it's one of my favorite things to illustrate.
Don't they just go together ... girls and dogs?

I also had dogs on the mind because of a recent
feature on The Coveteur ...
on Linda Rodin, sixty-five year old model, stylist and
now skin care line entrepreneur.
Linda has a beautiful silver poodle named Winky.
I loved the Coveteur's photo of him so much
(below)
that I thought he deserved illustration fame.
My illustration of Winky isn't quite finished.

I had planned include him in this post, but ...
ahhhh well ... soon.
Doesn't he have such personality?

So I send you off into the weekend, friends,
dreaming of girls and dogs ...
so appropriate since yesterday was
National Pet Day ...
perhaps you'll be walking one of your own
this weekend?
If so, tell me about your dog ...
you never know,
he may be inspirational enough to
show up in an illustration sometime ;)
Have a wonderful weekend, darlings!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
contact Sandy here.

INSPIRED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:39:00 +0000

INSPIRED ABOUT BEAUTY

When I think about what I'd like to illustrate,
I always feel like a kid in a candy store.
There are so many things I find inspiring
and items of daily beauty are one ...

... after all, there are so many delights
on our dressing tables that are so visually lovely ...

I've been thinking about creating some illustrations of
beauty vignettes sometime soon that would be perfect
as prints for a dressing room ...
don't you love vignettes?

We all know that sparkly jewelry and perfume bottles would
make an appearance in those illustrations ...

... but seemingly simple, everyday items are also very intriguing
and beg to be included.
Here are a few of those ordinary things
that I'm sure would look magical in a vignette illustration ...

... beautiful compacts ...

... sparkly eyeshadows...

... colorful eyeliner pencils ...

... brushes ...

... mascara wands ...

... an eyelash curler ...

... and, of course, I'd have an array of
bobby pins, clips and barrettes
to choose from ...

Don't you think there is magic in the everyday
items that we see every morning?
Are there any other things you'd love to see in a
beauty vignette?
Do tell!

See you Friday, beauties!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration
drop Sandy a note HERE.

The beauty images above are via

Pinterest:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Planning Ahead for Summer!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Hi lovelies, hope you had a great weekend!
What's new?
If you can't think of anything,
here's a little something for you ...
it's almost ice cream truck time!

Last Friday, @katespadeny instagrammed
a photo of a Mr. Softee ice cream truck
with this comment:
"It's that time of the year, today at least!"
and it made me remember how wonderful
the sound of an ice cream truck
was to childhood ears!
Do you remember running inside,
asking (begging) your mom for change?

As adults, we try to be more sophisticated
and simply can't be seen tripping up our front steps
as we try to run in for our wallet before
the truck passes by ... or can we?
(haha!)

It does seem that so many things
that made us smile as a child
we intentionally tuck away into the suitcase of the past
when we become "chic" and "adult"
and too old to "play" ...
and it's easy to forget the pure joy
that summer days can hold.

I, for one, am going to try to think back to
the details of summers as a child
and what made me enjoy them so ...
and try to add handfuls of some of those things
into my summer this year ...
maybe it will simply be a matter of adding more
"playtime" to my schedule ... time to swim,
laugh, picnic, take walks on summer evenings, sit by a bonfire ...
(I know that summer vacations with my family
and amusement parks were at the top of the list
of favorites as a child).
Do you, like me, forget that summers
used to seem to be sooooo long,
not short, as they seem now?
I think that's because we packed as much summer
into each day that we could.

What made your childhood summers memorable?
I'm planning ahead ... summer isn't even here yet

but when it gets here, it will be too short ...
and I want to make the time stretch by slower ...
I want to make it a fabulous summer!

If you're with me,
maybe this quick illustration of
a fashionista and her frenchie
(both enjoying ice cream from a Mr. Softee truck)
could serve as our reminder
that even grown-up chic girls
need a treat now and then ...

If you'd like some Mister Softee sound effects
to go with the illustration, here you go
via You Tube ;)
Have a great week!
See you Wednesday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration,
contact Sandy here.

The photos above and their sources
can be found on my
"Summer" Pinterest board.

"Fashionista and Frenchie
at Mister Softee Truck" illustration
by SANDY M

INSPIRED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Hi guys ...

What has inspired you this week?
Let's compare notes ...

IN THE STUDIO ...
This week, I've been inspired in the studio,
where I've been very busy painting
several custom illustrations ...
that included perfume and pink seashells and
stilettos and pretty chaise lounges
and much, much more for
some lovely clients.
I feel so lucky that for my job,
I get to paint such beautiful items all of the time.

WHEN NOT IN THE STUDIO ...
When not illustrating, I've been inspired by my HOME,
as I dream and plan the decor of the current room I'm working on,
the living room, of our house that we purchased and moved into last June.

Sooooo ...
since I can't share photos of the above illustrations
that I'm currently working on with you yet,
and this is a post in the INSPIRED series,
let's talk about decor inspiration!
For instance, yesterday, after working in the studio non-stop
from early morning until mid-afternoon,
I took a break to stretch and stepped out into the beautiful sunshine.
I called up my best friend to join me in my continued search
for the next items I needed for the living room ...
which was two pretty side chairs
to flank a side table in the big bay window.
This window is such a happy, sunny place in the room
and I wanted it to be the perfect spot
for sitting with a friend and sharing a glass of iced tea
and chatting while doing something fun like leafing through
a stack of magazines in the summer sunshine.

Since our house is on water,
I've mentioned before that I've chosen to
decorate the home in a peaceful but glamorous
beach house style.
Decorating always inspires me, doesn't it you?
I can have so much fun just playing with
a perfect tabletop vignette. You too?

If you follow me on instagram,
you've seen tidbits here and there of the living room so far ...
but if you don't follow, here are a few snaps
that I've posted from my i-phone ...

The first and one of the very best choices I made
was to paint the walls in the living room
the most luscious, ethereal shade of pale blue-green
that looks SO pretty with the glossy white trim.
The room is so serene and it really makes you feel
that you're under a summer sky with sunshine
pouring in the tall windows.
Below is the arch in front of the living room
bay window in the new color.

I haven't bought any window treatments
or decided on a rug yet, but I have bought a
pretty white sofa and some great pillows for it ...
and the crystal urn lamp and table you see in the background
is one of two matching tables/lamps that flank the bay window
behind the sofa ...

In keeping with the beachy theme,
a Nate Berkus white tortoiseshell graces one wall ...

I also chose two lamps like the one below for a long side table in the room ...
I love the coral bases.
And I'm now looking for two chic ottomans to tuck under that table.

Until yesterday's afternoon trip in search of the chairs,
the living room colors consisted only of pale whites, creams and blue-green.
I hadn't decided on another color yet, but after yesterday,
two new side chairs for the window decided that for me.
This pretty graphic print is a closep-up of the pattern
on the new chairs I purchased ... a sunny yellow that reminds me
of the happiness of summer sun and yellow beach umbrellas ...

I've been trying to decide on the artwork I'll be painting for the room ...
when I figure that out, I'll share photos when the artwork begins ...

Speaking of home inspiration, I'll close with something
I recently saw that was fun and inspirational
in an architectural way and
thought you might enjoy seeing.
Architecture ALWAYS inspires me, doesn't it you?
I love home decor blogs and one that never fails to impress
is The Enchanted Home, where the author invites us
to join her as she shares, among other things, her adventures
as she decorates her absolutely
breathtaking and stately home.

In a recent post (here), The Enchanted Home
shared with us photos of a Mt. Vernon-inspired playhouse
and I couldn't believe my eyes!
Yes ... you read right ... it's really a playhouse!

Allan Greenberg, Architect

Unbelievable, no?
My thanks to The Enchanted Home for sharing the fun.

Will you be doing something inspiring this weekend?
I'd love to hear what you've been up to!
Are you decorating too right now?
Do tell!
Till next Monday ...

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration,
drop Sandy a line here.

The photos of my home in this post
are personal photos taken by SANDY M

The two playhouse photos
courtesy of The Enchanted Home.

Once Upon A Fairytale ...

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:43:00 +0000

If ever I were to be the star of a fairytale,
I would want to be dressed in breathless magic.

Magic that would sparkle in the sunlight
and swirl softly in the moonlight,
with the glorious sheer hem of my gown
playing sweet games with the breeze.

I can't imagine couture more breathtaking than
the designs by the fashion house of
~ J'Aton Couture. ~
The magicians that wave their wands
to create such beauty are Austrailian designers
Jacob Luppino and Anthony Pittorino.
Both designers are from sartorial Italian backgrounds
and are known for their great attention to detail in
creating those bewitching gowns.

Beautiful J'Aton bridal and red-carpet gowns
adorn many high-profile beauties as they step into
their own fairytales.
In 2011, model Rebecca Twigley chose the gown
pictured above with all of it's translucent layers of magic
for her fairytale wedding to AFL player Chris Judd.
{She is pictured in her gown, below}

Following are glimpses into other fairytales

that J'Aton gowns were a beautiful part of:

Oh, the magical beauty ...

doesn't it leave you breathless too?

One particular image of a beautiful J'Aton fairytale gown
not only leaves me breathless each time I see it ...
but the brush in my hand recently found itself
dipping into my waterglass,
... as if by magic ...
and soon water met paper
and when color then met water ...

I had my fairytale gown.

If you'd like to see a photo of this gown, go here.

I'll leave you now to dream dreams
of your own fairytales, lovelies ...
see you Friday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries,
simply drop a note to Sandy HERE.

J'ATON FASHION ILLUSTRATION BY:
The watercolor illustration of
the J'Aton gown in the above post
is by illustrator SANDY M.

PHOTO SOURCES
Photo 1: Back of Gown via
Photo 2: J'Aton Gown with Layers via
Photos 3 and 4: Rebecca Twigley via and via
Photo 5: Gown with Flower via
Photo 6: Bride in Gown with Lace Train on Balcony via
Photo 7: Champagne-Color Gown on Bride in Car via

Photo 8: Black and White Photo of Woman in Front of Mirror via

Easter Dreaming

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Lovely Yellow Table Happiness via

Tiered Tulips in Egg Cups via

Speckled Robin's Egg Cake DIY via

Bunny Napkin via

Happy Spring Green via

Easter Bunny Centerpiece via

Easter Cupcakes (love the grass!) via

Easter Nest in Urn via

Beautiful Easter Centerpiece via

Little Easter Lambs via

Cookies via

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Easter Egg Recipe via

Someone's Been Walking In Gold Bunnies via

Gold-Dipped Easter Eggs via

Hi all!
Are you entertaining this Easter?
If so, maybe these images will give you some
last minute holiday decorating ideas.

I've been VERY busy this week finishing up
lots custom sketches to send to clients
before I head out of town on Friday morning
for a long holiday weekend with my family.
That means that, as much as I love to entertain
(and Easter is my favorite holiday dinner to put together,
as Easter tablescapes are so happy and full of spring beauty),
I am more than happy to turn it over to others this time around!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ...
and if you celebrate,
I'd love to hear what you have planned!
As I will be out of town,
there will not be a post this Friday
or the Monday after Easter day.

See you next Wednesday!
If you missed Monday's "Oh, Dior" post,
you might want to catch that illustration "action" here!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries,
just drop Sandy a line here.

OH, DIOR!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:34:00 +0000

If you follow me on Instagram,

you may have seen this image in a post yesterday ...

it was of one of my illustrations in progress,

in which I posed this question ...

"Know what's missing?

Of course,
most of you knew the answer to that one was
"O" for DIOR!

Well, this post and that illustration
all began when two things happened:

The First Thing:
I was dreaming over the gorgeous new
Lady Dior handbag campaign
starring French beauty Marion Cotillard ...
and those gorgeous Dior handbags (below)!
The lush tangerine and lavender colors
of the delectable bags made me crave ...
YES ... SPRING!

Okay ... I mean the actual SPRING,
not this mischievous impersonator of spring we have now
that's been trying to make us think it's actually spring
by pointing to the calendar and snickering,
all the while sneakily throwing snowflakes in the air
and prompting brrr-cold temps to hang around.
Nope. NOT that spring. That's GRINCH Spring.
I want the spring of tangerine and lavender handbags ...

Sooooooo .... enter

The Second Thing:
As I was dreaming over the above
tangerine and lavender spring colors,
my mind drifted back to the recent
Dior Holiday campaign entitled:
An Exceptional Christmas
and remembered that when I first saw it
IT TOO felt a little springlike to me ...
I mean, nothing says spring more than
green garden parteres, hedges and florals, right?
So I took my spring daydream a little further
and went back to peek at that campaign again
to soak up a little more green ...
and thought you might like a revisit too ...

Springlike, right?
Sooooooo ... with all of that Dior inspiration,
the following just begged to be created ...
I mean ... wouldn't we all secretly like a swing like this?

Do you too feel more like spring now?
No revisit to a Dior campaign would be complete
without the video that goes with it
in case you missed it ...
or maybe you're JUST like me
and need to soak in lush green..
After all, who can blame us?
It IS almost Easter ... right?

In the video you can peek at the actual DIOR swing ...

See you Wednesday, darlings!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

Animated Illustration
of girl on DIOR swing
by SANDY M

For custom illustration
drop Sandy a note here.

Dior

FLYING WITH LILLY

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

Happy first Friday of Spring 2013!
Has the week flown by for you?
It sure has for me ...
as usual, my studio is humming with
lots of custom illustrations in the works
and before I knew it Friday flew in the window
(how did that happen?)!

Since all of this flying is going on,
I thought the perfect way to end the week
would be a little MORE flying ...

Since it's officially spring now,
I think we're allowed to dream about
flying kites on a beach, don't you?
Of course!
And what would be more springlike than to be
wearing a Lilly Pulitzer dress while flying it?
My "Lilly Girl" illustration above is dressed in the
Payton dress covered in tulips and the hot pink McKim wedge.

I love all of Lilly's happy pastel spring colors ...
and following them on Pinterest is like going to a spring party ...
a party where you start out on the porch with a mint julep ...

... and follow that up with a leisurely afternoon sail!

You can feel even more springlike by
going HERE to see a video of one of the fabric designs being painted.

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!
Lay back with your mint julep so it won't fly by too fast!
See you Monday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
contact Sandy here.

Sources/Credits:
"Lilly Girl with Kite" illustration by SANDY M

Photos of Lilly Pulitzer prints and video
via Lilly Pulitzer "Printed" board on Pinterest.

HOT

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

I don't know about you
but I'm so much more inspired in sunshine.
These days it's been snowy and blowy here so
I thought that perhaps a post on something a little
HOT
may just bring on spring ... what do you think??
And how much HOT would it take?
Hmmmmm ....
So I interrupt our regularly scheduled programming
to bring on spring!
You with me?

Did it work, do you think?
See you Friday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
drop Sandy a note here.

All of the hot pink images in this post
can be found via my
Never Enough Pink
Pinterest board.
with the exception of the image of the sea
which is from my Summer Pinterest board.
{Shoe image via David Lewis Photography}

COMMISSIONED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

ONE STYLE AT A TIME

Happy Monday, loves!
For this post in the
COMMISSIONED
series, I thought I'd share with you
a recent custom fashion illustration commission
created for Maria of the superb fashion blog:
One Style At A Time.
If you're a fan of fashion and not yet familiar with Maria,
I know you'll love One Style At A Time.
Maria is very fashion savvy,
so it's perfect that she lives
in the fashion capital of the world,
New York City.

The new illustration made it's debut
on One Style At A Time this last weekend
when the blog celebrated it's
oh-so-fashionable two-year anniversary ...
congratulations, Maria!

THE ILLUSTRATION
When Maria contacted me for a commission,
we discussed a variety of options and poses
for her fashion illustration that she wished to use as
her new blog header and avi.
With a "sitting at her desk" pose selected,
we quickly moved on to the other details that
she wished to see in her illustration.
This is always such a fun part when clients
choose what they'd like to see created ...
sort of like shopping!
I asked Maria to send me photos of herself,
as well as a list of the items she would like included
(and photos of those items if she had them),
and also what she would like to be wearing in the illustration.
Some of the items Maria chose were:
a glam mirrored desk, pink peonies,
a classic black Chanel 2.55 handbag,
a Hermes Birkin bag at her feet,
fashion books on her desk
and a french chandelier.

Once I received all the info,
it was time for sketching to begin ...
and once a first rough sketch was completed,
it was e-mailed to Maria for approval.
I've grouped together some of the images
of the fashion illustration of Maria
from first sketch of her face (upper left)
and complete rough pencil sketch (just below it)
to steps along the way after painting had begun ...

When I had completed the Birkin bag and its contents,
I e-mailed Maria and included a little tease as an attachment.
It was a sneak-peek of the Birkin bag
I was placing at her feet in the illustration.
Her bag was filled with the March 2013 issue of Vogue
(the month and year of her two year blog anniversary).
You may be able to just make out a little of the face
of Beyonce on the cover of the issue ...

I also added a chic silk scarf peeking out
over the side of the bag ...
here's the attachment Maria received ....

Ahhhh, Birkin ...
so much fun ...
I'm such a tease, I know.

For an illustration such as this one,
I often paint with layers of gouache and acrylics.
It's essentially a painting as I would do on canvas,
but for an illustration, the painting is created on illustration board
so that it can be scanned when complete
and placed in electronic file format to be e-mailed
to the client.

Soooooo ...
when the illustration was complete,
it was e-mailed to Maria ...

And below is the illustration
as it appears on Maria's header ...
she found the perfect font to embellish it!

Here's the link to
One Style At A Time
so you can see it in person ...
thanks, Maria, it was so much fun!
Now ...
what are we going to create for your
three-year anniversary, I wonder? lol

Have a wonderful week, everyone!
Thanks so much for joining me!
See you Wednesday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

To custom illustration inquiries,
drop Sandy a note here.

Issue photo:
Vogue Magazine

COULD SHE BE YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 04:40:00 +0000

TOPIARY GIRL

Topiaries TopiariesTopiaries,

She just loves the sound;

She could never have nearly enough

Of their whimsy all around.

Every shrub she passes by

She eyes with a hand on her sheers;

Would that one make the perfect bunny of green

or the first in a grand row of spheres?

Just when she thinks she may have just enough,

She carts home one or two more;

And although she spends time at glamorous boutiques,

She's her happiest at the topiary store.

COULD SHE BE YOU?

What better way to send ourselves into the weekend
than with thoughts of stepping into a greenhouse
filled with topiaries?
One of my favorite things to do in the summer
visit greenhouses filled with sun
and the sound of trickling water from a fountain
and the scent of green and flowers all around.
Normally a post like this would have been accompanied
by a topiary girl illustration, but you know since I myself
am a Topiary Girl that you will see one of those
sometime in the future.
As you know, this has been
one of those very busy weeks
filled with illustration deadlines
and little time for anything else ...
but I'll be able to share those illustrations too
with you later!

Have a glorious weekend
filled with thoughts of spring!
Until Monday, darlings...

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
drop Sandy a note here.

The topiary photos above
are from my Luxe Landscaping
Pinterest Board with the exception of
the fifth photo:
the dogs on the back of the truck ( via )
and the sixth photo:
rider and horse jumping over fence with dogs ( via )

INSPIRED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

THE INSPIRATION OF LUXE HOTELS

It's one of those busy weeks in my illustration schedule ..
four illustration commissions in the works at one time ...
so I thought it was the perfect time for an
INSPIRED post since I need to take a break myself
and what better way to take a break
than visit something virtually that inspires?
This time, it's luxe hotels.
Do you love them as much as I do?
After a trip to a beautiful hotel,
even if it's for lunch
or walking around the lobby,
I leave with fresh inspiration
for an illustration or painting.
It never fails.

Crisp white dining room tablecloths,
for instance, can inspire me.
So can things like expanses of marble floors,
silver domes on room service carts,
shiny brass luggage carts,
hotel maids and bellboys in their uniforms,
beautiful historic elevator doors ...
lounge chairs lined up by the pool ...
not to mention the people that are all around me.
I'm always snapping photos of things that others
probably don't look twice at.

So, come with me for a little mid-week inspiration ...
and let's pretend we're checking in ...

Palace Hotel, San Francisco

Tea at the Ritz, London

Hotel Four Seasons, George V Paris

The Peninsula, New York

St. Regis, New York

The Ritz, Paris

The Greenbriar, West Virginia

The Mandarin Oriental, London

The Cypress Inn, Carmel, California (Doris Day, co-owner)

Penthouse Suite, Four Seasons New York

Ahhhh, hotels always make me feel so wonderful ...
I guess I'll have to check in for a weekend somewhere soon,
it's been too long ...
But before I explore the hotel, I may want to
call up a massage, pick something extravagant
from room service and take a nice long nap ...

A girl can dream ... right?
But now that I'm inspired,
it's back to work for the time being.
Do you have a favorite hotel?
See you Friday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
contact Sandy here.

Images above were from
Ooh La Frou Frou's
Luxe Hotels and My Bags are Packed
Pinterest boards.

SPRING AHEAD

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:10:00 +0000

If you, like myself, live in a part of the world
that participates in daylight savings time,
this last weekend we changed our clocks ahead an hour
and refer to it as "springing ahead."
I take that as my cue (doesn't take much)
to start looking for leaf buds on the trees and
tulips to pop out of the ground.
I know, I know ... springing ahead doesn't mean it's spring.
But, in my mind when we switch to daylight savings
and the light stays around longer,
it's officially A-OK to be in a SPRING mood!

Add to that the fact that this weekend
we had beautiful sunshine and
that the temperature on Sunday rose to an
almost balmy fifty-nine degrees (Fahrenheit)
and I'm in spring heaven.
We took a Sunday drive to celebrate the occasion
(just love those, don't you?)
and took a walk in the warmth of the sun ...
it was heavenly!
Were you in a spring celebration mood too?
Did you celebrate "spring ahead" or am I alone here? lol

Let me be the first to wish you all
Happy Spring Ahead
and let's consider it the launching off
of loads of springtime fun!
It's official gang.

See you Wednesday!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration

contact Sandy here.

INSPIRED

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:10:00 +0000

THE LUXE LIFE

I thought I'd end the week with a little fun

and send you into the weekend

with a little glamorous inspiration.
I have a Pinterest board called
THE LUXE LIFE
and it's fun, fantasy playland of the rich life.
Have fun dreaming with me ...
what if we could awake everyday
and have it be exactly as we wished?
How would you start the day?
I think I'd probably have a massage
at least five days a week!
Talk about inspiring!
Dream away ...

.

Oh, James ... bring the car around, would you?

Happy Weekend, Everyone!
If you missed
Monday's and Wednesday's posts
and would like to drop by,
here are the links to:
"Grand Entrance" and "Dancing Shoes"
See you Monday!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration
contact Sandy here.

The sources for the images above
can be found on Sandy's
THE LUXE LIFE
Pinterest Board.

DANCING SHOES

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 05:04:00 +0000

Hi everyone!

I'm wondering ... do you have spring fever too?

I think maybe it's the fact that I've been
decorating my living room with beach house details
and it's pushing me a bit over the edge.
It has me thinking about spring and color
and the water out back that's covered by ice now
and how I can't wait to sit in the sun and gaze at the lily pads
with a glass of iced tea and a good book ...
you with me?

And how much do we look forward to
kicking off the socks and boots and
slipping sleek bare feet into some cute flats!
So ... let's put on our spring dancing shoes
and click our heels and make a wish ...
maybe spring will come even sooner!

Spring always makes me happy, of course,
but do you know what else does?
Kate Spade.
I love a little Kate Spade whimsy.
I mean ... living colorfully is a really good thing, no?
So what better dancing shoes could we slip into
than these Kate Spade dancing darlings?

The chic leopard flats with the
hot pink patent toe and black patent heel is the
Terry
The pretty mint flat with the silver toe is the
Ginny Too Flat
The black and white stripe flat
with the gold glitter toe is the
Trixie

So, what do you say ...
dance away, my darlings, and let's bring on the tulips!

On a closing note ...
if you missed Monday's post,
elegant personalized
"Whippet Blank Notes," featuring
a new illustration of a chic whippet dog
are available for purchase
for a limited time
on the Grand Entrance post!

See you Friday, lovelies!

OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration
contact Sandy here.

Kate Spade Shoe Illustrations
by SANDY M

Photo of tulips via