Calendar Girls

Hi Lovelies ...
how has your week been so far?
I've been so hard at work on the calendar illustrations
that October is just flying by!
Silly, silly me ...
I hadn't planned on creating a 2014 calendar,
and then in autumn came and I thought, 

"I can do it ... I have time."
Usually, before undertaking such a project,
ideas would simmer from the beginning of the year
and calendar work would begin by March.
So ... you can imagine the magic happening
in the studio right now!
But happening, it is!
I'm working hard to get it ready and available
hopefully by the
end of November!

If you follow me on Instagram,
you probably have seen a couple of illustration sneak peeks.
In thinking of what I'd like the calendar theme to be,
I imagined that it would be fun to
create a year where each month
we step into a dream ...
the dream of living a glamorous life in the city,
where we'd drop into exciting places on a daily basis,
as if money were no object ...
where couture clothes were the norm
(imaging slipping into Valentino, Dior, Elie Saab daily)
and glamour happened around every turn.

via Photography/Cinemagraph by the fabulous Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg

So, I am dreaming up a year's worth of girls
that are living an "Eloise-all-grown-up" kind of life.
Some months we may see a girl that lives in the city
and in other months, we may dream along with another
as she orders room service in one of the city's
fabulous hotels ...
I thought that stepping through a townhouse door
with an address of 2014 on the cover
and entering dreamland for a year
certainly would be fun.
Stay tuned!

It's been an awful lot of fun virtually
"shopping"
for the designer pieces that the calendar girls will wear
in each of the months ...

via Photography/Cinemagraph by the fab Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg

Following are a couple of the outfits you just may see on the calendar ...
elegant designer beauties especially for days where something other than
a long evening gown is called for ...

For instance, what gorgeous Dior skirt
do you think has been "shopped" and "bought"

for one of the calendar girls
 to sip champagne in at the Plaza Champagne Bar ...


... hint: it was chosen because it's pretty lavender flowers on the skirt ...
they so matched the purple glow
cast down and reflected off the crystal champagne flutes
 from the aubergine Rose Club chandeliers above ...

... and here it is ...

... and to go with the skirt, I'm sure she felt like a princess
when she slipped her feet into these ...

... and for February, another calendar girl is trying hard to decide what to wear
for that very special Valentine's date ...
hmmm ... how about this one ....
we see her suddenly sparkling as she tries on this gorgeous Elie Saab,
(that I "shopped" for right off the 2014 runway) ...


... and to go with that beautiful dress,
what could  be better than a pair of
Valentino Rock Stud heels  ...


Too much fun ...
I could get used to shopping like this!

Have a wonderful week, everyone
I'd love to stay and chat but I have lots of illustrating to do!
Till next time!


OOH LA FROU FROU
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
leave Sandy a note here.


Photo credits:
The two incredible cinemagraphs are linked above below each photo
and are the beautiful work of Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg.
Plaza Hotel NYC Champagne Bar with purple light reflected via
Champagne Bar photo with green chairs courtesy Plaza Hotel NYC
Dior, Elie Saab and Valentino fashions and shoes above
can be found on Pinterest.

Hello New York Fashion Week!

New York Fashion Week Taxi Girl Illustration by SANDY M

Hi everyone!
Summer is slowly waving goodbye to us
(I hope you all have had a fabulous one!)
and autumn is trying to sneak it's foot in the door ...
I'm slowly trying to talk myself into being ready for it!

As much as I love autumn,
(and once I'm into it, I love it wholeheartedly),
I always have in the back of my mind
how long it will be before we will have another summer
and how I feel about it all in February and March ...
which makes it all so bittersweet, doesn't it?

I've enjoyed having some time to enjoy summer
and to make some future illustration plans
by having a relaxed blog schedule this summer ...
and soon I'll be back with a regular blogging schedule
for fall!

I wanted to stop by today to say hello

on this first day of New York Fashion Week ...

(oh, the glamour of it all)
to say hello and let you know regular posts will begin soon!

I've been very busy working on the illustrations for the

upcoming SANDY M 2014 Calendar ...

... on the cover illustration (a portion of it, above),
we see a glamorous girl dressed in a sparkly black dress
walking up the steps about to enter the door
to an Upper East Side townhouse party ...
Townhouse No. 2014 represents the new year ...
and she's just about to walk through the door.
Each month of the calendar

will continue with the city theme
as introduced with the Upper East Side cover ...
glamorous illustrations of girls enjoying
2014 in the city!
Stay tuned!

See you soon everyone!

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of fashion illustrator
SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries
contact Sandy here.

Sweet August

What is it about August?
The fact that it's the last "unofficial"
month of summer makes it a little bittersweet ...

autumn decorations begin to shoulder themselves into the stores,
ads begin to appear for "back to school" supplies ...
and it makes summer lovers like me want to slip our sunnies on,
cover our ears and shout
"na na na na na na na" ...

... not that I don't LOVE autumn, I do ...
so very much, in fact, that it's my second favorite season ...
I adore autumn leaves, apple cider, crisp air, warm clothes ...
but I just like to keep all things in their time
so that we can truly enjoy and soak in the season that's still here ...

And I've been doing just that!
You all know that I've taken a little time off
from the blog for the summer, just popping in now and again to say hello ...
hope you've all been having a sparkling one, too!


In addition to purely enjoying the summer sunshine and beaches,
taking little trips here and there,
enjoying fresh vegetables from farm stands,
savoring summer barbecues and dining al fresco
and ending sultry days with cooler evening walks ...
I spend a good portion of most days, of course, in the studio.
Many of the things I have been working on I'm not able to share yet,
as they haven't yet been released and introduced by my clients,
but I've been very busy, as usual.

I shared the following custom fashion illustration
on facebook and instagram recently
(so please forgive for the repeat to those that have already seen it)

The illustration was commissioned by Aliana of Aliana Events
as a gift for a bride-to-be that loves Dior
to be presented at a stunning Dior-themed bridal shower.
The following photo of the bride-to-be with the illustration
alongside the beautiful Dior cake of the shower

is courtesy of Aliana Events.

I also mentioned on social media recently that the first
SANDY M Illustrated Calendar
will be available for 2014 and will be introduced later this fall!
The following "teaser," of a portion of the calendar cover illustration
{but covering up the townhouse door area to keep it a surprise}
is all that has been shown so far ...
notice the address of this chic city townhouse as the introduction ...
Stay tuned for more ...

Along with all of the details for the calendar,
one of the illustrations I'm currently working on for a client
takes me away to a chateau in France ... I just love how I'm able to
"travel" while I'm working! ;)

Have a sweet remainder of August, everyone!
I'll be leaving the end of next week for a week-long
road trip with my dad ... yep, a father and daughter trip ...
 going back and visiting his roots ;) ...

it'll be fun!

Till later ...

OOH LA FROU FROU

is the blog of illustrator

SANDY M

For custom illustration inquiries

drop Sandy a line here.

Image Credits:
First three images sourced from Pinterest as follows:
Image 1 girl in sunglasses via
Image 2 girl on carousel via

Image 3 sea at night via

Custom Dior Fashion Illustration by SANDY M

Photo of Bride with SANDY M Fashion Illustration via Aliana Events

"Sneak Peek" partial view 2014 calendar illustration by SANDY M