Anticipation

 Hello Ooh La Frou Frou girls!

~ There's a special treat in this post ~

our new boxed holiday card design!

For the last two weeks, we've been peeking in at

 illustrated Ooh La Frou Frou girl Sunny

and her very romantic "meet cute."

If you missed Grand Flirt and its sequel Grand Flirt II

slip over for a little grand romantic escapism!

Sunny's romantic adventure will continue later,
when Sunny is again featured!

~ Now For This Week ~

Let's walk just a few blocks over from

Sunny's apartment at The Mark Hotel and

look in on Hope at her
luxe fantasy apartment building called

~ "The City Girl." ~

Early on this November morning,

the sun is awakening the city

with the promise of a
delectable and glamourous
 day to come ...

As Hope opens her eyes to the sun sparkling

on the chandelier drops above her bed ...

... she looks forward to the day stretching before her ...
as Kathryn Hepburn said ...
"Never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun."

And if ever there was a girl
that enjoyed "just being"
{in the city, in particular}
it is Hope!

She throws handfuls of fun
into each day in every way she can ...
Autumn, with its crisp leaves and burnished color,
simply adds to the glamour of her days ...


And today is the kind of day that 

Hope adores ...
one without obligations ...
a day that's an empty giftbox
 to fill up as she pleases ...

What better way to start the day than by walking ...


 ... straight to her favorite upper east side cappuccino ...
at a charming place that's even a
 favorite on Gossip Girl ...
Via Quadronno

Soon
Via Quadronno
 will be dressed like this ...


The mere thought of the holidays
fills Hope with a sense of
~ anticipation. ~

If you've been with Ooh La Frou Frou for a while,
you know that Hope loves nothing more than shopping ...


And as the holidays approach,
she loves leisurely browsing the stores of the city
when its early enough to take her time
and gather ideas for things that are
~ just right. ~

On this Autumn day as she's shopping,
 Hope finds a little present for herself ...
Paris Hangover by Kirsten Lobe ...
a book about a girl from New York
that finds herself in Paris dating handsome frenchmen ..
an ooh la la perfect book to read
since she just came back from a Grande Paris Adventure
with fellow illustrated girls Aimee, Belle & Alex!
{If you missed the posts of the fantasy trip,
here are links to Paris I, II, III.)

With that first purchase,
Hope feels she's seriously begun her holiday shopping
~ even if it is for herself ~
and she begins to feel a little like Christmas
truly is right around the corner ...
~ oh, the anticipation ~

So, to help you feel the anticipation also,
 she thought she'd share
just a couple of items that will
definitely be wrapped up
for gift-giving under her tree ...

She starts with a little something for your stylish friends
that love fashion, entertaining and design ...
a wonderful coffee-table book ...
Rebecca Moses ... A Life of Style ...

All of your friends will say,

 "divine, darling!"

when they unwrap this book with its fun illustrations ...

We think you'll love this Rebecca Moses

illustrated video ... it will give you an idea of
what the illustrations in the book are like ...

it's almost as much fun as a hot fudge sundae ...

 well, almost ...

Normally, silk scarves are pricey,
but these adorable scarves called
"So Many Shoes"
are only $24.95!
Hope thinks they have "glamorous stocking stuffer"
written all over them!
They come in green (below) and grey ...

You'll probably have as hard a time as Hope would in ordering this

personalized zebra-print tray to give away as a gift
 instead of for yourself ...
it's $55 by Lovey Dovey Creations ...
isn't it an oh-so-chic way to keep your
goodies in one place? ...

This bangle is oh-so-made-for a girl like Hope that's
uptown, downtown, all around the town ...
from Kate Spade ...

If you'd like to feel as if you've begun your holiday shopping too ...
and perhaps even feel as if you've hung out with Hope in the city today,
here are links to some of the stores in her playground ...
via this season's
on-line holiday catalogues ...
Kate Spade
Bergdorf-Goodman
Bloomingdales

Henri Bendel

~ Now For Our Holiday Card Introduction ~

I'm happy to introduce:
"Christmas in the City."
Perfect for girls that love to shop
as much as Hope does!
Hope is starring on this card doing her favorite thing ...
 shopping!
Holding her cappuccino to go,
she stands before a scene in a holiday store window ...
giant ornaments depicting Christmas in the City.
The ornament in the widow on the top right
is embellished with a townhouse illustration,
the ornament in the lower left shows
 city buildings and taxis
and the one in the lower right is filled covered with
taxis with Christmas trees on top!

"Christmas in the City"
is sold by the box of eight blank cards.
Embellished with clear glittery snow,
the card is lined with pink paper,
and its white envelope
is lined in with a glossy deep pink metallic liner.

To purchase a box of these holiday cards, simply go here.



If you are looking for an individual holiday card,
Ooh La Frou Frou girl Cherie stars in our individual card
entitled
"Santa Baby."

To purchase this individual card, simply go here.
 

Thanks so much for joining us this week everyone!
And from Hope ...
Happy Holiday Anticipation, Darlings!




Illustration of Ooh La Frou Frou girl Hope
 and her "City Girl" apartment
in the post above by the artist and creator of
Ooh La Frou Frou
(c) Sandra Shelton Markwalder ~ All Rights Reserved.

All illustrations on
Ooh La Frou Frou Collection cards by
Ooh La Frou Frou creator:
(c) Sandra Shelton markwayder ~ All Rights Reserved.

TO PURCHASE OOH LA FROU FROU COLLECTION CARDS:
http://www.oohlafroufrou.com

Sources for Photos Used in Above Post:
1. City with Golden Light
2. Bridge in Central Park
3. Chandelier
4. Iron Fence Photo in Autumn by Raceytay on Etsy
5. NYC Townhouses and Vintage Taxi
6. Images of Via Quadronno
7. Hermes Scarf and Pearls
8. Paris Hangover from Amazon (linked above)
9. Townhouses in Snow
10. Rebecca Moses A Life of Style from Amazon (linked above)
11. Inside Shot of A Life of Style
12. Rebecca Moses Video
13. So Many Shoes Scarves green and grey (linked above)
14. Zebra Tray from Lovey Dovey Creations (linked above)
15. Go The Extra Mile Bangle from Kate Spade (linked above)
16. Be Merry

Grand Flirt II ... Sunny's Response

Hello Real-Life
Ooh La Frou Frou Girls!

~ A Little Note ~
Originally I'd planned for this post
to feature illustrated girl Hope
and a peek into her shopping bags
~ you know she loves shopping more than anything ~
... but ...
that will come next week!

Just as I thought ...
all of you darling real-life
Ooh La Frou Frou girls
are just as glamorous and romantic as the
illustrated ones ...
and we all love a good love story.
Everyone had such fun with
Sunny's romantic adventure last week
 entitled
"Grand Flirt"
that I thought we simply must see
a bit more of what Sunny does next ...
so welcome to this week's episode ..
~ Grand Flirt II!~

Pssst ..
if you missed last week's
"Grand Flirt"
definitely back up and read it
before reading Grand Flirt II darlings!

Last week, Sunny received a
~ very glamorous invitation ~
and we asked your opinion of what she should do ..
so before we head back to The Mark Hotel
and visit Sunny again ...
I'll let you in on how your votes tallied up!
Most of you said that Sunny should
respond "yes! yes! yes!" ...
a few said she should say "yes"
but expressed a niggling little concern
that she didn't know him yet ...
and a very small group felt that she should
definitely turn this particular invitation down
at this point in time.

That brings us to a little step further
in Sunny's romantic adventure.
Welcome to
~ Grand Flirt II ~



When sophisticated city girl Sunny
receives any invitation that involves water ...
whether it's pool or sea ...
she finds it ever-so-intriguing.
In summer, you can often find her there ...




And when it's autumn and that invitation
comes from a very handsome stranger ...
one that she has seen only in passing three times in one week ...
the combination of this heart-skipping and memorable
~ Grand Flirt ~
and the thought of his invitation for a
private yacht dinner date at sunset on the sea
is almost too much to bear ...


Sunny has had to close her eyes,
take deep breaths
and search her inner crystal ball
to decide whether to go with her head ...
or her heart ...


... after all ...
dreams of candlelight
are so sweet ...

What is it about romance that is irrisistible and makes
 life as sparkling as champagne bubbles ...


... as joyful as glitter in the air ...


... and how does it make trees bloom in luscious color ...
in place of bare autumn branches of everywhere ...


With all of those thoughts in mind,
Sunny suddenly knew what she had to do ...
so she slipped to the hotel lobby
and let the concierge know ....
"Could you have him send the car please?"



A golden autumn Saturday morning
finds Sunny with a secret smile.
She eats her breakfast
humming a little secret song.
She has her blonde hair trimmed
in the hotel salon.
Her nails are painted
in the palest gold
in honor of the season.

A day spent in luxurious preparation
is a joy in itself.
Sunny likes nothing more than
a luxurious long bath
and a dressing room filled
with personal favorite things ...
things that sparkle enough to compete
with the stars ...

Sitting before her dressing table, each sparkling bottle

and gilded tube begs her to choose them ....
as she remembers his smile from the limousine ...


Her make-up is perfection ...
she remembers there were initials on his cuff ...
what were they?


Lying before her,
rings in crystal bowls
ache to be chosen ...


... and hanging about
her dressing room are dazzling
jewels waiting, hoping to be admired
on her silky throat and
glittering from her wrist ... 

For, what is a woman ...
without a certain air of mystery?




... of holding some things to herself...
... making him want to know ...
... need to know ...
more.

Sunny, dressed in a dazzling gown,
stepped into the lobby
of The Mark Hotel
just as the car arrived.

Sunny stepped out
into the autumn evening
and as the limo driver opened the door for her,
she bent to leave a note and a red rose
on the seat
with instructions to take them
to the gentleman.

Stay tuned ...
to be continued.

 

Illustration by
the artist and creator of
Ooh La Frou Frou
Sandra Shelton Markwalder.
(c) Ooh La Frou Frou 2011
All Rights Reserved.

To purchase the
Ooh La Frou Frou Collection
cards go here.

Images via Pinterest and Google.

Grand Flirt

~ This week on Ooh La Frou Frou ~
we find ourselves in the chic
black-and-white-marbled lobby of
The Mark Hotel.



You may remember from previous posts
that blonde and ponytailed

illustrated Ooh La Frou Frou girl Sunny has a
fantasy city apartment at The Mark.


As we peek in on Sunny at The Mark
on a beautiful autumn Monday afternoon,
the lobby and the fashionable
restaurant and bar are, as always,
bustling with activity.


Sunny's neighborhood at The Mark is at
77th Street and Madison Avenue in New York.
To virtually put yourselves
on Sunny's street,
 simply click on the items listed to the right of this map
and each item's location will show up on the map itself.
 Sunny is lucky to live in a Hotel
which houses the fabulous Frederic Fekkai Salon,
available at her beck and call
for those last-minute dates!
(illustration below courtesy of The Mark Hotel)



We shared the video
"Life at The Mark"
in a previous Sunny post ...
but it's fun, so if you missed it,
you can go here to watch the hotel guests below
go to and fro ...



Psssst ...
~ Here's another little juicy tidbit ~
Did you know that hotel guests that
 book a one-bedroom suite
receive a complimentary car and driver
for each day of their stay,
to take them anywhere they wish in Manhattan,
 for up to 6 hours?
Ooh la la la la.  La la.



You may be wondering what the title of this post
"Grand Flirt"
has to do with Sunny at The Mark.
Well, grab your coffee, darlings,
we're about to begin our story ...


A Grand Flirt
is more than an adorable
~ flirty skirt ~

And you won't find
~ clues ~
in fabulous
~  flirty shoes ~


Although it seems that
~ everywhere ~
the world is filled with
~ flirty hair ~
... you still won't find the answer there ...

All of you darlings
~ more than likely have been ~
 the recipient of a Grand Flirt
~ now and then ~

A Grand Flirt
is no lightweight
~ bat of the eye ~
or charming smile
~ from a passerby ~

It starts with
~ The Stare ~

But it doesn't end
~ there ~

It smoulders with interest
with a look from afar ...
and demands with persistence
to know who you are.

If this has happened to you,
you have experienced a
Grand Flirt,
darlings.



Our adventure begins in the early afternoon

of an autumn Monday,
as Sunny leaves the lobby of the hotel
from her apartment.
Dressed in grey with a gorgeous plum cape,
her ponytail sleek and swishing along,
she has the distinct feeling that
someone is watching her.
And as she glances across the crowded lobby,
she sees him and he holds her eyes in a
~ Grand Flirt.~
He's standing by the elevator with a group of others ...

... briefcase in hand.
He is one of the most handsome men
Sunny has ever seen.

On Wednesday ...
as Sunny is arriving back to the hotel in the
late afternoon, thinking of kicking off her heels
as soon as she hits her apartment door,
she hears the laughter and mumble of
people in the bar enjoying a late lunch or business meeting.
As she glances up, he is sitting amidst
a table of people.
His eyes are magnetic.
Their glance holds for what seems like forever.
Her pace slows down but she recovers
and continues on.
~ Grand Flirt. ~

On Friday ...
Sunny is leaving the hotel with
illustrated girlfriends Violet and Cherie
for an evening of dinner and shopping.
As she and Cherie wait for Violet as she chats with
concierge in the lobby,
Sunny glances up outside
just as a limo is pulling away.
The window rolls down.
He holds her gaze with a slow smile.
Then he is gone.
~ Grand Flirt. ~

Sunny isn't sure if her heart is racing or
slowing to a halt but something has happened.

Late that night,
with heels clicking along the marble lobby,
Sunny arrives back at the hotel
after a very fun evening with the girls.
"Oh, Sunny ..."
the concierge calls out to her.

"A gentleman left this for you ..."


Sunny could hardly sleep.
She didn't know him at all.
A private yacht?
She envisioned herself getting ready for the date
as she tossed and turned ...

If she went, what would she wear?
How about her make-up, her shoes, her hair?

She envisioned being alone with him

with nothing but water and the moon around ...

with the glittering city as the backdrop ...

... watching other boats float by ...

~ in the distance ~
After all, what he had said was true ...

"You don't know me"

As Sunny tosses and turns
and decides whether to accompany
someone that she really doesn't know
on his private yacht ...
she asks your opinion, darlings.

What should Sunny do?
What would you do
when faced with a devastatingly tempting
~ Grand Flirt? ~

Next week,
illustrated Ooh La Frou Frou girl Hope
will reveal
your votes on what Sunny should do ...
and Hope will also let you in on
a few things that are in her shopping bags right now.

Stay tuned .....
~ and have a very flirty week! ~

This blog is written
by the artist and creator of Ooh La Frou Frou:
All content is protected by copyright.
All rights reserved.
(c) Sandra Shelton Markwalder 2011

The illustration of Sunny above
is the work of artist Sandra Shelton Markwalder.
(Sandy M)
Love Note on The Mark "stationery"
created by Ooh La Frou Frou

The small illustrations of the
Frederic Fakaii Salon at The Mark and
people with shopping bags are via The Mark Hotel.

Photo Sources:
1. The Mark Lobby and Coffee Cup
2. Mark Restaurant/Bar
3. Girl with Flirty Skirt in Park
4. Flirty Shoes
5. Flirty Hair
6.  Three Men with The Stare: Men A B C
7.  Three Women with The Stare: Women A B C
8. The Mark Elevator
9. Chanel #5
10. Girl with Pink Lips (edited by Ooh La Frou Frou)
11. Girl in Front of Mirror
12.  Champagne Toast
13. Brooklyn Bridge View
14. Boat on Water NY
15. Elizabeth Taylor

You may purchase the
Ooh La Frou Frou Collection cards
here.