Showing posts sorted by relevance for query autumn. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query autumn. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, September 27, 2010

A Post by Hope . . . Glamorous Autumn


Hello, Glamorous Girlfriends!
It's Hope!
Five of the eight Ooh La Frou Frou girls have
posted on our new blog already:
Sunny, myself (Hope), Cherie, Belle and Tiffany.
Violet, Alex and Aimee have yet to write their first post.

I'm
posting again this time, however,
because I have a "little something" to tell you about
that has to do with Autumn and me!

But first I just want to tell you how much I love the city in Autumn.
Well, I love the city all the time, actually.
There's always so much to do, always something exciting happening!
Even sitting in a restaurant, looking out at the beautiful city, is exhilarating!

 (c) Sandra Markwalder 2010 - Painting from artist's archives -
by Sandy - artist, Ooh La Frou Frou Collection
Autumn in the city, however, is very special.
The hot summer is cooling down and there's the crisp smell of
Autumn in the air.
Just a simple walk down the street
provides glamour for the eyes, as stores and restaurants
decorate for this magical season of color!

Photo taken by Sandy

And speaking of color, nothing says Autumn like the fire of
bright oranges, deep reds, rich coppers and golden yellows.
And "Glamorous Autumn"
can be seen all over fall 2010 fashion pages and runways.

Drew Barrymore modeling Gaultier Paris - October 2010 Harper's Bazaar
Floyd Klein - Fall 2010
Emilio Pucci Fall 2010
Fall 2010 Emanuel Ungaro
Lanvin Fall 2010
Giorgio Armani Fall 2010
Hermes Fall 2010

Speaking of fashion,
today I'm introducing a little fall fashion myself in a whimsical
Autumn Ooh la Frou Frou Collection card
called "Falling for Fashion"

Ooh La Frou Frou Collection Autumn Card Entitled "Falling for Fashion"
Inside Message: "Happy Autumn"
Actual Card has sparkling glitter accents and Swarovski Crystals on some "Autumn purses."
Card will be available for purchase on the website Wednesday of this week!



It was so fun posing for this card!
Olive and I dressed in couture autumn fashion
and posed in front of an oh-so-glamorous city store
whose windows were filled with
fun Autumn bags and clutches!
Notice in the left window the glittering
pumpkin bag, leaf bag & caramel apple clutch
and in the right window the
sparkling oak leaf bag (with 2 tiny acorns for clasps!),
the acorn bag and a larger leaf bag!
My lovely dress is in all of the glorious fall colors!
The card sparkles and sparkles with glitter!
Olive loved posing in her little orange sweater with pink edge details.

Immediately following the photoshoot for this card,
the artist, Olive and I sat down at an outdoor coffee cafe
and discussed this fabulous card and the next Autumn card
which is coming this week
and will star Violet!


Let's Talk About Autumn Fashion for the Home!
I love my city apartment and it's always fun to decorate
for all of the holidays.
I keep a three-ring binder where I store all of the ideas I see
for all of the seasons.

I was leafing through the Autumn section the other day,
thinking about how to decorate this fall.
These are a few of the ideas!
Credits aren't mentioned because
they're clippings in my notebook
which I've had for quite a while and the source is unknown,
but if anyone knows where they've seen them,
I'll be happy to add the credits!


I love these mums in an urn!  This would be pretty on my entry table
A bouquet of colorful leaves would also be pretty in an urn.!



And I'll definitely plan on spray-painting some leaves silver
and combining them with some creamy gourds!



Would my kitchen smell YUMMY if I made some
little berry pies and topped them with jack-o-lantern faces
for an after-theatre snack with the girls back at my place!



And maybe I'll serve some apple slices to dip in apple-cider caramel dip!



Here's the recipe for the
Apple-Cider Caramel Dip so you can make the same thing!
(Makes about 2 cups)
4 cups apple cider
1/2 vanilla bean split
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Make the dip:
Combine the cider and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over high heat and reduce to 1 cup -- about thirty minutes.  Add the sugar and lemon juice and cook until the mixture turns a deep amber -- about 10 more minutes. Remove from heat, strain and stir in butter and cream.  Serve at room temperature.


I love these little pumpkins stacked on top of each other to form topiaries for my windowsill!




Putting a little bouquet in a pumpkin would look adorable in my powder room
I think my flowers would be pink and orange!!





I love walking around the city
to see how people decorate for Halloween!




The artist showed me photos of her decorations one year in a house she previously lived in.
She put masks on the pumpkins and placed some of them on a nest of multi-color lights.






She also placed a mask on the cement dog that sat outside her house!



This was her front door that year




And I can't forget trick-or-treat!
This would be fun to do this year -
I think this came from Martha Stewart.




In closing, since my post is all about Glamorous Autumn,
and to celebrate wearing my dress made of a
flurry of leaves for my Autumn card,
I thought I'd leave you with a
Glamorous Halloween outfit idea!
This photo was actually a photo from a few years ago,
advertising the Vermont Leaf Show and the fluttering antics
of the dance troupe Fall Foliage Fooleries,
but I think they'd be the perfect outfit.
Your arms might get a little tired, however!


Another Ooh La Frou Frou Autumn card
will be introduced next Monday by Violet!














Monday, September 26, 2011

Fall Season Premiere!

 Happy Autumn from Ooh La Frou Frou!

Our bikinis are packed away ...
replaced with cashmere and the butter-soft things
that we crave when a chill is in the air.
And with all of the fabulousness of Autumn
comes the new Fall Season of the
Ooh La Frou Frou Collection Blog!

For everyone new to the blog,
you've stumbled upon a delectable fantasy world.
I'm artist and illustrator Sandy Markwalder.
Not long ago, I created eight glamorous fictional
illustrated girls to be the stars of my card line called
The Ooh La Frou Frou Collection.
In this blog, which is the accompaniment to my card line,
you get a weekly glimpse into the fun fantasy adventures
of these fictional city girls:
 Aimee, Tiffany, Hope, Belle,
Alex, Cherie, Sunny and Violet.
 It's grand fantasy ... in true girl style.

Let me begin by introducing you to our
very fashionable new fall card entitled
"Autumn Ballgown."
This card stars Violet who is always
decorating something ..
this time she's standing atop a stack of
very stylish books to hang autumn ornaments
on a lovely chandelier.

With Violet dressed in an Autumn-colored gown,
this card is a nod to fashion and the glorious way
trees are dressed for the season.
It is embellished with
glitter on her gown and the chandelier.
Pink crystals grace the chandelier and a ring on her finger.

The message on the light pink paper lining inside reads:
It's that glamorous season when trees
dress up in brilliant ballgowns
and throw glitter at us as we pass!
Happy Autumn
.

Following is an enlarged version of the card illustration.
(c) Sandra Markwalder 2011 - all rights reserved.

To order "Autumn Ballgown," simply go here.




This glamorous card is comes with a coordinating
orange envelope with hot pink liner.


Also coming in November ...
"Winter City Girls" boxed notecards!
The "Summer City Girls" notecards were a big hit
and soon the girls can be seen enjoying the city
in the glittery snow in our winter-in-the-city version!

Now, here's a sneak peek at some of the
upcoming adventures of the girls on the blog this season ...

AIMEE

Aimee is our city girl that simply adores Paris.
During October, we'll look in as she
and three other Ooh La Frou Frou girls
fly off on a fantasy trip to the City of Light for a week!


TIFFANY

Ooh La Frou Frou girl Tiffany
loves Audrey Hepburn and classic Hollywood style.
We'll get a glimpse of her new hobby this season ...
she's taking acting lessons!


HOPE

Hope likes nothing better than shopping ...
and it's always fun  when she takes us along on the blog!
We'll get a glimpse of some of the things on her wish list ...


BELLE


Belle is our sweet Southern girl in the city ...
and she's started a long-distance romance
with a sweet Southern boy back home ...



ALEX

Alex is fabulous at entertaining with style and this season
we peek in as she opens her doors
for a Halloween bash in the city ...
what mask would you wear to her party?


CHERIE

Cherie is our fashion model Ooh La Frou Frou girl.
Have you ever wondered what it must feel like
to be asked to be the face of an ad campaign?
I've included today, just for fun,
one of these fabulous ad campaigns  ...
J'adore Dior ...
and this season on the blog we'll get a glimpse of Cherie
in a little fantasy fragrance adventure of her own!



VIOLET


Violet is our decorating darling
that starred in our fall card above.
On the blog this season, she takes part
in a fundraiser in which she's asked
to create a fantasy tablescape.  We'll see Violet's table
and some other fabulous tablescape inspiration,
such as this one ..


SUNNY

Sunny lives in the chic Mark Hotel in NYC ...
this season on the blog, she meets a very handsome stranger
in the hotel lobby and is invited for a dinner cruise on a yacht ... will she go?
Ooh la la! How romantic!


Thanks for joining me on a little sneak preview
of the Fall Season, everyone!
Join us next Monday where we'll get our
first peek at Aimee's trip to Paris!
Till then, have a lovely week!

Monday, August 27, 2012

September Girl

  Everyone knows I'm a
Summer Girl.

No one loves long, lazy days
at the beach more than I.
I wait and wait all Winter long
for
Summer
and when it's finally here,
I squeeze every last bit of juice from it.
Don't you?
 

But as August draws to an end ...
I know it won't be long before these glorious
Summer Days
will draw to an end too.
Even though the first day of Autumn isn't until
September 22,
something always happens in my mind
when I awake on September 1
and I find myself sighing and mentally
packing away my sandals
as I'm coaxed by nature to welcome in the
beauty of another Autumn to come.
And when that happens,
it's as if I can almost feel the Summer days
begin to fade a bit as they prepare to become
 sweet memories ...









This seasonal transition is always
accompanied by a melancholy feeling for me.
When I recently came across this
 David Yurman 2012 Fall Jewelry ad campaign film,
I thought it captured this melancholy feeling
so very well.
Featuring Gisele Bundchen, one moment the film shows
her swimsuit-clad and walking dreamily at the seashore,
as if this is simply a sweet Summer memory ...
and in the next scene she's dressed
 in a warm sweater or tweed jacket as if
she's preparing mentally for Fall ...
and when the song lyrics say
"Here I am, Here I am, Waiting to Hold You"
it almost seems as if it's Autumn's invitation
for us to enter her September Party.



Thank you for this lovely film,
David Yurman.

I truly do love Autumn and celebrate
and look forward to it's colorful celebration.
That's why I also consider myself a
~September Girl~
... are you?
Soft sweaters, the smell of new leather boots,
the magic of fall color,
apple cider and donuts,
cozying up to a bonfire,
the crunch of leaves under our feet ...
even the word "September"
sounds romantic to me.

~September~
The glorious month that introduces in the fall season,
 when trees don colorful ballgowns
and throw confetti all around ...





 

 







Ooh La Frou Frou
is the blog of illustrator
Sandy M.

Images via Pinterest
Film compliments of David Yurman
Fall 2012 Ad Campaign via You Tube

Monday, November 7, 2011

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.