Fashionable Friday: Façades & Flowers

pigment ink & watercolour illustration, 10.25" x 7.5" [26 x 19cm]

I was momentarily tempted to call this a Francophile Friday post and attempt to pull the wool over your eyes, with the help of a black and white striped awning and some attractive potted shrubs. Malheureusement, the wording on the glass is a giveaway.  {And I can't fib to save myself.}

Not to worry ~ I'm very glad the Rose St Trading Co calls Australia 'home', and I was thoroughly chuffed to illustrate the façade for its new website.  The site designer, Danni O'Neil, has done really lovely work on the layout and visuals.   And I love the way she has used elements of the illustration throughout the site, too.  Given the shop is a homewares/interiors/fashion space, we shall co-ordinate ourselves accordingly before settling in for the weekend.  I wonder if they sell beds.  And on that note... actually, wait ~ there's more.

Nôte Couture, oh-beautiful-online-purveyor of personalised stationery, has added another of my designs to its range.  Long-time followers might vaguely remember this flowery illustration.  Julie at Nôte Couture is a treat.  She takes cat-pampering to a whole new level {something many of us can relate to!}, and it's always a joy to work with her.  You can read more about it over on this lovely post.   And on that note ~ yes, this time, really...

Happy Fashionable Friday to you!
 

Rose St Trading Co
16-17 & 19 Beatty Avenue
Armadale Victoria 3143
Ph: +61 3 9822 9444

Francophile Friday: Patrick's Petal Power

ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Based on the signage, there are no shrinking violets here.  If you have it, flaunt it.  And from the looks of this charming and pretty fleuriste in Paris, there is floral artistry afoot.  Though it's been a particularly dreary and drizzly day here {whine}, many of you elsewhere are frolicking amongst the colours of spring and rainbows, not necessarily in that order.  The calories from our macaron diversions of a fortnight ago have long since evaporated, so let's cinch our waists and prepare to lose ourselves in the decadence of all things flowery and bright chez Patrick Allain.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Patrick Allain Fleuriste

51 rue Saint-Louis en l'Île, Paris 75004

Venerdi in Venice: If the Boat Fits

 ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Venice.  {"And about jolly time," I hear a small-yet-dedicated bunch of you cheering, waving your proseccos in the air.}   See that little chink of light over on the far side?  Under the archway?  Guess who's waiting yonder.  And this time, Hugh's brought his beautiful French bulldog Peaches along.  {Everybody say, "Awwww!"}  Her booties will come in handy in case of a very mild acqua alta this weekend.  And so we don't feel left out... our apartment is stocked with plenty of these in every size.  {Grazie to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the glorious inspiration for today's illustration.}  If we decide to take it easy, we can avail ourselves of the boat and Hugh can steer us in the right direction.  And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Francophile Friday: Macarons Take a Stand

 ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Boulangeries and pâtisseries are regulars on the illustration playlist Chez Shell, offering up their wicked, sometimes-flaky, oft-pastel, always-sugary wiles within.  And it occurred to me that I've been leaving their interiors to your {beautifully qualified} imaginations for far too long.  Today, a lone plate of macarons is utterly insufficient.  I present you with two tiers {inspired by this}.  Make a wish and they refill automatically.  In light of that, we might need to free ourselves from the puritanical sensibility of belts.  {Make another wish and the hemline adjusts to your preferred length automatically.}  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Francophile Friday: La Cure Gourmande, Paris

 ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

I'm all for medicinal chocolate, medicinal biscuits and medicinal lollies ~ mind you, being brought brandy by a Saint Bernard would be a hard act to follow.  There's minimal risk of that in Paris, however, so let us self-prescribe with sweet abandon at La Cure Gourmande.  Thanks to dear Virginia of Paris Through My Lens for inspiring my illustration today.  Merci, ma chère, comme toujours.

And thanks to all the fine detail, I'm about to consult my Fanciful Pharmacopoeia of Sweet Somethings to see what will stop the fine lines dancing in front of my eyes.  {Better in front of my eyes than around my eyes...}  On the other hand, we could throw research to the winds and see what La Cure has to offer.   {There are several in Paris and elsewhere in France, Belgium, Spain and 'autres pays' around the world.} Time for a quick wardrobe change then we're set.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Francophile Friday: Arnaud Delmontel, Paris

ink pen & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

Ah yes, Arnaud.  It's grey and chilly.  Perhaps someone could whisper in winter's ear that it's still autumn here and I'd be grateful if the coldest season would wait its turn.  But by happy coincidence, it was a grey and chilly April day in Paris when dear Virginia Jones captured the inspiration for today's illustration in Paris Through her {talented} Lens.  {Thank you, merci, ma chère!  I hope you don't mind, but I turned the sky blue in hopes it will catch on here.}  An 'architect of small pleasures',  Arnaud Delmontel is revered by his clientele for his crusty baguettes and his colourful macarons and desserts. Today's subject can be found in Montmartre {there are others in the 9th and 17th arrondissements}, and you can take a little tour thanks to their charming website.

If we need an extra layer for the weekend, this should do the trick.  Or if you want to trade flats for heels, let's keep the boldness rolling.  As for these little fellows, I couldn't resist bringing them along for the ride.  There are scooters and sidecars waiting for us around the corner. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

PS: One of our regulars and unabashed francophiles, dkshopgirl, is including a little feature on yours truly this Sunday.  {Thank you, dk ~ I'm honoured!} Please enjoy losing yourself in her drifty and pretty blog.

arnaud Delmontel
57 rue Damrémont - 75018 Paris
tél. : +33 (0)1 42 64 59 63 

Francophile Friday: Aux Bons Amis, Paris

ink pen & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

I can't believe it's taken me so long to illustrate a Parisian bar whose very signage is a toast to you, my magnificent readers ~ my dear friends.  Our pal Katie kindly provided me with the inspiration for today's illustration, Aux Bons Amis, which is quite hopefully the same as the one located below.  {If not, the one at rue de l'Atlas scored reasonably warm reviews anyway, and with our company thrown in, we must surely be on a winner.}  We can drape ourselves strategically around the bar like this and debate whether we should have our hair chopped off like this.  And yes, to make up for last week's feline shortage, we have a pair of them today, and a bluebird because ... well, surely one can never have too many bluebirds.  {Piano accordions, on the other hand, are another story entirely.}  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Update 21 April 2012: Confirmed by Katie, this Aux Bons Amis is indeed the one shown below.  And she has generously allowed me to show you her photo alongside my illo for the fun of it.  Click here to see the side-by-side version.

Aux Bons Amis

1 rue de l'Atlas, 75019 Paris
Quartier: Canal St Martin- Hôpital St Louis

Francophile Friday: Au Nom de la Rose, Paris

 ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Bonjour, my petal pies.  Flowers are still one of the most gorgeous ways I can think of to say, "You're a good sort," "Sorry, I've been remiss," or to never lose an opportunity of seeing something beautiful, for beauty is in God's handwriting' {Ralph Waldo Emerson}  All of which I wanted to express to you today after my lengthy sojourn.

Even better when the flowers are in Paris, such as these at Au Nom de la Rose.  Merci to dear Virginia of Paris Through My Lens for today's inspiration.   And I know, I know ~ you haven't had a wardrobe change for the past five weeks ~ sacrebleu.  This should rectify the matter.  And as there's no kitty within, here's your feline fix for the weekend.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!  

Au Nom de la Rose 

87 rue Saint-Antoine 75004 Paris

Francophile Friday: Cherubic on Rue Montorgueil

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS 

Paris.  Rue Montorgueil.  On a corner.  Somewhere.  There's a gilded cherub to watch over you.

Thanks to my dear friend From Cali for the inspiration.  If I'd been prepared, I'd have asked her ahead of time for a specific location, but what can I say: I have no scout's badges in my collection of childhood mementos. {And if I did, I'd have bejewelled them.  Perhaps not quite as much as this.}

I might take some Fridays off here and there.  If so, this little angelic fellow and his kitty mascot can be your lucky charms until our next weekend together.  And I've selected a versatile outfit to suit this tricky trans-seasonal time of year in both hemispheres.  The shoemaker's elves have fashioned these ruffled beauties to complement it.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Francophile Friday: Paris Porcelaine

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS 

Attention, bulls:  Step away from the china shop.  Sadly, there is no Welcome Mat awaiting you at Le Cabinet de Porcelaine on the Left Bank in Paris.  But please, enjoy this little illustration I've done for you instead.  {I've performed a mild renovation in the process.}  Allow your imaginations to roam free and follow them far, far away, where superheroes are the only people licensed to carry capes, and butterflies tickle your noses.  {Thanks to our globetrotting Katie for the inspiration!}

As for the rest of us, we can tiptoe inside and see what floral porcelain delicacies await, courtesy of the creativity and craftsmanship of Didier Gardillou and Samuel Mazy, who have breathed modern life into the ancient craft of the porcelain florist.  If you missed out on the Clumsy gene, you could wear this.  I'm erring on the cautious side and minding my voluminosity with this.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Factual Friday: Eagle St Pier, Brisbane

ink & watercolour illustration by Shell Sherree

As we dust off our Zen caps for a weekend forecast of heavy rain and put our best philosophical foot forward {carefully avoiding the puddles and putting remorseful gold coins in the Greenhouse Gas Jar while tumbling the towels dry}, let's stroll past the Eagle St Pier in Brisbane's inner city and watch the raindrops falling on the river it embraces.   You can see this illustration from my archives was drawn at Christmas, and the vintage of the sporty yellow car on the left might help motoring enthusiasts to determine which decade.  The Eagle St Pier is a wonderful dining destination and host of Brisbane's long-running Riverside at the Pier Sunday markets.  While on their site, I found this clip promoting the River City.  Warning: could cause a dizzy desire to board a plane and visit me.  And on that note...

Happy Factual Friday to you!

Francophile Friday: Paris Framboise

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS 

With clouds of romance perfuming the air this week, stocks in the colour red have soared.  This weekend, perhaps we'll even see a spike in raspberry.  Today's shoe shop in Paris was inspired by our dear Virginia of Paris Through My Lens {if you love Paris and red, you'll love her book, Paris Rouge}.  Thank you, ma chère. 

You can take a little tour of the interiors of Vialis thanks to Silvia Contreras, the architect behind its fitout.  No prizes for guessing what activity we'll be engaged in while there.  Do you think they serve champagne?  I'm hoping we'll find the perfect heels to suit this, this or this.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!