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Francophile Friday: Vintage Paris

25.2.11

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ]

One of the many unfortunate side-effects of our January floods is the impact on the supply of vintage treasures at my local thrift shops. This is in no small part due to several of them going underwater, including my favourite, the RSPCA Thrift Shop at Sherwood. {No, they do not sell men in tights. The Sherwood Forest store might.} I'm fond of fossicking around in there, so I'm champing at the bit for their re-opening. As excellent as they are, however, I've yet to happen upon any vintage items like the ones illustrated poking out from under a pile of $2 stonewash jeans. One suspects one is a tad more likely to see them languishing around with a mild air of ennui and a waft of cigar smoke in the Place des Pyramides in Paris. Merci to dear Eric of Paris Daily Photo for the inspiration. They actually look like fine getaway vehicles. Meep, meep. Ladies, gentlemen ~ start your engines. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

PS: I'm offering Original Meep Miniatures at a special rate to my dear blog readers for the next couple of weeks {while stocks last}: $39AUD for a pair {unframed}, plus $3 standard postage worldwide. There's no simple way to handle it in my Etsy store, so please just pop me an email at shellsherree[!at]gmail.com if interested and we'll arrange delivery details and secure credit card payment. My Etsy store doesn't show all Meeps available, so if your fave isn't there, please ask in case I still have it.

Fanciful Friday: Lime & Firth, Please

18.2.11

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5 x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

I can hear you whimpering that we aren't heading for Paris or Venice today {oh yes, I can}, but this weekend I'm taking us somewhere different. That's what Fanciful Friday is all about. And pip, pip, cheerio ~ a change is as good as a holiday, eh what? We're heading across land and sea via motorcraft, watercraft and aerocraft in all manner of eccentric shapes and sizes ~ and before you can ask, "Are we there yet?" for the ninety-ninth time, we'll arrive at Lime Wood in Hampshire, England.

Vogue Living {Australia} featured this bucolic getaway {Sep-Oct 2010 edition} and described it thus and verily: "A restrained dose of whimsy and wildflower hues preserve the Regency aesthetic of an English country manor hotel without the formal stuffiness of its counterparts." Wherever Regency aesthetic resides, Colin Firth will be bathing in a lake nearby. Done. I've artfully contrived a gilt-framed Do Not Disturb sign on the doors leading to the drawing room. There will be no dart throwing, as the walls are lined with lavender raw silk. But until the company arrives, we can bide our time with a glass of sherry and look intelligent as we ponder what in the heck the {no-doubt-hellishly-expensive} abstract on the wall is all about. And on that note...

Happy Fanciful Friday to you!

Francophile Friday: SubLime

10.12.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5 x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

This summery façade in Paris was captured on camera by our Katie a few months ago. {Thank you for the inspiration, Katie!} It caught my eye again this afternoon. We've finally had a couple of fine, steamy days here and this scene looks very much at home. It turned my thoughts to a refreshing Pine-Lime Splice. Lamentably, I have none in the freezer, but fret not. In the absence of this iconic Australian ice-block, I found that Chambord liqueur on the rocks is not only complementary to lime on the colour wheel, but an appropriate accompaniment to writing a Francophile Friday post. And apparently it's all-natural, ergo good for us {while providing the invaluable opportunity to say ergo}. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Ponte di Pepe Peep

19.11.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

[Update 24th November: Hooray ~ Pepe has been adopted!!! Our beautiful Altadena Hiker has just sent through the wonderful news. Thank you for sending happy thoughts to Pepe, and for the many comments, clicks, links, and posts by the warm hearted bloggers involved. Here's to your new loving home, little Pepe.]

Pepe's still cooling his paws at the Pasadena Humane Society {I know, it's unthinkable} and there are concerns he's depressed, so we're busting him out for the weekend. He's going for a W-A-L-K-I-E-S in Venice with his publicist, Altadena Hiker {rumour has it her heart weighs more than Phar Lap's}. As for us, we're meeting up with them after we secure Pepe some juicy morsels from the butcher. {And some liquid refreshments to revive our own crestfallen spirits.} Thanks to Katie's excellent suggestion in the comments last week and in honour of Pepe, we shall hereby name this weensy illustration a Peep.

If you can spare a moment to click and view Karin's latest {and possibly last} appeal for Pepe, or even better, leave a comment, that will help keep him in the news for a wee bit longer. Please, let's continue to spread the word and send our warm fuzzy vibes, and surely Pepe will captivate the soul of someone who can give him a loving home. Soon. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you, and big hugs to Pepe!

Grazie mille to dear Pierre at Venice Daily Photo for the magnificent photo inspiration.

Venerdi in Venice: All Weather Campo

5.11.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

I know several people ~ unrelated to each other ~ who coincidentally planned on going camping this weekend. {Until the heavens opened yet again, causing a quandary of risk assessment increasing in direct proportion to the quagmiry likelihood.}

My idea of camping is setting up house in a campo in Venice. How about this one? {Thanks to Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the beautiful inspiration!} Several levels of luxury, black kitty cat included at no extra charge. If we encounter any flooding and need to evacuate, we can easily shimmy down from the windows on 600 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, directly into our on-call gondola, and have Hugh whisk us away to safety. Perhaps I'm being fussy, but that's my idea of roughing it. {1000 thread count would be so much softer.} And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Francophile Friday: Aqua with Pink by a Whisker

29.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5 x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

Aqua with pink is one of my favourite combinations. Pink with aqua is another. No wonder I was so taken with Virginia's photo taken in Bray sur Seine, not too far from Paris. {Thanks yet again, dear V!} The kitty was a bonus, though I'd have included one regardless, so I took liberty with a spot of hairbrushing and gave her longer whiskers.

Before we amble into the French countryside for the weekend, just a little heads-up that I'll only be posting on Fridays again for the next little while, so I'll be very much looking forward to catching up with you all this time next week for another adventure! And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

A Bark of Baguettes

26.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

You haven't gone barking mad. It's not already Francophile Friday. While this looks like a sweet and typical French scene, I thought I'd try some trick illustrography. This dear little fellow is the furry offspring of a one of Virginia's friends, and does not live in France at all. But he’d look very much at home there, n'est ce pas?

Raise the Blue Bar

19.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

Towards the end of last week, I saw two cats, a puppy dog and a scrub turkey deeply engrossed in our timber fence. After a week of deluge, I suspect they were sizing up the palings with regards to their Ark potential. They could well be mistaking their carpentering aspirations with their abilities {the bar has been set rather high, after all}, so I was relieved to awaken last Saturday to skies the colour of this French sign. They might hold out for a few more days until the rain starts again {touch wood}. After that, if any of my meagre home handywoman supplies go missing, I know where I'm looking first.

Francophile Friday: Seeing Red in Paris

15.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5 x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

While red is not generally a colour to which I'm drawn, that doesn't mean I'm not drawn to drawing it when the whim takes me. And today, the whim took me. I had to look twice when I realised Virginia's gorgeous photo that inspired this was posted over a year ago. Sacrebleu! A gentle reminder of the value of seizing the day and loving each moment. {Thank you, chère Virginia, comme toujours.} Let's sally forth into the weekend energised by the passion and intensity of such joyful extroversion. Come, let us seek macarons in all shades of red. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Meep: The Tulip Van Goes

12.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

This tulip-laden truck is not a figment of my imagination. Aside from the weensy driver. While the council now requires us to obtain licenses for our cats, they aren't yet of the vehicular variety. {Patience, my pretties... all in due course...} But back to the truck. The real, life-size one belongs to Joost Bakker of Urban Crop, described by Vogue Living {Australia Sep/Oct 2010 issue, whose cover I'm in love with but that's another story} as "the Johnny Appleseed of Melbourne's sustainability movement". If you live in Melbourne, this truck could be stopping at a convenient location near you. These bunches of flowers {herbs coming soon} have their root systems intact and their own little supply of special soil ~ so they still have life in them. And surely that's a good thing. Urban Crop tells the story in a rather lovely way if you'd like to read more. I'll leave you to it while I go and warm up the engine. It's time for a certain someone's driving lesson...

Black Forest Without the Calories

5.10.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

Ok, the weekend in Venice grew a little out of control. Last time I checked the apartment, Hiker and Margaret were having a Campari-fuelled debate over which Goddess would have best suited S. Fott Kitzgerald. Meanwhile, Hugh capsized our gondola several times due to his seeming inability to control his dancing feet once Mise lured him into trying some prosecco by telling him it was sparkling iced tea. Not to mention what happened when he caught a fish for Micio and Meepsie to share. On top of all that, we ate our body weight in risotto and chocolate-fountain-dipped Campari macarons that Katie magically managed to procure for us. And I wouldn't trade a moment!

Nonetheless, I felt it would be beneficial for us to take some exercise while skipping the calories today. Here's a charming little chalet that we found while powerwalking in and around the Black Forest and firmly averting our collective gaze any time we passed a Black Forest Cake Shop. {I have no idea where exactly, but thanks so much to Papirazzi for the inspiration!} By Friday, we should be in shape again for whatever treats the coming weekend holds...

Psst: You only have until noon Brisbane time Thursday 7th October to enter the giveaway draw to celebrate my 2nd blogoversary. Just pop over here to enter...

It's a Draw! And It's a Draw!

28.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5 x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

It might surprise you that I follow the Australian Football League {AFL} ardently {and ardently follow none of the others ~ life’s about balance, after all}. Whether my team makes it to the Grand Final or not {this year, it was Not}, I love the festivities and wouldn’t dream of missing the telecast. Frankly, I felt last Saturday’s pre-match Grand Final celebrations were of the Less is More philosophy ~ prudent for a job interview, but I prefer some judicious excess with my Grand Final countdown. Nonetheless, the match itself more than compensated by turning into a nail-biting thriller and ending in an exhausting draw. And in honour of tradition, rather than having extra time or a Golden Point, everyone comes back this Saturday to do it all again. For several days, I was cross about it, petulantly demanding rule changes of my TV while stomping my foot childishly. Now, I’m starting to see some benefits. Another Grand Final. Double the fun {though half again of the pre-match entertainment}. I just hope it’s another close match so that kitty and I can be on the edge of our seat.

But on to bigger celebrations: tomorrow is my 2nd blogoversary. Hooray! I still pinch myself over the friendships I’ve made with dear blogpals. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your laughter, loyalty and kindness.

{Update 7th October: Entries are now closed, thank you.} Being a birthday of sorts, there are gifts and we'll have a draw of our very own. But this one definitely will result in winners at the designated time. Every commenter on this post receives an entry in the draw, and entries close midday next Thursday 7th October {Brisbane time, convert here}. Winners will be announced in the post on Friday 8th October. The first randomly drawn entry wins the original ink & watercolour of today’s Meep Miniature, and two more names will be drawn to win a notecard mini-print of your favourite Shell Sherree illustration. Bonne chance, merci, grazie!

Friday Fleurish: Book Your Posy

24.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

It's been rainy and overcast for most of this week, so the garden is feeling very chirpy, even if the washing on the line begs to differ. I caught a towel trying to throw itself back into the top loader this morning. I gave it my blessings, with a healthy sprinkling of lavender oil for good measure.

It's been ages ~ ages! ~ since we had a Friday Fleurish, so with the weather bureau's welcome expectations of a fine spring weekend, here's a sweet fragrant posy in a vintage cut crystal glass for you to place on your windowsill, or on a carefully nonchalant stack of books such as this. If the mercury and birds are starting to head south in your neck of the woods, I hope these blooms bring you some cheer. {To save you searching, the kitty is snoozing on a small buttoned footstool under the table...} And on that note...

Happy Friday Fleurish to you!

{Inspiration thanks to September 2010 Country Style, Australian edition.}

Bicycle Built for Two

21.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5" x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

This is the closest I've come to a bicycle in a long time. Maybe I'll acquire one for decorative purposes. I'd consider riding it down to the local shops just for the pleasure of filling the basket with an armful of fresh tulips and a crusty baguette, but the last time a bicycle and I became closely acquainted, it was not a happy affair. And I don't fancy helmet hair. Better to lean it suggestively against the house and enjoy the daydream. You're most welcome to take it for a spin if you're so inclined ~ good luck encouraging kitty to wear her helmet...

First Official Meeps Baby: It's a Girl!

14.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5" x 3.5" [9 x 6.5 x 9cm]

For new visitors here who might be scratching your heads over this Meep business and wondering which exotic herbal tea we're dunking our nutty bikkies into, you can follow the crumb trail right back to here, in the comments section almost seven months ago to the day, where the word Meep first made its appearance with many thanks to Queen Amy.

Anyhoo, after adopting this word faster than the next generation i-Whatever will be adopted by the converted masses, we've had our first official Meeps baby. Virginia of Paris Through My Lens is now the clucky mum of a dear little black rescue kitten and she named her Meeps. In the grand tradition of the chicken and the egg, or a mirror reflected in a mirror {I'm mid-dunk of a passionflower-absinthe-infused Yorkshire black tea, in case you're curious}, how could I resist doing a Meep of a Meep. And her mum.

Happy New Home, dear Meeps. You've landed on your paws beautifully, little one...

Venerdi in Venice: Arte Moderna e Meepea

10.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm] ACQUIRE A MEEP

After Tuesday's high risk of a fire hydrant incident {albeit a fetching one}, I thought I'd raise the tone by taking us for a classy wander to this art gallery in Venice, in the Campo San Stefano. The only incident potential I see here is one of our voluminous totes knocking a Murano glass sculpture from its plinth, so let's see if we can divert Hugh from his gondolier duties and put him in charge of minding our bags. Today's diversion also gives me a handy excuse to thank Pierre of Venice Daily Photo again, not just for today's inspiration, but for his thoughtful and generous feature of our ~ well, I guess you could call them "collaborations after the fact". Grazie mille, dear Pierre! Your kindness is beyond measure.

As for the kitty, unlike the young man in the original photo, she refuses to spend a lovely Friday engrossed in her laptop and missing the chance of gelato with her friends. I vote that we take a leaf from her book {after we've all dropped in on each other's blogs, of course!} And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

A Wee-nsy Temptation

7.9.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm] ACQUIRE A MEEP

I'm working on being more decisive. So is this puppy dog. Will he choose the hydrant? Or will he choose the kitty. Hydrant? Kitty? She is wisely distancing herself from any potential embarrassment while he makes up his mind...

A basket of pastries, on the other hand, would make life so simple.

Bonjour, May I Woo You?

31.8.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 2.5" x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm] ACQUIRE A MEEP

Woof. Woo~woo~woof~woof. Woo~oooooo~woo~woo~woof ~woof. Woof.

Bonjour! You look nice.. Please pass me a croissant from that basket and I promise to eat all evidence. Yes, including the crumbs.

Venerdi in Venice: Princess and the Wisteria-Pea

27.8.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm] ACQUIRE

As we venture into the weekend, let's put an eensy weensy twist on an old fairytale, The Princess and the Pea. This Princess is Venetian {just run with it} and the pea is a flowering member of the pea family, commonly known as wisteria. Rather than being poked somewhat rudely under the Princess's mound of mattresses, thus causing an irksome night's lack-of-sleep and wan circles under her eyes, our wisteria-pea is allowed to frolic and clamber playfully outside her window. Being a wisteria-pea of the fragrant kind, each night, its soporific purple perfume wafts gently into our Princess's bedroom, tickling her nostrils briefly before allowing her to enjoy hours of deep slumber that chamomile tea can only dream of achieving. {Inpiration for today's Meep Miniature illustration is thanks to the talented Alain Hamon of Destination Venise, via dear Pierre of Venice Daily Photo. Grazie mille to you both!} As we enjoy the hospitality of our well-rested Princess this weekend, here's to sweet dreams for all of us. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Francophile Friday: Wearing Rouge to the Epicerie

20.8.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm] ACQUIRE

It feels like we've had a sweet tooth here lately. Not that there's anything wrong with that. {Denial can be a happy place.} Nonetheless, I thought we'd spice ourselves up a bit and take a ride on something red for a change {albeit faded. Baby steps}. This vintage scooter will do nicely, and as all good fashionistas must do, we shall stop in wherever we see a matching door. This one belongs to an épicerie, so we're bound to find something interesting inside. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

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