/ Shell Sherree

Happy Francophile Friday on a Monday: Vintage Paris for Bastille Day

14.7.14

{Timeles Paris Vintage : pencil and watercolour illustration by Shell-Sherree}

Hello ~ bonjour ~ ciao!

And happy Bastille Day to you, my sweethearts.

You had a feeling I'd surface today like a pastel-tinted, ruffled submarine from the depths of my dark chocolate/latte/bubbly-{but-only-after-6:00pm}-fuelled sabbatical, didn't you? I sure hope so! And I will be back more regularly forthwith. Thank you for being so patient and sticking with me.

The inspiration for today's illustration has been sitting on my desktop ~ the photo, that is, not the exquisite creature in it ~ for a long time. Ever since our Paris compatriot Katie sent it to me. {Thanks, dear Katie. I love it, as you know!}

Let us seek out some pink éclairs as appetisers, and if our champagne flows too freely, there's always this option for a nap. And on that note ...

Happy Belated Francophile Friday to you!

{I'm sorry for the grey tone to the background - somehow I've found my illos are now showing that way here even though they are scanning cleanly. I'll be doing some site renovations very soon so I hope to resolve that issue then...}

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Fairytale Friday: Valentine's Reprise

14.2.14

{London Kiss: ink & watercolour illustration by Shell-Sherree}

How could I let today slide past without a little something to celebrate Valentine's Day. {I know it's commercialised, but in the spirit of love, I ~~embrace~~ ~~tolerate~~ accept its flaws along with its good bits.} In spite of my good illustrative intentions, though, I lost track of time daydreaming. {No need to feign shock ~ you know me too well.} So I hope you don't mind me dusting off a little something appropriately romantic from the archives. Here's to love and good old-fashioned pashing, smooching and snogging. And on that note ...

Happy Valentine's Friday to you!

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Francophile Fancies: Snowed Under in Paris

24.12.13

{ink & watercolour illustration © Shell-Sherree}

When Tiffany & Co. took its gorgeous horse-drawn carriage to the streets of Paris, I have a feeling the smelling salts had to be passed around. If Shakespeare had been there to seen it, he would have written Much Ado About Something. It's so beautiful, it's worthy of its own supersized snow dome. And I'd want matching ones for all of us.

Merry Christmas to you. May your days and night be merry and bright and resplendent with love, peace and happiness.

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Francophile Friday: Peter's Paris Whimsy

7.9.13

{Peter's Paris Whimsy: ink & watercolour illustration © Shell-Sherree}

When you've been blogging as long as I have, your dear bestie friends get to know what tickles your fancy. After Peter of Peter's Paris posted his gorgeous photo of restaurant Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole several months ago, I received a {not-so} gentle nudge and "Pssst, Shell ~ take a look at this!" When I approached Peter to ask if I may take inspiration from his photo for an illustration, he most kindly acquiesced with the utmost generosity and chivalry. {Merci, dear Peter ~ I hope you love it as much as I love your inspiration!!}

Observe if you will how many chairs we have to fill ~ we're long overdue for a catch-up! Here's a little something whimsically appropriate to wear {a very little something, actually ~ some might like a petticoat ~ and look what colour it happens to be... so predictable, I am}. As they probably don't serve violet macarons, here's a ~~doggie~~ kitty bag for you to take home. And on that note ...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

PS: Please do click on the image to embiggen. I tried loading the large size but désolée, it's too large for the page format. Sniff...

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Happy Francophile Frunday: If the Eiffel Tower Fits ...

14.7.13

You didn't really think I'd let the 14th July slip past without a little something, did you? Here's un petit peu ~ a divertissement of sorts, albeit a weensy one. So, how have you been? Do tell! Insert my personal whine here about it being winter, an overabundance of grey skies, and a distinct scarcity of cheery blue-basked sunlight I enjoy for drawing and watercolouring {rightly or wrongly ~ that's the way I like it!} But enough about that ~ let's wear something appropriate for daytime celebrations with a quick-change when dusk falls. Oh, and here are some non-colour-coded Parisian treats {do we really want to eat blue macarons? Not that I'm judging...} And on that note ...

Happy Quatorze Juillet / Fête Nationale / Bastille Day to you!

PS: Francophile Frunday = Francophile Friday on a Sunday. Sorry I've been so absent from the blog lately! Please pop over and Like my Facebook page to keep in touch between posts. Merci, grazie, thank you...

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Francophile Friday: Feel the Pain and Eat It Anyway

18.5.13

Today we play Guess the Location. The prize is the warm glow of helping your fellow Chez Shell partygoers, so everyone play along and we won't let such minor details as accuracy get in the way of a good story {a philosophy embraced by many news outlets on the planet}. That said, I'm fairly confident someone really will know which boulangerie/pâtisserie we're pressing our noses against . {Wait ~ wrong window. How did that get in here...} Let's carry a casual dress code into the weekend as we indulge both sweet and savoury tooths with today's selection. Which would you choose? I'm on the fence. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Inspiration with thanks here.
Update: Location is (Stéphane) Secco, 20 rue Jean-Nicot, 75007 {thanks to our learned readers!}

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