Francophile Friday: Printemps in Paris / Shell Sherree

Francophile Friday: Printemps in Paris

8.2.13

{Printemps in Paris: ink & watercolour illustration by Shell-Sherree}

It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to sense the winter of your discontent up in the northern hemisphere lately. I'm not judging ~ I'm usually mumbling about moving to warmer climes by the third day of winter, not the third month. And our Brisbane winters are mild. Apparently. So, to spread a little cheer and give a sign of hope to those desperately dreaming of running barefoot through fields of wildflowers in a floaty off-the-shoulder number, beams of radiant sunlight bouncing off their hair and Chariots of Fire playing in the background {feel free to volunteer suitable substitutes ~ I'm in a hurry for a date with a glass of bubbles on the deck ~ not wanting to rub the salt of my summer into any wounds, of course}: I offer you Printemps {aka 'Spring'} in Paris. We might need to step up the wardrobe for running barefoot on the cobblestones of Paris. This should do. Some discreet skirt-hitching, however, is permitted. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Thanks to dear Virginia of Paris Through My Lens for the spectacular inspiration. Merci, comme toujours, sweet lady...

16 comments

NathanaëlleFebruary 9, 2013 at 3:12 AM
Magnifique !
Bon week-end !
Genie -- Paris and BeyondFebruary 9, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Sweet Shell, this is a gorgeous interpretation and yet so true to the feel of Printemps. The seasons will change and we are looking forward to our "printemps"

Bises,
Genie
Ms MFebruary 9, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Fabulous! The building looks like jeweled magic. A nice getaway, especially with some bubbly. :-) Happy weekend to you and Ella!

Petrea BurchardFebruary 9, 2013 at 3:10 PM
If it's Friday, it must be Paris!

Although I adore your timely reference to Richard III. "Now is the winter of our disinterment," as I read on the web the other day.
Shell SherreeFebruary 9, 2013 at 7:43 PM
Merci, Nathanaëlle ~ bon weekend!

Thanks, dear Genie. When spring arrives here each year, I don't want to let it go.

Ms M ~ 'jewelled magic'. I love the sound of that! Hugs to you and Macie.

Petrea ~ I assure you, the timely reference was by accident. But now I'm the wiser, thank you. {Note to self: read the news more often.}

AlexaFebruary 10, 2013 at 3:21 AM
Perfect timing, ma chère. We got the first serious snow of the year last night and my snow boots just fell apart—now I'm stuck in the house and dreaming of spring. Merci for bringing it a bit early!
Pasadena AdjacentFebruary 10, 2013 at 10:31 AM
I'm pretty sure that's Pasadena City Hall behind Chloe. And I do like the kitty wrapped in dreamy yellow
MargaretFebruary 10, 2013 at 2:13 PM
I love her. Face. Such a perfect smile.
AnonymousFebruary 10, 2013 at 2:58 PM
I think it's somehow magical that as you make your way to fall, we're falling into spring. (My editor was asleep at the wheel.)
Susan CampisiFebruary 11, 2013 at 6:48 AM
The more I look at this illo, the more I love it. It's the same palette as your banner: soft silver and dreamy yellow with splashes of rose (the lips, the boots) - fabulous!

Of course "dreamy yellow" is compliments of PA: like you, a cat lover with an eye for color.

May you enjoy many more glasses of bubbles on the deck this season!
Shell SherreeFebruary 11, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Alexa ~ yes, just a tad of serious snow your way! ;) I'm happy to give you something to dream about while you're snowed in, ma chère.

PA ~ thank you. I've made a note on my palette for that one: dreamy yellow.

Thanks, Margaret. Here's smilin' at you, kid.

hiker ~ my editor is nodding off and it's 8:00am. When replying to PA, I nearly made a note on my pallet.

Susan ~ you had me at 'love it'. But please, go on... ;) And thank you, I'll be making the most of the deck bubbles while I can.
KatieFebruary 11, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Such a delightful illustration of Printemps! I always feel like a bull in a china shop when I go there, but it's such a beautiful building (that has mosaics inside and out!) and is filled with such gorgeous things that I'm always pulled in.
Shell SherreeFebruary 11, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Katie ~ I thought of you when I was painting the signs! I'd love to see the mosaics inside.
from caliFebruary 12, 2013 at 5:25 AM
I didn't exactly tiptoe through the tulips, but I did take a barefoot step or two in the gardens of the Petit Trianon. Ms M is right: it is jeweled magic. Enjoy Bubbles!
Shell SherreeFebruary 12, 2013 at 10:15 PM
Going barefoot in the gardens of the Petit Trianon would beat tiptoeing through the tulips any day, Cali.
JoytiFebruary 14, 2013 at 6:39 AM
Its almost spring here, though.
Our winters are pretty mild here in Northern California...and even milder in the southern portion of the state. I haven't been to Brisbane before, but visited Sydney in winter...and it was very mild. Slightly cool but sunny.

Beautiful work, as always :)