Nature Calling

We have been enjoying a most splendid spring with lots of rain and cool weather, and I couldn't help but share a few artistic graphic designs that I've created that draw upon nature for inspiration and for, shall I say, a bit of humor.

I designed the Homestead Antique Flyer above--I styled it (alongside the owner,) photographed it, and created the final graphic design. These were made into postcards and sent out as advertisments for thier upcoming spring antique fair.

Two years ago I shot these last three photos for a nature-inspired line of postcards (back when I still sold items in my Etsy store).  My neice and I had quite a bit of fun tweaking the text and overall graphic design of the cards. I actually spent quite a bit of time creating this line, but in the end, even after hours of work, I realized that while these cards reveal the quirky, nature-loving side of me, they did not fit my over all style, so they were just filed away into a folder on my computer. I'm sure we all have folders full of ideas that never made it past our personal computers.

Typewriter Tango-- Just a silly picture-- nothing spectaluar, but I can't help but imagine tango music while watching these two intertwining worms.

My very favorite postcard: Texting is 4 grubs:)

This postcard was my very favorite design as it gave me the chance to vicariously poke fun at technology via a curious, hungry caterpillar. (And I had to resist adding LMAO at the end of the phrase...)

I could go on and on about how texting gets on my nerves, but I guess I'll save that for another post, another day.

I hope spring has also been treating you well.

I'm off to finish preparing for Amelia's 4th birthday party...


I'll be back soon!

_{images by à la parisienne}

My Newest Venture: My Fashion Column in PFM & a GIVEAWAY

So I've had a few surreal moments over the last few months participating in a few things that I would have never imagined possible.

Picture a stay at home mom heading out to do a photoshoot for the cover of a magazine!

Or imagine a stay at home mom assembling an entire fashion column from start to finish with no prior experience and no budget- just armed with a vision, a camera, a model, a photo editing program, and a connection to the Internet.

It's been an interesting few months since, Angela, Parisienne Farmgirl, contacted me and asked me to write for one of her fashion columns in Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine!

_{a sneak peak of my fashion column in the premier issue of Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine- styling, text, and layout by à la parisienne}

As many of you know, I love color. I love mixing colors and creating beautiful combinations. So this task was definitely enjoyable. But imagine a newbie like me trying to funnel the world of color down into one fashion column...very daunting. But also very rewarding as I was able to feature a handful of very talented Etsy artists.

It also took a leap of faith when I made my color selections in the dead of winter for a spring/summer fashion column. How can one be certain about a color trend 6 months down the line? So my premise was to revolve two colors around a summer basic---white.

And, to me, summer whites look amazing with cobalt blue and with a zingy yellow, and one of these two colors is bound to look beautiful on any woman, any age.

This gorgeous girl was my model, and isn't she perfect? She has that type of beauty that can be city chic and country charming all in the same moment.

I took this extra shot during our fashion shoot for a play on color. It didn't make the cut in my fashion spread, but I just love the way the orange and cobalt blue complement each other.

_{Premier Issue Cover of Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine- photography by à la parisienne}

I was elated that Parisienne Farmgirl handed the honor of the cover shoot to me. Angela sent me a simple concept sketch (and that fun fluffy can-can skirt) that she and her mother, Savvy City Farmer, had envisioned, and I scouted a location and shot the photos---super fun! You should have seen me crawling around in that grass-not very parisienne-like, but it got the job done!

I used the same beautiful model in the cover shoot, and she actually brought the pair of boots and the pink scarf, which added the perfect touch of farmgirl and parisienne to the frame.

~~~~~~~

Many of you have followed my "artistic" journey for years via my blog and some of you have just recently joined me, and I want to thank you for all of your encouraging words. Like most people, a little bit of encouragment pushes me a long way. Without your applause along the way, I know for certain, I would have chickened out on this opportunity. I would have felt very inadequate and anxious about doing so many new things at one time!

But here we are; the first online issue has already been published and I have flipped the magazine and through my column many times...in disbelief!

Which leads me to say, thank you Angela for these amazing opportunities! And the magazine is gorgeous!

I would love for all of you to see my fashion column, Everywear Chic, in PFM, and if you are a subscriber to the online magazine, I would love to hear your feedback.

GIVEAWAY

For those of you who haven't subscribed yet, Parisienne Farmgirl has allowed me to offer a giveaway for a one year subscription to Parisienne Farmgirl Magazine.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

To increase your chances at winning, post this giveaway to your Facebook or share it on your blog. Leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close on Wednesday, April 11th at midnight CST.

And the winner will be selected randomly and will be announced on Thursday, April 12th.

Merci!

_{images #1 & #3 property of PFM; image #2 by à la parisienne}

mon alphabet français: Lettre A

For a couple of years, I've been wanting to design artistic, French educational "cards" or images to share with my blog followers.
And as all creative projects go with me, it's taken two years for me to bring this vision to fruition!

_{Apricot = l'abricot
l'abricot is a masculine noun in French, thus, the (m) on the card.}

So, I will be starting a new series called : mon alphabet français, where I hope to have a little fun styling, photographing, graphic designing, playing with the French language, and hopefully fashioning beautiful artful pictorals of the French language.

J'aime vraiment les abricots et ma confiture préférée est confiture d'abricot!

{I really like apricots and my favorite jam is apricot jam!}

Quand je pense aux abricots, je pense à ma tante Carol.

{When I think of apricots, I think of my Aunt Carol.}

Il y a quelques années, elle m'a donné un pot de confiture d'abricots faite maison.

{A few years ago, she gave me a jar of homemade apricot jam.}

Ce pot là, était son dernier pot de confiture d'abricots. Et son abricotier avait mort.

{That jar of apricot jam was her last jar, and her apricot tree had died.}

C'etait un cadeau très precieux.

{It was a very precious gift.}

_{Une questionne pour mes francophones: In the sentence, Ce pot là, était son dernier pot de confiture d'abricots. I wanted to say "That jar of apricot jam was her very last jar" for emphasis. Any suggestions on how to add that emphasis?}

Aimez-vous les abricots?

{Do you like apricots?}

(You can respond in English, bien sûr!)

_{images by à la parisienne}

Secret Garden Party~The Invitations

With my love for photography and obsession with photo editing and graphic design, I just couldn't bring myself to buy invitations for our daughter's second birthday party, so I made them myself. Honestly, they only took a few of hours from start to finish and for all of you crafty and creative women out there, I encourage you to try making your own invitations for the next special event you plan; it not only makes such an impression on your guests but it also peaks their interest.

Below I am including the instructions for making these invitations...for future reference!

How they were made:

The front of the invitation is comprised of three different photographs and is 4X6 inches in dimension.

The top photograph is of Amelia's eyes; the middle picture is actually a picture of an illustration in Peter Rabbit tucked in some Geraniums; and the bottom picture is a closeup of the same Geranium bloom.

Then I added two pieces of nature-inspired clip art as embellishments. I chose the bottom embellishment to hold the title Secret Garden.

I had the front of the invitations printed by a photo lab.

I designed the back of the invitation using the same photo editing program, where I inserted the same lovely piece of clip art at the top. (I handwrote each of the guest's names inside of this embellishment.)

I printed the invitation backs myself on ivory cardstock with a moss green ink.

On a trip to the Warrenton, TX antique fair in March, I found a vendor who had a box full of keys, and they were 25 cents each-perfect. The vendor also had old skeleton keys for $2 each, which would have been nicer, but not really necessary.

I came home and spray-painted these keys a metallic champagne color to soften them up a bit and give them a little more pizazz.

Invitation Assembly:

After the paint on the keys had dried, I cut small strips of blush hem tape and looped them through the key holes and tied the ribbon ends in a small knot.

Then I used a small scrapbooking brad to poke through the ribbon that was holding the key and ran the brad through the cardstock in the top right corner. {See image above}

Then I adhered the photograph to the backside of the cardstock invitation using double-sided photo adhesive stickers.

Coming up Next

Pictures of the party decorations, food, gift wrap, and birthday dress

_{All images by à la parisienne}

Celebrating in the Secret Garden

Flowers...check

Poms...check

Table cloths...check

Birthday cake...check

Sweet little Birthday girl...check

This weekend we will be celebrating Amelia's 2nd birthday in the Secret Garden...

Wishing you a happy weekend!