A Year of Pretty - February 02, 2014

In keeping with the theme of yesterday's post on the purple gemstone of February, Today's Pretty Post is of this collection of purple-hue lilac photographs by Georgianna Lane. (okay, there are a couple white ones in the group, but the overall palette is purple).

The Seattle-based professional photographer makes several trips a year to romantic destinations such as Paris, Venice, England and Chile. In 2014, she has three planned trips to Paris alone. Oh, to be able to travel and take pictures of gardens and their surrounds. I know it's work and we only see the best of the best results, but it does sound idyllic.

The talented artist has been featured in National Geographic Traveller, Romantic Homes, the New Yorker, Britian magazine, Gardens Illustrated, Papyrus Recycled, American Greetings, Nikon Owner, Artful Blogging, Somerset Life and many other magazines, books, greeting cards, calendars and blogs (such as this one!)

Not able to make it to Paris any time soon? You can bring a little piece of Georgianna's Paris to your home through one of her two Etsy shops: Paris Plus (which focuses on photographs from, you guessed it; Paris) and Geogianna Lane, which offers garden and nature photographs.

It won't be long before the lilac trees in my parent's garden are in full bloom. They have several trees; five in total I think. One has both lavender and white blooms off the same tree, another both light and dark purple. They are so nice to cut and put in the bathroom in an ironstone pitcher or even a painted mason jar. The blossoms only last a short while, but the scent is so beautiful. Fortunately, there are photographs such as this one here to enjoy. Especially in the the first days of February when spring is still a little ways away.

The Paris Print Shop

Today’s little bit of lovely is brought to you courtesy of Nicole from The Paris Print Shop. Based in New York City, Nicole has a great eye for making the ordinary extraordinary when it comes to photography.

From her website; ”My shop offers photos from the Paris Color Project which began when I moved to Paris in 2009. What started as snapshots of my neighborhood evolved into a series of photographs that document color on the city’s streets. I’m drawn to the way color contrasts Paris’ neutral facades, the way layers of paint erode into a form of abstract art, and to the details that are often overshadowed by the Eiffel Tower and other iconic landmarks. Each image was discovered serendipitously while walking on an unfamiliar street. I sought out objects that resonated with the energy of the city, one particular color at a time.”

Nicole and her lovely images have been featured by Martha Stewart, Real Simple, The New York Times, and HGTV (and that’s only naming a few of who’s who). Her book “Paris in Color” by Cronicle Books is available in bookstores and boutique shops, including Anthroplogie.

In her shop, Nicole offers both single images and mini-collections. I especially like that a variety of sizes are available. You can opt for all one size in a series of four or nine images, or choose one large feature photograph.

For something really eye catching, you could do both: have a large print on the left, with a series of smaller images to the right of it. The collage style arrangement will be sure to get conversation going at your next dinner party.

Les photographies sont très chic, n'est-ce pas?