Danville, California...

the greatest town on earth, located 30 minutes from San Francisco in the East bay area! I grew up here and all my friends and sister still live in the area. Right now I'm at my sisters house and I can't be more excited! I plan on heading to Walnut Creek and Berkeley...maybe to SF so I hope I can find some amazing windows to put up here! Just driving around the Bay makes me so happy, all the beautiful blooming trees and Mt. Diablo its absolutely gorgeous and could inspire anyone!

View from one of my best friends backyards

We're done...

with our first window display assignment! I've had these photos for awhile but have been slacking! Overall I'm very pleased and proud of how our display project turned out!

Almost done...

with our first display project! Brogan and I were able to get the majority of the stuff up and into the case this morning before the rain started to come down hard. We will need to finish the rest of it before class when Molly brings the rest of the stuff! Probably another 30 minutes worth of work but not much! These pictures are really blurry and have a bad glare I should have taken them with the case open, my bad!

Name tags, basket case and jock

The signs says "the breakfast club", princess, criminal, and the brain

and this is the whole display...more photos to come!

Neon lights...

are used to really light up this Christian Louboutin window display! I love the colors and how each letter is in a different font. 


Where: Internet Theaccessorato.com 
When: March 2011
Idea: Bright lights

Why not...

throw some inspirational quotes in here? After all it is an "inspiration journal"!

Who doesn't love...

Cinderella and Tiffany's?????? Growing up my friends loved to joke around and call me Cinderella because I would never get my chores done in time for me to go hang out with them. As I got older the name didn't really stick except for one friend who insisted I was the modern day Cinderella. I honestly had no problem with that considering "Cinderella" is my all time favorite Disney film. What girl doesn't want to have a fairy godmother come turn her life into a fairytale and become a Princess? HONESTLY? All my family and friends know of my delusions, they know I would do anything to become Royalty and they know I have the attitude to match! (but not in a bad way) Anyways I just absolutely love this Cinderella inspired window.


Where: Internet Blog/Tiffany & Co.
When: December 2010
Idea: CINDERELLA!

Again...

another window using a GIANT necklace! I wonder if there is a big warehouse where people just keep oversized jewelry. I found it on a blog, fashionfrillsandbaileysthrills.worldpress.com, it didn't say what store the window belonged to.

Feather extensions...

are turning out to be the latest trend in hair fashion whether people are trying to pull off Ke$ha's feathery style

or add a little flair to their hair without using harsh, damaging products.

feathers are everywhere! Even in window displays...


Where: Bergdorf Goodman
When: January 2011
Idea: Feathers!

Just because...

I find myself dreaming about Paris.

and Milan

and London

European culture inspires me.

Paper cakes...

make for a perfect piece to add to any fun display especially for bakeries. Plus using a real cake in a display could get messy and it probably wouldn't last very long. Check out these paper cakes I found, they are so realistic!

here comes the sun...

and I say its alright! I'm listening to The Beatles and my favorite song inspired me to continue browsing for floral displays! The song reminds me of the happiness everyone feels when spring is finally here and the cold winter has finally gone away (even though winter for San Luis Obispo is basically spring). Anyways what better way to represent spring by find some beautiful displays that incorporate flowers.


Where: Internet/ Blog: Forever  Young
Store: Anthropolgie
When: 2007
Idea: Hanging bags of dirt with flowers to create an illusion of a garden

I got really excited of this display because the idea I posted about hanging flowers is basically shown here but using bags instead of vases. I almost like this better because I am guessing it is more cost efficient and while I don't like dirt I definitely think it adds a nice touch and makes the display feel more realistic.

Browsing...

the internet can really lead to some fabulous finds! Today when I was searching for a floral window display I stumbled on a picture of vases with flowers hanging. While this picture is not from a display the idea would be really fun to use in one or even for decorating a sun room or outside on a deck/patio!

Stoneridge mall...

in Pleasanton, Ca just about 20minutes from Walnut Creek, wouldn't be my favorite mall in the bay are however I went anyways with my sister to help her boyfriend pick out some new pants. As I was walking through the mall none of the windows were really popping out at me, in fact I was kind of disappointed with the displays to be honest. I did however like one except I cannot for the life of me remember what store it was!

Where: Stoneridge Mall

When: February 2011

Idea:...

I also noticed that most displays in the mall were using the same colors, neutrals for the most part, probably because they are starting to put up their new spring clothes.

So excited...

because for my first display project in my visual merchandising class my group was assigned a movie window display! We decided to pick a cult classic...The Breakfast Club! This movie is absolutely amazing, one of my favorites ever! All those brat pack movies are just so classic, I remember watching them as a kid and wishing I was a teen in the 80's! 

This morning I was playing around with the display trying to set everything up perfectly before we put it in the window and thought I'd share the mini display we did for Molly Ringwalds character, The Princess.

The picture is obviously blurry because it was taken on my phone in horrible lighting. This is just kinda like a rough draft, we have a pink boa to frame it and we are going to add a picture of her character a long with it!

Well...

Since I still haven't been able to sleep I decided to upload the two photos I did take a few weekends ago when I went to Walnut Creek and visited my sister in her new house! It is so adorable and after she showed me around her new place we went to my favorite place...Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek! Walnut Creek has always had really cute stores to shop in however now WC is becoming pretty high end. Nordstrom is completely redoing their entire store because they will have to compete with the brand new Neiman Marcus going in across the street! On top of that the streets are lined with other beautiful shops like BCBG Max Azria, Betsey Johnson, Michael Stars, 7 for all mankind, Juicy Couture, Tiffany & Co, plus numerous  boutiques and excellent restaurants to dine in!


Where: Nordstrom Walnut Creek, Ca
When: February 2011
Idea: BIG jewelry? I'll get back to you on this one

Just one more...

for the night at least! I happen to stumble upon this when I searched for bridal displays. This isn't your ordinary bridal display and thats why I like it. The dress is not one I would imagine any bride walking down the aisle in, in fact I would imagine it would be quite difficult to do just about anything in. 


Where: Internet/theswellelife.com
Store: located in Paris on Rue Saint-Honore'
When: February 2009
Idea: Using ornaments to create the illusion of snow falling

Random...

I'm watching 30 Rock on NBC and in the scene they are at a club and I noticed the decor is similar to a few of the displays I posted. The wall paper is purple damask, similar to the green damask, and they used long strands of beads like the ones in the Repetto display. Just thought it was coincidental.

Three of my favorite things...

purple, damask(pattern), and fall! This display that I found is so elegant and is a really good display for fall, the funny thing is when I first saw it I thought of spring and Easter because of the giant bunny! I love the big bunny and how the display only uses a few colors, the purple really stands out agains the sage and damask back round.


Where: Internet/Millingtonassociates.com 
When: Fall 2007
Idea: I'll get back to you on this one...

This is just...

precious! When I was a little my sister and I were both in ballet classes and we absolutely loved being ballerinas. I remember we would run around the house regularly dancing to Elton Johns "Tiny Dancer" and this window display definitely reminded me of my childhood.


Where: Internet/ Blog: Is Beauty Skin-Deep?
Store: Repetto (french brand famous for their ballet shoes)
When: February 2009
Idea: Hanging long strands of beads to create a beautiful back round

I think this display is absolutely fantastic, I love the beads, lighting, and of course the outfits. This display is just extremely elegant and fabulous!

I absolutely love...

ANTHROPOLOGIE! I love honestly everything about the store, from the clothes to the displays I can't get enough Anthro in my life. My grandma created a monster out of me the first time she ever took me to Anthropologie in the summer of 2009, I remember it like it was yesterday...Ok sidetracked, to say the least I'm obsessed with all things Anthro. 


Where: Internet/Katy's Blog
Store: Anthropologie, Washington D.C.
When: November 2009
Idea: Using books to create different hight elevations in the display

P.S. This is only one of many Anthro displays I will definitely be posting.

In honor of...

Saint Patricks day I decided to make my first window be a St. Patty's theme one!


Where: Internet/Mlive.com
Store: Paul's Flowers
When: March 17, 2009 (okay a little outdated)
Idea: St. Patricks day

I wish you could see the pictures in the frame better, the window is a tribute the couple in the photos. They were marshals in the annual St. Patricks day parade held in Bay City and both had passed. The window does a wonderful job of celebrating the holiday along with celebrating the lives of the couple!

Side note...

I can't find my charger for my camera battery and the camera on my phone isn't very high quality, I will do my best to make sure the picture I take on my phone aren't that blurry so bare with me. The majority of my photos will probably be from online due to the fact you will be able to see the details better.

The reason...

for creating this blog is because in my Visual Merchandising and Display class we were to create an "inspiration journal". Instead of creating an actual journal I opted to create the modern day version. . .a blog. This way all the fabulous windows I find I can share with the rest of the world...or at least with those who are interested!