hey lady!  check out Davey Lady….lots of fun stuff.  i was immediately attracted to her handbag collection - which includes one -of-a-kind pieces (a rarity in this mass produced world).  seriously!  she only uses fabric ONCE for each bag style so that it remains unique.  i think that’s pretty darn cool.  the only bummer is that most people will then miss out on this bag:

and that’s pretty dreamy.  but from the looks of her site – she has a great eye for design and fabric – so i’m sure there are others that will catch your fancy.  the leather bags are divine as well (i especially like the shimmery clutches).

so how does a store place an order with a OOAK designer?  simple.  just contact the designer, Lisa Davey, and she will either send you jpegs of her available fabrics – or if you are in the Bay Area – she’ll pop in and show you in person (you gotta love old fashioned service like that).  her w/s prices are available upon request (retail prices range from $45 – $220).

but wait!  that’s not all!  she is a one woman designing machine.  there’s belts!  jewelry!  baby clothes!  dog accessories!  oh, if only i had the time.  check out her website to see the breadth of her design prowess.

For those of you who are new to my blog, i can’t say enough nice things about Carlo Casareo.  He was my brilliantly creative and resourceful window display artist at my former boutique, ooma.  He has agreed to impart his wisdom to my readers in the form of a monthly guest blogger.  So without further ado – introducing Carlo’s WOW!

DISPLAY IT WITH FUN

The least amount of display often makes the biggest statement, especially when you are challenged with everything but the available merchandise in stock.

 One way to let your customers know that you have new merchandise is to change your top shelf display presentations. I often find top shelf displays an important expression of your merchandise assortment, not only because it conveys a “show me” attitude but it is what your customers see from a distance.

 Props can be improvised from whatever is on hand – be creative and resourceful, and keep in mind: Display it with FUN!

 Below is a series of top shelf displays I created for an accessories department. Using some fresh fallen branches from the park and wooden blocks, I was able to effectively compose a display for hand-made silk scarves.

Think outside the box and give your merchandise some style, if it’s worth repeating – repeat it several times over and always provide some element of surprise. Below are some display samples I styled using scarves and neck ties.

Wow Carlo!  you’ve elevated the scarf to a form of art!  bravo and thanks again for the great tips and inspiration.

i’ve always been obsessed with combining colors.  i enjoy mixing odd pairs, bright with subdued, jewel with neutral and so on.  inspiration for color combos can be found virtually everywhere –  wrapping paper, fabrics, gardens, toys, magazines, groceries, cosmetics, museums,  – and especially your own closet.

i used to paint one room in my bedroom a different color each season (yes – four times a year) and then change various accessories, throw pillows and the like.  i wanted my room to reflect my mood.  often my need to change came by seeing something that sparked an interest in a new color combination.

whether styling an outfit with your existing merchandise, determining unique color combos for your displays, or simply deciding on a color scheme for your store (logo, etc) – color is a very important and malleable trait.

because i’m so in love with color – i’m going to begin doing monthly posts about a scheme i dream up or that gets me excited.

so here’s my color palette for August:  chocolate, pumpkin, magenta, light mustard, graphite.

lovely things shown include:

• rowen pillow : Crate & Barrel
• feelin’ groovy : Flor
• acco wallpaper : Twenty2
• camille pendant : Seascape Lamps
• vintage orange chair:  eBay
• raindrop mirror:  pottery barn
• paints:  Benjamin Moore

this palette reminds me of candy, though it was inspired by the richness of impending fall and the aura of back-to-school shopping sweetness.  these colors translate beautifully in a room, a shop – and especially an outfit!

what do you think?  what color combos are you into right now?

it’s no secret that i adore color.  walk into my closet and you’ll think you’ve stepped into the remnants of a rainbow explosion.  this is only one of the reasons why i’m smitten with ViviDot, a darling line of fabric covered earrings, necklaces, brooches and more.  the line has got some serious personality and i think her pieces would add fun & sass to any boutique.

the recession-friendly prices rock.  the line retails from $5 – 45 retail.  the result is an irresistable sale.  great gifts too!

and there is a sense of humor here that i dig.  for example – the “ouch” ring pictures an image of a band-aid.  kitschy – but cute.

the flower brooches are definitely my favorite item – i think they’d add just the right amount of pizazz to a jean jacket, a tank top, a lapel or a handbag.  whimsical  – yet modern – they have flair without being too girly.

When ready to place an order, you can choose from items in her store – or create custom items - for those who like a more tightly edited, personal selection.

i’m pretty enamored of this bracelet made by Three Horses.  i’m pretty sure i’ve never seen anything that behaves so naughty and so nice at the same time!  the leather gives it edge, the rick-rack edges give it some retro appeal and the bow…well it’s just adorable.  this is one of those pieces that gets noticed from afar and invites the question we women all love to ask: “where did you get that?!?!”.

three horses does sell wholesale – at 25% of the listed esty price.  custom orders/colors are welcome…just convo Tiffani for more info and to place an order.  you will need to provide your states sales ID.