Sweet tooth anyone?

Christmas came and went- my Forge store project has come to a close for now but my work with the investors and owners of Forge is not over...rather just beginning...
The people behind Forge are a group of investors and developers. Forge is a small part of a huge re development project of the city of Lancaster California. The city and the men I have been hired by have taken a 6 lane highway and re developed it in to a 2 lane street filled with shopping, restaurants, a museum and low income housing. It has given Lancaster residents and nearby folks a place to gather, to see a movie to have an ice cream and to just hang out. Its been an amazing project and group of people to have been blessed to be involved with.
Fast forward to today....The same group of guys have decided to open a concept shop in their own backyard of Agoura Hills. A 5,000 sq foot shop/gathering place/party space. A mecca of cupcakes, candy and frozen yogurt with more toppings than you have ever seen. Now cross merchandise that with fun gifts, home decor, apparel and accessories and you have it! You can get your party supplies, grab a gift, get cupcakes on the go with an cute cake plate to serve them on...all in this one stop shop!
Its bright, fun and fresh! Think Jonathon Adler meets Kate Spade mixed with some Trina Turk!
I have been lucky enough to have been hired to do the buying, the decor and the overall set up....I am beyond excited to see it come all together!
I will be posting pictures from the very beginning- so, with that said, here is the first look at Sweet XO's!

Newest project for Birds Eye View! Concept shop combining a sweets and high end gift and home! Think Jonathan Adler meets Kate Spade! Bright, fun and fresh!

Outside of the new project

4,700 Sq foot space

First phase demo! Walls beginning to go up.

Hard walls starting to be built! I love this part..you can start to visualize the space.

View from front door.

'Tis the season to be jolly

I am a Christmas baby...I was born on December 29th. My mom made a huge deal of the holidays. She was a single parent of two so almost everything was handmade....the ornaments, the gingerbread men, the decor and the cards. I was blessed to have my own Martha Stewart. While I don't sew and making things by hand is very difficult for me ( I have the worst ADD- so creating small detailed items make me loose interest) I have learned to have a huge appreciation of all the small details. It is the big picture that drives me and pushes me forward.

By trade I am a merchandiser, I need to see the big picture and I need to see change and progress by the end of each day. So when the holidays approach I get very antsy....I know change, big change is on its way. Each of my stores or showrooms have very different looks and concepts. Concepts that we have put together for months, shopped for and by the time its being delivered to the stores I can hardly contain myself. Its the same feeling I used to get when my mom used to start taking out the boxes of handmade ornaments and decor.
This year we added Forge in Lancaster California. I was brought on to help guide the store in buying, merchandising and the set up fall through Christmas. For Christmas we went with candy and ice cream themes. The holiday bake shop was the most fun to create and buy for. Bake kits for cookies and cute serving dishes to put them on. Everything was bright, fun and merchandised as the one stop shop the hostess gift you needed.
The other was a woodland feel with white feathered owls and tartan ribbons.....chocolates and specialty cocos were placed here...again, easy hostess and teacher gifts....my favorite detail was the choice to use the champagne flutes in the Christmas trees by tying them on with the tartan ribbon......more out of necessity due to how many we had but ended up being the best part of the display.
Set up for a store this size is a solid week of long long days, but you know what, I live for it...the hours, the excitement to see it finished and to hear the customers feedback and wonder of it all....Its all worth it, and I have my mom to thank for my love and drive of it all things Christmas.

Ice Cream & Cupcake ornaments

Mens window-notice the reclaimed wire spool from a local construction site-great visual piece that went well with the mens vibe!

Bake-shop- aprons, mixing bowls and lots of sweet baking mixes! Cross merchandising to increase sales!

My favorite table top..white feather owls, specialty chocolates with champagne glasses ties to Christmas trees with tartan plaid ribbons.