Theme decoration ideas from Christmas window displays

Jeffrey Campbell High Heel Boots

Bring your modern style and whimsy to the Holiday. The Old Woman in the Shoe was updated in real modern style at Christmastime in New York City.

Holiday Image is a company that creates Christmas and other seasonal displays for retail spaces. They bring to life stunning Christmas windows for some of the most prominent international stores.

They work with the companies to celebrate the season but to incorporate their brand and their own image at the same time.

This theme ties in well with a series I did recently about boots in the media. In 2011, Josh Darling, one of their designers was working on a holiday window for the Hugo Boss flagship store window in New York City.

He and a store representative worked together, coming up with the Old Woman in the Shoe idea. His display included a lighted 7' model of a black Boss Boot with silver studs. A TLC episode of Holiday, Inc includes the conception, work and the reveal of the completed window.

Looking for a theme? How will you get a Boot out of decorating your own home this year?! Consider back to a classic, especially at the holidays think of childhood favorites. Look for something familiar like a nursery rhyme that you might make contemporary and that you can personalize is always a great idea.



Note: You'll see the Hugo Boss window around 2:21 into this festive program

How can you decorate your home for the holidays, incorporating your sense of style? If you love shoes, cats, handbags, jewelry, whatever it is, someone has most likely made ornaments in that style. Go literal or figurative. Is it the sentiment or the item itself?

Create your own custom photo ornaments or customize designer items. Give them as favors. Let the windows show us how to take that chance. Not be afraid to go over the top! Make something yourself, create something with your family.

They will become heirlooms, mementos. They may stay up all year if they aren't too holiday-themed or you can have the pleasure of wrapping them and taking them out once a year.

Don't forget other holidays. As Easter trees and Halloween trees become more prevalent, non-denominational and multi-denominational celebrations, too the more personalized decorations are not only more fun, but can be practical on one of your trees if not your only or your main tree.

What do you love? Do you have an outfit ready for that special party or family get-together? Are you more vintage, bohemian, trendy, diy?

What are you doing for New Year's Eve? You may be able to make a necklace version of a special ornament if you find one that is just so special. You want people to stop and say, Wow, this is you, this is original!

Jeffrey Campbell Sirius-Std Mid-Calf High Heel Boot
Black, Black & Silver (above)
Jeffrey Campbell sky high boot in fierce metals
The boot features a 6" heel
Three sleek silver buckles along the side
The towering Sirius-Std is seriously hot
1 1/2' platform

The wonderful reveal...

From designer Sam Edelman : The Kendrix Boot in Black
You'll really love being the woman who lives in these boots!
Leather boot with suede heel;
Multi straps up the front with buckle on top strap
Matching color zipper on the heel
4.5" heel is high enough but not too high
Pointed toe; 5" shaft; 11.5" ankle

The love of shoes and boots paired with the classic childhood nursery rhyme of the Old Woman who lived in the shoe is just one example.

Related Articles to Enjoy:

Favorite Magic Shoes - Remembering Fairy Tale Shoes More including The Ruby Slippers / Wizard of Oz, Cinderella' Glass Slippers and the Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe

Elton John Pinball Wizard Tall Boots More Tall Boots on display

Vintage Christmas Tree, Old Hollywood Holiday Decoration Ideas from 1920s film Art Director aka Interior Decorator, more

Luthier apprentices making ukuleles in a team effort

A ukulele mold is stored within a guitar mold.
You can see the purfling which looks
like little wooden teeth.

The Ukulele Apprentices: Social Gathering, Art Alliance, Future DIY Orchestra

My husband, Francois Vadeboncoeur, is the other half of ImagineMDD, Misenti-Despres Designs. He is a luthier, designing not only guitars but ukuleles, too.

Right now, Francois has apprentices coming to the shop learning to make ukuleles.

He is in the process of making a custom guitar for a client.

When we take a walk in the evening, he will point out things like dentil moldings on some of the older houses in the neighborhood. It reminds me of the purfling in his guitars.


Just watching him, helping out as much as I can whenever I can has taught me a lot more than I ever knew about what it takes to make a stringed instrument.

Did you know there's such a thing as a Soprano ukulele?

Every inch of that small shop is cleverly packed with instruments in progress, exotic and reclaimed woods, tools and gadgets. Everything is labeled.

Fran has shelves made from the wood inside a piano someone gave him, a piano that was beyond repair. We try to reuse everything.

An old toy ukulele hangs from the ceiling where the ukulele sides are in the molds. Some of these folks never even considered how to make a ukulele. Some always wanted to know.

The apprentices chose the wood that they wanted for each part of the instrument. Some are making it for themselves, some for themselves.

A gift you make for someone will mean that much more. It becomes an heirloom. 

Just like when someone wants Fran to make an instrument for them, they get to choose the woods they like best and they work on the design, etc.

Every holiday, every birthday, on any gift list I know he is going to ask for more clamps! I don't know just what kind he'll need but he can never have enough clamps.

Now that there are apprentices working in the shop, we're buying out all the clamps in town.

Francois has made his own clamps and tools on more than one occasion to fit the type of instrument he was making, the size needed, etc. Luthiers, woodworkers are very clever.

At night and during the day while folks are at their day jobs, the projects take over the workshop. They take over any surface that will hold them level and safe.

The joke has been that they're going to form a community Ukulele Orchestra for their graduation. :-)

The Don't Fret - I'm a Trained Luthier aprons hang beside the first aid kit. Happily that hasn't had to be used so far.

They're simultaneously ukulele making, working on  guitars and a special drum project. That whole story isn't yet authorized to be disclosed. Very cutting edge, I'm told.

As soon as we're given the go-ahead to let people know about the drums, we'll be more than happy to help get the word out about those, too.

I'm hoping to talk to the apprentices and get some information on why they're each making the ukuleles -- or guitars.

Several of them have said they are willing to be photographed for the cause, so you can look forward to some exciting action photos of sawing, bending, gluing, staining and measuring twice.... Maybe three times.

Don't Fret I'm a Trained Luthier Apron
T-Shirt available, Add your name
See more Don't fret Aprons

Music Police. T Shirts by notreallysoapy
Use Zazzle's t shirt designer

Don't Fret -- I'm a Trained Luthier T-shirts 
We have our business name on the back and
We get stopped all the time when he wears this!

Lucien LaMotte, Song for George, Misenti-Despres Designs guitar

Car jewelry small things make a big difference sparkly license plate bling

Car Eyelashes Black, Pink &
Bling License Plate Frames

We have a friend who's a successful real estate agent. No matter when someone calls her to look at a home, she's ready. Even if they have to wait for another group to finish walking through the property, she's waiting out there by her car. Something about her suggests, "We'll probably get this place if we want it." Is it a wink?

This is a perfect time of year to add some special embellishment, make a big difference with glittering crystal license plate frames. Give them as a gift to your wife or girlfriend. Give a set to yourself as an investment.

Do you use your car in your business? Do you volunteer? If you're calling on clients, delivering products or driving clients around, your car itself may be the first impression a potential client or business partner has of you. Car Eyelashes are 3-D or in decal form, choose your favorite colors. Use them permanently or temporarily.

Someone looks out the window, smiles and can see that you've arrived. 

Maybe driving people around is your whole business. If you run a big or small limo service. Pink Limos are very popular for awareness events, bachelorette parties, princess parties for little girls and big girls too. There are different pink limos to choose from now. Gals want more photo opportunities, creating memories to keep & show their friends.

Put your special sparkling pink offering on your internet gallery page. They'll feel like a celebrity posing with the bling. These are gifts for you, but they'll make your clients' event more special. A real win-win situation. Better yet if you have vanity license plates.

If you're in an industry where reputation and image is everything, adding just a little something special can make a big difference. You're that much more memorable, your brand is more defined. Foot in the door. You feel special about yourself, too.

Swarovski License Plate Frames

We have friends who are artisans, making handcrafted jewelry, soap products and art. We know many woodworkers making furniture.

The artists do everything possible to make their overall brand memorable when packaging, shipping and/or personally delivering the items.

A designer who knows to use only the very best Swarovski Austrian crystals in her jewelry making would adore a License plate frame glittering with genuine Swarovski crystals. 

What's her style? Is she a fashionista, a fashion designer? So many options.

The gift for her. Christmas is coming. When is her birthday?? Car jewelry is the perfect gift for an artist who's visiting galleries and boutiques promoting her jewelry. Her car can sparkle as much as she does. Show off your front license plate with a jeweled license plate frame.

For that wild child, that special girlfriend, get zebra or leopard print in crystals! Premium Bling Meow! 
Popular items, specialized shift knobs. Personalize them for you, for your car's style. Are you going for a theme, a color?
Love the friend who said with a crystal shift knob sitting in the front seat is like being in your own little jewel box. Your car or truck is what you make it. A jewelry box, space ship, cowgirl hangout....

Crystal Car Shift Knobs : Like you're sitting in a jewel box
Let the environment in your car be your oasis. Don't let the traffic, the bad news

Universal JDM VIP
60mm Transparent Clear Diamond
Bubble Shift Knob

on the radio, what happened at work, etc get you down. What can you do yourself? What can you add or modify? You're untouchable to the forces out there that want to bring you down!

Your daughter will feel like a Prom Queen when she places these glittering frames on her car.

Durability and craftsmanship. I appreciate License 2 Bling because they come with exclusive Torx locking security bolts that keep your frame safe from theft. They're safe with rain and car washes. Some rhinestone license plate frames are lesser quality and are not as durable. The positive reviews are icing on the cake.

You may be thinking of something for one person or a few. Your bridesmaids? Sisters? Your sales staff? Your fleet of pink cars? Not everyone has car bling. Your top sellers? The salon owner and her best hair stylists? 

You know the special type of person who deserves to have something beyond just that parking place. Something more than a magnet with the company name on it, just a decal for your mirror. 

Whether you're giving her a new car and want to bling it out or you want to make a big statement on a budget, here's a unique gift idea. Happy holidays!

Heavenly Angel Wings seat covers

Bling Seat Covers 

Notes, Suggestions:
Be sure to match up your car's make, year, and exact model numbers when purchasing items. How do other customers review them? Does the item description mention if you'll receive a pair or a single piece? Wiper blades, for instance, are frequently sized differently on each side, they're sold in packs of one.


See how this manufacturer sizes their item and suggests it be applied. We want the product to fit and to receive the number or pieces expected, not be disappointed and have to re-order. Making sure you have the information they ask for and double check the fine print can save re-ordering that extra piece to complete your set.

Because you're the Star...

For car shows and meet-ups, collectors and fans

4pc. Multi-Color 7 Color LED Interior Underdash Lighting Kit 
(** Manufacturer gets good customer ratings. They have a range of types and colors available, please double check on features that meet your needs.)

72 Ultra Bright LEDs, four nine-inch tubes with 18 Wide Angle LEDs per Tube
Easy to use Control Box & Mounting Hardware Included
Where will you place these? Under the dash, mount it to your foot well, under your seats
Multiple Patterns Available Including Strobe, Fading, Chasing Effects
Sound Activated Option with Included Sensitivity Controller
Kit includes a total of four 9inch tubes with 18 ultra bright LEDs per tube

** Is yours a special car that you want to show off to friends and collectors?
** Do you go to meet-ups and shows and want your car to look (and sound) its best? How cool would this be?
** My sister had an old restored Ford Mustang that she was crazy about. She could take that to a car gathering in her town and show it off
** Yes, there are other colors, too