There are some stores that you walk by or go into with the most captivating visual displays... You know the ones -- they make your jaw drop every time! One store that always has the most amazing displays is Anthropologie. I will be visiting the London Anthro next week again and can't wait to see how everything is displayed. For me, part of the fun of shopping at retail spaces these days is what kind of inspiration they can provide that takes me away from ordering online and gets me into their store. I would much rather shop Anthro in person than online, for instance. There is magic in a store like that.

Of course, not only Anthro does a great job with their visual displays, many smaller privately owned stores like The Cross Design in Vancouver make visual magic too. Thing is, big retailers get all of the credit for their beauty when really, there are people behind all of that who are working very hard and rarely known. Take LA-based artist and designer Jessica Pezalla. She has a background in fine art and a MFA in sculpture.

After college, she started working at Anthro in California as a display artist and today, she she runs her own studio called Bramble Workshop where she creates custom installations for events and interiors for such clients as Ella Moss, ban.do and Hermès and she works with some of my favorite bloggers on projects like Joy from Oh Joy! and Bri of Design Love Fest. You can see a clever installation that she put together for Joy's creative studio above and learn about the entire process from their first meeting onward here on the Bramble Workshop blog.

I love how creative Jessica is - she uses every material imaginable and seems quite fearless as she explores new things. From paper flowers to feathers, hand-dyed placemats to chandeliers and woven leather stools - her talent knows no boundaries and I love it! I imagine working with someone like Jessica would be a dream. I often dream of working around creative people regularly instead of only when I work on my books... I love collaborating with others and dreaming up and executing creative projects. I often feel like I'm the only one with all of the ideas and sometimes I want others to come up with stuff too so I'm challenged. I need more creative people in my daily life - not just online! Do you often feel this way too?

Jessica - I love your work, your projects, it's all just amazing. Keep inspiring us!

(images: bramble workshop)