what dreams are made of

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The promised photo of my inspiration board, with numbers and corresponding explanations. If I missed something that you're dying to know the story behind, or if you want a close up of a particular item, leave me a comment and I promise I'll answer!

1. From a Glamour editorial in the January 2012 issue, focusing on the neon moto trend. I love, love, LOVE the trench, and the stovepipe trousers are pretty damn awesome too.

2. Also from the Glamour 2012 issue, a makeover of an "ordinary" girl by January's cover stars, the Kardashians, using mostly their Kardashian Kollection from Sears. I love the booties, the clutch, and (especially) the leather leggings. Definitely items on my wish list!

3. A Tom Ford/Neiman Marcus advertisement from the Wall Street Journal magazine. I dig her shoes, her sunglasses, and her attitude.... and the fact that she's in Rome (in my fantasy version of the ad's story, anyway).

4. Another advertisement from the WSJ Magazine, this one for Roberto Coin. This lady screams classy, something which I am striving to add a bit more of to my life.

5. A how-to on wearing pleats, courtesy of (clipped from) Glamour's January issue (noticing a trend yet?). I've decided a pleated skirt or dress are definitely topping my wish list for spring.

6. Another piece of advice from the pages of Glamour, this one on dealing with a work situation which I face every single day: saying no to people who aren't your boss, but who do outrank you. It's been a huge help!

7. Here we have another advertisement from WSJ mag, but alas - I can't remember which store it was for, and I cut it off. I love this whole look, though - very elegant and classy and cool all at the same time. It's also incited a feverish hunt for the perfect, budget friendly, prof-looking tote for packing my life back and forth to work.

8. An ad for Dior, taken from WSJ mag. Love the colors, and love the bag.

9. A Christmas card from Kat Von D that came with the Sephora order I placed online last month. I've been working on mastering the cat eye look she has going on here, and I love her metallic red lipstick. Not sure I could pull it off, but she looks incredible! She's badass, and she's hot - and she has gorgeous hair.

10. The early 1900s style paper bag that the necklace I ordered from Threadsence (ages ago) came in.

11. A photo of a castle estate taken from a story in the WSJ magazine. Who wouldn't want to live in a castle in Europe somewhere? Apparently it's crazy expensive, but if I were born rich, I don't think I'd complain!

12. From an editorial on high fashion in the WSJ magazine, featuring Chanel Iman. She looks like an African goddess here, don't you think? The entire spread was pretty intense, but I chose this photo for the board because red and purple just happen to be my favorite colors at the moment, and this photo means I can wear them together... right?

13. Clipped from the table of contents page of the January issue of Glamour, it goes with the same editorial I mentioned under #1. I dig the bike, the clutch, and the trench (I kind of have a thing for trenches - have you noticed that yet?).

14. An ad for Joe's Jeans - apparently there are 55 colors. And they're awesome. Although, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be wearing heels like that if I were climbing up a ladder for bunk beds that I'm pretty sure are in a 1970-something Winnebago.

Note: You may or may not have noticed that I tend to build up stories around the advertisements I see. Maybe that means I over-think them (I do have a tendency to obsess), but I find it to be an entertaining hobby. What about you? Do you ever analyze an ad's setting, or just accept it and move on?

15. A bedroom from a castle in the aforementioned story in the WSJ mag about castles. This one is done mostly in red, with wooden bedposts, creamy carpeting and accents. Have I mentioned that I'm loving the red right now?

16. "The Wish List" = a title stolen from the pages of the WSJ mag.

17. "Brave and Free" = two things I aspire to be. Stolen sometime last year, from what I think was an ad for a car. I forget. Getting old sucks.

18. Another bedroom from a castle, this one in champagne and ivory... two more of my fave colors. Interior design is another recently acquired interest of mine, and I can't wait to get my very own place to decorate... and stuff every possible nook and cranny with books, clothes, shoes and an assortment of teas and tea cups.

19. You'll notice there are two 19s on the board; they're both Forever21 tags, one black and one white. Forever21 happens to be one of my favorite stores, and they just happened to fit perfectly in the space I had left.

I spent the majority of a Saturday on this board, and I'm hoping to create a new one every month. Writing this description has made me realize that I need to look for more sources for my February board! I dig the style and advice I get every month in my beloved Glamour, but sometimes it's a little difficult to translate the New York City into the small town Utah. I wonder what Cindi Leive would think of itty bitty Tooele - flip flops and tanks, daisy dukes and uggs, and ratty jeans worn to weddings are not uncommon sights here in T-town. I'd bet they could spend a day here and have an entire magazine worth of Don'ts!

Has anyone else ever created an inspiration board? Care to share some of your sources?