butter London, A New Concept in Nail Care

What is butter LONDON?

A new concept in natural nail care. They offer a ground breaking line of non-toxic lacquers and nail treatments. The butter LONDON brand exudes British elegance with a hint of rock and roll.

Their product line is completely free from FORMALDEHYDE, TOLUENE AND DBP.

Many major nail care brands use FORMALDEHYDE, TOLUENE and DBP in their polish formulations. These chemicals are highly carcinogenic, cause birth defects, respiratory disease, and a host of other serious illnesses. The United States FDZ does not monitor the use of these chemicals in cosmetics! Consumers are often completely in the dark about what they are buying and might never know about the hazardous ingredients they are using.

From cuticle care to luxurious color these are products you can feel good about wearing.

A single bottle of polish costs
$12 at butterLONDON.com

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Sex and The City - The Fashion Behind the Movie

Go behind the scenes with Sex and The City stars and Patricia Field for a glimpse at The Fashion Behind the Movie.

Patricia Field is an American Academy Award-nominated costume designer, stylist and fashion designer. Before beginning the first season of the Sex and the City television series on HBO, Parker asked to have Field design some of the clothes that her character, Carrie Bradshaw, would wear. During Field's tenure as costume designer on Sex and the City, the show became famous for the fashions showcased. For her work on Sex and the City, Field was nominated for 5 Emmy Awards, with one win, and nominated for 6 Costume Designers Guild Awards, with 4 wins.

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Eco Friendly Shopping Tote Now Available!

The age old question: Plastic or Paper? Reusable shopping bags help to eliminate the use of both paper and plastic bags, focusing more on a way of life that is Eco-Friendly.

Our 100% Cotton Tote Bags are a fantastic choice with custom artwork by a local Ashland artist Jody Lydick.

Enjoy a full 3" Bottom Gusset to carry everything from groceries to books or even a new pair of shoes. 28" Handle Drop.

Message on bag: Save the World One Sole at a Time.

Only $9 at village-shoes.com

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Village Alert: What Comes Around Goes Around Private Sale

Private Sale coming from HauteLook.com by What Comes Around Goes Around!

What Comes Around Goes Around was founded in 1993 by college friends Gerard Maione and Seth Weisser, and has become one of the nation's premier vintage destinations.

First established as a Soho Boutique, they now offer a wide range of vintage garments and accessories, dating back to the Victorian era.

The shop is best known for it's extensive collection of concert t-shirts, leather pieces, western wear, boots and the largest collection of denim apparel on the East Coast. Watch an exclusive video by People.com and see what the buzz is all about.

The Women's Salon, which opened in the fall of 2003, is stocked with an eclectic, high-end collection of hard-to-find pieces from numerous celebrated designers such as Alaia, Courreges, Hermes, Ossie Clark and Pucci. You can also Shop Online anytime.

Starting June 30th at 8 am don't miss this one!

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Custom Art Shoes by Local Ashland Artist

Pen-and-ink artist Halle Riddlebarger proves that a little ink goes a long way. This amazing pair of custom hand drawn shoes are a testament to her raw talent and vision.

"Drawing in waterproof, fade proof india ink on smooth white leather is like a dream come true. The ink flows smoothly and the leather absorbs it well with little to no bleeding." said Halle when talking about her process.

If you're looking for a unique gift idea or want to adorn your feet with one of her custom creations please contact us for details.

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Village Find: Townshends's Tea in Bend Oregon

I was recently in Bend, Oregon and stumbled into a great tea house. Located in the heart of Bend is Townshend's.
A place that simply soothes the senses.

They sample teas from all over the world in an attempt to bring a condensed selection of the finest and most unique teas. They also create their own blends based on customer feedback and staff creativity.

I spent 15 minutes smelling jars of teas so aromatic and delicious I couldn't pick just one. They have a full menu of choices for every particular palette. If you're a tea lover, this is a place you won't want to pass up.

Located on 835 Bond Street in Bend, OR and open 9am - 10pm daily stop in and relax.

Soothe your soul with a cup of tea. Over 100 teas: classics, rare varieties, best bubble tea around, tea lattes and chai from scratch.

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Custom Art Shoes- What Are They and Where Can I Get A Pair?

Shoes are very personal. Different people are attracted to different styles, colors, etc. No matter what your personal style or flair, who wouldn't love to have a custom, one-of-a-kind pair of shoes? If you're willing to take a walk on the wild side, you just might find an artist willing to customize your favorite pair.

I was recently asked by my co-worker to draw on a pair of white leather pumps by Volatile called the Kathy. As an artist/shoe salesperson, this seems like the ideal offer! And so far (I am only done with the left shoe at the time of this writing), it has been an amazing opportunity. Who knew drawing on shoes could be so fun? Well, it turns out, after a little internet research, there are others who know my secret.

I found a website called CLP Studio by an artist named Lane who will do custom painted shoes in acrylic paint. From Monet to Klimt to Picasso and even as far as Mickey Mouse, Lane has painted some really awesome shoes in a variety of classic and modern art styles. Customers of CLP Studio can decide to have Lane paint an old, favorite pair of shoes or even have the artist purchase a new pair for them.

Another artist named MAG, who is a self-described "urban sneaker artist," alters the classic canvas Converse sneakers - the Chuck Taylor All-Stars, as well as tote bags, denim jackets, and other shoe styles. MAG's work can be seen on his aptly named website Punk Your Chucks.

So what makes my co-workers pumps unique? Well for one, I'm a pen-and-ink artist. Drawing in waterproof, fade proof india ink on smooth white leather is like a dream come true. The ink flows smoothly and the leather absorbs it well with little to no bleeding. It's like the ink was meant for the leather. As a result, the level of detail I can achieve with a pen is incredible. Keep your eye on our blog for upcoming pictures of the finished product, a custom pair of Volatile Kathy's.

by Halle Riddlebarger

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NY Times Top 50 Websites for 2008!

The NY Times published there Top 50 Websites for 2008 and their results are very cool. Here are some of my favorites that were mentioned:

iliketotallyloveit.com is a social shopping site. Shoppers post photos of items they like, then solicit opinions and comments from others.

PopSugar- an emporium of celebrity, fashion, beauty and even tech news for young, style-conscious women.

MapJack- View panoramic shots of Yosemite National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand and more. The best preview of the future in digital mapping coming soon!

Someecards - Edgy greeting cards and e-cards like "Congratulations on deciding what to wear." (Some e-cards are not appropriate for minors.)

Open Source Food is a place you can submit recipes and members can rate them. Warning: The pictures will make you hungry!

Enjoy exploring these sites and others from NY Times Top 50!

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Village Find: Band Aid Blister Block Stick

A customer introduced me to a fabulous new product!

Now you don't have to choose between style and comfort. Dare to wear everything from strappy sandals to stilettos when you protect your feet with the new Band Aid Blister Block Stick. Only $7!


Blister Block Stick invisibly prevents blisters. Instantly reduces rubbing on skin. Easy application with no mess. Blister Block Stick delivers 12 hour protection.

An invisible shield you wipe over the spots on your feet where you would normally get a blister. It actually looks like a small deodorant stick. It coats and protects the skin from being rubbed raw and, because it's invisible, it's safe to wear with open toe shoes and it isn't messy.

Retailing for only $7 this Village Find is a must have for your purse or pocket!

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Village Find: Repositionable Wall Decals

Want a unique way to make a statement on a wall? Check out this collection of re-positionable wall decals. Edgy and modern these unique copyrighted designs are handmade. Easy to apply these make an affordable way to change your living space.

About the Artist:

"I strive to create the newest, most creative affordable home decor designs. I am an Interior Designer, so I am aware of all the most current looks..." Read More...

Featured Wall Decals:
ShaNickers Wild, $45, Esty.com
ShaNickers Hanging Out, $42, Esty.com

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Hey Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do

I must confess, I loved watching Lucille Ball and thought these bracelets were really cool. They are designed using beads.



I can barely do cross-stitching so I can truly appreciate the time it must take to make these. There are several styles from Pink Pooch Designs, esty.com: Elizabeth Taylor, Casablanca scenes and even the Mona Lisa. I wonder if they can do custom pieces from a photo you send in? Hey, I just got an idea for a great gift!!!!!

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Local Oregon Designer- Emily Katz

Emily Katz is a fashion label out of Portland, Oregon striving to fill a niche in the fashion industry and become a staple in your closet.

Gracing the collection are fabrics such as soy jersey, hemp/recycled poly denim, water resistant fleece and organic cotton fleece, all of which support the simple elegance of the silhouettes while making a statement about our place in the environment.

Easy to wear pieces such as this Portland Swing Coat made from water resistant fleece are just one of the reasons we love Emily's designs.

Portland Swing Coat, $256, greenloop.com

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Fashions Best Bargains On The Internet

What's on the tip of my tongue today? Something every reader out there should know about!

I stumbled across fashions best not so kept secret. Enter www.hautelook.com become a member for free and gain access to 48-72 hour private online sales with deep discounts.

"Want your favorite celebrity look but don't have the celebrity budget? Join thousands and thousands of industry insiders who are taking advantage of HauteLook club membership."

"As the "Hottest thing to hit the fashion business in years" HauteLook provides an exclusive platform where premium brands reach their customers directly. As a result, HauteLook club members have access to the latest merchandise at discounts of up to 75% off retail prices, all from the comfort of their home or office." Read more...

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Village Find: Hand Soap-Literally!

Here's something different. Completely hand made, no pun intended, hand soaps. The soap is goat’s milk + vegetable glycerin & has a very light scent.

The soaps range from 1/2” to 3” tall. Packaged in a pretty bag.

$17 at Foliage, Esty.com

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Village Find: Pieces of me Pendants

Add something whimsical to your summer wardrobe with this pendant made from old scrabble tiles. So many to choose from you'll go crazy!

Only $5 at
Pieces of me Pendants, Esty.com

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Eco-Friendly Shoe Companies Strive Toward Sustainable Products

"Green" is on the tip of everyone's tongue, but what does it mean to be "green?" And for that matter, what makes a company "eco-friendly?" These are important questions consumers should be asking themselves, and questions I've been asking myself about some of the products we offer. So I did some research on three brands we carry that consider themselves eco-friendly. El Naturalista, Terra Plana, and Simple have taken on the ethical responsibility of paving the way toward sustainable shoes. Sustainable shoes would use resources that are easily renewable and can be harvested without damage to the environment from which they are taken.

These three companies use a variety of recycled materials including rubber, polyurethane, cork, carbon, plastics, and even car and bike tires. They also try to use 100% biodegradable materials such as crepe rubber, jute, and bamboo. El Naturalista makes a strident effort to use natural materials and dyes, and to avoid polluting substances wherever possible. While each company has taken a slightly different approach in material usage, all seem to be striving toward the long-term goal of 100% sustainable shoe making.

Are there truly "sustainable" or "green" shoes? Terra Plana sums it up in their Ethical Policy: "Sustainable shoes are like the stars, We may never succeed in making them..." And although they may never succeed in a making a completely sustainable shoe, the important thing is that they're trying. We are in the midst of societal change, and these companies recognize the need and importance of this change. Sustainable shoe making is a constant process of re-evaluating material usage, as well as production methods. For an eye opening look at shoe production on the international level, check out the Terra Plana blog concerning shoe production in China.

Although there is not a 100% sustainable shoe currently on the market, there are companies out there working hard towards this goal. Make it one of your priorities as a consumer to be informed about the products you purchase, as well as the ethical policies of the companies that make those products. The goal of a healthy Earth goes hand-in-hand with the goal of sustainable products. Give your support to those that support change!

Written by Halle A. Riddlebarger

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Omiru- Real Style for Real People and Fashion Tribes- Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle.

With so many avenues of information out there these days we all need a little direction once and awhile. We found a couple of great blogs that do just the trick.

What is Omiru? Pronounced "oh-MEE-roo," derived from the Japanese word meaning "to see". They aim to, "serve as your guide through the world of fashion and style so that you can see everything there is out there and make it your own."

"Omiru is a style and shopping website dedicated to the concept of real style for real people. Through Style Intelligence Report, a style weblog, Omiru covers fashion trends, runway reports, street style reports, and an assortment of articles aimed at making style accessible to all. " Read more...

Another source for fashion news is Fashion Tribes, a blog dedicated to Fashion, Lifestyle and Beauty.

"Fashion & lifestyle expert Lesley Scott is the New York City-based editor of the Fashiontribes blog, a premier fashion & lifestyle blog. Voted one of the top 20 lifestyle blogs and often voted one of the top 10 fashion blogs."

"Always on the cutting edge of new media, Lesley was one of the first bloggers to live-podcast New York Fashion Week and cover the runway shows as an officially-accredited member of the press. An influential and respected member of the lifestyle blogging community, her expertise is regularly sought after." Read more...

Whether you're looking for something unique or trying to stay up to speed with the fast changing world of fashion, we'll be there to connect you where you need to go. A special thanks for today's post goes out to Alicia from The Morical House for another great fashion tip. Go to our Links section for more great finds.

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Village Find: Eye Catching Jute Clutch

The Eyes clutch is an eye catching bag that features four finger holds to gracefully carry the over-sized clutch. Made of Jute and vegetable fiber this handbag is hand died using 100% vegetable products.

Designed by Nazly Villamizar for Ecoist, each handbag is meticulously handcrafted by Colombian artisans using Jute which is 100% bio-degradable.

Eyes, Ecoist, $198,ecoist.com

Ecoist collaborates with its network of accomplished designers to develop new sustainable products and collections. From Mexico to Chile to Miami, Ecoist is building a team of highly creative and talented eco designers.

They believe, "Every individual has the power to make a positive change in the world. We, as consumers, are the ones that create demand for electricity, cars, clothing, and everyday products and services that directly affect the health of our environment. The goal is not to eliminate the products and luxuries that are apart of our lifestyles, but to seek alternatives that satisfy our needs in a healthy and ecologically sound manner."

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Heather Heron- Hemp Couture Bags and Clutches

Heather Heron’s designs have always reflected what matters most to her. Be it familial or personal connections, fair and equitable opportunities for work or sustainability and low environmental impact of her pieces - she has channeled her beliefs into the creative process.

The outcome... the most exquisite line of hemp couture bags and clutches. Before claiming eco-friendly status became another way to increase sales, Heather Heron had been championing the ethical way to do business. Her use of Organic European Hemp as a background for all her pieces is a bold move in the world of high fashion – and it works.

She adds another layer of beauty with her contrast fabrics - unique exceptional leathers, and hemp-silk charmeuse. The combination of high-intensive detailing with the stark, remote simplicity of hemp gives her pieces an austere yet totally accessible elegance.

Expertly crafted to stay lovely for ages, Heather Heron’s pieces place her individual mark on the planet. That mark is a lovely symbol of what it means to be human.

So where can you find these fabulous bags? Only a handful of boutiques according to her website.

Start here...

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Get Smart- Save Your Clothes While You Save Money!

TV Guide's Fashion Team highlighted an amazing eco-friendly product, the Retractable Clothesline from Hills. The Retractable Clothesline can be installed inside your home or outside in your yard, so anyone can line dry with ease, regardless of where you live. Line drying is better for your clothes and the environment and TV Guide shows viewers how to line dry in style.

Check out the Celebs who are on board with Hills and use an old fashion way to stay Eco-Friendly this summer!

Thanks Gorgeously Green for this super fabulous Eco-Friendly summer tip. If you haven't snapped it up yet check out the New York Times best seller "Gorgeously Green" by author Sophie Uliano who was recently seen on Oprah.

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Maya Moon, Hand Crafted, Custom Handbags

Maya Moon handbags are made right here in the beautiful state of Oregon. Each bag is unique and designed with Village Shoes customers in mind. We pick the leather combinations and hardware and Maya whips them up in Bend, OR. Lucky magazine is just one of many that have featured her beautiful bags.

If you're looking for distinctive handbag crafted with premium leathers this is the bag for you.

Do you own a Maya Moon? Tell us what you love about it.

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Shoe Art by the Virtual Shoe Museum

I found a great blog! Atypical Shoes . A tumblog dedicated to interesting and unusual shoes.

One of her pictures led me to a wonderful find. The Virtual Shoe Museum. The pictures you see here are from their website.

The Virtual Shoe Museum was initiated by Liza Snook in 2004. Once the idea was born, a long search began for designers, photographers and publishers connected to shoes. New friendships developed and their mailbox filled with loads of material on fantastic shoes, art and design on shoes.


















Pure Shoe Art!!! These are fantastic.

Enjoy!

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