The perfect summer treat without the guilt!

I knew when I started making my own Brazil Nut Milk to add to my morning coffee that I was fully committed to this vegan lifestyle. For years I loved half n half in my coffee, but nothing I found in the grocery store could replace it's creamy texture and beautiful blend with my rich, dark morning brew... until now. Once I conquered that battle, it became a breeze to change the way I ate. I am now, for the most part on a vegan plant based diet and have been for the past 8 months... and I feel better than ever!

How do you stay committed to a strict yet healthy eating plan without going crazy? Meet my new love: Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss. This yummy non dairy coconut milk wonder has me over the moon! Sweetened with agave syrup it has a low glycemic index which doesn't alter your blood sugar as much a sugar and it's super creamy texture will have your kid's asking, "Are you sure it's not ice cream?"

It's decadent treats like this once and a while that keeps me sane on this path to health and vitality. My favorite flavors so far are Pineapple Coconut and Hazelnut Chocolate Fudge. Grab a pint and let me know what you think! It's a perfect summertime treat. Find your bliss and enjoy!

- post by Stacey

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A Brilliant Idea...

Here is a brilliant idea from one of my favorite bloggers... a do it yourself earring holder! Colorful, vibrant and very creative here is a quick way to solve one of those annoying clutter problems we all face at some point with our jewelry. What I really like about this is that you see all of your jewelry so your more likely to grab a pair you haven't worn in a while... I tend to wear a lot of the same jewelry all the time because I keep my stuff stored away in a case.

If you have any creative ideas like this send us an email and we can post it for our readers! Thanks for listening.

-post by Stacey
photos courtesy of Modish

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Eric Michael Boots - Designed To Fit!

'Juno' by Eric Michael - $209
'Madrid' by Eric Michael - $269
'Tuscany' by Eric Michael - $249

Although it’s only mid July, our current weather in Southern Oregon has me thinking it’s fall. To make matters worse, our fall line of boots is starting to arrive and they are quite lovely. I’m starting to feel content with our cold and rainy summer because if I decide to purchase one of the new beauties I can start wearing it now! Eric Michael boots arrived a few days ago, and what’s really great about this line is the design of the boots. I’m not necessarily talking about the bells and whistles that make the boots beautiful, but the fact that they are designed to be worn by women of all body types.

I have always had a hard time finding a tall boot that looks good on me. I have tiny bird legs, and I’m always swimming in the boot shaft. I find myself falling in love with a boot, but unable to buy it because the shaft is just too baggy on me and looks a little silly. Working at Village Shoes, I come across women who have the same problem as me, but also see women who can’t buy a boot because the shaft is too small for them. The designers of Eric Michael boots did something right when they designed a lot of their tall-shaft boots with a zipper on the side along with a lace up front that allows you to tighten or loosen the shaft to fit. With this kind of option, women with larger calves or very small calves can fit into the same boot.

The Juno, Tuscany, and Madrid boot by Eric Michael all have this option, so the problem won’t be that the boot doesn’t fit right, it’ll be that you have to actually choose one!

post by Amanda

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Laurel Denise Jewelry!

Handcrafted in the USA, these one of a kind pieces are in store now! Come by and check them out! Laurel Denise Jewelry.

who she is:
laurel “lolly” smith, owner and designer of laurel denise.

what she does:
simply put, laurel accessorizes an accessory. she uses her original illustrations and her unique handwriting to create stunning glass and sterling pieces.

why she’s here:
because of a dream.

no, really. in 2005, laurel had a dream and in it she was using new tools and innovative materials to craft the beautiful creations that have since become the distinct and unique laurel denise aesthetic. before that dream, she’d never even heard of some of these tools and never ever thought her life would be filled with jewelry design.

laurel graduated from james madison university in 2003 with a degree in studio art. if you sat down to get coffee with laurel (iced, please, with a little bit of cinnamon), she'd measure her college years by those "late-nights of printmaking", one of her first studio art obsessions. later, laurel lived and worked just outside of new york city, developing what would become laurel denise.

but laurel's tendency towards art and creativity started even earlier than that. her childhood memories are speckled with what she calls "experiments," a favorite of which was on a home-bound snowy day,

"my two sisters, my mom and i decided to paint my niece’s room--i remember sitting on the window sill, painting little fairies inside and out, fading their dresses, giving their hair depth and adding smiles to their faces...i think it was the first time i felt really good at something, like maybe that’s what i was put on earth to do—to create and show love through art."

laurel has been creating her whole life. her vision and motivation behind laurel denise is not simply to make jewelry, but to take what could be considered a “job” and make it into art. laurel wants to take jewelry and turn it into an experience, a story, pieces that can be passed down.

laurel's dedication to her unique and authentic product make wearing her jewelry personal: to wear laurel denise is to know laurel denise, and, hopefully to draw inspiration from her art to yours.

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Great Arch Support in a Flip Flop - Rainbow Sandals

Now that summer has officially arrived, I find myself wearing mostly flip-flops. I’ve been wearing them since I was a kid and they feel just as normal on my feet as a pair of sneakers. Being on my feet all day, I can’t just wear any flip flops…I need something that offers arch support and durability. That being said, Rainbow Sandals are a summer staple of mine.

The founder of Rainbow Sandals, Jay R. Longley, decided to design a sandal of his own after seeing one too many broken flip-flops abandoned on the beach. He developed a special sponge rubber that would mold to a customer’s foot, giving them a customized foot-bed. To ensure that his sandals didn’t wind up broken, littering the sand, he formulated a special glue that keeps the layers together and the straps in place. Jay also kept high and low arches in mind by designing his sandals with various levels of support.

The single-layer arch design is great for those with flat feet or a low arch, and the double-layer arch is a life saver for those with high arches (myself included!). The leather straps are intentionally tight, which allows you to stretch them by wear, creating the perfect fitting strap. Jay guarantees that your Rainbow Sandal with hold up for at least as long as the life of the sole, and thus far, after YEARS of wear, mine are still in tip-top shape.

Don’t take my word for it, try them for yourself. With Rainbow’s guarantee, you have nothing to worry about. They’ll repair your sandals against manufacturing defects which includes delamination, the strap pulling out, or stitching coming apart, before either the top or bottom wears through anywhere into the next layer.

How can you go wrong? Try a pair for yourself today and get walking!

- post by Amanda

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Ginger Lemonade Summer Cocktail...

So I went home last week not feeling great... I decided to take action and juiced fresh Ginger and Lemons and made a homemade Ginger Lemonade concentrate. It was so delicious, refreshing and immune boosting at the same time. A few days later when I was feeling better I concocted a fabulous Ginger lemonade summer spritzer with Vodka. It was amazing and I decided to share my recipe here with all of you... Enjoy and raise a glass for me!

Ginger Lemonade Summer Cocktail
1-2 inches of fresh Ginger
4 Organic Lemons
1/4 cup agave syrup
3 cups Water as needed

Directions:
Juice Ginger and lemons, add agave syrup and add water. This is very concentrated so you may need more sweet or more water depending on how tart it tastes to you.

For the cocktail- add ice, sparkling water and Vodka!

Let me know how you like it!

- post by Stacey

photo courtesy of Liking Lusting Loving

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What's Happening at Village Shoes?

Our A.J. Morgan reader collection is out of control! We have every color, shape, and size known to man. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but we seriously have so many of them. Stop by our store and check them out! (Readers are for sale in-store only.)


We recently acquired this beautiful table from Bali. It's an old wooden door that was given a new life as a table. Because of the rustic look, our Frye merchandise looks wonderful displayed on it.


Oh, my! Who's that beeeaaautiful girl? Oh, wait...that's me! I spent the morning lowering the prices of our sale shoes! We have boots, oxfords, pumps, MBTs, and more, and some of the shoes are over 50% off. Grab a pair now before they're gone!

...and that's what's happening at Village Shoes!

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Elf Mountain Leather Goods at Village Shoes!

Elf Mountain Leather Goods started in 1994 when Dave Summers decided to dedicate his time to leather handcrafting. He initially made his products for friends and family, but thanks to word of mouth, hard work, and dedication, Elf Mountain was officially born in 1996, and has been growing ever since. Dave takes pride in running his company with an old world business philosophy where his customers are life-long because your purchase is meant to last.

According to Dave, finding the leather is half of the art. He looks for unique pieces and typically finds them in Portland and Eugene, Oregon and also uses fine leather out of Napa, California. The leathers are strong and are meant to last a lifetime. He recommends using leather conditioner to keep the bull hide soft, and suggests waterproofing with mink oil and beeswax, and is only a phone call away should you need any repairs. With proper care, your investment in Elf Mountain is something you will be able to enjoy for years and years.

We think these handbags pair nicely with El Naturalista, Frye and many others. Dave is also willing to take custom orders or add special details to one of the bags you see here. Please contact us for more info.

Post by Amanda

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What are you reading this summer?

The ladies at Village Shoes love to read! One of us utilizes the local library, two of us purchase from bookstores, and I purchase books online to download and enjoy using my E-Reader. Now that the weather is warm and lovely, everyone is looking forward to changing their reading venue from indoors to outdoors, and from enjoying hot tea, curled up in a blanket, to sipping iced tea in the shade.

What we are reading:

Amanda:

• In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson "By far his best and most enthralling work of novelistic history….Powerful, poignant…a transportingly true story." -The New York Times

• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs “A tense, moving, and wondrously strange first novel. The photographs and text work together brilliantly to create an unforgettable story.” -John Green, New York Times best-selling author of Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns

Stacey:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee "To Kill a Mockingbird is a first novel of such rare excellence that it will no doubt make a great many readers slow down to relish more fully its simple distinction. It passes the test with honors." -Chicago Tribune

Halle:

• The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers "The symbols of mythology and legend are all around us, embedded in the fabric of our daily lives, and the Moyers-Campbell dialogues are a welcom guide to recognizing and understanding their meanings." - Cincinnati Post

• Mary and the Giant by Philip K. Dick "A retelling of Mozart's Don Giovanni, with Schilling seduced and destroyed by a young woman." -Philip K. Dick

• Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller "A dazzling performance that will outrage nearly as many readers as it delights." -The New York Times
  

Jen:

• “I’m reading my textbooks. Those aren’t fun, unless you are into reading about psychosis.” (Jen is currently studying Psychology and is knee deep in textbooks at all times.)

What are you current summer reads?

Post by Amanda

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Leaf Leather - Original Works of Art!

Leaf Leather, Inc. is part of the C.L. Whiting Collection. After years of study and countless hours of time, C.L. Whiting discovered the ability to produce tools in the shape of leaves with uncanny microscopic detail. Entire hides are tooled creating an original, one-of-a-kind work of art. With a great respect for nature and acquired knowledge of leather work, C.L. Whiting has personally trained several skilled craftspeople to help with the cutting, sewing, and finishing touches. This enables C.L. Whiting to create more of the beautiful hand tooled hides which are then made into finely detailed, meticulously finished leather goods. These original works of art are sought by fine gift stores, collectors, and notable art galleries across the country.

What I love about these bags... wherever you go you carry an exquisite piece of art with you. After all, isn't this exactly what we love about fashion? It's an expression of ourselves and of the world around us. These bags reflect the beauty of nature in fine detail. The clean lines of the bags themselves are sophisticated and lovely. Hurry and pick up one of these rare pieces before they are gone!

-post by Stacey

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Twilight and Filigree - Hand Painted Leather Jewelry Made in Portland Oregon!

Born from a love of nature and a soul rooted in creativity, Twilight and Filigree was founded by Elizabeth Robinson in 2008. With a background in fashion, costume design, and couture sewing, her strong sense of aesthetics and exquisite craftsmanship shine through on every creation. Her detailed and romantic designs form the basis for Twilight and Filigree: beautiful, charismatic and unique pieces for people like you to enjoy. All Twilight and Filigree products are made in Portland, Oregon.

Hand painted with acrylic paint and finished with a water resistant top coat made from natural ingredients. Sterling silver hardware. Shop Now!

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I ♥ Mac n' Cheese!

I recently was involved in a conversation with a friend about what my favorite and least favorite foods were when I was a child. I realized that not much has changed, which slightly concerns me.

I LOVE macaroni and cheese. It was one of the first “meals” that I was able to make for myself when my mother decided I wouldn’t burn the house down. To this day, it’s the only meal I make for myself consistently. I know, I know, it’s riddled with artificial flavors and preservatives, and I should know better, but I don’t really care. I’m not a huge fan of the pretentious restaurant macaroni and cheese made with real aged cheddar, Gouda, and other fancy cheeses. I don’t like the organic, all natural boxed mac and cheeses out there either. I find them bland in taste and boring in color. Gimme that MSG and bright orange food coloring! From time to time, I stray from Mr. Kraft and I spend some time with Velveeta. When I was younger, my mom used to make Velveeta macaroni and cheese for my brothers and I and we LOVED IT. LOVED IT! If she was feeling especially loving, she’d put ham in it too! She made it for us because it wasn’t time consuming, and it was something we all could agree on. I’ve made Velveeta mac and cheese a few times myself as an adult, but it never tastes as good as my mom’s. Now that I think of it, I’m not sure how happy my mom will be when she reads this and finds out that I like her 20 minute meal more than her intricate lasagna and seafood dishes.

And that bring us to my least favorite meal of hers: chicken cacciatore. When my mom would announce that we were having chicken cacciatore for dinner, I would become enraged. It’s not the sauce that bothered me the most, it was that when she made this meal she would use chicken thighs, legs, wings, and breasts. My mom and dad, being the all powerful adults would get the chicken breasts and my brothers and I were left dealing with skin and fat. I still have a phobia of fat on meat. I’d rather be stuck in a hell where I had to run laps on a track in 4 inch heels for eternity than take a bite of chicken, beef, or pork fat. This is not an exaggeration. It’s not that my mom’s meal tasted poorly, I just couldn’t get past having to work to get to the meat. Long story short, I’m a spoiled brat and I hated this meal as a kid because I didn’t approve of the cut of meat my mother served me, and once again, I’m somewhat concerned with myself because not much has changed, except if I refuse to eat a meal now, I won’t be put in the corner, and I won’t have to eat it for breakfast the next day.

What was your favorite and least favorite meal made for you as a kid? Do you still like/dislike the same foods?

- Post by Amanda
photo courtesy of The Torontoist

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What's Your Favorite Color?

Since an early age, I’ve been a fan of bright, vibrant colors. My mother can attest to this with many colorful stories of me painting her boring, brown dresser with hot pink nail polish, coloring my little brother green with markers, and INSISTING that I wear every fun-colored barrette in my hair at once. Although my color antics have mellowed out a bit, I’m proud that my inner child reflects in my wardrobe. When you’re young, the only rule about color in existence is that you wear a lot of it. It’s simple to go shopping and find a black top that will go with everything. It’s simple to wake up in the morning and put on a grey shirt to go with your black slacks, but why be simple? Sure, red isn’t the best color on me, but who cares? I like it, so I’m going to wear it! I hear women talk about what colors they ‘can’ or ‘can’t’ wear based on their skin tone/what their mother told them about fashion growing up/what their best friend thinks, but what about wearing something solely because you LIKE THE COLOR? There’s nothing wrong with that!

If the idea of a colorful wardrobe scares you, or you prefer neutral colored clothing, why not compliment those tones with a splash of colorful jewelry? A jewelry line that we carry that I’m a major fan of is Nuna and nothing makes my Nuna jewelry pop like a simple black blouse. Nuna’s brightly colored jewelry is fun, lightweight, and eco-friendly. Neon purples, fuchsias, greens, and blues are the perfect colors to pair with a more professional looking wardrobe or outfit.

If you aren’t familiar with Nuna jewelry, it’s handmade in Florida using imported Tagua (tah-gwa) nuts from Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. The Tagua palm tree produces a lovely seed (that is compared to ivory) that can ‘skinned’, polished, and dyed; all done without deforestation and disturbing the surrounding wildlife. Many South American communities are partially supported by locals searching forest floors for fallen Tagua seeds. Overall, I support their color palate, and definitely I support the way they do business-it’s a win/win!

Ladies, we satiate our coffee fix in the morning, our chocolate fix in the afternoon, so why not allow ourselves to get our color fix? As a child we were constantly asked what our favorite color is, and we always had at least one answer. It’s time we ask ourselves that question again, and wear our picks proudly!

- Post by Amanda
photo courtesy of Second String Swap

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Where Do You Keep Your Inspiration?

I came across a great site today called We Heart It and simply put, according to them... it's where you keep your inspiration. We Heart It lets you create an online image gallery (a heart) with your favorite images and videos from the sites you love. You can organize and categorize the images for viewing them back later, and find images "hearted" by other users.

These are just a few of my favorite photos I found while scrolling through thousands of images. Now I want to bust out my camera and get the creative juices flowing again. Enjoy!

- Post by Stacey

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Spring Has Sprung Here at Village Shoes!

Spring has officially sprung here at Village Shoes! We had fun re-decorating yesterday... doors and windows are open, cool breezes are blowing in and we have fabulous finds for the warmer weather. Our dedicated sales team is here to help you find the perfect pair of shoes or accessory for any occasion... and let's face it ladies, do we really need a special occasion to buy a new pair of shoes? No. Sometimes it just feels good. Come on by, our couch is always open.

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A Shoe For All Seasons...

This adorable peep toe lace up bootie from Chocolate Negro is to die for! The 50194 is the employee pick of the week here at Village Shoes because it's a shoe for all seasons. The versatile design of the shoe can be worn barefoot in warm weather with a summer dress, or during the winter with tights and leggings as pictured. The peep toe is perfect for showing off your manicured summer toes or for showing off your fun, colorful tights. The warmth of the brown leather and the perforated details compliment the fantastic fit and unbelievable comfort. I'm serious! These shoes are a must have for those who want a sexy look with uncompromising style.
With supple leathers and meticulous craftsmanship, Chocolate Negro's Portuguese beauties are bound to have you wanting more!

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Make That Shoe Fit!

Amanda here! I’ve decided to come out to the world about a little problem that has been plaguing me for years: my left foot is a half size smaller than my right. There. I said it. A size 6 shoe fits wonderfully on my right foot, however not so much on my left. My left foot prefers to be adorned by a size 5.5. Who knew? I didn’t until I measured my foot using one of those nifty foot measuring contraptions (technically referred to as the ‘Brannock Device’) that can be found in any shoe department/store, and it all became clear to me. I’ve always had a hard time keeping a size 6 shoe (heels, especially) on my left foot. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to walk in a 4 inch platform pump that wants to fall off your foot? It’s awful! However, there is an easy solution: Foot Petals!

Foot sliding forward in sandals: Does your foot push forward leaving a huge gap in the back and your toes hanging ten? Try Tip Toes made by Foot Petals. They’ll stop your feet from sliding forward and also provide a little extra cushion for the ball of your foot, which is extra nice in higher heels that lack a supportive foot-bed.

Foot slips out of the back of a heel: Try Heavenly Heelz made by Foot Petals. By inserting this cushion higher up on the back-of-heel area, it’ll keep your heel from sliding out and provide an extra cushion. This cushion can also be used on the inside of shoes with straps that are too big. They’ll take up extra space and prevent friction.

Overall snugger fit: Use Killer Kushionz by Foot Petals. It’s a full insole that adds overall support, stops feet from sliding forward, and will give you a slight lift in your shoe which could prevent awkward ankle rubbing on some shoes. Killer Kushionz can be teamed up with Heavenly Heelz, and can help make a shoe fit that would not without it!

With these three products made by Foot Petals, I have been able to make many of my heels fit wonderfully that otherwise would not. Keep these products in mind before you completely write off an awesome pair of shoes!

Photo courtesy of Eva K. Salvi.

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Smoldering Sexiness For The Urban Woman

If you want sophistication and comfort with all that you love about European quality, the new Spring line from Hispanitas is for you! With uncompromising style these three new shoes embody something for everyone.

The simple and classic look of a plain luxuriously soft leather pump, the elegant and perfectly pretty black sling back shoe every woman should have in her closet and the smoldering sexiness of a red dress shoe that absolutely goes with anything!

Hispanitas brings together beauty and quality while keeping the daily needs of the modern urban woman in mind.

Go ahead and treat yourself to something special... you deserve it!

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One minute it's sunny... and the next...

It's springtime here in Ashland and the trees are busting with new little flowers... I love how in spring all of nature seems so happy to feel the warmth coming back, including us. Oregon is amazing this time of year... one minute it's sunny and gorgeous and the next it could be snowing or raining. If you're coming up this weekend for the Ashland Independent Film Festival... don't forget to come prepared for anything!

Hope to see you this weekend enjoying great films, great shoes, great food and lot's of fun!

- Village Shoes

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Super Fly: Fly London Shoes from Portugal!

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