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Fall is here….at least inside Country Village!

16 Aug

Being in retail can really make a person rush the seasons!  We always have to be one step ahead!  So, suffice it to say, we are already in full swing of fall and Halloween here at the store.  I have to say though, it is one of my most favorite times of the year!

I love all the warm, rich autumn colors of red, yellow and orange.  And I won’t even get started on Halloween….I cannot believe how big it has gotten from a decorating stand point!  If you don’t decorate for Halloween yet, I have news for you, you are behind!! 

People often don’t know how or where to start, so for the next few posts, we are going to focus on some tips virtually anyone can use to quickly and easily change their house into an autumn haven.

 
 

Milkhouse Candles – one of my new favorites

17 May

Milkhouse Candles

I am somewhat if a candle connoisseur – I have probably smelled almost any candle line you can throw at me. I just like candle – always have. I like burning them anytime of day – any time of year. So when we get a new candle line in, it has to be good! And I think we found just that. Milkhouse candles are one of my new favorites!

At first, I wasn’t sure if they smelled that strong. I was skeptical. The scents are different than those I usually enjoy, but pleasant. My first draw to the candles were their look. They were clean and unique. I have a hard time with lilac candles – because they are purple or hydrangea or lime, or virtually any flower candle. I like them, don’t get me wrong…they just don’t look good in my house though. So the first attraction was the look. They are basic, yet sophisticated. Like that.

As I burnt my first one (I chose Oatmeal, Milk and Honey, by the way) I was skeptical. It didn’t smell as strong in the jar – which usually translates to a mediocre smelling candle when it is lit. About a half and hour later…I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked it! It was a unique smell, and wow – was it strong! I have a very open concept to my home with large rooms so I usually have to burn two candles at a time in one room to smell them – but to my surprise – I could really smell this one candle – and in several rooms. Loved it.

What I really like also is that Milkhouse Candles are 100% American made (yes there are still a few things:) soy, and great for people with allergies because they burn so clean, they actually clean the air around them – believe it or not!

Anyway, now that I shared my new favorite – what are your favorites?  I would love to hear about them!

 
 

Where has the time gone?

03 May

Well, in retail most people think the busiest time of the year is the 4th quarter, and while that is definately true, many forget that for those of us that work in retail, January to April is really even busier in many ways. We have the exciting opportunity of bringing all new merchandise to you and every January, we get to see the latest trends and the newest in home decor.

While that is exhilerating and fun….it’s a lot of work! So I haven’t been been able to post much lately as a result. While I would like to say we are at the end of the work, that is not true – and that’s okay. This year, we found some really cool things in home decor and are really excited about offering them in our store.

One of my favorites is a few new lines from Park Designs. I really like the new colors and how they all coordinate together – giving you an endless amount of combinations. Check out the Salem Collection, Cider Mill, Olde Crow, Peaceful Cottage, and several others in our Country Kitchen Coordinates.

We also have been making some changes to our website to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for. If you have any suggestions or comments, please make sure to send them to me….I always appreciate your input :)

 
 

The excitement is in the air….

09 Dec

As we are all relentlessly decorating our homes and participating in all the wonderful traditions the season has to offer, the excitement in the air grows and grows. Everyday, we are lucky enough to help people create that warm and homey feeling they so want to share with their families. We get questions from people, on a daily basis, as to how to create that feeling and look, so for the next few blogs, I am going to focus on the small things you can do that will make a big impact in the look and feel of your home.

One of the easiest ways to add that warm and cozy feeling is to add warm lighting to your home. No matter how you decorate, no matter what kind of decor, or lack thereof you have in your home, everyone, and yes, I mean everyone needs to have at least a couple battery operated, timer or remote control candles in their home. It is perfect this time of year! You can use them anywhere from your kitchen table, to a subtle light in your bathroom, or especially those hard to reach areas you can never get light to (and don’t want to climb back to either!)

With timer candles, you simply turn them on at the time you would like them to come on everyday and they will automatically go off 5 (or 6) hours later. Tomorrow, they will come on without you ever having to think about them again. Remote control candles do require remembering to turn them on and off (with the flick of an “on” or “off” switch on a remote control) but give the flexibility to control when you want the light on. Lastly, battery operated candles don’t have the fancy timers or remote controls, they simply run from batteries alone and you turn them on and off at your convenience.

My suggestion is to start with one room. Pick a spot that could use a little light and get a candle. I promise you, that little light is going to grow and grow, room by room as you see how wonderful it looks and how much it can change the atmosphere of a room!

 

Welcome to the Country Village Blog

16 Nov

Welcome!

We are glad you came to spend some time with us.  Since this is our first post, introductions are in order!

My name is Gina O’Brien and I am one of the owners of Country Village Shoppe.  My mother, Sandy and I started the business almost 5 years ago in Appleton, WI.  We both always loved shopping, for home decor particularly, so we turned that love into a business and have been having fun ever since!  Our online store, in its current form, has been in business for about 1 1/2 years. 

We have been fortunate to have a really loyal and great group of ladies working here at Country Village.  We are all like family.  Some of our employees you might talk to if you call us include  Judy and Lindsey.  Judy has been with us since we opened in 2006 and while Lindsey has only been with us for around a year, she has fit right in with our close knit group!  Another voice you may talk to once in a while is Sheila.  She is our design manager and takes care of designing and displaying all the products in the store!  She has an unbelievable eye for home decor and always knows just the right thing to add to complete a look!

Our physical store here in Appleton used to be an Ethan Allen store, so we have lots of different rooms and areas to explore.  Check out our video of the store to get an idea of all the different kinds of things we offer!

To honor this new post and the start of our new blog, I would like to offer all customers $10.00 off any order of $100.00 or more.  Simply enter code Nov10 at the checkout.  And don’t forget, shipping is just $6.95 for anything you order, so take advantage and do a little early Christmas shopping! 

Thanks again for stopping and we hope you will check back often!

Gina