A Christmas Surprise

Here's our latest:

Barefoot Dreams' Bamboo Chic throw in camel arrived this week. This might be my favorite color of theirs, even though it's very neutral. I like to think of it as a coffee-with-cream color, perfect for cozying up with a mug and enjoying a peaceful evening. The only problem is that it's so soft and comfy that you might just doze off before finishing that cup of coffee. :-)

Also pictured is our "surprise" this week. I kind of forgot that these bears were coming in before Christmas, but what a cute treat! I think they are adorable, and like that the red nose and bow make it festive and Christmas-y without the poor bear looking like she should be boxed up with the holiday ornaments for the remainder of the year. Also, at 18 inches, she's a nice sizable gift that will surely be well-loved.

Village Home's Ten Days of Christmas - Part 2

7 Cuddly Baby Gifts

6 Sets of Comfy Sleepwear

5 Marble Candles in Holiday Colors

4 Gifts in a Niven Morgan Perfume Set

3 Cozy Barefoot Dreams Bamboo Robes

2 Stunning Crislu Studs

... and 1 Perfect Barefoot Dreams Bamboo Throw!!!

Okay, that was almost too silly. Hope you enjoyed it!

Village Home's Ten Days of Christmas - Part 1

What is the best thing about our Ten Days of Christmas? You don't have to wait ten days to see the whole list! In fact, I think the whole thing will be available tomorrow. Of course, the bad news is that some of these pictures are less than perfect. Gifts covered in glass or plastic are difficult to photograph. I'm sure they would all look cheery wrapped up under the tree though!

"On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

10 Scented Candles

9 Seriolithographs for art-loving friends

8 Photo Frames for Family - these are all buy one, get one free right now!

Sparkle

I just want to post some new photos from our jewelry case! Truthfully, these pieces are kind of hard to photograph, but in person they are stunning. Each CZ stone is cut on 58 facets and really catches the light. All pieces are set in sterling silver with either an 18 carat gold vermeil or platinum finish. With these pieces, you get a very expensive look for a reasonable price!

First Weekend of December

The Holiday Craft Fair is this weekend! The weather should be cool - perfect for roaming the streets of Cocoa Village with a cup of coffee, browsing for gifts. Here at Village Home, we have a special Buy One, Get One Free table filled with gifts. You can mix and match or get two identical gifts from the table at an excellent price. Stop by and visit and check out all of our gift ideas!

I hope the weather holds out for the movie in the park tonight. They're showing Unaccompanied Minors at 7pm. Em and I saw this in the theater and it was definitely silly, but surprisingly fun and enjoyable. Besides the movie, Cocoa will also be hosting Holidays on Ice at Riverside Park. There will be ice-skating tonight and a s'mores pit (yum!). For more info about Holidays on Ice, go to http://www.cocoafl.org/. The times and activities offered vary from day to day and it is worth checking out to see when you can attend free skating lessons and visit Santa.

One last thing! This Saturday, the Magic Dove Magic Shop is giving away $1000 in free magic! There is no purchase necessary, but you must be present to win, so stop by between 10 and 5. They are also hosting a magic show with Santa at 11. (http://www.magicdove.com/)

French Cade and Lavender & Even More Art

We received more beautiful candles this morning - they smell delicious! Besides replenishing our stock, we expanded some sizes and tried a new-to-us scent: French Cade and Lavender. Not only does it smell pretty, but the teal and cream decorative tin is adorable too. The big, three-wick candles are my favorites, but we also have some cute little tins perfect for stocking stuffers or gift bags. I know I would be happy to find one under the tree on Christmas morning!

Also new today: three seriolithographs by Charles Lee! They are just back from being matted and look great - very modern, bright colors. I doubt that they will be here long. :-)

Christmas Tree Lighting and Black Friday Events

This Friday evening should be another fun one here in Cocoa Village! Leisure Services has planned Cocoa's 16th annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Space Coast Boat Parade. The festivities begin at 5pm and will include: holiday performances, ice skating, a chance to visit with Santa, kids amusements, and the opportunity to judge our window decorating contest. The boat parade is from 6-7pm, tree lighting will be at 6:30, and afterwards you can choose to watch Elf on the big screen in the park or head over to Norman's for the afterparty.

How are we "celebrating" the beginning of the holiday shopping season here at Village Home? We're offering a free gift with any purchase of $50 or more! Also, we're resuming our buy one, get one free offer on Voluspa's Victoria collection. Also(!), we are expecting some bestsellers in this week - more on that tomorrow!

Lastly, we finally drew a winner for our November "enter to win" drawing. Congratulations, Sandy! Thank you to everyone who entered; another drawing is in the works for December.

New Art

Our smaller lithos are now on display! We have several seriolithographs matted and ready for purchase, each with a certificate of authenticity. This one is my current favorite, Beauty and Beau, by Zamy Steynovitz. The colors are really vibrant, definitely more striking than in this picture.

Stop by to see it in person, check out our other pieces, and even catch the movie in the park tonight if you have time!

** Next week: new candles, jewelry, and village updates.

So, How Was the Gallery Walk?

I'd say that the Gallery Walk was a success. We saw lots of guests that night, many bearing refreshments, and even made a few sales ourselves! In fact, we've only got one big piece of art kicking around in here now. This seriolithograph by Anatole Krasnyansky will be on display for at least a few more days (unless it gets snatched up - $50 is a great deal for any piece of framed art).

Really, it was a fun evening. It's always a good feeling to see so many people in the village and the live music definitely added to the atmosphere. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and went home with a little something.

Movies in the Park

Did I forget to mention that the movie in the park on Halloween night was just the first of many? Each Friday, there will be a free movie showing at Riverfront Park! Bring your blankets and/or lawn chairs and settle in for some family-friendly entertainment. Here is the schedule for the rest of November:

• Nov. 13th @ 7:00 - Beetlejuice (PG)


• Nov. 20th @ 7:00 - The Cutting Edge (PG)


• Nov. 27th @ 7:00 - Elf (PG)

See you there!

Holiday Open House

I was just reminded that this weekend will be the Holiday Open House in Cocoa Village. This should be a great way to get started on some holiday shopping! Participating shops will have decorations up (the City of Cocoa is hosting a window decorating contest; you get to vote!) and offer refreshments and specials. I guess this means we should really get those Christmas decorations down from the attic. And procure some snacks. And come up with a cool new special. What do you like better - a discount or gift with purchase? Sounds like a fun, busy week!

Besides preparing for the Open House, I will be finalizing our pre-Christmas ordering. If anyone needs any special-ordering done, just let me know. We usually keep at least a small quantity of our most popular gifts in stock, but if you'd like a certain color throw or would like multiples of anything, the sooner I know, the better.

Trick or Treat?

The weather was so nice here yesterday that Dennis and I decided it was time to really let in the breeze by opening both of our doors. It seems that our shop was once two shops, so we have two doors facing the courtyard. As confusing as it was having guests come in the second door (I'm only used to paying attention to one!), I really liked the look and feel and opened both doors again today. So far, our "trick" to get more guests into the shop seems to be working - they can resist the first door, but not the second!

Hopefully, I'll be able to re-lock the second door without assistance this time. Thanks for the WD-40, Janne (http://www.wiregems.com/)!

Gallery Walk

This week, we're gearing up for Halloween in the Village (I still have lots of candy to buy!), but next weekend there is another fun event planned. The Gallery Walk will be on Saturday, November 7th, from six to ten in the evening. All you have to do is show up, grab a map, and start visiting galleries! Participating galleries will be offering refreshments and by visiting each gallery, you will be entered into a drawing to win a piece of art. This is a great evening to be in the village, since shops will be staying open later than usual. Of course, we're always open on Saturday nights and will even have some art on display. We're working on getting our lithographs matted, but have a few larger prints framed and ready to go. They are difficult to photograph (the glare! really, these photos are even worse than the ones I usually take), so come in and check them out!

Additional information is available at http://www.cocoagalleries.com/.

Enter to Win

From now until the end of October, Village Home is offering a chance to win a Seda France candle! To be eligible to win, all you need to do is give us your email address. You will then be added to our mailing list for special promotions and entered into the drawing. We would love for you to come into the shop to register in person, but you can also register by emailing us at villagehome08@bellsouth.net (that's a zero-eight at the end of villagehome). As a bonus to our blog readers, you can double your chances of winning by leaving a comment on this post. You do not need to register to leave comments!

This Elegant Gardenia scented candle is from Seda France's Pagoda line and smells heavenly.

Halloween in the Village

There is SO much going on here October 31st! I'm not sure how to upload the flyer, but here are some of the activities:

• Trick or Treat in the Village: 4-6pm. Visit all 44 locations on the Trick or Treat Trail map. (We are participating, so just stop by to pick up a map!)
• Dog 'n' Bone Pumpkin Decorating @ Myrt Tharp Square: 4-7pm.
• Magic Dove - Haunted Magic Shop: 4-7pm.
• Magic Dove will also have roving magicians and balloon artists this evening!
• Horsesisters Haunted Hay Rides: 4-7pm. Across from Taylor Park. Reservations recommended, please call City of Cocoa Leisere Services at 321-639-3500 or email lmoody@cocoafl.org.
• Haunted River House: proudly presented by the Brevard Theatrical Ensemble, Inc. @ the Historic Porcher House. Friday, October 30th: 7-9:30pm. Saturday, October 31st: 6-9:30pm. Donations benefit the Brevard Theatrical Ensemble and Central Brevard Humane Society. Admission: adults: $3 + 1 pet supply product, children 5 to 12 years: $1 + 1 pet supply product. Children 4 years and younger: free admission. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations recommended - please call 321-639-3500 or email lmoody@cocoafl.org.

Activities at Riverfront Park include:

• City of Cocoa Event Information Booth: Leisure services has put in a ton of work on this event and will be on hand to answer questions and keep everything running smoothly.
• Spooky Music by Celebrations DJs: 4-7pm.
• Bounce House
• Rock Climb Slide
• Visit with the City of Cocoa Fire & Police Departments
• Pet Costume Contest: 5:30pm. Please register on ampitheater stage by 5.
• Children's Costume Contest: 6:00pm. Contestants must be 13 years or younger. Please register on ampitheater stage by 5:30. We donated a little something for the winners of this contest and are really excited to be a part of this evening.
  

**Event Finale: The movie Monster House will be shown on the outdoor screen in the park. 7-8:30pm.**

I'm truly excited that Leisure Services has planned such a fun event for our local kids. I think it gives us a better sense of community and will bring some new potential customers into our shop. Now I just need to prepare - I have lots of candy to purchase and windows to decorate!

Bamboo Chic

What else was delivered yesterday? Ultrasoft Barefoot Dreams robes and throws!

We stocked up on the CozyChic Lite Short Robe - I love their classic robes, but sometimes you need something lighter here in Florida. Now we have the perfect pink cover-up for throwing on after a shower or dip in the pool. We also received a couple of Bamboo Chic throws. I swear these are even softer than their last line of throws. They are made of a bamboo knit blend and are supersoft with a little stretch. Like the Bamboo Chic robes, they can be thrown in the washer and dryer and do not shrink, pill, or shed. These fluffy throws can be enjoyed by the whole family and are excellent for cozy evenings curled up with a loved one.

I think that with our new candles and robes, we're prepared for fall. Now, where's the cooler weather?

Three New Scents

What a fun day! Not one, but TWO packages were delivered this morning. I love mail. :-)

We received some lovely Voluspa candles in scents that are new to us. I really like the Capri Fig Frangipani scent (a composition of sweet rose petal, tart fig, and white frangipani) - it's very floral with a note of something that I can't quite place, but that I really like (most likely the frangipani - a tropical flower). Other new-to-us scents: Baltic Amber (amber resin, sandalwood, cedar, and vanilla bloom) and Goji & Tarocco Orange (goji berries and orange, very aptly named). So far, I'm really enjoying the new fragrances and am pleased that they are so diverse - one floral, one warm, and one refreshingly fruity. All Voluspa candles are hand made by master candlemakers here in the USA. For less flammable home fragrance, we're also offering reed diffusers in Baltic Amber. The elegent etched-glass bottles hold ten reeds to continuously perfume any room.

It was a busy day - unpacking, pricing, and finding the perfect space for our newest arrivals. If I do say so myself, I think they look pleasing as you enter the shop. Better yet, they smell wonderful.

What else did I unpack this morning? Well, that's a post for another day. Check back tomorrow!

Beach Walk

It has been so pleasant here this week. The humidity is finally bearable and it was even below 90 degrees for a few days. Yesterday evening, we decided to take advantage of our good weather to take a beach walk. Of course, it's always refreshing just to be within sight of the ocean , but yesterday it was more perfect than usual - not hot, not cold, with a slight breeze. The water was warm as we took our barefoot walk in the waves and saw the skyline changing colors. The moon came up before it was even dark. We will definitely find time to do this again soon. It was a nice reminder that we should take advantage of our location more often. There's a reason people vacation here!

Make Way for Candles

Fall is here and that means it's time for candles. There is just something comforting about curling up with a good book (or even a good television show) and letting the glow and fragrance of a scented candle wash over the room. To make room for new candles, we are having another promotion this week and it's a good one! This week only, you can purchase one item from our Voluspa line and receive another Voluspa item of your choice free! We currently have body wash (33 ounces!), body lotion (with shea butter and kukui oil), and portable purfumes available in 5 diverse scents. The packaging on these items is beautiful and they are all made here in the USA.

More about those new candles soon!

Hats for Sale!

This week's promotion: Hat Sale! We have quite a collection of sun hats and visors from San Diego Hat Company and they are currently available at a 10% discount! I have been very impressed with the quality of these hats. Not only do they offer great sun protection (most have an UPF of 50+), but these hats are also packable. I love that. Who has room to store and pack a large hat? These can be easily thrown in your bag for a day at the beach or even an afternoon in the village. All of our cute San Diego Hat Company handbags are included in this sale for all your packing needs! Prices range from $16 to $36 - a great deal.

New Jewelry...

Well, we kind of received new jewelry today. It was certainly new, just not something that we hadn't seen before. It was definitely beautiful and sparkly though, that's for sure! I special-ordered this ring for a customer (we did not have her size in stock), but I don't think this is any reason to be less excited about receiving a package. Actually, I have special-ordered this ring previously for the same reason. It is one of our more popular Crislu items, a classic 3-stone ring with a brilliant shine. I can't wait to be able to order more pieces from them and don't think it will be very long because it is about to start getting busier here.

**I know the pictures I have been posting do not do the subjects justice, but I will most likely get more skilled at this. Or maybe I'll just keep posting blurry pics. Time will tell.

Who We Are

My name is Leslie. My husband, Dennis, and I purchased Village Home in February. We had a small lithograph shop in this same courtyard prior to that, but it was only open on weekends since we both worked full-time. Now this is my only "job" and one of us is here nearly everyday. Sometimes we take Sunday off. We are really looking forward to this fall since it will start getting busier around here. Then we will have more things about which to post - events, new products, hopefully how exhausted we are from helping so many people. For now, I'll be re-arranging things on the blog. So if it looks funny, that's why.

What should you know about Village Home? Well, it smells wonderful - we offer many scented candles, lotions, and even some soaps. With this many candles here, you do not even need to light them to enjoy the fragrance. (I think) it stops just short of being overwhelming. We also feature extra soft robes, throws, and sleepwear. We are all about comfort. Really, we have a little bit of everything you could want in a gift shop - jewelry, bags, hats, and a small assortment of clothes and other accessories. As we get new items in, I'll post some pictures with more information.

Our First Post!

One of the reasons we enjoy Cocoa Village is the frequency of special events. Here are a few upcoming happenings:

• Curtains open on Evita at the Cocoa Village Playhouse on September 25th. Showtimes available at http://www.cocoavillageplayhouse.com/ Call the box office for tickets at (321) 636-5050. Our shop (Village Home) is located in the courtyard next to the playhouse, so please stop in and say "Hi!"

• On October 17th and 18th, our streets will be closed for the Cocoa Village Craft Fair. Approximately 100 vendors will flood the streets, selling all manner of handmade arts and crafts. This event consistently draws crowds and is a great way to begin your holiday shopping. Our family always enjoys the craft fairs and will be looking for some of our favorite crafters.


• Halloween in the Village! More on this later (it certainly deserves its own post), but this sounds like it will be a hugely fun event. On October 31st, the party kicks off with trick-or-treating and ends with an outdoor showing of the movie Monster House. In between there will be too many activities to list today, but keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming full list of events and plan to be in the village that evening!
  

Hope to see or hear from you soon!