I have bad skin.  Well, not now, but for years.  I have Rosacea and sebhorreic dermatitis.  Essentially this means I have painful, peeling oily patches so I look like I have a blotchy sunburn most of the time.  Regular liquid makeup (all brands - I've tried them all) will look good for 2-3 hours.  Then the peeling starts and it falls off in big flakes.  And liquid makeup made it hurt.  So, I finally gave up and stopped wearing makeup.

And I looked really bad.  I mean, every girl needs a little glamour in her life, right?  And how can you feel powerful and glamorous when your skin looks like someone's been using a cheese grater on it?

So I watched those infomercials about mineral makeup but couldn't bring myself to join a 'club'.  Then I thought "Hey, ebay!".  So I found a seller who, for $10.00 plus modest shipping, would sell you a complete sampler kit of her mineral makeup.  I bought it and anxiously awaited my packages arrival.

It came and I nervously took it to the bathroom to apply in great light.  I made certain to wash with my most gentle soap first then, following the instructions, dipped, tapped and swirled.

If my skin could have said "Ahhhh", it would have!  My face had never felt so calm, so smooth, so pain and flake free in years.  And it covered without drying.  In fact, the makeup seems to lock the moisture against my skin.  My ebay seller no longer sells there - she has her own website, Smoky Mountain Minerals, and I buy direct from her there.  But you can buy on Amazon as well.  Many sellers there sell Bare Escentuals as well as other brands in small sizes and there's no committment (for the committment phobic among us - like me).  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mineral+makeup  This link will show you all that's available there.

So, whether you have gorgeous skin or problem skin, I truly believe that every woman can benefit from mineral makeup.  And for those teens, this means you as well!  Mineral makeups are generally soothing (they calm acne breakouts and can prevent them to a degree) and they're non-comodegenic, meaning they won't clog pores which is how acne starts.  They also, in my experience, tend to give skin a more natural appearance which looks best on most women.

So, if you've been thinking about it, go ahead!  I believe you will love mineral makeup as much as I have and will be amazed how much better your skin looks over time.  I know I am!

Here are some really helpful books on jewelry making to get you started.  These are available from Amazon:

Are you thinking of making jewelry, either for yourself or to sell? Here are a few basic tips I've learned over time.

1. Practice techniques on inexpensive wire and findings. By this I mean, buy some base metal wire and findings (findings are things like jump rings and earring wires - the things that usually hold your jewelry together)at your local craft store; you'll know what I mean because it will be cheap. Cheap in quality and cheap in price. Great for practicing, no matter how skilled you get.

2. Learn the lingo. Read about wire gauge and print or bookmark an online reference. The higher the number the smaller the wire. Learn about how beads sizes are described as well as the size and orientation of the hole (this can be critical). Find out what needle nose pliers are for as opposed to chain nose. Do this before you shop so you don't end up with items you don't need. You don't need to rush out and buy a whole bunch of tools at once. If you find an inexpensive set to start with, buy it. Then, once you begin working with quality components, consider upgrading your tools - it will make a difference in your work.

3. Set aside a place to work. Starting on the kitchen table may be fine, but, I like to have all my 'stuff' spread out because that's what I get most of my inspiration from. If I had to put everything away each night, I'd never get anything made!

4. Once you're ready to make the real thing, DON'T be cheap. Sterling silver wire isn't tremendously expensive. I really like a prostores shop called Twisted Jewels. I trust their quality, they have free shipping and their prices are extremely competitive. Buy just a little at first until you become familiar with gauges, hardness, etc. I personally like the square wire in dead soft. Because of my arthritis, it's fairly easy to work with and I find the square tends to hold its shape better. But be aware, some people find it uncomfortable for rings (not me!) I also love copper and it's very inexpensive. You can seal or not seal your finished copper items. Practice with various sealants (spray ones are good) until you find one that you like. I personally don't seal my copper as I want it to 'turn'.

5. Beads. Be careful with super cheap beads, even for 'practice' pieces. The reason is because many cheap beads are made in overseas sweatshops and arrive still containing the powdery bead release inside the hole. This stuff can be seriously TOXIC. Yes, with a set of bead reamers you can clean most of it out, but you'll be inhaling it unless you use a mask and you can never get it all out. So, look for beads that don't have any release in the holes. When you buy the sealed cases of colorful glass beads at many shops like Michaels, these generally have a lot of release in them. Sadly, many people buy them for their kids - a BAD idea. For finished pieces, buy quality beads. Many sites like Etsy have beadmakers that do amazing work. They aren't cheap, but buying one as a focal or central piece can make the difference between a run of the mill piece and a gorgeous piece of finished jewelry. Also, check out local art fairs, many lampworkers sell wonderful beads at good prices at them. And plastic beads may be fine for practice but, well, they will always look plastic so I don't recommend them for finished pieces except ones for children.

6. Speaking of Etsy, don't be afraid to shop online. But, and this is a BIG but, be cautious of overseas sellers. Many countries do not have consumer protection laws or they are weak and/or not enforced, especially on goods for export. You don't want to buy, for example, Tibetan silver charms at a few dollars for a bagful because there will undoubtedly be absolutely NO silver in them. And, they may actually contain harmful toxic metals like lead. Only one out of several hundred (some say thousands) containers of goods coming into this country are inspected and only a handful of items in inspected containers are tested in any way. Remember, most jewelry will come into contact with skin so stay away from 'mystery metal'. Shop smart!

7. Use online tutorials. Yes, I have a stack of jewelry and beading magazines and books but they all contain some information I paid for but will never use. I am not a beadweaver, yet most of my beading magazines have pages and pages of this. But, there's a whole lot of online information, including how-to videos online - for FREE! And seeing someone actually demonstrating a technique 'live', even if they are more talented than you or I, is still better than looking at photos.

You want the items you make to last and look good. Cheap products may give you a nice looking piece at first, but they won't stand the test of time (I speak from experience). Base metals discolor and cheap beads can crack or become dull.

The success or failure of your finished pieces begins when you shop for the items to construct them. I'll have more posts of this type in the coming months so stop by often!

So, I have rheumatoid arthritis. Considering that I make jewelry, it begs the question "Are you a MASOCHIST! or just crazy?".

Well, I'm neither, but some days are tougher than others. And I'm determined that I will not give up what I love without a fight! But lately I've been thinking more and more about the mechanics of getting jewelry on and off - particularly the rings I've begun to make.

Wearing a ring is something that many women (and probably a few men, too) with arthritis have given up due to the intermittent or sometimes permanent swelling and enlargement of their finger joints, particularly the one closest to the knuckle. On the ring finger of my right hand, I need a ring 1 1/2 times larger than I really should just to get it past that joint! But wearing a ring that's really too big is way too annoying. And I have no desire to make the huge investment in special hinged rings that go on and off without sliding over that joint.

So I begun experimenting with various designs and materials to creat a sturdy, attractive ring that has a bit of 'give' to it. I have found that using 2 different sizes and types of sterling silver combined with specific adornments (pearls and beads, mostly) have resulted in rings that I can slip on over my enlarged joint then give a gentle 'squeeze' to so they don't annoy by rolling around as they are larger than my actual ring size.

I'll post pictures and share more about my jewelry solutions for those in the same boat as I in the coming weeks.

Wow! I've been gone from my blog for way too long. I've had family issues, health issues and, well, issue issues! But I'm back and excited about starting up my ecrater store (http://designingwoman.ecrater.com) again as well as opening my etsy store (www.etsy.com/shop/designingwoman). It's a lot to keep track of but I've been designing like crazy and will have lots of new items to list soon!

I never thought I'd say goodbye to my participation in the Freecycle network, but today's the day. I've been a member since its inception here on Florida's First Coast and have touted it to almost anyone who would stop to listen. However, as the economy has worsened, so, too, have the attitudes and behaviors of many of our members. I am not alone in this; I know dozens of former Freecycle members who have had the same experiences as I have, though most threw in the towel much sooner than I.

There have always been the posts asking for any "X-Box360 that you might have laying around" (really, do people have these 'laying' around?) to requests for all sort of luxury items. And, I suppose, it never hurts to ask, though I rarely ask for anything and more often make offers or respond to 'Want' posts. But lately, more and more, I find those responding to my offers expecting me to deliver the item, hold it for days on end, sometimes with no word from them, expecting me or my family members to load whatever it is in their car for them (seriously, that happens alot) or simply responding that they want it, then never showing up.

I am not a mind reader and have no idea what obstacles members face in picking up the item - perhaps those should be overcome before the item is even asked for? I am disenheartened and disillusioned. I am tired of members emailing me over a period of days, stretching into weeks that they 'really want it and will be by soon.......'. If they really wanted it, they'd find a way and if they've changed their mind, why can't they just let me know?

I won't be throwing things away; I'll continue donating. This means I won't have 'stuff' on my porch or in my front yard for days or weeks and that will make my husband extremely happy. I will take things to various charities on my schedule and eliminate the stress of always wondering if the person I offered an item to will actually show up when they said they would, if they will expect me to load their car (not possible) or if I will end up re-offering or donating the item(s).

Adieu, Freecycle. A great idea that should work but is only as productive as its members.

So, I've been hearing and reading those awful statistics about the terrible environmental impact of plastic shopping bags and how they should be replcaced with re-useable bags - you know, the ones most of us keep meaning to get. I decided today was the day and, while shopping in Publix, picked up 4 of them at 99 cents each. When I was preparing to checkout, I stopped, as always, at their little clearance section to see if they had items I normally buy anyway for a bit less. And what did I find but these Halloween Trick-or-Treat bags. Except for different colors and designs (I found purple ones with yellow shooting stars!) they were identical in size and material to the 99 cent bags - even made by the same company. But, they were only 50 cents each.

So, I put the more expensive ones back and bought 6. Not only am I helping the environment, I'm helping my pocketbook, too!

There are so many ways to accomplish this each day. Before you throw anything away, take a moment to think about whether it might have some 'life' left in it. If you find you have items that could still be of use to someone else, don't throw them in the trash. There are so many ways to keep items out of landfills, for a while anyway, and keep them moving from hand to hand.

And I'm not just talking about donating to Thrift Shops. There's the Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores, Freecycle.org, consider local churches or schools, etc.

And sadly, in my experience, it's families in wealthier neighborhoods that tend to put things curbside on trash day that are in terrific shape! Furniture, bicycles, decorative items and more. And yes, I do sometimes 'cruise' upscale neighborhoods (wish I could get access to some of our gated communities!) and pick up items that I then Freecycle or take to Goodwill, Salvation Army or the Humane Society Thrift store.

Most of these organizations simply cannot afford to pick up items (though many will if you have enough stuff or large, heavy items) and I drive past them almost daily.

Sp please, think twice before you throw away salvageable items. Just beciase you no longer want or need something, doesn't mean no one else could se it!