Problem Skin Solutions

Growing up, I was one of those people who had perfect skin. No acne, zits, breakouts, or whatnot. Nothing. Now don't get jealous, because a few years ago, I was paid back with NASTY cystic acne and on top of that, I also got rosacea. Most of the time, my skin is okay, but when my rosacea is bad, my face, especially my cheeks, look bright red and cooked.

I tried everything over the counter with little results, and the creams the dermatologist gave me created chemical burns on my face. Therefore, I had resorted to home remedies to figure out what to do for my skin. I am not a doctor, and I have no medical knowledge. I can't promise these things will work for you, so you'll be taking the risk on whether it works for you or not. However, I would like to share what works for me in hopes it will help someone else.

A few years ago, someone told me about tea tree oil, which is a natural anti antiseptic/antibacterial/anti fungal product. I buy mine locally on the aisle with the vitamins and herbs at Wal-Mart or Walgreen's. Wal-mart sells it about $5.00 cheaper, so try there first. Then last year, I found an etsy seller who makes tea tree soap. I've featured Country Heart Gift's shop in July, so you can search my posts for more about her. Any time I have a bad crop of acne, I use this soap, then I put the tea tree oil on a cotton swab and dab it directly on just the acne. I'll warn you this stuff smells really strong, so you might want to just use it at night or sometime when you'll be at home. Usually, I can see the acne getting less red by the first application of the oil.

However, last week I had the worst case of rosacea I've had, plus I had a major crop of cystic acne on my chest, neck, jawline, and a bit on my chin. Even the tea tree oil wasn't doing much this time. While I was at my eye doctor for an appointment, one of the women who works there, who has known me forever, was kind enough to work into the conversation that she has stress produced rosacea that results in acne. Like me, the medicines her dermatologist prescribed didn't work for her, so she was trying home remedies.

What worked for her? Apple cider vinegar. She said she thought to try it after her brother started drinking it to lower his cholesterol. She figured if it was good for the inside of the body, maybe it would be good for the outside too. Therefore, she started drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a day, then after she washes her face, she puts the vinegar on a cotton ball and rubs it on her face. Her skin is so clear now, she said some days she is able to go without make up.

She warned me- again as I am warning you- this may not work for everyone. However, at that point I was desperate and willing to try anything. Although I can't bring myself to drink it, for almost a week now, I have been rubbing the vinegar on my face. I use it morning and night, and if my face feels like it's on fire but is not overly sensitive, I will rub it on then too.

Immediately after the first application, I noticed my face didn't feel like it was on fire anymore. (With rosacea, you can feel heat from within) Then I noticed my face had turned from blood red to pink. Since then, I am noticing the pinkness hasn't gone away, but it is way lighter than it normally is. In addition, while the acne is not completely gone, it started drying up on the first day and is very faint now. I just got some new tea tree soap, so I am hoping the combination of the soap and the vinegar will completely clear my face up again.

I am not a doctor and I have no medical knowledge, so I can't begin to tell you how this works. I also can't tell you what it will do for your skin, but if you're tried everything else and are desperate, this might be worth a shot.

Selling in Stores....Last post

**I promise after this, I will stop being lazy and get back to posting pictures!

Here is my final installment of my selling in stores series. If you are interested in reading the other posts, I have done them one by one, so just scroll down to read all 4 posts. This one covers a bit on what to do after you've left your stuff at the store.

I know there are a lot of people who dump their stuff in a store and rarely keep up with what is going on, then are surprised when they notice something bad is going on. I can't stress this enough, but you really need to go every few weeks or at least once a month to see what's going on in the store.

A few things I take note of:
-I always look at how my stuff is displayed. Obviously if I rented a space in the shop, I arrange it myself. With consignment, you are usually at the mercy of the shop as to how your stuff is displayed, but there are times when you can suggest where something should be. Even with consignment, I sometimes just like to straighten ....not change..... the display if it looks like customers have picked over it.

-I try to gauge how many customers are shopping in the store and try to watch their reactions to my items. Some days are just bad sale days, but generally after 2 or 3 times in the store, you can see when or if people are buying. The employees may also be able to tell you if they have heard customers comment on your stuff or what they are buying. You'll get a better feel of what to make or know if your price range is on par with what customers want to pay.

-Also, I think just showing up to make sure you are on top of things is so important. You'll see which of your items is gone, and you'll be able to keep a good stock of items in the store. Although no shop is perfect, I've noticed that when I make a point of stopping in a lot, I tend to have a whole lot less trouble with the shop owners when it comes to getting paid.

After your allotted time in the store is up, take your inventory sheet with you, and go through your items very carefully at the store. I have never had a time when something has gone missing or their is a question about me being paid for a missing item. If I've been to the store a lot, I can tell them "I stopped seeing it here around this time" and they can go through their records to see if it's sold. They usually go through the shop to see if a customer moved it. The only times I've lost merchandise is what I have waited until I get home to do my inventory.

Another thing I've learned the hard way: When you are moving out, do everything in your power to get paid that day. Most stores only do their books on certain days, and refuse to "mess up" the books to pay you mid month. If you move out at an odd time, they usually try to stall payment, and if that happens, you have a harder time getting your money. If the store owner refuses to mess with the books, be prepared to start calling a few days before the end of the month to remind them that you'll pick up the check. Don't count on them to send it because there is no telling when you'll get it.

I've only had trouble getting paid twice, but they don't want to deal with me calling or showing up every day asking "where's my money", so it's easier just to pay me and shut me up. Otherwise, the other times I've sold in stores have been good experiences, so if you are looking for other avenues for selling, I would recommend finding a store to sell in.

Selling in Stores....Part 3

**Again, sorry for the lack of pictures. Picture taking days are coming soon, so I'll have something to show off next week.

Again, another segment in my Selling in Stores series. scroll down to see the previous posts if you have missed them and would like to read them. This post covers the questions you should ask during your meeting with the shop owner during your appointment.

The main thing I've learned from my past experiences is dealing with stores is that you can overwhelm a store owner with too much stuff. Back when I first started, I used to take in tons of stuff, thinking if they didn't like one thing, maybe they would want something else instead. However, you can imagine how much trouble it was lugging that much stuff around, so I tried something else that has worked much better. First, I box up 1 or 2 of my best items from each category of products I make. Meaning if I sell hats, I'll take in 1 hat. Then I'll take one scarf, etc. The samples show off the quality of your work and give the owner an idea of what you sell.

In addition, I make a catalog of my products. Mine is nothing fancy, just a nice photo album with pictures of my stuff with a short description, very similar to what I'd put on my etsy shop. However, I do not list prices, since I tend to adjust prices a bit based on the commission the store takes and price bracket the town I sell in will pay. I break the catalog into categories, making it easier for the shop owner to flip through what they think they would want. While I used to find they never looked at most of the samples I brought in when I brought a ton of stuff, they generally will look at pictures better.

After the shop decides what they would like to take, it's time to talk details. Here are a few questions I always ask:

Do they deal with consignment, wholesale, or do vendors rent a space in the shop?
I have never sold wholesale, though I did talk to a store about it once. Things did not work out with that. I have done consignment and rented space a few times. Consignment percentages for me have varied from 15-25%, though I have been told others have been quoted up to 40 or 50%, based on location and the type of store.

When do you get paid?
Obvious question. Some shops pay biweekly, others monthly, and I've had a few shops who I consigned with who did not pay for 3 or 4 months.....or until I put my foot down and begged for my money.

How long does my stuff stay in the shop?
If you rent a space in the shop, you usually rent for 3 months or six months. Consignment varies, but shops usually like a good turnaround on products. I think the longest a store has kept my things on consignment was 4 months.

How do you tag your items?
Ask if you are in charge of tagging/pricing your items. Most of the time, I do it myself, but a few times the store does it for me. They should also tell you whether or not you can put your own info on your tags or in your display. Some stores let you, but others won't. Also, most stores have a special system on the tags for how they know who's item it was. Ask them to draw you a tag to take home with you so you'll remember how to do it.

Does the shop have a contract for their vendors?
Some shops don't have a contract, but have allowed me to write a little something up. Basically, I list my inventory and my prices, I date the page, and include all the agreed upon info we agreed upon. Every time I bring new merchandise into the store, I update this list and ask the shop owner to keep this in their files. I've found that shop owners feel I'm on top of things when I do this, and I haven't had "lost" merchandise and have always received payment since I have done this.

This is very long, so I'll finish up in my next post, where I'll cover briefly what to do after your stuff is in the shop.

Selling in Stores...Part Two

**Sorry for the lack of photos in these last posts. I've been super busy and haven't had time to snap pictures lately.

This is the second part of my series on selling to stores. Scroll below this post to read the first post.

Anyway, this time I will focus a bit more on the homework you need to do for selling.

1. Once you have found a store that takes stuff, I can't stress this enough. Always, always visit the shop as a customer. I think this is one of the most important things you can do. This gives you a chance to see what the store looks like, to get a feel of the store's style. Also take note if there are any customers in the store and what they are looking at and purchase. In small shops, the owner is usually there, so if you can, take a few minutes to talk to them too just to introduce yourself.

2. Another important thing that I am surprised some people overlook is they are not prepared to talk to the shop owner. Don't go in the store looking like a slob. You don't need to be all dolled up, but you should look like you have come to the store with a mission, not like you decided to come in after a day of other activities. If you are planning on talking business, leave your children at home. You need to give the shop owner your full attention, not stopping in the middle of the conversation to tell Little Johnny not to touch something. Worst yet, even if your child knows how to behave, a shop owner may keep an eye on a child to make sure they aren't getting in trouble while a parent's mind is someplace else. It's just best all around to avoid that distraction.

If you are really shy like I am, I think bringing one adult with you is okay. However, you should be prepared to do most of the talking and let your friend be in the background. I've brought someone with me before, and she stands a bit off to the side, just commenting every now and then if I've forgotten something.

3. If you like the shop, ask for the owner's card and prepare to make an appointment to show off your stuff later. The last time I got a spot in a store, I wasn't prepared to do a presentation, so I just gave her my business card with my etsy address, and she called me the following day to let me know she wanted me in her shop. If you have some samples with you, it's okay to mention you have them if the owner has time to look at them. If they don't or they don't want to, don't push. Then be prepared during your appointment to do a sales pitch.

Usually if I am in a store I'd like to sell in, I either buy something I like so I can be at the counter or if I don't need anything that day, I'll wait for the sales person to ask if I need help. Then, I'll comment on how much I love the shop and ask if they accept local merchandise. If I've seen them in the paper, I'll jump right in and tell them which paper I saw them in and tell them what I make. Then I mention that I have samples in the car (if I do) or I can make an appointment to come later.

I will add this. Almost all shops I have approached have either taken my card or looked at samples at the time. I always wait until they are not busy with other customers, preferably when there are no other customers in the store. However, if a customer comes in, I either wait or offer to come back if the owner has to deal with the customer.

Also, there are some stores that only will look at vendor's merchandise on certain days. If you walk in with stuff, they automatically won't look at it, so I never just walk in with stuff first.

The next installment will focus on the questions you should ask during your appointment with the shop owner.

Selling in Stores Part one

In my last post, I promised to talk a bit about getting your work in stores. Due to length, I will provide this info in a series of posts.

Approaching a store is really scary and takes a bit of homework, but hopefully some of these tips will ease your nerves.

1. First thing is to have a good product. Doesn't matter what you sell if you don't have a nice product, and shop owners prefer something that is unique and different. Whatever you make, do it to the best of your ability.

2. Mom and pop stores of all kinds and boutiques are usually your best best to accept your work. I often find shops looking for things by reading all the lifestyle section in the paper, including all the small ads and the features the newspaper writes about stores. If you look closely, many will mention that they are looking for crafty stuff to sell. Other times, I have just gone into a store and if I see something with a tag that says it's made by a local artist, I will ask if they take stuff from locals.

3. A lot of people just think of "craft stores" when they want to sell their stuff. Think outside the box and come up with other types of shops that would like your stuff.

For example, if you have something that appeals to children, try a children's boutique or a maternity store. If you sell something with a garden theme, maybe a greenhouse or nursery would want it for their gift shop. Local gift shops that are not associated with Hallmark or other big names are usually very eager in accepting crafts of all kinds as long as your theme isn't too far off from what they sell. I've had my things in garden shops, gift shops, craft stores, and antique stores before all with varying degress of success.

Sometimes these stores do not advertise they are looking for people, so you have to approach them. I will focus on your direct contact with a shop owner in my next post.

Dog Days of Summer

**If you saw this post earlier, you probably wondered why I talked about my dogs. I did add the picture, but must not have saved the post to show the picture. I have added it now. I promise I'm not crazy! Well, not most of the time anyway.

Okay, okay, this picture is slightly misleading. This one was taken in the spring, not the summer. Even my dogs won't stay out for more than a few minutes in this heat!

I don't know about everyone else, but I am a bit tired of the weather. I know I shouldn't complain since last year we were facing a drought, which isn't the case now. However, this heat is getting to me. It's "only" in the upper 80's where I live, so many of you must wonder what on earth I'm complaining about.

You have to understand that I hate to sweat. I am not a happy camper when I'm too hot. Worse yet, the last few years, I don't even see cool weather until October. Thank goodness for the indoors and whoever invented the air conditioner!

I've been staying pretty busy though. Later today, I am heading off to the store where I'm selling some things to drop off some more stuff. Really, I'm not holding my breath for too many sales just yet. I've only been there a week, and it's early in the year for people to really get excited about crocheted stuff, but we'll see. Also, I found another store that asked for crafts. I need to make a couple of samples to take to that owner to see if she would be interested in taking my stuff in too.

In the coming days, I'll try to write a bit on finding stores to sell at for anyone who is interested.

Cookbook Recommendation: Comfort Food

Time for another cookbook recommendation. This one is called "Comfort Food", published by Parragon Publishing. It has some nice stylized pictures of each recipe, and all the recipes each have their own page, so you don't have to hunt for which one you are using while you are cooking. Obviously by the name, I'm sure you can tell this book has a lot of what we think of comfort foods to be. There are things like mac and cheese, soup, a few pastas, cake and pie, along with a few main dishes as well. There aren't a ton of recipes, but still very good for basic recipes for classic type foods if you don't have the recipes for them.

I bought mine on the bargain table at Books-A-Million, but I recently have seen it at Walgreen's too. I can't remember the price for sure, but I am thinking the book is around $5.00. Getting back to Books-A-Million, I buy most of my cookbooks there. Some are in the back in the cookbook section, but many of those are kind of expensive. Instead, I mainly shop on the bargain bin table. This is a GREAT way to find really good cookbooks that are reasonably priced. Most of the cookbooks I buy on that table are $10 and under.

If you are interested in buying this book online, I found it here.