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dM's (Donna Maria's) Handmade Beauty Connection
November 25, 2002

A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Vol. 3, Issue 47
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1. HBN Update: Welcome New HBN Members!
2. New At MakeYourCosmetics.com:  Calendula Avocado Baby Cream
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win a 2-ounce bottle of Rose Bulgaria Peppermint Spritz!!
4. Join Me In France Next Summer
5. Create The Life You Love: All In The Family Business

Still looking for the perfect handmade holiday gifts? Don't miss my 2002 Handmade Holiday Gift Guide!

GrandMa Suds Handcrafted Soap Co. | Linda M. Moore | Texas
* handmade products with organic, earth-friendly ingredients and intuitive, ancestral wisdom and herbal knowledge

Inhalation, Inc. | Marilyn L. Vail | Washington
* essential oil based inhalation products for colds and flu

Fresh Produce Body Care | Mary Jenn | California
* scrumptious food-based handmade toiletries--body butters, lip balms, soaps & bath bars

Terra Natura Body Care | Bill Bates | New Hampshire
* natural body care: Pumice Foot Scrub, Aloe and Shea Butter Body Cream, Exfoliating Body Wash & more

Handmade In Hartland | Mary Ann H. Johnston | Michigan
* motivated by "sincere dedication to universal well-being", handmade vegetable soaps, etc., made with local honey

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through HBN's Online Member Directory, now with 4 ways to search: (1) by state/country; (2) by member business name; (3) by keyword search; or (4) using our new alphabetical listings!

Calendula Avocado Baby Cream is a gentle herbal cream that will help alleviate discomfort associated with a sore bottom or dry skin. It will also help prevent diaper rash by putting a barrier between baby's skin and the damp diaper. I made some recently for a new mom and she loved it!

When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need by clicking on our Partner links:

SunRose Aromatics: pure essential oils (many organic), carrier oils and other aromatherapy products, each carefully selected for quality. Check out their new Perfumer's Emporium.

The Scent Shack: fragrance oils and soap supplies. Fragrance oils are pre-tested in cold process, melt & pour soap, and candles, and test results are listed at the Web site. Scents tested by soapers for soapers!

Lynden House International , Canadian supplier of soap and candlemaking supplies such as fixed oils, perfumes, essential oils, molds, powdered milks, colors, pre-made bases, candle wax, wicks, embeds and more!

Provide the name of the author of the above quote, the name of the book in which the quote appears, as well as the page number.

The first person to submit the correct answer will win a 2-ounce bottle of Rose Bulgaria Peppermint Spritz, courtesy of HBN member Botanical Skin Works!

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry. Put "TRIVIA CONTEST ANSWER" in the subject line or your answer will not be considered.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner will be notified by email and their name posted at HBN's home page.

Join me in France next summer from June 3 to June 8 where Aroma Tours'® Jim and Robbi Zeck will serve just a few HBN members this fabulous treat! Jim and Robbi have years of experience composing successful tours to France, Bali, Turkey and other exotic and aromatic destinations around the world! You won't want to miss this opportunity!

There are some spaces left so be sure to check out the links of great photos so you can see what you're in for when you come with us!

To view the full itinerary, click here! To register, click here!

This trip presents a wonderful opportunity for HBN members to enjoy a working vacation and we encourage all business owners to check with their tax professionals to make sure that they receive whatever tax benefits are available as a result of this trip to see first hand how some of the ingredients used in your products are manufactured!

Check the entire itinerary here.

Aroma Tours has set up a special page at their Web site for HBN members to register! Join us for this fabulous trip!

If you have any questions about the trip, just email me!

Yesterday, the afternoon was sunny and mild, and I was happy because it meant I could make my (nearly) annual trek the Sugarloaf Craft Festival without an umbrella. Sugarloaf boasts hundreds of artisans from around the country, and if you'd never been, I highly recommend adding it to your list of activities. Some of my favorite booths to visit for holiday gifts include a wooden spoon maker, a bar-b-q sauce maker, a few potters and of course handmade soap makers! Yesterday, 2 HBN members were at the show: SunFeather Natural Soap Company and Pretty Baby Herbal Soap Company. I stopped by to chat and buy some delicious soaps. I left the booths with my bags full of goodies and company brochures filled not only with pretty pictures but with interesting and inspiring details about the family business.

At SunFeather's booth, Sandy's son was there to help pack up soaps, track finances and receipts and make recommendations about his favorite SunFeather soaps (Oatmeal Almond is his by the way!), while Sandy signed books and met customers. Pretty Baby's assistant was likable and friendly, pointing out best sellers and making sure no customer stood around unassisted for long. Both company catalogs are testimonies to the fact that a family business is a great thing to be a part of. Pretty Baby's catalog features photos of family members from 4 to 40 at work and play. SunFeather's catalog recounts the history of how Sandy Maine started the business 23 years ago with a few dollars, some water, oil, lye and a dream. Today, SunFeather remains a family owned business, with Sandy and her husband Louis (also the company's CFO) at the helm. I still have one of SunFeather's first color catalogs with a photo of Sandy and her son on the inside front cover. I think of that photo often as I ponder how fortunate I am to be able to have a home-based business where I can work and be close to my husband and daughter during most business days.

Of course, family ownership is not everything. A superior product still carries the day for me. But if the product is good, all other things being equal, I would choose a family business over a non-family one most times. There are several reasons why family business ownership is beneficial for our world. These are tops in my book.

1. Family Business Ownership Teaches Children Fiscal & Social Skills. Seeing a business run from the inside out helps children (and all of us!) more fully appreciate the value of a dollar. When a child can actually see that the harder (and smarter) she works, the more financial resources she will have to save or spend on the things she wants, the she will be more likely to incorporate sound financial principles into her own life. The cause and effect relationship between work and reward is pronounced and tangible. In addition to the financial life lessons, family business ownership helps kids learn the importance of interacting with persons from a variety of backgrounds. Whether it's telephone manners learned as they answer the phone, or chatting with customers at a craft fair booth, children can see first hand they pay off when they are friendly and respectful to customers. Both fiscal and social responsibility are valuable life lessons that are learned early when a child has the benefit of contributing to the family business.

2.  The IRS Offers Tax Benefits To Families Employing Children. While Uncle Sam seems to spend most of his time figuring out creative ways to get more of our family income, there are some handy regulations that allow family owned businesses to employ the children of the principals without having to pay certain taxes. I have a friend with a small business who hires his kids to tidy his office, empty the trash, fill the fax machine with paper and so forth. These are not huge jobs and they don't pay well, but his children know the difference between their allowance and the money they work for. They know that if they decide to do work-related jobs that they don't have to do, they will receive additional compensation for those jobs. On the other hand, their allowance stays the same no matter what. The family business benefits by paying fewer taxes. The children benefit by learning the value of work. The family benefits by helping to instill a sense of pride and ownership in tomorrow's generations. Don't we need more of that??! For details on how your business can save on taxes by employing your children and other family members, click here.

3. Family Business Ownership Increases Enjoyment Of Home, Community and The World. A family owned business helps build the strength, character and self-esteem of all involved. When a core group of people are bound together by shared values, the talents and distinct personalities of each individual are encouraged and appreciated. This produces a heightened sense of self worth which builds not only stronger families, but also stronger communities and a stronger world. A family business allows the creation of wealth, both financial and otherwise, not only for family members who are here today, but also for those who will come tomorrow.

Thanks Pretty Baby and SunFeather for being such an inspiration! If you have a Family Business Success Story, I'd love to hear it. Email me with the story of your family business ... how you make it work, what are the benefits and how you avoid any pitfalls. You could be featured in a future issue of The Handmade Beauty Connection!