I'm making a proposal. Come on board!

[Calliecake]

@MMtwo, I hope you know just how much you loved and appreciated here! It made me sad to read your post. You are one of my favorite posters here. You sre so warm and kind and I’ve seen a picture of your beautiful face.

I wish I could love your post a hundred times @MissGotRocks. It’s so true.

 

[MMtwo]

@Calliecake ..wow, that was kind of you. Thank you for writing that. It really helped me today. Just wow.


Someone's cutting onions in here.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I've always been fairly critical of my hands until I realized I inherited them from my Mother, then I felt grateful.

My Mother always said her veins (hands) were too prominent and many decades ago asked her GP if that could be corrected (??), to which he replied, "Even Raquel Welsh has veins!"

cheers--Sharon

 

[Ally T]

This post is AMAZING!

I have stopped caring, to a degree. I was only joking yesterday that I have just 3 weeks left to get bikini ready for the Easter holidays, when somebody at school said to me, plain & simply, “Why…?” And i couldn’t really answer?

My husband loves me to within an inch of my life. My children absolutely adore me. NOBODY notices if my hips are a teeny bit wider than they were, due to injury & lack of exercise. Nobody. BUT I DO. And I have always put huge pressure on myself as a result.

But no more. I am who I am. I am fit, strong & healthy. I am happy. My family are well & they are amazing. My mother turns 80 this year & she still lives in her little bungalow, fully independent.

Life is more than smooth hands & skinny hip bones.

 

[canuk-gal]

I so get this @canuk-gal. My sweet little grandniece noticed my hands one hot afternoon while we were eating an ice cream cone. She got this scared look on her face and asked if I felt ok and said she thought I needed to go to the doctor right away. When I asked her what was wrong, she said it looks like you have worms under your skin on your hands. I came home and told my DH my hands are now frightening small children.

Out of the mouths of babes!!!!! Her concern for you was heartwarming!!!!

 

[canuk-gal]

This post is AMAZING!

I have stopped caring, to a degree. I was only joking yesterday that I have just 3 weeks left to get bikini ready for the Easter holidays, when somebody at school said to me, plain & simply, “Why…?” And i couldn’t really answer?

My husband loves me to within an inch of my life. My children absolutely adore me. NOBODY notices if my hips are a teeny bit wider than they were, due to injury & lack of exercise. Nobody. BUT I DO. And I have always put huge pressure on myself as a result.

But no more. I am who I am. I am fit, strong & healthy. I am happy. My family are well & they are amazing. My mother turns 80 this year & she still lives in her little bungalow, fully independent.

Life is more than smooth hands & skinny hip bones.

Are you going to Hawaii with us?????

 

[Ally T]

Are you going to Hawaii with us?????

We are in August! Will you be there then? We are actually going to the Caribbean for Easter, to the same beautiful resort we stayed at last Easter.

It’s Mr T’s big 5-0 birthday in July, so in Aug we are heading to Disney in California for a week, then over to Hawaii for 2 more weeks. I hate theme parks But it’s what he & the girls want to do.

 

[nala]

YES YES YES.

And while we’re at it, perhaps also ditch the photo filters? You are beautiful AS YOU ARE.

Omg. This!! I’ve said this before on PS and will say it again—most folks don’t realize they have automatic preset filters in their smartphones bc there is no setting to click on. But I suspect most folks do enjoy posting their pics or looking at them bc these pics minimize flaws. Some even go as far as posting blurry pictures. Now. If you really claim that your phone has no
Filters, put you phone on video and you will see how different the video is from the picture. The video does capture most flaws if you are not in favorable lighting. I say this from experience. Angles also help minimize flaws. And lighting. And most people would like to post themselves as pretty as their phone enables, lol.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,
Frankly, I think its just indicative of women wanting to show their jewelry at its best. I have never once looked at a photo and said, "Oh my, dry nails, or fat fingers" I don't even see a connection to serving men first at home. This is the way it was, but I can't connect that to dry skin or fat fingers. I think people ought to be able to say whatever they want about their photos without some psychological or cultural claim being made. So no, I'm not on board.

Annette

 

[dk168]

Some of my grander pieces only come out for dressier formal events, and I would make the effort to put on the full war paint including nail vanish for such events.

I would like to do the same when I take photos of my jewellery on me, however, it is not always possible, hence the disclaimer.

DK

 

[Matata]

There was a bit of an existential crisis here several years ago when a member (I think it was a young man) made a comment that ugly hands distract from the bling. Perhaps that still resonates with members who were here then. I have no issue with anyone posting their hands, hair, earlobes or other blinged body parts au naturale.

I think that posting dirty jewelry on a jewelry board is counter productive. The purpose here is to show off and admire the shine, fire, brilliance, cut, color so it make no sense to me that someone would want to post a crusty piece. Most members here would positively comment on the piece as would I while I was cringing at the crud.

 

[yssie]

Not going to lie, I’ve often wondered just how many hours wedding photographers spend editing knuckle hair out of ring photos

I love the sentiment behind this thread.

For me - there are two types of bling pics. The first is to show jewellery off in all its glory. For those, I’ll make sure the piece is spotless, I’ll choose my background carefully, I’ll wait for the right lighting, and… If I happen to be in the photo I’ll do my best to keep arm pelt and big pores and dry skin out of it. Because those photos are all about the beauty of what’s being portrayed, and I don’t want to introduce conventionally-unattractive elements. If I do - I just won’t post that photo. Easy!

Then there’s the second sort: Bling in action. Those are usually from too far away to see details like nostril fur… And those, I’ll share whatever comes out of the phone, bad lighting and unflattering angle and all. The bling may or may not be freshly cleaned. I may or may not have makeup on. My clothes might be wrinkly. Oh well. Those are all about sharing how we enjoy our bling in our real lives, and IMO they’re always imperfectly perfect.


Phone filters… Okay so this topic always makes me laugh. Phone filters are software that’s trying to copy what a camera does naturally. And we can all tell when someone’s filtered every wrinkle out of existence… And we chuckle about it privately… But the irony is that a camera could do that for you with no editing or filtering at all. So… Is it not cheating if unrealistically-smooth skin is an artifact of a big glass lens rather than software?

Now, I stay far far far away from portrait photography, because… They create makeup that’s specifically designed for photography and no woman ever wears it to her family photo shoot, and I promise the ten layers of concealer you used to hide that spot show up in distressing detail in my photos - but there’s a good chance you’ll be upset with me if I take the liberty of “editing your natural beauty”, and I’m going to have to do more editing than just blur out that one area... Thanks but no thanks.

I don’t really know where I’m going with this post. I love the sentiment behind this thread. I really do. But I also love looking at my own bling photos and I wouldn’t enjoy them as much - like, personally, for myself - if they featured closeups of peeling cuticles, etc. But to be honest I only take “the first sort” of (not-bling-in-action) photos that include myself because I feel weirdly obligated to. My favourites, the ones I go back to and smile at, they’re always just the bling on flowers. Or whatever. So maybe I’ll be true to what I like best and start posting only those and skip the on-body pics altogether.

 

[Calliecake]

There was a bit of an existential crisis here several years ago when a member (I think it was a young man) made a comment that ugly hands distract from the bling. Perhaps that still resonates with members who were here then.

I think a few of us remember that post.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I’m signing up! Never having to apologize for my finger pudge or my dry skin and nails (an unfortunate side effect of wearing gloves at work) hell to the yes!

 

[Matata]

I think a few of us remember that post.

On a lighter note, another one that I won't forget is the guy who was so excited to tell us he pooped the question to his girl and she accepted. He told us where he pooped it too. I laughed for 3 straight days.

 

[canuk-gal]

We are in August! Will you be there then? We are actually going to the Caribbean for Easter, to the same beautiful resort we stayed at last Easter.

It’s Mr T’s big 5-0 birthday in July, so in Aug we are heading to Disney in California for a week, then over to Hawaii for 2 more weeks. I hate theme parks But it’s what he & the girls want to do.

April in Hawaii for us.

Your holidays sound fun! While I am not a great theme park person either--I have enjoyed my time in Disney land and World. Wear good footwear!!!!!

 

[hardwear]

I'm in---- and Well said! We beat ourselves up constantly! Women have come so far, but we've still got a long way to go.

BTW- honestly can say, I see all the gorgeous bling on here first! Hands, ears, hair.etc.. is not the first thing I see or think about. We are all different and that's beautiful.
AND-- I have learned so much from this forum, not only technically. But the positivity, honest advice, recommendations, encouragement and the glee over someones new bling.

The nail color I see and then I quickly judge myself for not keeping up my nails-

 

[seaurchin]

I read it a little differently sometimes, though maybe still along the same lines. I, and I'd guess many others, were raised that it's not all that acceptable to spend much money on self-indulgent luxuries, let alone "show off" or "brag" about them. So a little self-deprecation might be included to kinda tone it down, maybe? Not really a humble brag but more a "brag humbler?"

Also, I have to admit, I find some of it hilarious. Like when Yssie mentioned "arm pelt" above ha ha. I also recall someone apologizing for their giant head lol. But then doesn't humor frequently have a darker basis.

Eh, I might be overthinking it. But I like considering the deeper meanings behind language etc. so good discussion. I'll probably continue to "apologize" for my man hands though.

 

[nala]

I think some apologies are genuine and have a place in a post. Such as when you are so excited and want to share your ring but you know that you are the type
Of person who always has nice nails except for that one day when you got so excited that you couldn’t wait to share —-I will continue to apologize and hold Myself to that standard. I won’t apologize for things that I can’t change—like my aging skin, lol.

 

[Gloria27]

I think some apologies are genuine and have a place in a post. Such as when you are so excited and want to share your ring but you know that you are the type
Of person who always has nice nails except for that one day when you got so excited that you couldn’t wait to share —-I will continue to apologize and hold Myself to that standard. I won’t apologize for things that I can’t change—like my aging skin, lol.

I feel this is the case sometimes, well said.

 

[Arcadian]

Sometimes my hands puff up and I can't get my rings on. yeah I don't show my hands or rings much anymore but do apologize because some would like to actually see the rings ON and sometimes I can't always put them all the way down because I don't want them bad boys getting stuck.

I think I also once showed my 6th finger (at least the knub) which can freak people out. Thought about having them removed but it would be painful and expensive.

Aside from that, my hands are kinda pretty most of the time.

And yes I do make jokes about my man hands. but seriously its really me joking (and justifying bigger center stones...)