When I was in college, I used to sit on the couch with one of my very best friends and we’d say very hilarious things about our bodies. We called it the Fat Kid series.  You know you’re a fat kid when…

you just finished dinner and you immediately want a snack

you need to lay on the floor after you finish your meal

you finish the bowl of homemade whipped cream after you eat the brownie with cream on top

you’ve had pizza two nights in a row and when challenged with the question: what should we eat for dinner tonight?,  you order a pizza, of course.

I’m sure this is the type of thing that was funnier when you’re there.  It was what we said to comfort ourselves after we did something we “shouldn’t” have–something that you kinda secretly loved doing and kinda secretly were embarrassed by… like spending days on the couch watching soaps and eating junk food with your best friend.  It was a way of making that thing only fun.  Only good.  Of separating the embarrassed from the ebullient.

My partner in crime was so spot on with the fat kid series. We would be in tears, making fun of ourselves, eating, laughing, having such a good time together.   It was all on the table (as it were).  Bellies out.  Our self destruction was openly masked by our comedic take on self loathing.  We did it to ourselves and we did it to each other…which seemed to make it all okay.  I don’t regret doing it and I would never take it back.  I remember those times as some of my most favorite of my college years.

you know you're a fat kid when you visit your favorite bakery in San Francisco, eat there, and leave with a $40 bag of pastries... for the road.

you know you're a fat kid when you have 50 pictures of the same favorite taco and fries from Charleston, SC.

Fast forward to present day.  I am not feeling the best about my body these days.  This time last year, I was in the best shape of my life. I was working out regularly.  I was fitting into clothing I had never fit into before.  My face…MY FACE…just looked so lean, and it glowed a little.

A few months ago, that all changed.  The new shop , Little Boxes, and jewelry design/making sort of took first place in both Will’s and my life.  We are finally finding making time to take care of ourselves.  And in making this time, I am realizing that I kind of left myself behind for the sake of everything else.

Instead of just doing something about it when I’m ready, I worry.  I open the drawer in the morning and worry about what I’m going to wear because I worry about how bad it’s going to feel when I discover it doesn’t fit anymore.  I worry that it’s just going to keep getting worse.  So…Here we have Case#2 of THE WORRY PROJECT:

Case #2:  I’ve let myself go. My body is turning blubbery.

Solution:  Go workout. (in today’s case, I will go to the gym and workout on the moonwalk machine. I’m embarrassed to say, I haven’t been to the gym in over 2 months. I will report back here tomorrow and let you know if I actually did it).

I’ve been trying to revert to my old ways.  When I start worrying about it, I try to incorporate the Fat Kid back into my life, to make some humor out of the situation (instead of actually doing something about it).  But it’s just not the same without college and it’s especially not the same without Cam.  It only worked with her.  While the Fat Kid is so fun to be around, I think she’s just a distraction from my worry, a certain kind of freedom, a disguise.

It’s time to get on with the worry project and go with it!

I will stick with my word.  I will wait to worry.  I will sweat it out.  And then I will see if the Fat Kid is waiting for me when I walk out of the gym.

You know you’re a fat kid when you can’t stop talking about being fat kid. here’s to leaving my Fat Kid behind!  xo~betsy

***Song of the Moment: To Forgive, by The Smashing Pumpkins***

THAT is what I was expecting out of this giveaway adventure–a kick.  What I was not expecting was to feel so overwhelmingly appreciated by all of you.  Your kind words about my work and betsy & iya mean more than I could ever possibly express to you.  So…thank you for being the most lovely customers in the whole wide world.  Yep, the world.

Here we go…

The lucky winner is:  Alexa Morton Nayman!!

Contact me here: betsy@betsyandiya.com  and we will start collaborating on your new opal necklace!

Again, a HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL!

make a girl’s WEEK, why don’t you!?! ~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Heart Skipped a Beat, by The XX***

I was having a cranky day—more emails than time to get through them, everything taking longer than planned, and general stress-inducing activities (like paying bills).  And then our newest order of Laura George arrived…

…and all was right with the world.

These amazing cards and prints make me cry and laugh all at once.  That is my favorite.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to get a nipple card??  amazing!

xo~betsy

(come to the shop to get a live look at Laura’s sweet work!)

p.s. don’t forget to enter the GIVEAWAY, you have until Monday…get IN on it!

***Song of the Moment: It’s All in your Mind, by Beck***

(scroll past the picture to find out how.)

I am not a stone gal, but I have always been blown away by the Peruvian Opal.  I have never seen a stone look as vibrant or pure.  Several months ago, I picked out a large batch from a couple who finds them, mines them, and turns them into little pieces of art. I am on the cusp of transforming each one into a one-of-a-kind design.  To kick it off, we’re doing a GIVEAWAY. The winner gets to pick their favorite opal and I will design a special necklace just for them.  Yay!!

There are several ways TO ENTER:

—> Comment on this post letting us know your favorite betsy & iya piece.

—>> Mention the Giveaway and @betsyandiya on Twitter.

—>>> Retweet the Giveaway on Twitter.

—>>>> Share the Giveaway on Facebook.

—>>>>> Comment on the Giveaway or tag us on Facebook; tell us how you would wear your new custom necklace! (hair up, red belt, black dress, sequined boots, etc)

Here is an example of a one-of-a-kind necklace available now:

Click to see more pictures.

Enter and have fun!  You can enter up to 5 times!

Winner will be randomly chosen and announced next Monday, January 30th.

Happy Monday to you!

xo~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Cold Feet, by Lost Lander***

<<Legend says that Peruvian opals take the tension out of communication and help ideas flow freely. They soften the impact of stress from the outside world and can help one to release the trauma of old wounds. They facilitates facing the future with a tranquil healing nature. This stone is reported to be good for quieting the mind and as an aid to sleep.>>  *info found on bernardine.com/gemstones*

I worry about things.  And then I worry about worrying about them.  I worry about silly things.  I worry about important things.  If I’m not worrying, I worry why.

With all of the amazingly exciting things that became my 2011—the building of the betsy & iya shop, creating Little Boxes, planning my sweetheart’s milestone 30th birthday party, Iya’s wedding across the country, new designs, so many amazing new friends and events, life in general, the MASSIVE amount of jewelry we made, the balancing of it all, etc.–the worrying got a little out of hand.

(there is no mirror in this picture.)

At some point in the middle of it all, when I was dramatically crying on the studio floor and being consoled by Gingham (our little dogter), I knew something had to be done.  You see, there is just no time for as futile an act as worrying when there is scarcely enough time for sleeping, eating, and breathing.  At this low point, when our sweet pup was pushing my limp arm up over her head and snuggling herself into me (yes, this really happened)…that’s when I came up with this:  THE WORRY PROJECT.

The thing is, I can’t change overnight.  But I caaaaaaannn put on some old school Lauryn Hill and do a little dancy in my work seat…

Oh, MAN, that felt good.  And in a nutshell, you have THE WORRY PROJECT.  It starts with a problem and ends with a worry-eliminating solution.

CASE #1:  I’m worried that it’s taking me too long to write this blog post.

SOLUTION:  stop thinking about it and do a quick dance.

The solution helps me get out of my head.  Afterwards, I’m fresh and ready for action.  I’m also immediately aware that the worry was not helping my case whatsoever.  The solution can be anything you want it to be.  The end goal is that you actually give yourself a break and then confront your stupid worry in its ugly face.  In my case, the end goal is that I’m happy with my writing and roll with the momentum.

I hope you’ll join me towards a worry-free world!  There will be weekly worry reveals.  Just wait, it gets super juicy!

Also, check back on MONDAY when we announce a special winter GIVEAWAY and instructions on how to enter.

Happy Friday, lovelies! ~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Ex-Factor, by Lauryn Hill***

It came about during the holiday season when I felt a bit like a puppet in my own show.  2011 was perhaps the craziest year of my life…wilder than awkward teenage years, more intense than 18 hour graduate school days, and more overwhelming than starting betsy & iya. We didn’t sleep this summer when we were building the new brick & mortar shop, and we didn’t sleep during the holiday season.  Translation: we haven’t slept since June.  Okay, okay, okay, maybe that’s a bit hyperbolic, but I think the actual amount of days we took off from work (vacusiness not included) in 2011 could be counted on my fingers and toes.

Throughout the crazy year, things really started piling up—emails, friend get-togethers, floor clothes, paper, dishes, random work tasks, resolving conflicts–you name it, chances are, it got piled up.  Around October when the piles really started peaking out, I decided something had to be done about it.  The thought of how to even begin diminishing the piles was so daunting that I started building piles of piles.  The only thing that could be done was to stop adding to the piles.  And then it just popped into my head like a giant scrolling marquee in Times Square:  DO IT NOW.

So simple, yet so smart and clever.  I can’t say that I haven’t slipped back into a pile here and there; but, when I see something that needs to be done and I start slipping, the phrase pops in and it’s like music to my ears.  It FEELS SO GOOD.  DOING IT NOW FEELS SO GOOD.

Here’s one very graspable example:

I finish eating a snack out of a cute little ramekin.  I begin to set the empty ramekin on the table in front of me.  ERR ERR EERR (insert: flashing red lights) ERRR ERRR ERRR (this is supposed to be the sound of a serious alarm going off). Brain pops in the phrase in modern black letters (imagine an old school optometrist’s light box, someone’s just turned it on): DO IT NOW.  I swiftly turn my direction to the kitchen where I begin to set the ramekin on the counter (I mean, I have sooo many other things to do that are sooooo much more important than washing my dish immediately, right? I mean, RIIIGHT!?!).  There is a sharp brain slap on my guilty hand, the phrase pops back in, and I quickly rinse the ramekin and place it in the dishwasher.  done.  DO IT NOW.

done.

And you know what’s so awesome about that!?  It’s done!  I don’t have to sift through my brain files later to make sure everything’s done.  It’s gone!  It’s over!

Another quick example: the inevitable email pile.  UGH!  This is the do-it-now rule that I’m still perfecting.  Under no circumstances am I permitted to check my email unless I have the time to respond right away.  Checking email involves two actions now: checking it and then doing something about it (replying, archiving, deleting, etc) immediately. I am no longer allowed to brain file emails.  Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy torturing myself…constantly anxious about whether or not I’ve replied, taken care of whatever it was, etc.  No MORE!  I’m DOING IT NOW.

(It’s also super fun to say).  (try it).  (do it now).

This blog post is a part of it all—man, I’ve missed you guys!

xo (big time)~ betsy

(seriously, do it now. it’s gonna feel soooo good).

***Song of the Moment: The Color of Industry, by Radiation City***

See you tonight!

xo~betsy

***Song of the Moment:  Drunk Girls, by LCD Soundsystem***

Will sorts the 8,500 maps we had printed into piles for delivery to stores.

I turned off the TV and with a silent house, my brain wheels started moving…like, kinda fast.  The commercial made me think about all those awesome shops we love so much in Portland.  Shops, like Radish Underground, Mabel & Zora and Tender Loving Empire, that have supported my efforts as a designer, from the very beginning.  Shops that help designers, like me, believe that our work is worth something.  Shops that search high and low for products that mean something to them, with you in mind.  Shops that can tell you a story about the designer behind the product.  Shops that helped build a community with character (and most likely, used their own hands to do so). I started thinking—why can’t we do something together that makes people want to shop a different way on Black Friday.

Will came home that night and I sort of hesitantly brought up my idea–I knew it was pretty much INSANE for us to take anything else on this season, much less organize a whole new event.  BUT I felt so excitedly passionate about it, that I went for it.  It was Will’s response and enthusiasm that really made this thing move forward. We geeked out in a swift 30 minute brainstorm session, and the rest is kind of history.

Little Boxes, was born.

We're a happy duo. And we LOVE working crazy hours together...really, we do. Photo Credit: Motoya Makamura, The Oregonian

I am so amazed by the community’s response to this.  In 3 weeks, the support and enthusiasm that our amazing design team, the unbelievably awesome shop owners, press, and general public has shown towards this event brings tears to my eyes.  Yep, I’m a sap (er, didn’t you already know that by now??).  But seriously, isn’t Portland awesome!??

It's the link you've all been waiting for, and the Little Boxes 2011 Logo, courtesy of Keel Creative.

Now, all you gotta do is shop the event and meet your favorite local shop owners!  Let’s let this event be the kickoff to an amazing, local, sparkly-lighted, mulled wined, ginger-snapped cookies holiday season.  Who knows, you might even win an iPad or tickets to OVO by Cirque du Soleil.  We’re all open from 10am – 8pm and we can’t wait to see you.  Click for more details about Little Boxes.

THANK YOU, PORTLAND.

(you rock my world).

-betsy

Walks in St. Johns.  New favorite coffee.  Gingham love.  Friends.  Beer.  Fall.  Way too much work. Yep.

xo

~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Amsterdam, by Peter Bjorn and John***