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***

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

Several months (er…a year?) ago, I asked my dear readers what were their favorite parts of my blog.  Two most popular things:  1) Songs of the moments and 2) Outfits of the Days. Well, I’ve kept up the bargain with Songs of the Moments, but I’ve completely neglected the OOTDs. I’m going to try and change that, starting today.  I *hope* to give you at least one OOTD per week.  That’s my goal.

Shirt:  Artisan shirt from Campeche, purchased in a rad Mexico City mercado.

Pants: Leggings from Nordstrom.

Socks: local favorite Sock Dreams.

Scarf: local Sloan boutique.

Earrings: betsy & iya.

Boots: Frye.

Dog: Gingham Macpherson Cervarich.

In the early days, it was just me, but now I have a partner in this blog (+ this business, this life) and we are dedicated to keeping it alive—because we love doing it.   So we’re in the process of amping it up a little, of deciding what our favorite topics are and how we want to deliver them to you.  We’re even in the process of naming the blog.

What are some of your favorite topics?  names?

Thanks for hanging with us this far!

xo~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Moth’s Wings, by Passion Pit***

Have a beautiful weekend.

~betsy

***Song of the Moment: Where I’m From, by the Digable Planets***

For awhile now, I’ve felt satisfied with the space I’ve been in.  I was happy in the smaller space, excited by how quickly my world was moving forward.  I felt the wind at my back and I just started rolling with it.  Though all of this was beautiful and inspiring for me, I never quite felt like the workspace was completely in its notch.  The puzzle pieces were next to each other.  You could see that the outer edges suggested a match, a perfect match, but they weren’t hugging each other yet.

those hands

I feel like that day has come.  The clicker is working, the bell is about to ring, the birds are chirping, and the puzzle is about to be solved.  The current space and the way it’s coming together is —blowing. me. away.  I am walking into this space in the mornings thinking—wow, I am exactly where I want to be.  The hands that have made this what it is becoming are all hands I know, all hands I’ve touched.  …and my own.

where will these be?? come find out tomorrow!

eeeeahhheeehahhaaahhh!!!

I LOVE my saw, says W.

I think we can make it!!

Now we’re down to the final hours.  It reminds me of all my time in theatre.  Those last few days before the show goes up, one is often left thinking–how in the name of all that is good will we EVER be able to get THERE. And then after the curtain comes up, you make eyes with one of your partners and only you know where you’ve been to get …there.

transformation time.

Only you know that just last night, you were re-hanging the lights with bits of who-knows-what ALL over the floor, your biggest dreams and visions only moments away from being squashed, paint splatters where they shouldn’t be, things falling off the walls, trips and near misses, tired eyes and hands, probably tears…disaster, really—-lots of voices in your head saying–there is no way you’re going to make it.   but you know what????  screw those voices.  because ————– You do make it.

That’s just it:  you made it.

I can’t wait for that moment when we all look at each other…only us knowing how far we’ve come.

If you’re around between 3 and 9 pm tomorrow, please come by and see how far we’ve come.  Click the link for details: http://tinyurl.com/285lvj7

LOVE to you all.

b

***Song of the Moment: Vesuvius, by Sufjan Stevens***

so ripe

Both Betsy and I grew up eating tomatoes out of the garden.  Well, I can’t say I grew up doing it, really… I remember growing out of my aversion to the gooey seed stuff later.  The only thing missing to take me all the way back is skinned knees and dirty nails, my dad smelling like a lawn mower, and a wooden bowl of Cheetos in the middle of the table.

too yummy to wait for the photo-op

What about you?  What have you been eating for lunch?

***Song of the moment: Sycamore, by Bill Callahan***

lots of love.

***Song of the Moment: undertaker, by M. Ward***

Hi, friends!!  Dag Nabbit (channeling the grandaddy), I’ve missed you guys!!

I wanted to let you know that we’ll be in the shop this weekend!  We’ve had so many shows this month that I know several shoppers have popped by on Saturday only to find an empty shop.  But…NO MORE…well, at least for this weekend and next.  We’ll be here from noon to at least 4 tomorrow.

The shop is still on the up and up.  We plan on having a grand opening by the end of the summer (shwew!).  Little by little, my friends.  This weekend, we’re planning on finishing the miscellaneous drawer front counter wrap and the sliding door!  My design friends were in town last weekend and we took some huge steps forward.  We’ve been running with this white on white on white theme with rustic wood to offset it all.  Courtney called it Scandinavian.  When she said the words, my heart melted.  Some of my most favorite people in the world live there (or near there).

Come by and see us sweating through it all this weekend, say hello, drink a glass of wine, and shop your little hearts out.

big huge love.

-betsy