Today’s giveaway features two California jewelry artists.
Textured Drop Necklace By Feisty Elle
Every time I wear this piece by Leslie Yang, I get compliments. I’ve actually had people stop me in the street to ask where I got it. It’s made of bamboo, so it’s surprisingly lightweight. I don’t even notice I have it on, and I love how effortlessly it elevates an outfit.
Can You Hear Me Now Brooch by Mama’s Little Babies
Mama’s Little Baby brooches are so witty. This guy is my favorite, but I also feel affectionate toward the artichoke and Gunther, the World Famous Lion Tamer.
Cute, right? I know!
To enter, please leave a piece of advice for your younger self. And don’t forget to check back this week for more contests.
Fine print: Please only leave one comment, because it’s the nice thing to do, and also because multiple entries will be disqualified. I’ll use random.org to select the winner, and I’ll announce who won at the top of this post and in a separate post next Wednesday.
Mighty Girl 
Don’t get the all black-work tattoos! Go for full colour right at the start and you won’t have to spend all that extra money getting them covered up with full colour later! Oh, and love yourself, you’re worth it!
LikeLike
Just be yourself and life in a cubicle is not worth the paycheck
LikeLike
Don’t take everything so seriously.
LikeLike
Dear Younger Self,
Write more. Worry less. Trust your gut. Get back to nature. Take more pictures. Don’t use the credit card. And above all else, get out of your own way.
Love,
Me
LikeLike
Dear Past Liz:
Be confident – you really are as beautiful on the outside as you feel on the inside.
Love,
Future Liz
LikeLike
Dear Kerri,
Please don’t get a credit card. Also, your mother is right: that guy your sister likes is a jerk, you do not need to find out for yourself.
sincerely,
me
LikeLike
dear youngme,
you are not fat.
love oldfatme
LikeLike
Dear Little ViolaSaint,
Quit it with the low self-esteem, already! You’re a pretty great person.
Love,
2010 ViolaSaint
(can this somehow get sent to 2010 ViolaSaint, too?)
LikeLike
Learn to relax and have more fun!!!
LikeLike
Just because you have the skill and eye to paint an excellent likeness does not make your paintings cheesy. You really do have the sense of composition and color to transcend that, but you also don’t have to be limited to that way of working just because you are good at it. Please don’t be afraid to play and get a little looser and goofier. Go ahead and use your intuition, it really is good. Take some risks, you are intelligent enough to make them work. Mostly, stop being embarrassed of the way you paint and paint!
Love,
Maude
LikeLike
Dear 20-something Jeannine,
Student loans are cement bricks around your neck for life. Work your way through school, you’ll be much happer.
Love,
40-something Jeannine
P.S. Dump the Loser, he too is made of cement.
LikeLike
Don’t go to college immediately. Use the money to TRAVEL THE WORLD and save for college to attend a year or two later. Much love, younger self.
P.S. Your biological father is just some dude your mom screwed on accident. Not your judge and self worth determiner. Don’t forget this, but forget him.
LikeLike
Pay at least a tiny bit of attention in high school, because you are going to feel like an idiot later when you publicly confuse jerrymandering with filibustering.
LikeLike
Listen honey, don’t spend years convincing yourself that sketchy guys are sketchy and not misunderstood. That assessment you made during the first date, love, is the right assessment. Go with your gut.
LikeLike
Try harder to make friends when you are young.
LikeLike
Whatever happens just remember that everything happens for a reason 🙂
LikeLike
Dear Younger Sarah,
Go ahead and sleep around a little in college. It’ll be our little secret.
Love,
Older Sarah
LikeLike
Don’t accelerate so quickly when it’s raining. Literally and figuratively.
LikeLike
Oh dear sweet innocent younger me,
Pregnancy is not a license to eat what ever you want and blame cravings later. Your body will never be the same, and neither will you.
(even younger self, girl, wash your hair and get some moose. That frizz ball could be beautiful curls!
and remember to love your self.
Tomorrow is a new day.
LikeLike
Get rid of those glasses. Your [much more fashion-conscience] nieces will find them in ten years and call you Harry Potter.
LikeLike
you aren’t going to remember a lot of the things that keep you awake a night worrying.
LikeLike
You are not fat.
LikeLike
Dear Young Me,
1. Give that selfish boy the boot.
2. You can go anywhere in the world. Take a chance.
3. You are unique.
4. Don’t worry so much.
5. Swim naked more often.
6. You are not fat.
7. Love your family. They won’t be around forever.
LikeLike
Dear College-aged me,
You do not need to finish in three years. The working world will be there when you finish.
Love, your slightly older, and still working self.
LikeLike
Dear younger self, you look great! Now keep biking / skiing / moving, damnit.
LikeLike
Those stretchy velvet pants? Do not look good.
LikeLike
Dear younger junior-high self,
I know you feel like a total geek now, but do your best to rally through – you’ll see that the braces/headgear/palatal expander will be worth it in the end.
LikeLike
Dear younger me,
It’s really okay if you’d rather study than party. Only you can find your bliss.
XX
Older Self
LikeLike
Dear self,
Call your mom more often. You have no idea how much you will miss when she is gone. Tape record one conversation, one where you two are laughing.
LikeLike
Dear younger self: That credit card purchase you’re about to make? Unless it’s for travel, do not do it! You do not want to be paying for those jeans four years from now.
LikeLike
Dear younger self, Don’t try so hard to please everyone else. And do stay for grad school, as your professor suggested. I know you are keen to get out there, but really, SF will wait for you. Get the darned MFA and then work as a waitress; you be glad you did!
LikeLike
Work harder than you think is possible. It’s a great habit to get into.
LikeLike
If I could go back and tell myself anything, it would be that I don’t have to change myself to find true love. Someone will love me just the way I am.
LikeLike
My 20 year old self should know that she should trust her gut feelings about people when those gut feelings are telling her she should surround herself with people who don’t treat her like a doormat.
LikeLike
Dear little Maggie Magoo,
Bangs are not cool….especially when you have curly hair.
Love, significantly taller Maggie
LikeLike
Dear self,
Enjoy the purple hair while it lasts.
LikeLike
Dear younger self,
Stop being afraid all the time. You’re wasting a lot of time you’re going to want back later.
Also, hide those combat boots you love so much. Your mom’s going to throw them away once you leave for college.
Cheers,
Older You
LikeLike
Don’t fight the tight.
LikeLike
Dear younger self:
It passes. Things go on. Also, you already know what you’re doing, so stop second guessing yourself.
LikeLike
Dear Younger Self,
Enjoy your thighs, they will get bigger.
And stop worrying so much.
Love,
Your nearly 34 year-old self
LikeLike
Don’t worry so much!
LikeLike
Listen to mom. She knows what she’s talking about.
Also, stop biting your nails. They’ll end up looking awful.
LikeLike
Dear younger self: don’t be so judgemental.
LikeLike
Dear younger self: Don’t spend so much time and energy in crushes and relationships with guys that only treat you so-so. There is a MUCH better guy waiting for you!
LikeLike
Don’t start drinking too early and don’t wait too long to stop.
LikeLike
Dear Heather, No one is going to write genius songs 100% of the time, and what you did write was pretty darn good. Please don’t give up. It’s harder to start again, even though you will have had this epiphany. (ps – REALLY don’t throw away your tapes that were your recordings of those songs)
LikeLike
You’re right about the guitar player. He IS the one and it is AWESOME.
LikeLike
Mom is always right!
LikeLike
Don’t marry that guy!
LikeLike
Try not to be so hard on yourself.
LikeLike