Jess Lively

This post may be better suited for a Monday morning, but I can’t help but mention a few new sites I read about in Real Simple last month that help avoid web surfing during work hours. So if you can’t seem to get yourself off of Facebook, Twitter, Gilt, or Google Reader (my personal vice), [...]

As I work on the finishing touches on the bag launch coming next week, I can’t help but reflect on how far Jess LC has come in the past year. The term “leaps and bounds” doesn’t seem to do the evolution justice. Maybe the term revolution might be better suited for the quantum shift. Below [...]

Today I’m busy back in the studio getting everything in order after my amazing California trip. Coming back from a week out of the office is a bit surreal. I’m busy catching up on emails, business requests, orders, and the next sneak peek email for the bags. The photo shoot went fabulously (more on that [...]

A post worth reviewing. Via September, 2009. Simone’s Closet Makeunder I got an email last week from a Simone, of Skinny Dip. She’s a MakeunderMyLife reader and she recently completed a closet makeunder and shared the process on her blog. Of course the first thing I did was hop on over to her site and [...]

A post worth reviewing. Via March, 2010. Today’s post is written by life coach Heidi, of To Be Luminous. Her ideas on personal power are a perfect continuation of MakeunderMyMarch in the mental realm. Heidi on Personal Power I love “Makeunder My Life” for too many reasons to list out here and since you all [...]

A post worth reviewing. Via April, 2010. I don’t know if it’s all the making under the past four years, but for some reason I’ve become extremely aware of unnecessary clutter. Sounds pretty normal and understandable right? Until you find out I now am super conscious of the trash outside as well. Growing up, I [...]

A post worth reviewing. Via May, 2010. This post is brought to you by Karen at Graceful Creative. Enjoy! I have been a longtime reader {and admirer} of Makeunder My Life. So when Jess asked me to do a guest post, I was truly honored. The idea for this guest post happened after I left [...]

A post worth reviewing. Via March 9, 2009. The Ventilator Test As I’ve started to post old exfoliations like the Throw Out Fifty Things Challenge, I’ve gotten a few emails about what I do with the stuff that I’m perpetually exfoliating. So today I’d like to talk about my frank and honest views on trashing, [...]

  As I mentioned last week, I am moving to a higher unit in my apartment building today and tomorrow. Then on Thursday morning I fly out to San Francisco for a bag photo shoot followed by a trip to LA to meet Mr. Lively’s parents. So from today through Tuesday, April 26th, I will [...]

The votes are in! The winners of the DESIGN YOUR LOOK challenge are announced in the video below. I want to give a huge hug and thank you to everyone who voted and participated. Winners are being contacted right now. : ) Hop below for the Top 10 Looks…  

(DESIGN YOUR LOOK winner will be announced later today.) On a long walk yesterday with my good friend Cathy we talked about what was coming up in our lives. As you can imagine, my bag launch was definitely one of the discussion topics. And though she has watched the whole process unfold from inception to [...]

Sorry for the slight delay on this month’s DIY DYL – we have been busy here in the studio keeping up with everything going on. I also have a feeling this weekend is going to be a working one in order for me to get ready for the move and upcoming photo shoot in California [...]

Good morning! This week has been quite a ride for me. I’ve been blown away and oh-so-thankful for the response to the DESIGN YOUR LOOK challenge (only one day of voting left!) and the excitement around the sneak peek of the bag collection. I will give a preview: next week I’ll be moving to a [...]

Download the free full-size April wallpaper here. During college I picked up this postcard at my dear friend Vicki’s shop, Heavenly Metal. It sat on my desk in college and then on my bulletin board in my first studio when I moved to Chicago and started Jess LC full-time in 2007. Over the past few [...]

VOTING HAS CLOSED. WINNERS ANNOUNCED HERE. The big day has finally arrived! Our DESIGN YOUR LOOK challenge has had a resounding response from readers worldwide. There are 113 total entries! I am floored by the talent and looks we received. I personally couldn’t imagine a better closet than one filled with the items submitted in [...]

On our last post, someone left a great question: “what exactly are you doing — didn’t you already have a photography business?” And today I am here to answer that question. Going back to one of our first posts, I wouldn’t say that we had a photography business last year. I would use the word [...]

Today I’d like to share the inspiring story of Adriana Willsie, an MML reader and pet portrait artist. Read on to hear how she took a really sucky situation and turned it into something special. Enjoy! A Life Designed with Intention is Closer Than You Think by Adriana Willsie Oh, I’d thought long and hard [...]

Hated hearing my own thoughts inside my head. Been attracted to negative relationships. Counted my total calories 20+ times a day. Eaten three candy bars at a time while walking from the mini-mart to my dorm room – and gained 20 pounds in three months. Gotten counseling. Desperately wished that I could run a perfectly [...]

As an online shop owner there are few pieces of information I study each and every morning. One of the most important sources for me is Google Analytics. The people at Google have done a fantastic job creating a tool that easily tells me where my customers come from, what they like the most, what [...]

(source) Yesterday my friend Kate sent me the most awesome post I’ve read in a very long time. It’s written by Austin Kleon and it’s called How to Steal Like an Artist. Though not the fastest read for sure, each truth revealed in the post is worth reading. There is a universal wisdom to it [...]

Just a reminder! Only four days left to enter the Jess LC DESIGN YOUR LOOK Challenge. The winner of the contest will win two pieces of jewelry and $200 cash. Since the Jess LC girls can’t enter the contest, we have all created looks to share leading up to the challenge. Below is what my [...]

As promised, I have captured a few of the ways that I keep clutter to a minimum in my living room and kitchen. Though my apartment is not large, the tricks below help things seem intentional and decorative when they are mostly just clever ways to store items I need and use on a daily [...]

Time to take a bit of a break from all of the Midnight Hustling! Today I thought I’d take a moment to share what I’ve learned from years of exfoliating unnecessary clutter. Any of my friends (or even Mr. Lively) can tell you that it’s rare to find a mess in my apartment. And though [...]

I’m so excited! On a great suggestion from KeriLynn of Dreaming Iris Design, I have added a discussion group to the Midnight Hustlers section of MML. You can see a screenshot of the discussion area below. My hope is that those in the Hall of Fame (and those who are not) can share experiences, advice, [...]

Move On. If there was one thing I could tell you it’s this: There is no good time to start your own business. There will always be something getting in your way or excuses to not propel things forward. May it be a job that you have to work at to pay the bills, may [...]

Thank you for the great response to the Midnight Hustlers Hall of Fame! It was a pleasure reading each story and seeing the fantastic dream jobs people are growing after their workday ends. My hat is goes off to you! This morning I added the names and contact info to our Midnight Hustling page in [...]