Jess Lively

Welcome back to MML after my little break! This Memorial Day weekend was just what I needed – and so was the gorgeous weather here in Chicago yesterday. After a super long and intense work week, I recharged (read: napped) during the thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday. And during the dry moments I Biked the [...]

Phew. What a crazy few weeks. After a great long weekend with girlfriends I came back to complete the work that had accumulated while I was gone and then found myself sidelined by a migraine on Tuesday which knocked me off my feet. Sometimes when you don’t take the time to slow down your body [...]

Today I’d like to share another more private part of my journey towards making under my life and helping others design lives with intention. I will warn you, it has to do with the Oprah Winfrey Show (and how I was on it for 2.5 seconds) and I do cry/sniffle through much of it.  

  Hello, I am Mr. Lively, I program the internet, ride bikes, listen to records, spend most of my days with Jess, and today I join the blog world for the first time. Six months ago Jess was a girl with ‘more energy than I know what to do with’ (this is literally what I [...]

A great passage that is echoing in my head this week: “Great people have a vision of their lives that they practice emulating each and every day. They go to work on their lives, not just in their lives. Their lives are spent living out the vision they have of their future, in the present. [...]

I have a new addiction. Though I have a hard time keeping up with blogging, email, Facebook, and Twitter on a daily basis, I am finding Pinterest easy, simple, (and best of all) low-maintenance. For those who aren’t familiar with the wonderous Pinterest (yet), you simply “pin” images to an online bulliten board of sorts. [...]

Here are May’s DIY DESIGN YOUR LIFE interviews! As a reminder, you are welcome to participate in this series by posting your DESIGN YOUR LIFE on your blog and sharing the link with me (jess @ jesslc.com). It will be posted on that month’s DIY DYL post as seen below with Megan and Jennifer. Enjoy! [...]

For those who are in Chicago and want to check out the new bag collection in person, please stop by Macy’s (on State St) tomorrow between 5:30-7:30. I’ll be there with bags and selected jewelry for the evening on the third floor. Or, if you are an MML reader just wanting to chat in person, [...]

Today we have a sponsor interview and giveaway with the lovely Regina, founder and designer of Acute Designs. Her shop is the perfect mix of affordable handmade baubles for hair, neck, wrists, and shoes. Below Regina shares how she used her creativity and passion for accessories to launch a full-time business after breaking out of [...]

Over the past few weeks I’ve received several emails from MML readers who are in the process of finding their purpose and next stage in their life. This murky and dark time can be overwhelming, scary, and seeking advice usually seems to be the best course of action. “If I don’t know what I’m supposed [...]

Midnight hustler still. : ) This post is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Which can really just sum up what our dream report has been about. Starting a small business is hard. Starting a small business with your husband is crazy. Good thing we both like a challenge and [...]

Ashley LeMieux recently tapped me and introduced her amazing service organization, The Shine Project, and asked to share it here on MML. After finding out more about the group I was all ears and wanted her to personally share the project’s mission and current endeavors. You can find more info on her blog, ashlemieux.blogspot.com as [...]

It’s funny, for some reason I had an easier time sharing pictures of tampons and birth control than I do talking about something super intimate and important in my life. My spirituality. But after thinking about it a lot, I’ve decided that keeping this side of my life a secret here on MML is not [...]

A few weeks ago I was talking with a very good friend about her intention for her career. In a (somewhat) sudden bolt of clarity, she realized her next mission in life is to teach private music lessons. Having been a very talented flute performance major in college, she is perfectly suited to the task. [...]

I originally wanted to call this post “My Souped Up Linen Closet” but Mr. Lively in a mix of sarcasm and reflection mentioned that it should be titled “Designing Behind Closed Doors” and the name stuck. Yes, I unabashedly went way far beyond the call of duty and created a beautiful linen closet for my [...]

I said I wasn’t going to post today, and I am. Just want to stop in with a few nuggets. For those of you who hate your jobs but haven’t taken action yet… Here is something I wrote to a friend in a similar situation recently (hopefully it strikes home with you too): I know [...]

Okay guys, I’m going to level with you. But first, I want to get a little housekeeping out of the way. I am blown away by the fantastic response to the new bags! I had high hopes, but somehow the reality has exceeded them. Our Navy Tote and Navy Tote and Pouch Combo (so far [...]

Originally I planned to split this post into two, but I’ve decided to group it altogether in one big post instead. I’d like to share a bit of the behind the scenes of the lookbook and the people who helped make it happen. Behind the Scenes First, let’s start with some peeks Kelly snapped throughout [...]

The big day is finally here! Thank you so much for supporting me throughout this journey. It has been quite a ride from that fateful day I sat in New York and allowed myself to imagine a company that is bigger than just jewelry and though it wasn’t always easy, it has definitely been worth [...]

Click to download the free full-size May Wallpaper. As I head into the bag launch home stretch (hopefully tomorrow if all goes as planned), you can imagine that I have lots of excitement and a vein of worry swirling around in my mind. Over the years previous launches have helped me have more faith and [...]