Jess Lively

As you can imagine, being a jewelry designer means that I have several jewelry boxes. This one in particular is very special to me as it once belonged on my Grandma’s dresser for many years. Since I use display boxes to showcase most of my special pieces, this box has been meaningful but unnecessary. … [...]

Oh man, I feel like this summer in all of the new growth and anxiety I’ve felt, I emerging out of the fog with very little in my mind with which to cope. And in a way, that is the best thing that could happen to me for a few reasons. The first, is that [...]

Over the weekend I spent my Sunday morning pouring through a new favorite blog’s entire two year archive. I found this new blog crush’s life and content fascinating. She is also very talented in a particular area that I am working to improve in my own life. For the purposes of this post, who she [...]

Stand by me Although being a solopreneur (get it?) suggests working alone, it’s not entirely true. Even if you’re the only person WORKING for your business, I don’t think any successful entrepreneur would be so without a strong support system. Family, friends, and your significant other are all a part of the business because they [...]

Today I’d like to introduce a new little treat I have for MML; Dual Purpose. As a designer and someone who is all about clearing the clutter and staying (mostly) on budget, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that help me have a home that looks great and functions well. From time to [...]

Making the most with what you have There were quite a few design bloggers who watched and wrote about the show ‘Million Dollar Decorators’. I watched one episode but never got around to watching the entire season. The reason I am bringing this show up is because I really wonder how well “million dollar decorators” [...]

Now that I’ve shared what has been complicating and frustrating me, it’s time to share the baby steps I am taking to walk out of the anxiety and fear I’ve been feeling. Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of speaking to Mindie Kniss and she pointed out that I seemed to have a strangle [...]

I think I need today’s post to help me process my thoughts as much as I hope it helps others in business or contemplating a start-up. Besides my own life getting off track this summer, I also have been working through things on the business side as well. Each year since I launched Jess LC [...]

Now that I’ve shared who I am, why I started MML, and how I spent the last four years living intentionally, it’s time to talk about what went wrong over the past few months. As I briefly mentioned a few weeks ago, my intentional journey took hit a rocky patch this summer. And though in [...]

  Roller Coaster There are, in business as in life, highs and lows. Friends, I’ve been at kind of a “low” point. Fear is the main force of gravity in my business’s low point. Fear of failure, of being laughed at, at screwing up, of going broke, of having to give it all up, and [...]

The Best Unlaid Plans When I started my blog, Beauty Bets, it was as a creative outlet from my day job as a magazine editor. I had NO IDEA that it would lead to me quitting to become a freelancer, and I certainly had no intentions of starting a product line. That wasn’t even a [...]

Yesterday, August 16th, was my four year anniversary of living in Chicago. To think of where I was on this day four years ago is simply insane. The first night that I stayed in my new studio apartment I cried for a long time because my boxes covered the entire floor of the apartment. There [...]

a snapshot of the studio apartment where I launched Jess LC and MML in 2007-2009 Though I have been making and selling jewelry since I was a high school freshman, the decision to make the business a profession was a long and winding road. As I mentioned yesterday, before selling my first anklet, I had [...]

As I get my fall wardrobe in order (I’m doing a makeunder which I’ll share here in a few weeks), I thought I’d pass on some savings to Jess LC customers who might be in the same mood themselves. Hop over today through Friday to save $20 off the Lake Shore Clutches (navy and natural) [...]

Thank you so much for all of the feedback about what you love most about MML! I appreciate the encouragement and support so much. It also helped me clarify exactly where to go next with MML. As much as I was focused on ‘new frontiers,’ the responses I received helped me realize that I really [...]

It’s ok, I’m a professional. I had an initial consultation with a new client earlier this week and after the first round of introductions, the woman said “I don’t really know where to start – we don’t know how this works.” I had to bite my tongue. My response in previous meetings might have been [...]

Hi guys. After my mini rant yesterday sharing the ways that I’ve been mega stressed out lately, I am finally leaving my stress coma and I’m emerging more open minded (which is a proactive way of saying “unsure”). As you know, I’ve been working for months on a lot of new products for Jess LC [...]

Makeunder Your Diet with Real Food Without a doubt, the crucial foundation of a healthy, satisfying, and delicious diet is real food. You’ve probably heard that before. But what exactly is real food? Some people define it as unprocessed food, which is a good place to start, but I don’t think it tells the whole story. [...]

Above is a question that I received earlier this week. And it came at a great time. I can honestly say (hold on, there may be a bit of feisty-ness in this post) that this question relates to a whole myriad of lessons I’ve been learning since April. Since I really want to address the [...]

Today I’d like to announce the second installment of the MML Email Intervention! You may remember from the last Intervention, I have had several a-ha moments throughout this journey to rid myself of emails on nights and weekends. Including the fact that I used to work 119 hours a week. This new shift has allowed [...]

Life doesn’t always go the way you expect it to. No matter how much you design your life with intention.   Something I need to remind myself from time to time.

Time Management One of the most difficult parts of being my own boss is managing my time effectively. By nature, I’m a procrastinator, but I’m also a planner, so while I’m still adjusting to answering only to myself (and my clients), I’ve tried a few techniques for structuring my time. Part of the reason I [...]

Hi there, MML readers! It’s Cathy from Fiscally Chic with my first “finance with intention” post. Today I’d like to share a few financial intentions from the Fiscally Chic household and the thought process behind them. Intention #1: Be happy with enough. Here’s a consideration for those looking to win the lottery or become the [...]

After sharing the Ainslie designs yesterday, I’m excited to debut the lookbook here on MML as well. Take a look by flipping through the pages below (you can click in the center to see the images full screen as well). This entire project came together with the incredible help of Melissa here at Jess LC [...]

Mr. Lively and I are headed out for a long weekend in Philly over Labor Day for my cousin’s wedding. If you are looking to stay in Chicago over that weekend and want to “rent” my apartment, please let me know! September 1st through September 5th are open. You can see more apartment pics and [...]

At long last, please meet our newest jewelry collection, Ainslie. We are loving this collection’s ability to be both formal and casual – depending on how you style it. A sheath dress and heels? Totally ready for a wedding. Wearing jeans and a tee? The pearls and crystals add a bit of extra sparkle. Below [...]

When I set out to start MML I did so with a clear purpose in mind; to help people discover their best selves and highest potential underneath all of their ‘stuff.’ I had learned this lesson in college and knew that if I struggled so much, others must feel the same. At the same time [...]

Hi guys. It’s me, Jess. I know, it’s been a while. Even though MML has been quite busy lately with the new Thursday MML Contributor introductions last week and a few Jess LC updates, I haven’t been sharing much. And I don’t feel that good about it. So today I’m going to level with you [...]

Good morning and happy August! I just got back from a long weekend vacation with Mr. Lively (more on the trip and what the heck I’ve been up to lately to come in a post later today). But right now it is time for me to announce our annual Soc Chic All Week Giveaway! In [...]