Jess Lively

At long, long last, it is moving weekend! Mr. Lively and I are taking the day off to get our keys and start moving our smaller items into the new apartment. I’m using Redi-Boxes for the clothing and kitchen items so they can be put directly into closets and cupboards and reused for other stuff that [...]

As I prepare to move to the new apartment this weekend and close Jess LC in November, a sense of change is definitely in the air. The person I am now is not the same person that moved into this building three years ago. I’m older, wiser, and have a better hair cut. Oh, and [...]

Individualization, according to Marcus Buckingham’s Strengths Finder Assessment, is my number one strength. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed to find out that was my biggest strength. It definitely does not sound cool or sexy. However, when it comes to running our household, it has its advantages. Without even thinking about it, I tend [...]

First off, I would like to thank everyone for their support on my driving post! I had no idea I wasn’t the only one who doesn’t like driving or driving in a big city. In an effort to enjoy driving and being in the car a bit more, I created a little goodie bag of [...]

Hey guys! Caitlin here, and happy to be introducing Anne of Anne the Adventurer as our Design Your Life Interviewee this week. Anne is an inspiring writer with an obvious zest and love for life. I have loved getting to know her through her blog and see how she relishes life’s adventures, no matter how big [...]

The great thing about designing a life with intention is that it allows us to reflect on our lives and find ways to move past fears and limiting beliefs. Without a personal drive to push past our comfort zone, we can end up stalled in some area of our life. For me, I have created [...]

This week on Wish I Knew Wednesday I’ll be sharing the a-ha moment that helped me realize it was time to close Jess LC and how I chose the final day. And of course, I’ll also share what I’ve learned from the experience that could apply to other businesses as well. If you’d like to [...]

As I tell Mr. Lively (frequently) we are just four sleeps away from moving things to our new apartment. At this point I am pretty much consumed by preparations for the new apartment and the only way I can contain myself is by staying busy. Or sleeping. The level of excitement I feel rivals my [...]

This week and year, really, has been one of the most dramatic, growth-filled periods of my life. And though there are countless things that I am thankful for, it has come with it’s share of stress, problems, and challenges. In yoga this week the instructor read a quote about change and pain, somewhat similar to [...]

When it comes to designing an intentional life, Leo Babauta explains it rather beautifully. His philosophy is the same one that I apply to my life everyday and I hope to encourage others to try as well. Thank you, Merissa, for sharing the link with me!

  First of all, I am blown away by the emails, comments, and orders that have come in since my announcement to close the Jess LC shop on November 2nd. Thank you so much, guys. Your support makes me even more excited to share this next chapter of my career! For those people who have [...]

I can’t think of a better time to bring out a new design your life interview than today! After Jess’ big announcement yesterday, I think we’re probably all feeling inspired to focus our attention and energy on our true purpose and passions. Today, Joelle from Something Charming is going to be sharing her intentions with us. [...]

  (Of all the posts I’ve written, this might be the hardest one to write.) On November 2nd I have decided to close the Jess LC shop. This little company of mine, which I began at the age of 15 by accidentally selling (ugly) ankle bracelets at a pool, has brought me so much joy, sorrow, [...]

  As I mentioned in my post about our new apartment, I have chosen to work from home for the past five years. During that time I have learned along the way how to work productively and most importantly, effectively in a work/life space. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing the tips and tricks I’ve learned along [...]

  Since getting back from our elopement I have had one major project on my mind whenever I’m not working: decorating the new apartment. Decorating and design is literally my favorite thing to do on the planet. And the chance to start with a fresh canvas makes me giddy. Thankfully, Mr. Lively appreciates my interior [...]

  Lately I’ve found some inexpensive ways to add a little oomph to my life. Nothing earth-shattering, just stuff that makes makes me smile. Exhibit A: Candy Corn Oreos Yes, that’s right. I know these are far from healthy, but when Mr. Lively and I spotted them at Target last night, we had to try. [...]

  During our wedding ceremony Mr. Lively and I took turns reading aloud our marriage vows. These joint vows were in addition to our personal vows and now serve as the foundation of our relationship. Similar to a constitution, we created these vows to last for a very, very long time unchanged. But as we evolve [...]

  This week I’m changing up the normal Things I’m Thankful For series and talking more in-depth about one thankful item in my life at the moment: perspective. As I’ve mentioned, we are two weeks away from moving to our new apartment. And for the past few months the boxes of inventory and items for [...]

 This sponsor post is by Baubles at Your Feet. Men may wonder, what is it about women and their accessories? Oh there are so many reasons for our ongoing infatuation. Just like a very bad hair day can make a beautiful woman look a beautiful wreck. The perfect accessory is capable of doing many things. [...]

  On August 16th, 2007 I moved into a tiny Chicago studio. My parents helped me U-Haul my belongings from Michigan to my new Lakeview address. All of the boxes completely covered the floor space in the new apartment. And when I realized that the over-sized closet wasn’t large enough to fit my bed and [...]

  download full-size white wallpaper here download full-size flower wallpaper here September has been flying by so quickly I am a bit tardy in sharing this month’s free wallpaper. I decided on “this moment is exactly as it should be” because I am finding my anticipation for our move the weekend of September 28th very hard to [...]

I met Mary over the summer when we were both doing some work for The Everygirl, and she was one of those people I instantly felt like I had known my whole life. She’s witty, generous, and absolutely hilarious. Mary recently made the leap of faith to stay in Chicago following her internship with The [...]

  Tonight is Chicago’s Business in the City! The details about the free business meet-up are here. We’ll be meeting up at 6:30-8:00 in the back room of Next Door, 659 W. Diversey. Next Door asks that you RSVP on their site if you plan on coming. After tonight, our next meet-up is on October 17th, so mark your calendars for [...]

  Today I’m over on The Everygirl sharing three things to keep in mind after hearing an “important no,” as I like to call it. Sometimes things happen for a (good) reason. You can read the article here.   photo by via

  Tomorrow’s Wish I Knew Wednesday topic is all about training assistants and interns. As a solopreneur grows a business, management often becomes a new role… and one that may not feel intuitive at first. Tomorrow I’l share my experience and tips from working with interns and assistants over the past four and a half years. If [...]

  Today I’m excited to announce that we have two new collections over at Jess LC. We now have fresh stationery and brand new lucite trays! We partnered with Pencil Shavings Studio to create incredible gold and white lucite trays (that are interchangeable, so you can swap out the patterns as often as you like and order [...]

  Over the weekend Mr. Lively and I celebrated our marriage with our friends both near and far by throwing a rooftop party. Our intention with the party was to make it beautiful and as stress-free as possible. When creating a vision for the party, I imagined using our apartment building’s roof deck. For decor, [...]

  This week I am incredibly thankful for my light bulb moment about sharing my life here more on the blog. From your supportive comments I can tell I really did hit the nail on the head. I’m also thankful for tomorrow’s Wedding Bash Mr. Lively and I are throwing for our friends. It will [...]

  Over the past few weeks a few people have asked me to talk about how I packed for our nine day trip to Paris on Twitter and the JL Facebook page. At first I just answered their questions as best I could without any real plan to write a full post about it. Because [...]

To be honest, it’s 11:30pm and I just had an epiphany after watching Sarah’s House. So I’m writing while Mr. Lively falls fast asleep in bed and my mind races with inspiration at my desk. For those who might not watch HGTV, Sarah’s House is a show about Sarah Richardson designing homes new and old with [...]