I have also found a renewed energy for Jess LC. While we are still working on traditional collections coming up this spring (including some new products and collaborations), I also have a special new project that Susie and I are working on which will debut in the next few weeks. I can’t wait to share the results when the project is ready to launch!

And in other news, Susie discovered four Division Chevron Necklaces in our inventory which we overlooked and thought were completely sold out. This was a beloved style for many MML readers, so I thought I’d share the good news in case someone still had their eye on it!

We got a few things back from our photographer which happen to be sold out. These puppies are the last of their kind. So feel free to snatch ‘em up before they are gone for good!

And in other news…

Have you seen the new Rue Mag out today? I spotted our Merci note cards on page 15! Also, on page 68 you’ll find Danielle’s gorgeously tranquil apartment as well.

Discount codes and winner will be announced January 19th on the Jess LC FB wall.

First of all, I’m excited to share that I stumbled upon our Quincy iPad 2 case in the new Rue Holiday issue on page 65! It’s also been featured in Lonny’s Gift Guide as well as several other places among the interwebs. I am so thankful for all of the support for the cases and our new product lines!

While this press is exciting, it is also making it hard to keep the cases in stock.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am in the process of working with a new, bigger facility in Chicago to produce our cases and bags. And as we make this transition, there are faced with a few changes: our labor and material costs for the cases have risen significantly. The labor alone has risen 38% from our previous contractor on these cases. As you can imagine, we are not raising the cost of the case by the full increase, but we do need to raise it from $80 to $86 to make sure we cover some of our increased unit expenses. The price increase will be official on January 1, 2012.

But for the holiday season we are allowing people to continue ordering cases still left in inventory at the regular $80 rate, as well as pre-order cases that are now sold out at the $80 rate through December, 31st.

We estimate that the new batch of cases will be ready at some point in January, but to be safe we are officially estimating February 1st as the ship date.

If you would like to pre-order a case at the grandfathered rate in December, please email me at jess@jesslc.com. Currently the gray/canary and cocoa/coral options are sold out completely and we only have one gold/fuchsia left. As the other colors sell out, you can also reach out to me to pre-order those as well. Plus, as an added bonus for MML readers, I am allowing pre-orders of the new gold/aqua color option that will be available also – since you all helped me make the color choice.

Thank you so much for your support!

Happy December! In keeping with the holidays, we are singing a new tune at Jess LC. More specifically, we are singing The Twelve Days of Discounts. Though we have no use for “Lords a-leaping,” we thought you might like the chance to grab some of our jewelry styles at a discount.

Each day now through December 12th we will be marking a specific style down by 20%. No need to worry about discount codes, the price drop will be already adjusted on the product page directly (discount does not apply to any past or future purchases). You will find each day’s jewelry deal on the homepage.

What products will be in the sale? Well, that’s our little secret. Check Jess LC daily or join our Facebook page for updates.

Today’s sale item is…

The Ainslie Single Pearl Drop Necklace.

As I get ready to run a new order of iPad cases, I realized yesterday that I have the option of running the color combinations as usual, or add a new option and drop an old option.

And I would love your help to decide what to do.

Right now our gold/fuchsia, cocoa/coral, gray/canary, and eggplant/fuchsia options are incredibly popular and are selling at about the same pace. But the gold/graphite combo happens to sell a bit slower than the rest. So… I’m considering the option to swap out the gray lining in the gold/graphite case for aqua lining instead.

You can get an idea for what it would look like with my little photoshopped image above. And below, you can see the lining options in more detail.

Which would you order? The gold/graphite or gold/aqua?

If you’ve been following MML for any measure of time, you have seen Jess LC undergo a bunch of new changes in 2011. In January, I had the bolt of inspiration that led to growing Jess LC from a jewelry company to a lifestyle brand. It has been a string of challenges, one after another (and sometimes multiple challenges at once).

In the summer I almost had a break down.

In the process, I figured stuff out as I went and learned to create new products and work with contractors, business owners, and tanneries in Italy. Some things have been really easy, some things have been a challenge, and some have been nearly impossible. I had to drop a style I really wanted to launch, I had leather that was defective and caused a color story redesign, and I had a custom leather job get totally messed up.

That said, there was also some amazing high points like the popularity of our Lake Shore and Quincy collections. I am thankful that these new collections are so loved, as they are a personal favorite as well.

In fact, these new bags styles have been selling so well that the small batch orders we were placing were quickly pre-selling out before they even arrived. Due to the limited capacity at our first Chicago manufacturer, we have decided to find larger production in a new facility right here in Chicago.

The thing is, rather than ordering 10′s at a time of each style, we are now working with minimums of 200 units. 200 UNITS! It is hard to imagine, even as I type this post. I know that this is the best move for us, but at the same time, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. The sheer amount of material and labor that this new scale of production will require is at an unprecedented level. I am in unfamiliar waters in a field I’m still new to. I’ve managed to go from big-ish fish in a small pond to a tiny minnow in a large ocean.

But knowing how much better these new inventory levels will be for our customers (less delays or quick sell outs), I’m forging ahead despite the fear. I don’t have any guarantee that this will work out, but I am taking the steps any ways.

It feels kind of like walking in a straight line in a completely dark room, hoping that I am going the right direction. And I’m hoping that I don’t hurt myself in the process.

So with this in mind, I think this is a great time to fill in those interested in ordering Jess LC items during the holiday season. Because of the manufacturing transition, we are restructuring a few of our collections and some designs will no longer be available once remaining inventory sells out.

Quincy Collection – iPad 2 Cases and Coin Purses

The iPad 2 cases will continue to be carried. Our inventory of cases is limited right now (so order quickly for the holidays), but we will be restocking once our first order is completed by the new facility. We don’t have a specific due date thus far, but I expect it to be ready in January. I will keep everyone updated on this, and once we have a clearer idea of the turnaround time, I will open up pre-orders for any sold color combinations at that point.

The coin purses we have are no longer going to be carried forward with the new production. The inventory we have left is all that there will be. So snatch up these puppies quickly if you have your eye on one!

Lake Shore Collection – Handbags

Because of the large minimum orders we have now, we are not planning on carrying these styles into 2012. We will be releasing new bag styles this winter and spring however, so stay tuned!

And at the moment we do have a limited number of natural colored Lake Shore bags (the navy stock is sold out).

Jewelry, Scarves, and Stationery

These products and collections are still going to be available as usual. Our next batch of Webster Cheers and Merci cards will ship out to customers early next week and pre-orders are available now.

Our Classic jewelry is still available as usual. The Diversey, Franklin, and Division collections are selling out quickly and are still slated to retire when they are gone (as mentioned before, the costs of these collections have tripled, and we are therefore retiring them, rather than hiking up the prices).

And last but not least, our limited edition Belmont scarves are still available. But as styles sell out they will be retired as well.

What’s Coming Up in 2012

Looking ahead into next year I am busy planning several spring collections that are bright, bold, fun, and very Jess LC. I’m excited to share them with you as we go! But for now, I will just say that we are continuing to release new bag styles, jewelry, scarves, and stationery. And who knows, there may be some surprises in there as well!

Here in the Jess LC studio we are gearing up for the holidays. Since we are expecting a pretty big turnout in the weeks to come, we are offering a special discount a bit early to those who are planning on some gift shopping for themselves or others during this holiday season.

The 20% discount on orders of $150+ is good through this Friday online only. Enter code BOXESANDBOWS at checkout for the savings.

I’m on the lookout for help with Jess LC!

This Friday (the 18th), I need an assistant to help with the set up and running of an evening event for the Junior League in the Chicago Cultural Center. It will just be myself and the assistant for the evening trunk show. The event runs 7:30p to 11:00p. But we will need to meet at my studio beforehand to set up and transport items to the event at 4:45p.

If you are interested in helping, please email me at jess(at)jesslc.com. The assistance is unpaid, but there will be Jess LC credit!

Today I’d like to share a lesson that I’ve learned the past few weeks over at Jess LC. I usually wait a bit longer to share things that I learn there, but this one is at the top of my mind and I think it might be helpful for other business owners now or in the future.

Since the launch of our new iPad cases and coin purses we have had unprecedented success with them and have sold through our inventory much sooner than expected.

This is good (great, even) news, yet the newer, larger, orders we’ve placed are taking a while to create. We order in small batches yet when every item is practically sold out, that means small batches of lots of products = a large order.

The craftsman that we work with on our bags and cases are local, small, and make each item by hand. At this point in time, this is great for Jess LC because I can be in the workshop working with them directly on details and there is no shipping costs or lag time. They are also competitively priced for the small quantities we order, which means that we pass those low costs onto the customers in the overall price as well. If one day I decide to try manufacturing overseas in order to serve thousands of customers I have that option. But for now, I really like having great prices for high quality materials and local craftsmanship. It makes for a more personal product and much more of my own perspective in the design.

The issue that’s coming up is that our orders are pre-selling quickly and sometimes can take longer to make than anticipated.

For someone like me who is pretty Type-A (I decorate my closets just as much as my bookshelves), this is really upsetting. After all, I am the head of the company and even though I am doing everything in my power to get these orders completed on schedule, it still reflects on me if we are delayed.

For example, I was told our most recent order would be ready by Monday, October 24th. Then I found out that there was more work to be done and they would be ready by Thursday, the 27th. But in the meantime, a close family friend of a craftsman died and he flew out to New York go to the funeral. This left just one craftsman to work on the order over the weekend. By the time that the first craftsman got back from the funeral, there was still more to do and I’m now told that they will be completed by this Wednesday.

As you can imagine, this delay was completely unforeseen.

While I was processing this whole situation over the weekend, I had an epiphany when waiting for a table at the amazing burger joint, Kuma’s Corner. Kuma’s burgers are famous all over Chicago and with a tiny kitchen and small seating area, the lines here can be easily over two hours.

Right before we got seated my friend Alex made a comment that caught my attention. He mentioned that the hostess was one of the best he’d ever had at a restaurant. Knowing that I myself felt much like a hostess in the iPad case and coin purse situation, I asked him what made her so extraordinary. His response was simple, “She just seems like she really wants to get us a table as soon as she can. I know that there are a ton of people here waiting, and that she doesn’t need to keep us in mind that much, but she keeps coming up to us and letting us know how long it will be.”

And that’s when it clicked for me: the best thing to do when there is a wait is keep everyone as up to date on information as possible, in a personal way.

This course of action also validated why my customers waiting on cases were being so understanding and supportive over the past week. I, like the Kuma’s hostess, was doing my best to keep everyone updated. On the Monday that everyone expected to get their case, I emailed each person individually and let them know that their order would be ready to ship on Friday instead of Monday, just as the craftsman told me. Then, when I found out that the cases were not ready by that Friday, I again, let each person know in a personal email. I told them that once I had an update this week I would be in touch. I kept the emails short, honest, and apologetic, after all I have been so excited to get everyone their cases as soon as I possibly can!

Once I found out this morning about the funeral situation, I again, emailed everyone with an update. The honest and open communication with each customer has gone a long way. I am so thankful and blessed to have such understanding and supportive customers who are kindly and patiently waiting for their pre-orders to ship.

Once the packages do ship out, I have also arranged a little surprise; I have handwritten little notes to each customer, thanking them for being so “sweet” and patient – and I’ve included a little chocolate treat in the order to match my sentiment.

Overall, I think that what I’ve taken out of this whole order delay and hostess analogy is that honest, friendly, personal communication with customers is the best course of action. And in order to prepare for any future delays with these small batches, I’m now estimating the ship dates on the site for pre-orders right above the add to cart button, to keep people in the loop.

So while I am learning that I do not have complete control over production; I can do my very best, and be the most excellent hostess that I can be.

Fact #1: Over the summer I really, really, really wanted to buy an expensive pair of Tory Burch boots which were only available via Tory Burch stores. By the time that I made my decision to plunk down the $500 for the boots, they were all sold out. They had only had a limited quantity of the style and I had no idea they were that popular. I was incredibly bummed.

Fact #2: Our new Jess LC collections are made by a few local craftsman here in Chicago and often we order in small batches to keep things manageable for the craftsman. And we have also done small runs of products which are limited edition and can sell out quickly.

Fact #3: I knocked off another company.

These three facts give you a pretty clear picture of what I have to share. Given Fact #1, I have been aware that my lack of information on how rare those boots were caused me to miss out on owning them. Had I known that they were so limited, I could have hurried my decision to purchase them rather than get my hopes up and then be disappointed.

Likewise, this same situation is also happening over at Jess LC with our new collections. Since our jewelry is made in-house, we often can make items quickly and easily as long as we can re-order the supplies used to make the styles. But our new bag, scarf, stationery, and iPad cases are all made by local craftsman in small batches. And even the materials we use are sometimes not meant to be re-ordered, but are just available for one season.

What I love about this method is that it keeps things local, intimate, and special for our shop and our customers. It feels great to keep things small at this time to grow intentionally.

And in this process, I’ve decided to knock off another company…

Yep. It’s true. I’m getting my inspiration for production from non other than the amazing and incredible Three Floyds Brewery of Munster, Indiana.

I first got introduced to the company on a beer tour with my friends Cathy and John. Mr. Lively and I drove out with Cathy and her husband to go on a brewery tour and then eat some incredibly amazing bar food (like truffle fries). And believe it or not, the whole experience pushed me to improve Jess LC.

During our brewery tour, the guide mentioned that 3 Floyds does year-round, seasonal, and collaboration batches. This way of operating a small, local business was brilliant. And I set out to do the same with my own shop.

Collaboration Collections

While 3 Floyds collaborates with breweries like Dogfish Head, I did my recent collaboration with Claudia if Fig. 2 Design Studio which resulted in our Webster note card collection. These cards are available in small quantities. And I’ve also done a collaboration item over the summer with Elizabeth Dehn as well.

So far these partnerships have been incredibly fun and successful, so I’m excited to continue adding new collaborative collections in 2012.

Year-Round, Small Batch Collections

And when it comes to 3 Floyds year-round brews, like the insanely good Gumball Head (my favorite beer of all time), we over at Jess LC make our Quincy collection in small batches as well. Due to the high demand for this collection, we also allow people to pre-order from the next batch that is to come in once the previous batch sells out.

Seasonal Collections

Then of course there are the limited edition runs of styles which are not re-order-able. Once these styles sell out, they are gone for good. Our Belmont scarves and Lake Shore bags fall under these categories.

(Lake Shore however, will return in the spring.)

How I’m Getting the Info Out to Customers

To let customers know about these details we added small arrows below, to each product page that falls under these three categories.

And each of these buttons are linked to the Collection Definitions page, which explains everything in more detail.

Which of course kinda looks like the beer list over on 3 Floyds’ site.

So there you have it. I can finally come clean and shout it out far and wide, I love and admire 3 Floyds so much that I have knocked off their production cycle.

Of course the idea of knocking off 3 Floyds is all in jest, but the truth is that this was a great example of how looking outside your own industry can give you creative solutions to your own issues or even allow you to think about your company in a fresh and unique way.

 3 Floyds image credit

After the success of the first Jess LC Pop Up Shop earlier this summer we are doing another this Saturday in Chicago’s Millennium Park! It will be a part of the Style Chicago event in the huge tent on Chase Promenade North (the south side of the silver Bean) from 10a – 6p.

And… as a little extra bonus, if you come in and mention this post we’ll give you five dollars off your purchase!

Well, hello there! I have been in such a rush launching the recent collections, growing Business in the City, prepping for our next collection (due out in November), and so forth that I feel like it would be great to fill you in on my life lately and my current intentions.

First, I will say that I had a fantastic time celebrating my 27th birthday over the weekend with my dear “sister” (we aren’t really sisters, but almost as close), Carol Beth and her husband in Rochester, Michigan. Mr. Lively and I had a great time and I got to show him my childhood hometown.

As far as my birthday goes, I am taking this as a great opportunity to sit back and make a mission statement for myself. It is something heavily stressed in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, but oddly something I only did in college. Recently I have been a bit intimidated by the prospect of distilling my overall life purpose, values, and goals into just a few paragraphs. I think that I’ve honestly been worried that if I really write them down that I will then be held accountable to fulfill them at every moment of my life.

To help myself shake off this perfectionism, I’m now re-framing the activity in my mind to be my “Intention Statement.” This way I intend to let the thoughts guide me, keeping in mind that I may not always be 100% perfect all of the time. When it’s ready I’ll be sure to share here on MML.

As far as Jess LC goes, things have been going well! There are times when I definitely feel over my head, lost, frustrated, and confused. But then there are also moments of clarity, excitement, and awe at how much the company has evolved this year. So in general I kind of feel like a new mom must feel. The challenges are there, but so are the moments of bliss.

I’m looking forward to January to look back and reflect on all that has happened and craft the vision for 2012. At so many points this year I have questioned what I’ve been doing and whether I should have held back, done less, or been safer. But each time I face those fears and push forward. I am using this year as a (calculated) experiment. And when the dust settles after the holiday season I’ll be able to see what is really possible when you give a company like this all that you have to give.

As for this week, things are already picking up! I have an exciting photo shoot of my apartment on Thursday. And on Saturday we are having a Jess LC Pop Up Shop in Millennium Park.

So there you have it! I am so happy to have the opportunity to fill you in and share this journey with you. It’s meant so much to me and I am so thankful for MML and this amazing group of people who are also designing their lives with intention.

I have big news! I’ve been working over the past few months with Claudia Smith, the amazingly talented stationery designer behind Fig. 2 Design Studio to create a collaborative limited edition line of note cards for Jess LC!

The two metallic foil card styles, Cheers and Merci, come in single flat cards ($3) and eight card sets ($14) along with coral envelopes in keeping with our signature color.

It was so much fun to work with Claudia on this project. When I came upon her shop earlier this summer I was immediately struck by her talent and amazing products and I knew that I wanted to pair with her to create our cards. Our individual styles are unique but also overlap in that we both love fresh, clean, bright design. Working with her to make cards in my all time favorite color combo, white and gold, was a dream come true. And to mix it with our coral from Jess LC made the blend of Fig. 2 Design Studio and our shop seamless.

As for the intention behind the designs, I wanted to make sure that the phrases we chose would work for a variety of occasions. In fact, we designed our lookbook around this theme to show the many ways these cute cards can be used again and again.

Here are a few pics from the lookbook,

And as with the Quincy and Belmont lookbooks, I went straight to Danielle Moss of Breakfast at Toast to shoot the lookbook photos for Webster. She did such a fantastic job (I can’t say enough about her work for others looking for a photographer for business, home, or family). And I adored getting her little Buddy into the shoot as well.

To see the full lookbook, scroll the images below.

Thanks so much for following me along on this journey over the summer, I know that I haven’t revealed much, but hopefully the wait has been worth it!

Sorry for the delay on the post. This morning Danielle and I were shooting the next lookbook for the new Jess LC collection debuting next week. The shoot is a bit different this time compared to past lookbooks due to the nature of the products, so I can’t wait to reveal the collection!

Now it’s time to talk about my new little inspirational guru. Though there are many ideas out there on ways to give thanks from blessing books to grace at mealtime, Jessica’s methods (shown below) have far and away been most joyful and gratitude inducing for me.

I first revisited this video as Mr. Lively started mimicking her gratitude for things in our own lives and over the past week or so (including the fist pumps) and it’s become a running joke as well as a positive way to talk about good things in our lives.

Today on my morning run, I started to (silently) use her singsong style to give thanks for things in my own life. And you know what? It actually got me smiling grinning. I found this little tactic actually helped brighten my mood more than any other gratitude method before. And I wasn’t in a negative mood when I started, but the silent singing took me from happy to practically ecstatic.

Try it. It is certainly silly, but I think that’s half the magic.

And… Thanks to Adore Magazine!

Also, one of my things to be thankful for is a recent feature in Adore Magazine’s new issue! Thank you so much Rebecca for the wonderful shout out for our new Quincy Coin Purses.

PS – We got the gold/fuchsia and eggplant/fuchsia back in stock!

Yesterday Oh Joy shared coin purses on her amazing blog. I’ve been a huge fan of her for years and to see her get excited about our coin purses is truly amazing.

And earlier this week I was interviewed for a Psych Central article on 12 Ways Successful Bloggers, Entrepreneurs Stay Productive. The article is great and shares my viewpoints along with the likes of Tara Gentile. It was great to see how differently we all approach our workdays and life balance.

As many of you know, one of the best ways for me to stay productive during the weekdays is to avoid email on nights and weekends. I still highly recommend the practice for those who haven’t tried it yet. It has changed my life and helped me truly appreciate what I do in and outside of work.

Thank you so much for the amazing feedback from the initial launch of Quincy and Belmont! I am thrilled to hear how many of you love the styles and colors we designed. And from the initial sales, it’s clear that gold and fuchsia is a big winner (not that we are surprised).

It’s also funny to hear how many people have been on the fence about buying an iPad. I know that my own decision to buy one was driven in large part by the case I’d be using. Which as you know, became the catalyst for designing one for Jess LC that had all the bells and whistles that I wanted – protection, leather, brass zipper, pockets, and gorgeous lining. And though it may not be the best buy for everyone, I have loved having mine and use it daily. I use mine to sketch ideas with my stylus, take notes, read The New York Times, do short yoga videos in the morning, play Words with Friends, and it makes one heck of a blog reader. So while I definitely don’t recommend buying one if the finances aren’t right, I do think it is worth the money for me personally.

Now, on to the lookbooks. I honestly don’t even want to share them until I give proper credit where credit is due, so without further ado,

Danielle Moss – Photographer

Blog – Breakfast at Toast
Site – Danielle Moss
Twitter -@DanielleMoss_

Danielle shot all of the incredible photos for the Belmont and Quincy lookbooks and I couldn’t be more blown away. She captured the essence of what we were doing in the blink of an eye, works extremely hard, and is so reliable. I cannot recommend her enough for people in need of a photographer.

It was a pleasure having her as a photographer for Jess LC and I feel honored to have her as a friend as well. Her hard work with her blog, photography, and booming blog design business make her a great person to follow online as well.

Alaina Kaczmarski – Stylist and Model

Blog – Live Creating Yourself
Site – LYC Graphics, LYC Shop
Twitter – @AlainaKaz

When I first started thinking about these lookbooks I knew that the products lent themselves to a variety of shots and, unlike jewelry, could be shot in vignettes as well as on models. Which is tricky for me. And I knew that having Alaina on board to style the shoot was going to make everything look 100% better.

I was right.

Alaina has an eye for style of all kinds, fashion, product, home, you name it. And since we were dealing with those types of locations for Quincy and Belmont, I wanted her to take the lead when it came to laying out the shots and getting everything placed just right. Heck, she even styled the images above (I saw how well she put them together for her post and begged her to let me use her “styled” photo layout as well). What was even cooler was being able to actually have her model in the shoot as well. As a friend of Alaina, I knew her beauty and amazing laugh would shine in the lookbook. (And I was right again.)

Liz Schnider – Model

Blog – Sequins & Stripes

Twitter – @LizSchneider01

Liz, I am happy to say, is a new friend. I met her via Alaina’s blog design for her awesome style blog, Sequins & Stripes. I started to follow immediately and was hooked to her editorial perspective. I am not personally the best when it comes to clothing and outfits, but this girl knows how to make a freaking adorable outfit. So I started to literally study how she does it. And then it occurred to me to have her model along with Alaina to keep the lookbooks varied and interactive.

I have to say, I pat myself on the back for that decision, because Liz rocked it out of the park with her adorable giggles, smile, and fun attitude. She seems made for this stuff. And I’m excited to see where her fantastic blog takes her from here.

(And again, I’m thrilled to have her as a friend now, too.)

To view the lookbooks in their full size, expand the images below.

After a summer of product development, I’m proud to share two new Jess LC collections, Quincy and Belmont.

Of course, you can straight to the lookbooks to see the entire launch. But for those who are more patient, I’ll fill you in a bit about the collections (details on the lookbook shoot with Danielle (photographer), Alaina (styling and model), and Liz (model) will come later today).

Quincy iPad Cases

Quincy is our iPad2 case and coin purse collection. My intention behind this collection was to make everyday items pretty. And when it comes to iPad cases, I found that there were many “practical” options and just a few beautiful (and extremely expensive) ones. But none had the colors, protection, price, and style that I was looking for. And so, I set out early this year to develop what I consider the best case on the market for under $100 (we came in $20 below the mark).

The colors, you may notice, are from that little color survey I had you all comment on earlier this spring. I think you all did a great job picking. We went with gold/gray, gold/fuchsia, gray/canary, eggplant/fuchsia, and cocoa/coral. Each one is hand made with real leather in Chicago.

Quincy Coin Purses

And since not everyone needs an iPad case, I also wanted to design another style to this collection which used the awesome color story we created in a different way as well. And these coin purses are the perfect choice. The soft, supple leather and pop of lining is the perfect little place to stash cash, credit cards, iPhones (it fits without the case), or lip gloss. The key ring makes carrying keys and cash simple, and the brass zipper is strong and pretty. Like the iPad cases, they are hand made in Chicago.

I have one in gold and gray and I can’t stop using it. The fact that it’s small enough to fit in all the bags I have and also fits easily into Mr. Lively’s pocket (if I decide not to bring a purse on errands) is ideal.

Belmont Scarves

I have also been hard at work developing scarves for Jess LC as well. Belmont scarves are hand silk screened in Chicago on 100% silk. I was inspired by the classic Greek key pattern and how our logo could be used to create a similar look. I think the overall effect is subtle, but is sophisticated and easy to wear. My own personal wardrobe is filled with many basics, and I find using scarves to add color and pattern is a great way to make simple outfits feel more pulled together instantly.

We chose to go with four color ways, graphite and gold, french blue and light gray, navy and kelly green, and khaki and poppy. Each color is in two styles; as a square and a large rectangle. And to show the variety of ways each can be worn, I whipped up a few cheat sheets.

Phew. I feel like making this post is like having my own version of a Fashion Week runway show. I’ve worked so hard on all of these details and you all have been so incredibly encouraging and patient as I got these collections ready. I am so grateful for all that you have shared. Each encouraging comment, tweet, and email along the way has helped me get to this point.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

… next Monday.

But for now I couldn’t help but share a little something from my Saturday with Danielle, Alaina, and Liz. With Danielle shooting, Alaina styling, and Liz and Alaina modeling, the shoot was pretty incredible.

And since there are two collections launching, I figured I better give you a peek at the other products as well. It’s only fair, right?

Yep, Danielle’s pics are bananas. (I don’t even use that word, but it’s really the only way I can describe them.)

I can’t wait to share the full release with you on Monday.

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! I got back yesterday from my cousin’s beautiful wedding in Philadelphia. It was a great time and Mr. Lively got to meet the family. (Which is a pretty big deal, folks, a pretty big deal.)

Now, it’s time to get back into the swing of things here at the studio. This is a big week for us. Our first three collections are finally reaching their completion and we are shooting the lookbook for the first two collections on Saturday. The third collection is coming out in October, and the fourth will be ready in November.

And since I’ve been speaking about the new collections without really giving any details, I think it’s finally time to share the goods. So tomorrow evening I will be at a trunk show at Macy’s with our jewelry and bags – and I will bring samples of our first three collections so you can see what’s in store and pre-order if you like. I’ll just make sure you pinky swear not to share any secrets beforehand.

And for those of you who are out of town or can’t make tomorrow’s event, I’ve also whipped up some clues…

Hope to see you tomorrow!

(And as usual, no need to buy anything if you just want to stop by and introduce yourself, that’s wonderful too.)

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 four years ago, I’ve tackled a new area of business which has catapulted Jess LC to new levels. But that also means that each year I have faced a huge (stressful) learning curve. In 2007 I took a part-time hobby from college to full-time company in a studio apartment in Chicago. In 2008 I got sales reps who took our distribution from 15 stores to over 100 and brought on jewelry making assistants and interns. In 2009 I strayed from wholesale accounts focused on selling online and started MML. In 2010 I completely re-branded, launched a new site, shopping cart, packaging, and designed cast pieces which were custom made for Jess LC. I also worked with a major PR company in New York and LA who got our jewelry in Real Simple, People Magazine, and Daily Candy. And this year, 2011, has been the year of designing collections beyond jewelry.

Early in January while speaking at a conference in New York, I finally dared myself to think beyond jewelry. And the minute that I dared to imagine that I could design my favorite item to personally purchase, handbags, I was over the moon. I also quickly conceived the idea of making Jess LC a lifestyle brand with many new products, and I set to work making the very popular Lake Shore collection.

What hasn’t been so apparent since that spring launch is that I’ve also been working on four other new areas as well.

Since June, I’ve been working side by side with new sources to make the other collections. These new products are all in areas that production-wise, I knew absolutely nothing about. And I’m realizing that in my quest to design and launch the four new collections simultaneously, I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

In theory I imagined that this process would be fantastic, easy, and fun. And at first it was fun, then it was challenging, and now it is hard. I’ve had to learn to work with three totally new people and companies who all have their own ways of doing things, and who are not always able to produce exactly to my preferences. Time lines, likewise, are frequently delayed, samples are denied, and materials are inaccurate.

My enthusiasm for my ultimate vision underestimated my capabilities and those of my suppliers. And while I keep pushing along, expecting things to go perfectly, I end up banging my head against the wall, trying to control things beyond my reach.

I thought that by leveraging suppliers and experts in the areas my life would be easier. But the reality is that it is actually more stressful because it is so often now out of my hands.

So after months of hard work, highs, lows, stalls, and waiting, the collections are finally reaching completion and look great. But in order to really get things going, I also realize that I should cut one of the items which isn’t up to par with what I’d like to present on Jess LC. My hope is to perfect it, and return to it again next year.

I’m also learning that four collections launching over the next three months is a too much to do properly, so I’m going to do a double launch of two collections together in September, another launch in October, and a final launch in early November.

By dropping the one problem style, skipping a photo shoot and launching two collections together, I am taking a step back from my massive expectations. I am ditching perfection in favor of doing what is do-able. As much as I want to do everything, I also want to do things well. And if that means taking smaller steps and being more flexible, that is what I need to embrace.

I’ve learned that I can’t expect things to be easy or perfect, but I can have faith that they will be worth it. As Joyce Meyer says, you have to go through the middle to get to the other side.

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 was barely room to walk. I also was devastated to realize that my full size bed was not going to fit in the extra roomy closet as I had hoped. This realization may seem petty. However, it forced me to realize that I would have to live, work, and sleep in the same room.

Soon after settling in, I had a new challenge to face, self-employment. At first I was crippled by uncertainty. I was desperate to know what the “right way to work” was. Eventually I realized that it was up to me to define, keeping in mind that I had bills coming on a monthly rotation. When people told me they couldn’t imagine being self-employed because they thought they thought they would not actually be able to do work at home, I was baffled. Of course you go to work each day, how else are you going to pay the bills?

My strategy for getting Jess LC started full-time was simple: sell jewelry to stores. And that is exactly what I did. What I did not expect was the exclusivity that many Chicago boutique owners wanted in their neighborhoods. Which meant that of the hundreds of boutiques that could carry my jewelry, I needed to find the best in each neighborhood and stick to those stores to have long-lasting relationships. This was new to me since in Ann Arbor, I was able to sell to three stores in the same town.

From August through December of 2007, I was a one woman show. I listened to books on tape as I cut every necklace tag, made every piece of jewelry, and answered every single email. I calculated out that to meet my bills I needed to sell $1000 worth of jewelry at wholesale a week. This simple metric helped me pace myself as I worked to get store orders. Some weeks I hit my goal early, some weeks it went down to the wire, and some weeks it didn’t happen at all. But I am thankful to say that I’ve never had to defunct on a payment, and things have always worked out in the end.

Please let me assure you that the first two years of living intentionally and growing this business could also be considered minimal, at best. I think a lot of people expect that living intentionally will always feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. In the beginning it was not that way for me at all. Most people thought I was crazy for doing it, and even store owners placing orders would ask what my “real job” was.

Intentional living is based on the faith that you are doing what you are meant to be doing as best as you know. But you also must realize that it can involve sacrifice. I lived in a crappy studio apartment with a boyfriend for two years, didn’t go to the dentist for three years, and only went on vacations that doubled as work trips. I had anxiety attacks about cash flow. Once, I debated going and trying to find a job and give up completely.

But through it all I persevered – please don’t think this was a glamorous process – I literally just kept going.

And ever so slowly things started to improve. In January of 2008, I picked up a sales rep team who hustled and got Jess LC into 100 stores nationwide in a year. I also picked up my first assistants and interns and started to learn to delegate so I could be three times more efficient. I no longer worked one day a week at a boutique for spending money. Little by little things picked up momentum.

Then in January of 2009 I started MML as I mentioned yesterday. It was finally time for me to stop being a hypocrite. When I began to get lauded for the courage it took to start the business, a voice in the back of my mind kept reminding me that I didn’t start the business because it was my passion. It was the vehicle through which I could help people because it would allow me to write about making under as well. And the longer that I delayed working on the real mission, the easier it would be for me to eventually ditch making under, my purpose, altogether.

I was scared that one day I’d have a million dollar jewelry business and have no time to help people design lives with intention.

But as you know, the blog soon took on a life of it’s own and I now spend my mornings sharing here with you. And as I gave of my time and thoughts here, I also began reading and getting involved in blogging via the business as well. This soon helped me clarify how to best use the business. By focusing on my online customers and site, I could consolidate my efforts and become more effective. Working with people online for Jess LC and MML is much easier than trying to focus on store accounts, sales reps, and trade shows while also being present and active on MML and other social media efforts.

I’m also happy to say that by September of 2009 I was also finally able to move out of my studio apartment and able to move in with my boyfriend, at the time. Consolidating from two studio apartments to a two bedroom apartment was a huge luxury. There were rooms with doors! I set up Jess LC in a second bedroom and reveled in the extra space.

But unfortunately the move also became a turning point in my relationship and we eventually realized we needed to go separate ways. But rather than break the lease six months early, we stayed together until the lease ended. Though Jess LC had been tough to start, the summer of 2010 was one of the hardest times in my life. And thankfully, taught me some of the best lessons I’ve ever learned.

Once I knew that I had to move again in September of 2010, I decided that God, or life, was not asking me to take a step back and retreat to a studio once more. I loved my new apartment building and I literally decided that I was going to make it work in a one bedroom apartment. Sure, this meant that my studio was going to have to be in the living room, but thank goodness the bed wasn’t there anymore like it was in the first place. It also meant that I was going to pay 50% more rent. This was scary, because I had no real proof that Jess LC would be able to afford it, but I set my foot down and again, persevered in the most unglamorous way possible.

And it worked out.

Since that move last September, things have risen to a whole new level for me. I began to go on speaking trips and I continued helping people make under on MML in a greater way than ever before. My personal life flourished as well. I met Mr. Lively and could not be more thankful. I decorated my apartment exactly as I wanted, and was even part of a Rue spread.

And Jess LC is evolving into a fantastic new adventure for me. Allowing myself to design and work beyond jewelry design has been a thrill, and a huge roller coaster with many twists, turns, inclines, and falls. After four years, I have found a way to design my business with such clarity that I cannot imagine life without it for the foreseeable future. The mix of MML and Jess LC has become a great fit for me. I feel honored to do both to the best of my ability.

So there you have it. A summary of the four years since I rented a U-Haul and plopped myself in Chicago. My hope is that this story resonates and in some way dispels any myths about intentional lives being perfect, easy, or even enviable. The risks, sacrifice, joy, and meaning are always there, unique to each person.

The path will not always be easy, but the path provided from within will always be worth it.

photo by Emily Anderson for Rue

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) and Crossbodies (navy and natural). These puppies are going to be adorable with plaids, velvets, and denim. I can’t wait.

Oh, and did I mention the natural clutch made it’s way to Glitter Guide last week? We are over the moon.

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 and the lovely Linley of Dwelling and Telling.

We first “met” Linley during our Jess LC Design Your Look challenge. Her entry was one of the most popular in the bunch, and it quickly caught our attention here in the studio as well. After hopping over to her fashion blog, we were hooked. Her style is approachable and chic, the perfect mix for Ainslie styles.

So once we got to planning the launch of the collection, we thought it would be fun to send the styles to her and allow her to work them into her wardrobe exactly as she’d do naturally – without any prompting from us. Then, once she shot the looks, she sent the photos to us to collect for our lookbook. It was a fun challenge for her and a great chance for us to really let a customer share how our jewelry works for her.

We couldn’t be happier about the lookbook and cannot thank Linley enough for all her help.

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 you can see several of the new styles in soft grays, pinks, and champagnes as well as freshwater pearls.

One – Crystal Cluster Necklace. Two – Three Crystal Earrings. Three – Crystal Strand Necklace. Four – Crystal and Link Earrings. Five – Round Crystal Earrings. Six – Crystal Cluster Necklace.

Seven – Pearl Drop Earrings. Eight – Single Pearl Bracelet. Nine – Pearl and Link Necklace. Ten – Single Pearl Necklace. Eleven – Pearl Cluster Necklace.

And later I’ll be back to share the lookbook featuring our newest Jess LC girl, Linley of Dwelling and Telling.

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 and let you know what I have been working on and what is coming up in the months to come. There’s a fair amount to recap, so stick with me.

What I’ve been working on this summer.

This summer has been passing quickly in a flurry of new changes and opportunities. Most of which I’ve shared, such as Lifebook and the Pop Up Shop. And the part about me learning to fill my ice cube tray and to stop checking emails after hours. I’ve also explained how I removed my career from my purpose.

But then there is the other stuff that I didn’t really talk about. Stuff like my new collaboration with Elizabeth Dehn on our newest makeup pouch. This was such a fun project to do, and the first one where I worked with a fellow online business owner to create a Jess LC product for a different company.

I also just took a long weekend trip with Mr. Lively to Mackinac Island, Michigan. You can see us above hanging out along our (humorous) tandem bike ride. This vacation was a fun getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. We rarely checked the time, I left my phone turned off in the hotel room, and I didn’t check my email for four straight days. It was a challenge not to check my inbox and to only look at my phone once a day, but worth it. I was truly able to unwind.

Throughout April, May, June, and July I have also been planting a large crop of new products which all seem to be sprouting up at the same time over the next several weeks. Like a farmer, the time it’s taken to sow these designs, approve rounds of samples, and order materials has been tedious. But I also find myself more in love with what I’m doing with my business than ever before. And I do believe the end results will be worth the time and financial investment. So while it may seem like we haven’t been up to much lately, the truth is that all of the launches that are soon to follow are a result of the past few “quiet” months.

What will be coming up this fall.

Now onto the stuff that is going to unfold through the end of fall.

The first most notable thing is the launch of our newest jewelry collection, Ainslie. This delicate collection which launched today, will be shared in more detail here on MML tomorrow. But for now, feel free to hop over and check it out. This was the first jewelry collection where I allowed our jewelry maker Jewelry Queen, Susie, take the lead on the designs and color selections. I think the end result is a great addition to our line and plays off some of our most popular styles from across all of our collections.

Over the course of the next six weeks, three other new collections will be making their debut on Jess LC as well. One will involve new products in color combos selected by readers here on MML. Another collection will involve two new products which can be used for home and wardrobe. And a third collection is a collaboration with a talented designer on the east coast.

And to wrap up the fall, we have another handbag line coming out (September-ish) which truly has my heart. These fall bags will be luxe. And in my opinion, they really show what I am capable of designing. I can’t wait to have them finalized and launched so you can see them.

While all of these projects come to completion, I will continue to share my own life’s journey here on MML. I have been learning so much this year. Most of which I’ve shared here with you. And other parts which are more personal, will be shared as I learn the lessons and can find the universal truths which we all can relate to.

Phew. So there you have it. This is where the heck I’ve been and where the heck I’m going. Thanks for listening and for your support.

But right now it is time for me to announce our annual Soc Chic All Week Giveaway! In an effort to help get the awareness out about our Jess LC Soc Chic necklaces that support non-profits (10% of each necklace sale goes directly to the cause), we do a massive giveaway of all eight necklaces each year on eight different blogs. This means that you can hop around to the eight participating blogs (one of which is MML, right in this post) and comment to win each necklace.

I would like to first and foremost thank Melissa and Michelle, our Jess LC managers, for hosting and putting on this little party. They planned and prepped and launched this year’s SC All Week with incredible enthusiasm and attention to detail. They also hand picked the seven blogs participating – several of whom are also Jess LC Ambassadors as well. And of course this also leads me to a huge thank you to all the participating bloggers for helping to make this year’s giveaway possible. I hope you’ll take some time to browse their sites – they have some pretty fantastic content and happen to be super nice people to boot.

Below you’ll find out a bit more about the necklace we are giving away here on MML and the links to hop around and enter the other giveaways.

On Friday (8/5) all the blogs will randomly select a winner for their giveaway and we will send out the Soc Chic necklaces to winners next week.

Makeunder My Life giveaway – Raindrops on Roses Necklace

Here on MML our giveaway necklace is our Raindrops on Roses necklace which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Leave a comment on this post before Friday (8/5) to win this necklace.

Comment to win the other Soc Chic necklaces

And to win the rest of the Soc Chic collection, hop to the following blogs to enter the other necklace giveaways as well.

Meet our newest bag to hit the block. This turquoise lined clutch was created in collaboration with the lovely Elizabeth (our new MML beauty contributor) of Elizabeth Dehn beauty. This fella is perfect for stashing beauty supplies or carrying as a clutch out on the town. And for $30, the bag’s double duty is worth every penny.

I couldn’t be more tickled to find two of our Jess LC designs swimming among the amazing products featured in this month’s Rue Mag on pages 19 and 27.

Thank you, Rue lovelies, for sharing our Diversey Large Paisley Earrings and our Lake Shore Natural Tote.

{I’d also like to give you the heads up that we have a lot of new exciting projects coming to fruition at Jess LC in the next month or so, so hang in there as I share what we’ve been cooking up all summer!}

Thanks to photographer and blogger, Frankie de Guzman, we have some great pics to share of our Pop Up Shop from last week! Take a look at how it turned out.

And just so you know, our next Pop Up Shop will be on October 22nd in Millennium Park, Chicago. Details will come closer to the event.

The event was hot – in the nineties both days – but that didn’t deter buyers from coming out and supporting the event.

(It also helped that the staff handed out bags of ice on Wednesday afternoon too.)

On the second day, Michelle (in the far back, wearing white) and I (on the right, wearing white) were busy. She focused on packing orders while I spoke about the new fall jewelry and our Lake Shore bags.

On the other side of the booth the adorable and fun Ali, our intern-for-a-day, was busy writing up order slips and handling things like a pro. We can’t thank her enough.

My favorite element of our shop was the Confetti System streamers. They seemed to be made for our brand. Metallic + coral? Please. They were the perfect punch.

Bunches of bracelets.

Soc Chic was in full force too.

Necklaces on parade.

A sneak peek of our fall jewelry debuting next week, the Ainslie collection.

And a glimpse of Quincy, a collection coming up in the months to come.

For more pics, check out the behind the scenes look from the Jess LC team’s point of view on their blog.