A few people have mentioned over email or Twitter that they spotted my recent feature in the May issue of Woman’s Day Magazine.

And thanks to Michelle, I now have a copy  of it myself!

On page 66 you’ll see this mug staring back at you. Don’t worry, I had hair and makeup for this shoot. So that ain’t the way my hair looks when I wake up.

What can I say? Just keepin’ it real.

Anyways, I’m honored to be asked by WD to share how I organize and decorate with my accessories. It was quite a fun day of shooting and it was fun to share my easy (and cheap) decorating tricks.

Luckily, the feature is also on Woman’s Day online as well. So feel free to hop over and see my tips for storing and showing off accessories.

Gotta be honest, today I’m not feeling well. So I’m taking the day off, but right now I’m feeling well enough to drag myself off the couch and share something that hopefully is useful for you!

Traveling with jewelry doesn’t require a jewelry roll or anything fancy. Personally I use two things: little plastic baggies and an empty hand cream jar.

The key to not getting knots in fine chains while traveling is to drop the necklace vertically inside a little plastic baggie (a sandwich baggie will work too) – but remember to leave the clasp hanging outside the closure. This ensures that no matter how much your luggage gets jumbled, the chains won’t get tangled.

Once you arrive at your destination, pull the necklace out of the baggie vertically and you are good to go!

Extra tip: when at home make sure to hang your fine chains to make sure they don’t get tangled – ever.

For bracelets and earrings I simply drop them in a little hand cream jar that is cleaned. It’s quick, simple, and easy to find in my makeup bag.

I hope this helps!

When I moved to Chicago and started Jess LC from scratch in a studio apartment in 2007 I didn’t have a lot. I was self-funded by my part-time efforts from Jess LC in college and spent a lot of time thrifting for my decor and shopping at inexpensive “fast fashion” stores. It was wonderful because not only was it within my college budget at the time, but it also suited what I enjoyed; vintage decorating and feeling like I had a lot of clothes.

Then after living in the big city for a while, I started to sense a shifting in my priorities and in my personal taste. Suddenly I had a penchant for nice things, high quality things, things that I loved and were meant to last.

The only problem was that I was just starting out and was still “stealing” dozens of free tampons from my business school’s bathroom in order to stay on budget.

That’s right, I didn’t have much money.

So in late 2007 I set an intention to have only nice stuff that I loved, used, and needed.

But at that moment, my stuff looked something like this:

I had a ways to go before I hit that intention, obviously.

But rather than be discouraged by the bleak financial situation and volume of “not nice” stuff that I owned, I decided to manipulate my belongings to tip the scales just a bit.

I started to regularly exfoliate items that I didn’t need, use, or love with all my heart. Though I still love thrifting and some vintage decor, I donated or gave away all that was no longer my personal style. Same went for the cheaply made clothing that made me feel… cheap.

The end result of this concentrated effort was something like this in 2008:

As you can see with less stuff, the pie shrank a bit overall. But the proportion of nice to not nice stuff had increased. For example, if I started with 100 items and only 15 were nice, I was at 15% of my goal.

Then after my exfoliating, if I only had 70 things but the same 15 nice ones remained, my percentage of nice stuff I owned jumped up to 21% – and I didn’t need to spend a penny.  

I worked this formula on my possessions consistently and over time and the proportions continued to shift. I started to reach my goal without needing to go shopping.

And as you can imagine, over the next four years I did get more financial stability and was able to make new purchases. Although this time I had a new standard for what was worthwhile to spend money on: nice stuff. I didn’t get to buy much, but when I did – I made sure that it counted.

To continue this example, this might be a good representation of what my current stuff situation looks like:

Now I have a bigger pie since I have more things than after the shrinkage of 2008. But at the same time, the new things I’ve bought and my new exfoliations have continued to grow the good “nice” part of the pie.

Of course it goes without saying that what is “nice” or “not nice” is relative and is a personal decision that only we can make individually. But for those who are in a tight money spot at the moment or who might be unhappy with what they own; the exfoliation math can help fulfill intentions without breaking the budget.

As most people start to prepare for this week’s Super Bowl parties, Mr. Lively and I are starting to get ready for our trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! We will be gone Friday through Monday for a romantic weekend trip that doubles as my Christmas and Valentine’s Day present (I’m a lucky lady!).

I have already got my passport renewed and the rest of the preparation lies mostly in packing for the trip. But rather than waiting until Thursday night at midnight (we have done that before, much to my chagrin), I decided to get on the ball days ahead.

And in true Jess fashion, I’ve decided to see if I can create a more intentional packing process to help me stay prepared, but not burdened by a heavy suitcase full of unused items.

When I travel home for Christmas for a week to see my family I usually find that I have under-packed and feel forced to wear items that aren’t really ideal. But since I’m only heading to Cabo for three days and two nights, I also want to make sure I don’t over-pack due to my excitement to be somewhere warm and tropical.

So here’s what I did today to make sure I have a properly planned wardrobe while I’m away.

The first thing I did was talk with Mr. Lively about what activities we wanted to do while we were at the resort. We debated about whether we wanted to work out while there or not. Since my running shoes and gym clothes could easily take up a decent amount of my checked suitcase, I didn’t want to bring the gear if we weren’t going to really do a workout.

After discussing the workout idea, we nixed it in favor of swimming and relaxing. I have done a great job working out very consistently all month and I think a few days off to enjoy my hard work is ideal. So out went the workout gear from the packing list.

Above you can see what we do intend to do over the long weekend: lots of relaxing, swimming, and dining.

I also checked the weather forecast for Cabo this week. It looks to be about 75*-80* with cooler nights. So I knew that I needed to prepare for warm weather with layering at night.

Then, I pulled out most of my summer wardrobe and looked at all of my options.

Usually when packing, I get about this far and just throw my favorite items into my suitcase. But the end result is usually under or over packing and a lackluster array of outfits during the trip.

Next, I started to try on each item and created my favorite looks. Above you can see the outfits that could be great for dinner, dancing, or exploring. Each one has a layering piece as well in case of air conditioning or cooler temps.

I also made sure I had an outfit to fly back to Chicago in as well as a few other pieces that could be mixed in if I feel a bit more causal during the trip.

One bonus of this step I found was that there were a few items that needed to be steamed or cleaned. Those have been put in a special pile for me to attend to in the next few days so I’m not worried about them while on vacation.

And of course, I couldn’t forget the main event: swimsuits. I had the navy polka dot bikini from J.Crew last year but find that the top is a bit precarious for my chest and is best used only when laying out. So the new orange and black suits will be much better suited to fun at the beach or pool. I got both of the new suits at a huge discount from Lands End Canvas thanks to a recommendation from Jill.

So there you have it! I feel much better prepared for anything that might come up. I plan to use this same process to pack the other peripherals for the trip as well. This will include sunnies, beach towel, books, music, etc.

Viva la Mexico!

First, I’d like to say a quick thank you to all of you who showed up last night at the first Business in the City event! I had such a great time meeting you all and hearing more about the businesses you are starting or thinking about starting. I’ll be posting in the weeks to come about the next event, right now I’m thinking that they will be roughly once a month.

And now, it’s time to get back to wrap up the makeunder of my wardrobe. So for those who are coming in a bit late to the party, here’s what I’ve covered so far:

Step One: Create a Vision

Step Two: Exfoliate Stuff

Step Three: Identify Intentional Obsessions

This final step is about reflecting on the progress that was made and continuing to reflect in the future.

Here is the before closet:

And here is the after:

Though there isn’t a drastic change, I can tell just by looking at the photos that I did accomplish what I set out to do; create a more dynamic closet by adding pieces that would take my basics to a new level. The red, mint, darker plaid, and dotted top all add some great new options for cardigans and jeans.

And… to follow up on step three, I found the perfect new boots to replace my sold out Tory Burch obsession.

These Etienne Aigner boots from Macy’s were a mere $159 compared to Tory’s $495 boots – which to me totally makes them a save. I love this new pair because it has so many of the features I loved about the expensive pair – durable brown leather, curved top, low heel, logo detail, and clean lines.

In fact, I saved so much on those new shoes that I decided to splurge a little on another pair of flats as well:

These Franco Sarto leopard flats were originally $89 on sale for $62 at Macy’s. I love the leopard print paired with a trim of black patent leather. Already I can see how mixing these shoes into my wardrobe is again, taking my basics to a new level.

Going forward, I plan to keep my list of intentional obsessions in mind when I go shopping throughout the rest of the year. But I also know that there isn’t that much to be added… so the lure of shopping isn’t quite what it used to be.

In general, I’d like to do this kind of makeunder to my wardrobe each spring and fall to really get a handle on what I want my wardrobe to be like, what I don’t need any longer, and what I do want to add.

I hope that you enjoyed seeing my makeunder take shape and maybe even got a few ideas on how you can do the same thing to your own closet at some point down the road.

Once I created my vision for my wardrobe and exfoliated the items that did not match the vision, it was time to get to the fun part….

… Figuring out what items I wanted to purchase that completed my wardrobe goals.

Since I took such a methodical approach to creating my vision, it made this step fun and relatively simple. I knew from exfoliating in step two that I had some great items which fit my vision perfectly like great jeans, blazers, sweaters, black boots, and cardigans. The basics were there, but the “flavor” was lacking. So in my shopping list I made sure to focus on the fun and versatile pieces which would make my classic pieces pop.

Based on trolling through my Pinterest Makeunder My Wardrobe board I pulled these looks to add to my “intentional obsession” list:

(All sources and prices can be found on the Pinterest board. Stripe photo by See Jane.)

Once this list was created, I had a great idea of where to go for these pieces since my vision board included cross shopping high and low end stores already. I knew that I couldn’t find a comparable pair of brown boots in quality and style to the insanely expensive Tory Burch pair (which sadly sold out and I can no longer find). And that I could probably hit up Target for some of the more mainstream items like a dark plaid shirt. As shown above, my intentional obsession list included:

• Dark Plaid Shirt
• Silk blouse
• Tall Brown Boots
• Dark Winter Skirt
• A Pop of Red
• Printed Scarves
• Brown Leather Flats
• Brown Tights
• Stripes (Trend)
• Mint (Trend)
• Polka Dots (Trend)
• Fluffy Pin (Trend)

I will say that I’ve never been this focused when shopping before. It was like I could go into a store and easily sift through items and find what was or wasn’t worth my attention. Just because there was a sale on jeans didn’t mean that I needed to consider buying a pair; I already knew I had that category covered.

Also, knowing ahead of time which items I wanted allowed me to prioritize ahead of time. I got to figure out which items meant the most to me or were most wearable with my existing pieces. And I got to put some wish list items into perspective and save by getting a more generic version.

For some, this may be the perfect time to set up a budget as well and figure out what works best financially. For this makeunder, I didn’t focus so much on the total dollars spent, but just made sure that the buys I was making were worthwhile and within my reach overall. For me, items under $50 were a “save” and items over that price point were a “splurge.” But of course that splurge/save line varies person to person, so feel free to determine that point for yourself in your own makeunder.

Want to know what I got? Well, let me show you…

Intentional Obsession: Dark Plaid Shirt

Plaid Button Up - This was definitely a no-brainer for me. I loved the J.Crew or American Eagle versions, but this one has all the same features in a lower price.

Intentional Obsession: Silk Blouse / Polka Dots

Polka Dot Top (similar) – I love the sheer pattern and tiny gold buttons.

Intentional Obsession: Dark Winter Skirts and Stripes

Stripe Skirt – This was a stretch for me. I don’t usually wear muted colors, but I love having something a bit different to wear. It will look great with brown boots, too.

Gray Skirt – This pencil skirt with a little ruffle pocket detail was a great buy for meetings or to wear with black tights and black boots in the colder months.

Intentional Obsession: A Pop of Red

Flame Sweater (sold out) – This was a more expensive sweater than I usually buy, but the merino wool is great and the exact flame color I loved would be hard to find elsewhere. Since buying this sweater I have found it’s definitely been worth the extra cash since it goes with so many items and gives me a whole batch of new outfits.

Intentional Obsession: Printed Scarves and Eyelash Lace

Vintage Scarves – These scarves were a great, inexpensive way to add color and pattern to basic tops. And I even swapped one of my own vintage scarves for another, thus giving me something new to wear without spending a penny. I also loved that it was a purchase from an adorable local shop.

Eyelash Lace Trend – This scarf in particular was a great purchase because it touched on one of my other intentions, eyelash lace. The $5 scarf was a much less expensive way to try a mini trend without the financial commitment.

Intentional Obsession: Brown Leather Flats

Brown Leather Flats – These were a great buy since I don’t wear heels. They were a bit big at first, but I added shoe inserts Aldo sells and they fit much better – and are more comfortable.

Intentional Obsession: Mint

Mint Plaid Top – This was a great sale item which allowed me to get some more pattern in my clothing and try a new color I don’t already have.

Intentional Obsession – Fluffy Pin

Fluffy Flower Pin – This was from J.Crew (couldn’t find a photo, but this old Forever21 pin is similar). I knew that clips and hair pieces were a huge trend and finding this $10 polka dot pin that worked as a pin or hair clip was a great way to test the trend without much commitment.

So there you have it! I hit almost all of my intentions (except those Tory Burch boots, haven’t found a durable and good looking pair that meets all my requirements) and am so happy to create outfits now. It really does feel like a new closet in so many ways.

Going forward, I hope to do wardrobe makeunders in the spring and fall. Setting out ahead of time to figure out what items I want to add  – intentionally – will save me a lot of mindless shopping.

Yesterday I shared the first step of making under my wardrobe, Create a Vision. After I decided what style I liked, learned how to create more pulled together looks, and figured out which fall trends I wanted to try, it was time to move on to my closet.

To get started on my closet, I took Jessica’s advice in What I Wore:

and then,

It was not the quickest process, but it was really enlightening and worthwhile. I discovered that a lot of stuff I normally passed over was actually quite cute and fit better than I remembered (which has not always been the case in the past, often many items need to be donated or passed on because they fit poorly).

There were also a few items that needed to be hemmed, mended, or ironed. Once they received a little TLC they were fine to put back into active duty.

I even exfoliated a pair of boots which were in good condition, but didn’t fit me that well. Luckily, they were a perfect fit for Michelle, an awesome lady manager at Jess LC.

This makeunder was unusual since there wasn’t that much to exfoliate. Most makeunders have much more exfoliated stuff.

My Tactics for Clearing the Clutter

For those with more trouble letting go of stuff after it’s no longer being needed, used, or loved, I recommend trying these tactics to help kick start the process:

End of the Week Exfoliation – At the end of each week, find something that you don’t need, use, or love and pass it on, donate, sell, recycle, or toss it out. This is like a gentle pruning process that is a great way to maintain a clutter free home.

Throw Out Fifty Things – Take some time to go through your home (or even just one room) and find 50 items that are no longer needed and again, pass them on, donate, sell, recycle, or toss them out – depending on the item.

What I Don’t Want for Christmas – Before the holidays hit, take some time to go through your home and find things that you wouldn’t put on your wish list and find them a new home.

Host a Free Garage Sale – Go through your home and find things you no longer need and host a garage sale on your blog or in real life and do it free of cost. (In the past when I’ve done this I did ask blog readers to cover the shipping costs, so you might want to do that as well.)

Summer Home Slim Down – See how many pounds of stuff you can lose from your home.

After I determined what was staying in my closet, I put it all back inside. This time I put the blouses and sleeveless tops together on the left, from light to dark and then put long sweaters, shirts, and cardigans together from light to dark as well.

In the past I did not separate these items into their own categories, and I think a lot of smaller tops got lost in the mix when it was all one mass of color coded clothing.

Now that the closet was in good working order and I had a clear understanding of what I had, it made the next step, Identifying Intentions, much easier. I’ll explain more about that tomorrow.

For the past month I’ve been making under my wardrobe. And since it’s been a while since I’ve tackled the basics of making under “stuff” here on MML, I think it would be a great refresher course on the four makeunder steps.

Making under is about designing an intention for our home, getting rid of unnecessary items, finding out what we need to complete the vision, and evolving as needs change. It can be a straight forward exfoliating process when there is a lot of clutter. Or it can also be a transformational shift when there is major life change as well (like from career to mommy, college to career, single to married, or even moving).

(A Soapbox Moment)

Before any action in a makeunder, I think it is most important to step back and really evaluate what the overall goals and intentions are for the makeunder. I believe that the more we can focus on the overall outcome we desire, the more we will be able to cut out the crap that isn’t serving us well and to really determine what items we may want to purchase. The more we “begin with the end in mind” (thank you, Seven Habits), the more we will truly find ourselves with the stuff that serves us best and functions positively in our lives.

Though it may seem counter intuitive, I’ve never been against having stuff, I just believe that we need to have the right stuff to improve our lives. It’s mostly a quality over quantity matter to me. I don’t advocate living extremely minimally unless it brings you joy. For myself, I find the most peace when I have a beautiful, calm space that serves the goals that I have for my life. When clutter accumulates that does not serve that ultimate purpose, it is time to get passed on to someone who needs it, tossed in the trash if it is no longer usable, or recycled if possible. It’s really that simple.

Ready to start? Let’s get going,

For this wardrobe makeunder I decided to take the first step to a new level and really evaluate the vision and overall goals I have for my clothes. I wanted to totally re-think how I looked at my wardrobe, improve my skills at putting together outfits, and better represent myself as a person and designer.

Here’s what I did to get started,

To start, I decided to read up on the art of putting together a fantastic outfit. Research is something that I did naturally for my home since I love to decorate, but I had never applied myself to the art of making an outfit in the same way. Reading Jessica’s new book, What I Wore, was a great place to start thinking about my wardrobe more seriously. I loved the chapters in the beginning where she laid out some great steps like trying on everything in the closet and sorting out the items that needed to be mended, ironed, dry cleaned, or donated.

She also drew some beautiful outfit combinations that I used as math equations. Rather than looking at each outfit altogether, I started to identify which items she paired together.

Strappy Sandals + Beige Skirt + Print Top + Belt + Blazer = A Great Work Outfit

This helped me recognize which items I owned could be mixed together to make a whole new look, and which items might be great additions.

After getting the fundamentals from What I Wore, I studied my favorite style bloggers like Kendi, Jessica, Jill, Liz, and Blair. I started to see how they put their outfit combinations together and started to compile a set of looks that I could use as inspiration.

Which led me to…

… Start a Pinterest board. My Makeunder Fall Wardrobe page was perfect to collect inspiration pictures and also to tag items that I may want to try to add to my wardrobe later in Step Three: Identifying Intentional Obsessions.

Adding product images from online stores also allowed me to cross compare via my Pinterest board. I pinned products both high-end (Tory Burch) and low-end (Target and PayLess) to find the items that matched the overall vision I was creating at a price that worked for me.

By taking these actions above, I saw how items can be put together from my closet already, which fall styles I was most drawn to, and which items I thought would work into my closet seamlessly. I had a strong vision and goal for the wardrobe overall.

Of course it goes without saying that each person should create their own vision for their makeunder in whatever way works for them. I totally understand that many people would not go to the lengths that I did in this vision step. For me, I see the payoff as twofold for myself, the better I get at dressing and style personally, the stronger the designer I will be for Jess LC products to come.

In conclusion, take some time to stop and reflect on what you’d like the outcome of your makeover to be before tackling the clutter. The steps flow together best when there is a strong foundation.

Danielle over at Breakfast at Toast (and photographer for our launch) has combined a fantastic group of bloggers to share their top picks for fall. I’m honored to say that she also asked me to participate (my picks are above). To find out where my favorite items are from and the other amazing choices that the girls selected, hop over here.

I’m obsessing over the perfect white and gold watch in Jillian’s picks.

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.

… Until I found a new way to organize my sewing materials inherited from my mom. Now things are perfectly organized and easy to see.

And the bonus? Now I love fixing small holes or snags on my clothing because it means that I get to use the jewelry box that is meaningful and organized.

Today I’m guest posting over at Sacramento Street about the 10 things that make me happy. Since I talk mostly about exfoliating stuff I no longer need, use, or love here on MML, it was a joy to write about the 10 things that I do need, use, and love in my apartment.

Hop on over to Caitlin’s blog to check out my favorite handbag, floor lamp, and winter gear among other goodies!

Good morning! As you read this I am on my way to O’Hare to catch a flight to my parent’s house. Though I didn’t grow up outside Philly where they live now, I do enjoy the time that I spend in their new home. I also get to spend lots of time with my youngest brother, Mike, who is staying with them for the summer in between his sophomore and junior year of college. Besides relaxing, J.Crew outlet shopping, and a jewelry party for the neighborhood, I might also get a chance to visit the family boat which is currently on the Chesapeake Bay.

And as you know, on Sunday I will be headed to NYC for a “PR tour,” if you will. In honor of the desk sides I will be doing with editors at Lucky and Real Simple among others, I’ve got an awesome giveaway which would be perfect for a PR tour of your own…

Shabby Apple Giveaway

The Ingrid Dress over at Shabby Apple is pretty much perfection when I think about what I’d like to wear to a desk side. It’s classic with the black and white, but the ruffles add a nice twist. It’s also cool enough to wear while running in between offices in the middle of July. And coming in at $94, it is inexpensive enough for a splurge, but also an amazing item to win in a giveaway like this.

To enter to win the dress, please comment about your favorite dress on Shabby Apple before July 21st. A winner will be randomly selected and announced next week. US residents only, please.

(Please be patient with the comment uploading today, I will be traveling without internet for most of the day. So most new comments will appear this evening.)

Thank you for all of the sweet comments and support for the launch of the new Franklin Intentional Braille Necklaces and lookbook! I’m excited to explain a little bit more about the collection and show the necklaces in more detail.

I have been thinking about doing something with braille for a long time. Graphically, I thought it would look cool and unusual on a piece of jewelry. And once I realized I could turn intentions into braille… it was game on. For the first time I feel like I am able to marry my purpose (helping people design a life with intention) with my career (designing jewelry).

I first considered choosing the intentions myself. But then it dawned on me: I could make this collection a real reflection of myself and Jess LC by incorporating the input of bloggers and MML readers who are already a huge part of the company! Because it’s certainly no secret that I spend most of my day either here on MML or doing outreach for Jess LC online. So I then asked you all to tell me what intentions you wanted to wear on a piece of jewelry and then had you narrow down the hundreds of submissions to just five. And I have to say, I love the phrases you all selected! I think they represent what is important to so many of us.

After we finally got the braille pendants perfected, it was time to get a lookbook together. And in keeping with the online nature of the collection, I thought it was fitting to invite the amazing female bloggers in the Delightful Dozen to style their own Franklin necklaces and send me the photos. I trusted their exceptional style to create a one-of-a-kind lookbook that represents what this collection is all about: the collaboration of people worldwide via the internet. And with the help of Tieka, one of the nicest people on Earth, who also modeled the Division collection this spring, we were able to run one of the smoothest projects I’ve ever had at Jess LC.

As for the necklaces themselves, here are some detailed photos.

As you can see, each of the intentions is styled with a different stone combination. You can order the messages with whichever stone you like. Here are all of the options:

Each necklace is 17″ long, but if you prefer a custom length, feel free to email me at jess@jesslc.com and let me know what length you’d like your necklace to be. Since we cut each chain to size for each order, it’s no problem for us.

For the pendants, we decided to make them in 14k gold vermeil (gold dipped over sterling silver) and added a nickle-plating to ensure durability. For those that have nickle allergies, we recommend a coat of clear nail polish on the backside of the pendant to protect skin.

To see see the necklaces and options in more detail, head over to the shop.

At long last! All of those intention submissions at the beginning of the year have finally paid off! You submitted, you voted, you picked the following intentions for the newest Jess LC collection:

All along you have been in the loop about the collection as it has developed except for one minor detail: I didn’t tell you what it would look like! But as you can see now, I decided to print each intention on the front of the 14k gold vermeil pendants in braille (the words are in printed in English on the reverse side). This way you can rub the braille to remind yourself of your intention throughout the day… without displaying the meaning to the whole world.

I’ll be back later today to explain more about the collection, but for now, I want to present the lovely new lookbook styled by the talented fashion bloggers at the Delightful Dozen.

Enjoy!

(complete lookbook)

Shop the Franklin Collection

DETAILS ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY BELOW.

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. I’d like to thank you all again for the incredible support you’ve given me last week regarding some of the most difficult things I’ve gone through in the past year. And knowing that you’ve all ‘got my back’ in such an incredible way is actually driving me to take more risks in my life – I’m emboldened by the freedom that comes with putting myself out there and feeling accepted as I am. The fact that my openness and honesty might help others also feels incredibly rewarding. So thank you.

This week I’m going to go back to more “regularly scheduled programming.” Today we have an awesome interview with the very cool Chicago t-shirt company Scared Panda (who has a giveaway at the bottom of this post). I’ll also be sharing a bit more of the day-to-day strategy I have for Jess LC this week as well. And I have the biggest giveaway I’ve ever done here on MML coming up on Wednesday. Trust me, you are gonna want to stick around for that one.

Enjoy!

Interview with Katie of Scared Panda

Tell us about Scared Panda and how you came up with the name, Scared Panda.

We wanted to choose a name that was unusual, something that would stand out. Everyone loves pandas so we decided to go with Scared Panda. It made us laugh and we thought it would probably have the same effect on others.

Can you explain the Tamale Guys in Chicago and the Twitter app? Did this help spur on the t-shirt company?

Chicago is full of late night eating spots – you can find nearly anything from tacos to pizza to sandwiches. My favorite late night snack, however, are tamales from Claudio, one of Chicago’s two tamale guys. He goes around from bar-to-bar delivering fresh, delicious tamales. He doesn’t have a set schedule, so you never know when or where he’s going to show up. When he does, though, he’s usually greeted with cheers from excited and hungry patrons.

About a year and a half ago, my boyfriend Clint and I were out with our friends and a few of us had a craving for tamales. Our friend Matty mentioned that it would be nice if there was a way to track the tamale guy so people would know where to find these delicious late-night snacks when they got hungry.

That same weekend, Clint (who is a software engineer) spent a few hours developing the Tamale Tracker and it took off from there. About a month or two later, Clint did some interviews for the Chicago Tribune and Outside the Loop Radio and then it really blew up. Last fall, one of our friends mentioned that we should create a shirt about the tamale guy, so we did. Clint and I put our heads together and decided we wanted to do something more than just create one shirt. We both love to travel and learn about local cultures and so we thought, why not share other unique perspectives of Chicago?

Why did you decide to incorporate local causes in the t-shirt profits?

I’ve always been very passionate about giving back to the community – it’s important to me that the work I do does good for others. Clint has the same philosophy so it was natural that we both agreed to give back to local nonprofits. Our main goal with Scared Panda isn’t to make a lot of money selling t-shirts, it’s to share perspectives of different cities and give back to those local communities. We want to translate the love for Chicago (and eventually other cities) that so many people have into support for nonprofits who have an impact in the city.

What has been the most important thing you’ve done for the business’ success thus far?

Being genuine. Scared Panda reflects who I am on an incredibly deep level and I’m very open about that. We love to connect with people and to build relationships and I think our excitement and passion comes through when we talk about Scared Panda and connect with local artists, nonprofits and the business community. Like everything I do in life, I’ve just jumped in head first with optimism, passion and love for life. I think that comes through in everything we do.

Where to you envision Scared Panda in one year?

We are working on some exciting new designs and ideas for Scared Panda right now. One year from now, we’d like to have a presence in multiple cities – starting with the ones we are more familiar with – New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and a few others. Of course we are planning on building more relationships with nonprofits that are close to our hearts. We hope to inspire others to use their creativity to give back to their communities, to embrace other cultures and to always seek out perspectives other than their own. Some of the best things I’ve discovered in life have been a result of changing the way I see things. One of my favorite quotes is from Wayne Dyer and it says: “When you change the way you see things, the things you see change.” To me, that’s what life is all about, changing, learning, discovering. I hope, with these t-shirts, to spread a little bit of that around.

GIVEAWAY INFO

To enter to win the Scared Panda t-shirt of your choice, simply hop on over to the Scared Panda site and leave a comment here mentioning the t-shirt you like the most. The winner will be randomly chosen on Monday, June 28th.

Good morning! Thank you to everyone who watched my OWN Show video and voted! I can’t thank you enough! And if you haven’t had a chance to check it out, you can do so here.

In other news, MML was featured on the awesome, incredible, and fantastic Bright Side Project yesterday. Below you can see my current list of intentional obsessions. And it gets better: hop on over to BSP and enter the giveaway the winner will receive:

One lucky winner is going to have delivered to their front door the following (1) Pom Pom Throw Blanket from Mod Cloth (1) One pair of Jack Purcell Converse Shoes from Need Supply co. (1) Jess LC  Division Chevron bracelet ($48 USD value), (1) Pair Jess LC Division Chevron earrings ($74 USD value). To enter to win by Wednesday, June 2, 2010.

[Thanks to BSP for the images!]

This afternoon we have a sponsor interview with Niki the adorable blogger behind SingleBubblePop. She’s here to talk about her blog, passion, and purpose for 2010.

Enjoy!

Tell Us a Little About Yourself.

My name is Niki McNeill and I am the voice behind SingleBubblePop! I’m a Carolina born and bred petite lady who loves art and design.
During my entire undergraduate career at UNC Chapel Hill, I struggled through Pre-Med courses. Because I was great at science and a leader in high school, I had been convinced that a career in medicine was the best route for me. After taking the MCAT (and bombing it!) just before my senior year, I realized that if I didn’t stop then, I would continue this cycle of hard work and disappointment for the rest of my life. Not to say I would fail as a doctor, but I would never be truly happy with myself if I did not make a living doing what I do best! By the time I graduated, I had a plan to refocus on a career in art & design, but none of the details laid out. I spent the next two years studying Interior Design at Meredith College and Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy. Now, I’m living in Atlanta, working toward my dream of being a self-employed designer and artist.

How did Single Bubble Pop get it’s name?

When I started SingleBubblePop in 2007, my life was going through major changes. I’d just graduated from a huge university, moved back in with my parents in my small hometown and started a completed different course of study at a school that couldn’t be more opposite from the one I graduated from. The name SingleBubblePop actually was born out of a new found meditation practice. In learning how to meditate, I found that many teachers of this spiritual practice encourage focusing on one serene object or scene to help clear your mind. For me, this was the image of a single bubble, and as I stilled my mind I aimed to make it so quiet that I could hear a single bubble pop. It was appropriate name for the blog because when it began, it was literally just a place for me to make a mental dump of all the chatter going on in my brain at such a pivotal time.

Was there a certain inspiration that sparked your blog?

Blogging for me started as a way that I could keep track of all the new, exciting ideas I was finding on the web and to connect with others at a time when I felt so isolated. It later became a way for me to continually stretch my designer muscles and challenge my artistic mind to constantly seek inspiration. I believe that artistry and design is just like any sport or skill; practice makes perfect! I have continued to blog for over 2 years because I was so moved by the ability to connect with people in an original and completely genuine way. Now, the objective of SingleBubblePop is to provide inspiration and encouragement for others seeking a career in art and design.

What intentions do you have for Single Bubble Pop in 2010?

One of my goals for 2010 is to bring 1000 subscribers to SingleBubblePop. It’s a BIG goal being that we’re just above 200 now, but why not aim high? I really want SBP to become a place where creatives can come on a daily basis and be satisfied with “artfully designed” inspiration. I continue to push myself to create more original content that makes SBP readers want to create more, be more and just live a purposeful life. I’m constantly motivated and encouraged by blogs like Makeunder My Life, FlyGirls, AphroChic and Elements of Style and I hope that SingleBubblePop can inspire others in the way that these blogs speak to me!

To continue my ‘behind the scenes’ series about the re-launch of Jess LC I’m excited to feature the best part of the whole process: shooting the lookbook. What a fun day after months of planning. To help with the process I had a little dream team.

Photo Shoot Theme: The Best Day Ever

As you are well aware by now, I decided to choose the scenes for the lookbook based on what I considered one of the best days in Chicago I could imagine. It started with waking up in the morning, lounging around the apartment, eating cupcakes and drinking champagne at Molly’s Cupcakes, playing with puppies, wandering the streets with a big bunch of yellow balloons, and having a foamy latte at Noble Tree.

Of course I also wanted to include some of my favorite dresses and pillows, so I called upon ModCloth and AphroChic to help with the styling. They were so great to work with. And I can’t mention the lookbook without thanking Megan, our wonderful stylist intern. She was totally on top of securing the clothes for the shoot, creating the looks, and making my life oh-SO-much easier. Not having to think about the shoes, hair, makeup, and scarves saved me a lot of time and headaches.

Obviously the other key element of the lookbook was photography. I was fortunate to find out about Jon Hamblin a few months before the shoot. After seeing his work, I was sure that he’d be able to nail the indie-polish I was looking for. Jon was so easy to work with, upbeat, and I couldn’t recommend him enough to anyone else needing photos in Chicago.

(Erica, our videographer, is still completing the video, so more on her later.)

And last but not least, the new face for Jess LC, Tieka of Selective Potential. I think she’s the perfect fit for two reasons: she’s freaking adorable and because she also has such an inspiring and relatable story. I wasn’t looking to have a glossy high-style photoshoot with a glamazon, I wanted to show someone just like you and me, living her life with intention, having a great time in Chicago. And Tieka captures that beautifully.

Overall, I’m so happy with how everything came together. It was a long time in planning, but the product is well worth the effort. To see the full lookbook click here.

Good morning, sunshine! I humbly submit the link to the brand new Jess LC.

If you’d like a quick tour, here’s some of the surprises you’ll find,

The New Division Collection

I’m super proud to debut my first-ever sterling silver cast pendant collection, Division. I am fortunate to have a friend from college whose family has a jewelry business that can do complicated processes like casting that I’m unable to do in my studio (my landlord doesn’t look kindly on kilns and blowtorches). Now I’m able to find inspiration from interior design and Chicago architecture, draw a sketch, and see that idea come to life! But don’t worry, we are still finishing the jewelry in our studio like normal, so if you want a necklace shortened or prefer a gold chain, just let me know and we’ll whip it up to your preference.

Oh, and there are also matching earrings for each style and an awesome bangle to boot!

The New Website

The oh-so-lovely redesign by Meghan Radke. SO much nicer than the old site I designed myself. We now have an integrated website, so you don’t have to leave www.jesslc.com to process your order. Yay for efficiency and professionalism.

The Best Day Ever Lookbook

A few scenes from the new lookbook featuring Tieka, of Selective Potential, as the new Jess LC model.

(Notice the AprhoChic pillow? Thanks, Jeanine!)

Off the Chain Update (email letter)

(If you’d like to get my monthly Off the Chain Updates, please add your address at the top of www.jesslc.com or comment on this post with the words “Off the Chain.”)

Please stay tuned, there will be much more about the new launch to come the rest of the week. I’ll share all about the awesome dream team that helped make my vision a reality.

After six months, blood, sweat, and (almost) tears, it’s such a great relief to share this with you. Thanks for sticking with me and supporting me without having a clue as to what I was talking about.

Good afternoon! In honor of Makeunder My March, I’m doing my first of several makeunders in my apartment. Today I tackled my wardrobe and storage under my bed. These were the two biggest areas for improvement in my space and I feel more peaceful knowing they now match my intention for this spring and summer. Take a look at the process for each below.

Makeunder: My Wardrobe

As I mentioned on Saturday’s End of the Week Exfoliation, a good friend of mine wanted to makeover her well-worn wardrobe last week. But with her husband in grad school, she didn’t have the resources to create a brand new look. So I decided to makeunder my spring wardrobe a bit earlier than usual in honor of her. Almost all of the items that I no longer envisioned wearing in the future looked beautiful on her. In fact, most items looked better on her frame than my own.

Two hours later, she left my apartment with a few dozen items and my closet felt a lot more intentional. It was truly a win-win.

And the best part? Many items I have previously exfoliated but haven’t donated to the Salvation Army (yet), worked for her. Everything happens for a reason, right?

Makeunder: Under The Bed

At the beginning of Makeunder My March, I admitted that though my apartment photographs well and looks pretty, there are still parts which are ugly and less than organized. One of the biggest problem areas for me was hiding under the bed. Since Erwin and I have no storage beyond our bedroom and hall closet, much of what we don’t need on a regular basis ends up lurking below our pillows.

Here’s what was hiding just below the beautiful pictures Becki took of the bedroom.

I reluctantly admit we do need to store some items under the bed. But at the same time, what we store and how it’s organized can definitely be improved. So here’s what I did:

To find out what needed to stay and what needed to be passed on, I pulled everything out from under the bed and looked at each item individually. The bags below contain what I decided to keep.

Here is what the underside of the bed looks like now:

Though much of the contents are still the same, I feel more peaceful knowing exactly what is in the bags and that each item actually serves our lives in some way. Keeping them organized in a row also makes it easy to find what I’m looking for. This storage has gone form unruly to intentional and that makes all the difference.

Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that MML was turning one-year-old and was being featured on tv? Well, that segment we taped aired this morning on Chicago’s WCIU. Check it out!

Thanks to Aleah and Erica for hosting and producing the piece, I love what you did with it! (PS- We shot the segment in the Jess LC studio.)

Good morning! Today’s DESIGN YOUR LIFE will be posted later today or tomorrow. It’s a good one, that’s for sure.

But until I have a chance to get that formatted, I wanted to share a little project I did with Jessica of Polished Sense. If you haven’t seen her awesome selection of shoes, hop over to her store and check it out. One of Jessica’s blog series is called “Raid My Closet” and I was her most recent muse.

Take a look at some of my favorite looks she pulled together- right out of my own closet! Combining the awesome ensembles she made with my existing pieces, she added a pair of her awesome shoes. The outcome is so fresh and original. Take a look at Part 1 and Part 2 for the complete set of looks she made for me.

Needless to say, my daily routine consists of jeans, t-shirts, and cardigans almost exclusively. But after this experience, I’m going to try to step out of the box a bit more. Thanks, Jessica!

If you think about it, it’s the same reason my weight-lifting class instructor, Shannon, always makes us work out extra hard before Thanksgiving and Christmas. She knows we will soon be eating a lot of food. And by stepping up our fitness now, we will offset (some of) the sweets later.

So I’ve done a deep dive into my wardrobe and picked out what I don’t envision myself wearing in 2010. If the piece of clothing doesn’t match my vision for 2010, it doesn’t deserve to be in my wardrobe come January 1st.

What I DON’T Want For Christmas 2009

Jacket and pants claimed by Susie.

Workout gear.

Shoes are mostly size 8.5. All are up for grabs.

Latico Red Leather Handbag

Charles David Leather Bag

So How Can You Have Some of the Loot?

If something above struck your fancy, you are welcome to comment and claim it (first to comment, wins). I do ask that you pay for shipping (I will send you a PayPal invoice for the shipping amount). Susie has already claimed the jacket and pants in the first photo (she looks adorable in them), but the rest are up for grabs.

As for the bags- they are great. The red one is a leather basket weave by Latico. And the brown one is Charles David with putty colored leather and gold accents. These bags are heavier than most things I send, so I ask for $18 to make sure I cover the shipping costs.

And the Big Question Is…

Are you thinking about making this a tradition as well? Let me know if you are thinking about doing something similar. And as always, feel free to send me pics to post on the End of the Week Exfoliation. You could win a $40 Jess LC gift certificate in the process.

Ohmygoodness. I am so excited to share this project! I have had this idea floating in my head for months and now I get to share the results. The concept of painted chevron first came to mind after reading Kelly + Olive’s post about DIY Chevron. I followed their instructions and used the pattern linked to their post.

Here is how it works.

Materials Used:

• 3 22×28″ stretched canvases (each one cost about $22)
• Bronze gold acrylic paint ($10)
• Large, soft bristled brush ($10)
• 1 roll blue painters tape ($4)
• Chevron pattern stencil found on Sunset.com via Kelly and Olive (free)
  

First, I printed out the stencil three times to get the right length for my canvases. I carefully trimmed the paper to include just the zig-zag and then taped them together to get the correct width.

Do these canvases look familiar? I decided I can always recreate the string art look on new canvases, and in the meantime save some $$ by reusing the two I already had.

To transfer the zig-zag pattern from the paper stencil to the canvas, I used a thumb tack to mark each of the points on the zig zags. I did this for both stripes on the stencil and then used blue painters tape to fill in where the white zig-zag was on the stencil. The thumb tack prints helped me know where to start and stop the tape.

I found lining up a whole bunch of tape makes the process quicker.

Once canvas was complete with the zig-zag, I taped the sides as well to keep them white. I also used a credit card to smooth down all the lines and make sure there wouldn’t be any paint leaking into the stripe pattern.

After that, I just needed to paint the canvases with a solid coat of paint. It didn’t take nearly as much paint as I thought it would. I got all three canvases painted with one tube of paint, and I still have paint left over. The canvases needed about 20 minutes to dry and then I removed the painters tape.

I love how the metallic bronze paint shines against the solid white stripe.

Voila! The finished product. Courtney and Lauren came over and helped me hang the art - with thumb tacks! Who knew.

Last winter I was intentionally obsessing over big, gold watches. And few weeks ago I finally decided on a style from Fossil. I wasn’t thrilled with the giant Fossil logo, but for half the price of a similar Michael Kors style, I let it slide.

Now that I have it, I am still obsessed. I love the large size and how it looks paired with the new Madison Stripe Bracelet (in navy). So to anyone thinking about getting a gold boyfriend style watch, put this one on your intentional obsession list.

Thank You PVE!

I’d also like to thank Patricia of PVE Designs for her adorable sketch on a card she sent recently. If you haven’t seen her work, it’s wonderful. Take a look.

And as a little gift to you all, there is free domestic shipping on all Jess LC pieces until next Tuesday (9/22).

Wellington Collection

This collection is a nod to past collections like State St., Armitage, and Rush St. with a bit of an edge. These pieces are neutral and will go with basics in any one’s wardrobe. I like that they are perfect for a simple shift dress to make a statement, but I can also throw one on with my ‘uniform’ of jeans, t-shirt, and cardigan and look instantly pulled-together.

This collection is exactly what I want to wear this fall and winter, layered with tissue-thin turtle necks or my new shrunken leather jacket and skinny jeans.

Wellington Ave. Long Graduated Stripe Necklace

This necklace is my favorite interpretation of the striped scarf.

Wellington Ave. Graduated Three Strand Single Stripe Necklace

The perfect, more understated version of the Graduated Stripe Necklace.

Wellington Ave. Large and Small Crystal Necklace

A statement piece for sure, but the clear Swarovski crystal remains neutral.

Wellington Ave. Random Small Crystal Layering Necklace

A new take on the ever popular Rush St. Layering Necklace.

Madison Collection

For me, Madison is the natural evolution of the Astor St. collection from this summer done in a more muted, sophisticated way. The color story is rich with the navy, plum, shade, and black Swarovski crystals. The more intricate pieces reference the bib necklace trend without going overboard. These are pieces you will still love and wear after that trend fades away.

In Madison the stripe theme is played out in the crystals themselves. I imagine wearing these pieces to add a polished touch to work-wear and for upcoming holiday parties. And again, I totally plan to wear them with my t-shirts and cardigans all winter long.

Madison Ave. Three Strand Stripe Necklace

This necklace is laced in dozens of hand-wrapped Swarovski crystals.

Madison Ave. Three Strand Bold Stripe Necklace

A shorter variation of the Three Strand Stripe Necklace.

Madison Ave. Double Row Earrings

My nod to the statement earring trend.

Madison Ave. Large Double Row Necklace

A new take on the pendant necklace.

Madison Ave. Triple Crystal Necklace

The sweetest everyday necklace ever.

Madison Ave. Simple Crystal Earrings

The best new everyday earring since the Armitage Simple Link Earring.

To see both collections click here. And remember, free shipping on all domestic orders until next Tuesday (9/22).

So what do you think? Any favorites among the collections or styles?

Simone’s Closet Makeunder

One of my current goals is to try and live more minimally. I’ve been really inspired by Jess from Chicago’s blog Makeunder My Life. What’s a “Makeunder” you ask? You can read about here but basically it means “designing your life with intent” by subtracting things from your life that you don’t need.

Over the past year I’ve really been examining how & where I spend my money, especially when it comes to my wardrobe. I realized that when I was younger (ie my late teens, when I got my first job & really started to buy all my own clothes) my shopping style was this: I’d save up and buy one or two items every month. I didn’t have a lot of clothes, but the clothes I had I loved. Oddly enough I never felt like I had “nothing to wear”. Sometime during my twenties, my shopping style evolved into what I call “Grazing”. I’d shop really randomly which meant basically whenever I walked through a mall, which was often. I also would buy things whenever I had a bad day. I ended up with a lot of clothes that didn’t work together. However, I kept shopping because I never felt like I had anything to wear.

Now that I am moving towards my 30′s I really want to shift my shopping style back to buying less, but buying better. I want to have a cohesive style that really expresses who I am, so that when people see me wearing something they say “That’s so Simone!”.

Before I get into my Wardrobe “Makeunder Strategy” that I’ve made for myself, I’ll give you a peak into my closet. Friends who have come over can testify that my closet pretty much looks like this all the time. I blame my neat-freaky nature on my German genes & the 3 years spent living in a student Co-op that had a communist-dictatorship style cleaning regime (which seems to have stuck with me).

I’d love to have a giant clothing storage space a la Sea of Shoes, but that just isn’t realistic when you’re living in an apartment in the city. Keeping things minimal is key. So here are my new rules:

1. PURGE: Get rid of everything you don’t wear, don’t love or don’t need & send it on to a new home. When I moved into this apartment I donated about 6 garbage bags full of clothes to The Goodwill. This summer I went through my closet again and found probably another 3 garbage bags full of clothes, plus about 20 pairs of shoes that I didn’t need. Combined with some other items around the house, my boyfriend and I had a killer garage sale. I really do believe that harboring stuff you don’t use is like harboring dead energy. It felt great sending all of those things onto a new home. My closet is probably the emptiest it’s been in a while, however when I look inside it feels good to only see things I truly like or love.

*Also, if there are things in your closet that you don’t wear but you still really love, try and figure out why you don’t wear them. If its something like you feel the hem is too long, get it altered. The money you’ll spend on the alterations is cheaper (and more enviro friendly) than buying a new item. I did this with a few of my dresses this season.

2. Buy Less but Buy Better: As someone who is a reformed “Grazer” I have started planning my purchases on a monthly basis. Instead of “grazing” throughout the month via after work browsing at Forever 21 and H&M, I’ll pick one or two semi-expensive “investment” items that I’ll buy each month. For example, this March I bought a classic tan trench-coat & a really great cashmere cardigan. These are both things that I know I will wear over & over again. I don’t have the budget to buy all designer clothing however I do try and buy the best possible quality that I can afford. I also try and pay attention to what things are made of & go for natural materials (wool, cotton, silk, leather for shoes & bags) whenever possible. By going for higher quality, the product lasts longer & usually comes with better service.
*By buying investment pieces I spend more on an individual item, but I find its actually now easier for me to track where my money goes. More often than not I spend less money overall because I’m not making a bunch of $20, $30, $40 impulse buys. Those purchases add up really fast but you don’t notice because it feels like you are spending less.
*I try to not shop during the rest of the month, but this isn’t always realistic. I always leave myself a little bit of gravy in case I come across a really great bargain (I love, love, love a good bargain!). I try to limit any additional shopping I do during the month & always set myself a clear budget that I stick to. I still love going to cheap chic stores like Forever 21, however when I find something I like there I’ll ask myself “Is this something trendy that I’ll wear once or twice to a club?” (in this case I don’t buy it) OR “Is this something that I’m going to wear all season (like a great tank-top that goes with a bunch of stuff)?” (in this case I will buy it).

3. The 3-way rule: No, this is not the latest dirty theory concocted by Barney on “How I Met your Mother”. When I’m considering purchasing a clothing item, I ask myself “Can I picture myself wearing this at least 3 different ways, or with 3 different outfits?”. If the answer is “NO” I generally do not buy it. Being able to walk away from a purchase once I have decided that I truly don’t need it has given me a new sense of power.

4. I’ll always love clothes: However, to stay on track with my plan I’ve been exploring other ways to make myself feel good besides shopping. I’ve started working out more, going to the library, blogging. I also attended my first Clothing Swap this spring–it was a lot of fun & I managed to score a couple of great pieces pretty much for free.

It’s all still a work in progress. My closet is emptier but inside it are things that I really love and are excited to wear again & again. It’s a good feeling.
My “nothing to wear” syndrome has been solved.

[If you'd like to share your own personal makeunder, email me at jess@jesslc.com.]

1st Annual Jess LC Online Sidewalk Sale

For the first time ever, I am marking certain styles 50% off for this week only. Yep. This never happens. Going forward, I plan to have an annual 50% sale on select styles every July. And since everyone online seems to be smitten with the Astor St. Collection, I am letting you all have your chance to get each and every piece half off. Other styles include Oak St., Elm St., and some State St. earrings. Check out the whole batch here.

Feel free to reblog, tweet, and otherwise share the sale! And remember it’s just until next Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday: Sidewalk Sale in Daley Plaza

In Chicago? Come stop by Daley Plaza on Tuesday and Wednesday and see Jess LC jewelry in person. If you mention the Online Sidewalk Sale, you can get the same 50% discount in person as online. Plus, you’ll get to meet me, Susie, and our dear model, Charlotte.

Yesterday Crystal, of Plush Palate, interviewed me about: Jess LC, what I’d do if I didn’t design jewelry, design inspiration, and my favorite trend (chevron!). Hop on over to check it out.

Coming later today… my BIG news/secret. Can’t wait to share with you!

Ah, the weekend is just hours away! I am starting the day off with a meeting with my SCORE mentor, Mitch. Then off to check out an apartment Erwin and I are interested in (we are moving Sept/1!!). Later tonight, nachos with a college friend at Tarascas have my name on them.

As for the Free Garage Sale, things are moving quickly! Yesterday there was an onslaught of comments for the silver cuff. So comment early on the items below to make sure you get your treasure(s). Enjoy!

Oh, and don’t forget to send in pictures of your End of the Week Exfoliations to get a chance to win the free wardrobe consultation.

THE [FREE] GARAGE SALE – the best of the rest

Scrap booking Eiffel Tower punch Congrats to Creative Be!

Pink hand knitted short scarf perfect for a little girl approx 36″

Three tiered pearl earrings hanging from a 14k-gold heart, little less then and inch long – perfect for a young lady

Adidas running shorts, two-toned blue

Carmel Apple Pops (28) Congrats to Megan!

Glass bowl with raised engravings, base 5.5″, top/opening 10.5″

The [Free] Garage Sale Details

Here’s how the (super simple) process will work:

1. When you see something you need, use, or love, post a comment including the item number(s) you would like. (The first comment wins, and you can pick multiple items!)
2. I will email you directly to get your address.
3. To cover the shipping costs of this massive Free Garage Sale, I am asking that each person sends me $5 (domestic shipping*) via PayPal. And if you order more than one thing, it’s still just $5 per shipment, you won’t pay more.
4. Once I get the $5 in PayPal, I will ship your Free Garage Sale items via the USPS First Class Mail.