why there's a new button on my sidebar.

 {currently on my wishlist, here}

I’ve never been much of a jewelry wearer. When I was younger, I was petrified of looking overdone, of trying too hard. I outgrew that phase, but then discovered jewelry probably wasn’t for me anyway, since I could never keep track of it. My first-ever pair of earrings (two cute red ladybugs)? Probably buried in my aunt and uncle’s old yard, lost during a friendly game of kickball. My gold manatee necklace, a token of my environmentally-savvy elementary school years? Tangled into oblivion, the gold chain beyond repair.

So when Jordan and I decided that maybe marriage might be right for us, I casually informed him, “No engagement ring, please.” My mother had never had one, that’s true. But the other part of me just didn’t want the responsibility that came with a chunky diamond on the left hand. I knew it would snag or break or fall down the drain or get lost in the bed sheets, never to be found again.

He gave me one anyway, and aside from a few harrowing moments, it’s stayed right where it belongs.

With newfound confidence in my jewelry-maintenance abilities, I’ve ventured into chunky necklaces, button earrings, even a cheap ring or two.

My favorite jewelry items, though, are ones with meaning. The engagement ring, of course. The wedding ring perhaps even more. The pearls I received from my parents on graduation day. The amethyst stone I got when I turned 13. A tarnished locket Jordan gave me when we were first dating.

I think that’s why I love Jess LC’s jewelry. Thanks to this thing we call blogland and the world wide web, I get an inside look into the thought behind her unique pieces. I know why she chose Braille for her Franklin necklaces and paisley-inspired icons for the Diversey collection. I know the meaning behind her Soc-Chic line and that her love for the city of Chicago influenced her Division designs.

For a girl who doesn’t like much jewelry, I’m not too ashamed to admit that I find myself drooling over almost every piece Jess puts in her shop. It’s why — even though I typically hate adding blog buttons and crowding up my sidebar — I decided to be a Jess LC ambassador. I think her jewelry’s worth promoting, because her mission is worth promoting. Her desire to keep life simple and meaningful is inspiring, and hey, if a piece of jewelry can remind me of that mission? I think it's probably worth purchasing and, more often than not, worth sharing.

To find out more about Jess Constable's mission, check out the Makeunder My Life blog (a longtime favorite of mine), and for a closer look at Jess LC jewelry, visit here.