Name: Jessie
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Hey Minis! I'm the writer and creator of Mini Penny Blog and I'm so excited that you're here. I'll give you the Reader's Digest version.
I grew up in rural Ohio and had my hands in everything. Art. Science. Reading. Whatever. During my childhood, I spent my key summers at Northwestern University taking biology classes and exploring Chicago. As I grew, the city held a special place in my heart and knew that someday I'd make this my home. I attended the Columbus College of Art and Design where I studied Illustration. My heart wasn't in it, and I decided to left college to find my own way.
In my early years, I had many different types jobs. I've worked in bakeries, skateboard shops, the service industry, as a graphic designer, IT, and retail management. After being laid off from my Apple Inc job in 2009, and jumping to freelance wedding and lifestyle photography, I picked up a part time gig with Urban Outfitters retail in Columbus, Ohio, to fill my days.
And so my journey began.
In 2011, while at Urban Outfitters, I started this blog with hopes to grow knowledge, community, and a resumé. Mini Penny started as a way for my to show how I styled all of my thrift store and second hand finds. In fall of 2011, I made the move with UO to Chicago — the city that I loved as a child and felt most comfortable in. I continued to work hard and network through Mini Penny, and eventually was moved to Urban Outfitters corporate office in 2012.
I relocated to Philadelphia in the later portion of that year as Urban Outfitters's corporate Social Media Manager. I worked hard but failed to make connections with my peers and my tasks. My heart wasn't in it, and I had sacrificed many parts of my life and ideals and was no longer happy.
After much thought and tackling my own internal struggles, I decided to leave my spotlight position at UO to focus on something that I hold much closer: Mini Penny. I moved back to Chicago to work exclusively on Mini Penny Blog full time.
Since returning to Chicago I have grown Mini Penny in a variety of ways, and sought out different ways to expand my art. I currently work as the Cosmetic Tattoo Artist with a focus in microblading eyebrows and freckles. I work out of a private studio on the north side of Chicago. You can find my work on my tattooing website, MICRO PENNY. I also do commissioned digital portraits. You can find my work here.
In December 2017, I adopted Opal. She is a 3-year-old Muppet-esque poodle mix rescue who is the absolute love of my life.
My work has been featured on ABC news, Refinery29, Buzzfeed, MTVStyle, published in Decibel Magazine and Instant: The Story of Polaroid, and more. I hope you enjoy your stay. If you ever have something you'd like to let me know, I'm happy to receive emails at [email protected]. I look forward to building a community with you!
And Lastly
Everything that you see on this blog is from me unless otherwise noted. If you're interested in sharing content, great! Just be sure to give proper credit — please don't copy and paste an entire article! Feel free to post one image and a link to my original content. :)
