Out of Line: Reclaiming Joy and Rewriting the Rules

We live in a world that constantly pulls at our attention — pressure, expectations, noise — and it’s easy to lose our center without even realizing it. In this episode, Jill sits down with Margaret Graham, creator of Centering Pendants, for a conversation about self-trust, inner critics, ADHD, spirituality, and what it really looks like to build a business that stretches you. Margaret shares the story of how an intuitive idea in her car became a tactile mindfulness tool — and how, along the way, it became something she relied on just as much as the people she created it for. Together, they talk about asking for help, navigating doubt, meditation as practice (not perfection), creative identity, and learning to return to yourself again and again. This episode is about grounding yourself while growing. About building without abandoning yourself. About remembering that coming back is a practice. Connect with Margaret: Instagram: @centeringpendants Website: centeringpendants.com Podcast: The Art of Centering

I recorded this episode in that strange, foggy stretch between Christmas and New Year’s — the time of year when everything slows down and it feels natural to look back and take stock. This is a solo reflection on 2025: a year with some really high highs and some deeply low lows. I talk about moving through grief and burnout, slowly reconnecting with creativity, and how that season of darkness gave rise to my Brightside collection. I share what it felt like to hit a personal breaking point, and how that moment forced me to reevaluate my sense of self-worth and finally believe I was worthy of support. I also reflect on the quieter shifts that changed everything — finding community, learning to stop white-knuckling life alone, starting this podcast, launching a YouTube channel, teaching my first workshops, and letting myself take up space even when it felt uncomfortable. As I look ahead to 2026, I talk about the kind of year I want to build — one rooted in boldness, honesty, creativity, and deeper connection. If you’ve ever felt the need to shrink to belong, struggled with burnout or self-doubt, or wondered whether it’s okay to invest in yourself and your joy, I hope this episode meets you where you are.

In this episode of Out of Line, I’m joined by Fred Graham, the creator of Artist Management Studios. We talk about his path from decades in corporate life to building a platform designed to support artists behind the scenes and simplify the business side of creative work. We get into taking risks, asking for help, the importance of community, and what it looks like to build something that feels aligned with your values. Fred also shares the story behind Centering Pendants, the jewelry brand created by his wife, Margaret—who I’ll be chatting with in an upcoming episode—and reflects on how partnership and adaptability have shaped their journey.

Have you ever felt like the things you were drawn to as a kid somehow circle back and tug at you again as an adult? In this episode, I sit down with Kate Bagley, founder of BGLY, a men’s brooch brand rooted in her childhood spent inside her family’s menswear store in Australia. We talk about growing up around tailoring and style, collecting sentimental brooches from her grandmother, and how those early memories eventually led her to create something of her own. Kate shares what it was like to build a 20+ year career in finance, move from Australia to Europe, and then decide to step away from the safety of corporate work to bet on her creative vision. We get into the reality of going all in on your business, navigating the mental “safety point,” using community to stay grounded, and why she’s so committed to living with no regrets. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to stop living for a “stable path” and start following the pull of your own life, this conversation is for you. Follow Kate on Instagram at @bgly_brooches. 

On the very first episode of Out of Line, I sit down with tattoo artist Rebecca Raygoza — a dear friend and creative soul who’s built her life around art and handmade work. We talk about what it means to be part of someone’s story through tattooing, how art can anchor you through burnout, and the pull to create something real in a world that’s always speeding up. It’s a conversation about meaning, creativity, and the moments that remind us why we make things in the first place.

Welcome to Out of Line: Reclaiming Joy and Rewriting the Rules, a podcast about living and creating on your own terms. Hosted by Jill Elise, ceramic artist, jewelry designer, and founder of Lilikoi Project, Out of Line explores slowing down, reconnecting with creativity, and redefining success through honest conversations with artists, makers, and unconventional thinkers.