in the beginning....

Well I figured one of my first entries should be how designed by Diana came to be. The first incarnation was called needles and pins (as in the song needles and pins-ah by herman’s hermits?). My mom and I were making these teddy bears that we would decorate. We sold a lot of them at her office. Then I started selling them at my hubby’s office and made a killing there. My day job at the time was as an assistant in a very small company (it was just 2 partners and me, and I had no computer), so I would cut bears when they were out of the office (heehee) and sew them up once I got home. Of course, with these 2 limited markets, we were saturated in no time, so sales waned, and we moved on to other crafts.

Well one birthday I got a great present from my friend Robert. He gave me a purse with a pinup girl on the front of it. She was all decorated with sequins and bows…. And I was in love. So I started attempting to make my own pinup bags. I did make a couple of pinup bags, but they were hard to make, and the iron on transfers weren’t working like I wanted them too. But then I found at the JoAnn’s waaaay across town the Alexander Henry “Fashion Girls-Teal” fabric. So me, so mod. So I made me and mom a bag each from it. and mom even sequined them. So cute. I was hooked on making bags now. I made another bag with the circular handles that I found at JoAnn’s. I took this to work (now I was working at a much bigger company—about 40 people) and the girls all went gaga. The purse was bought that same day. So I continued making bags and selling them at work. Then I got a request for a custom skirt. My grandmother was a seamstress, so I thought, what the heck, I can do that (tap, tap, tap—chorus line reference for those of you wondering). That first peachy tiered miniskirt was the first item I ever put a designed by Diana tag in. And I sold many a skirt and matching bag after that.

Then I was seeing ponchos everywhere… so I thought, I can do that too. So I made and wore one to work. Everyone wanted one or 10! I couldn’t make them fast enough. That Christmas was totally financed by the poncho revolution. I slowed down making things for a bit cause I started working on a magazine with some friends and my husband. And being an editor of a start up magazine, did take a lot of time, as did that damn day job.

I kept making things, but at a much slower pace. And I got a new day job, which I was much happier with. But this company was big and corporate. So big that you can’t just bring your stuff in and go hey girls I have some stuff for you to see. But the girls I did know, did get to see the stuff. And they did get a few things, as did some of the guys for their girls and wives. But nothing as big as before.

I wanted to get my own website to hawk my wears, but knowing nothing of HTML or anything like that I didn’t have the money to pay for it to be done. But I was on livejournal, so I set up an account for designed by Diana with hopes of making some sales with that. No luck. But through the livejournal communities, which I love, I found out about etsy.com. Etsy.com opened it’s doors in June 2005 and on Oct. 7, 2005 designedbyDiana.etsy.com was open for business. It was great to have a store online and I eventually got business cards made and everything. I had my hubby make me a banner and everything. He even made me a little flyer that I posted on myspace to try and drum up holiday sales. 2 months after opening the store, I got my first sale. Dec. 16, 2005, I sold a grey wallet.

Then Dec. 18, 2005 I sold a diaper bag.

I sold a Jasmine bag in January 2006.

In March 2006 I sold a Marcy bag and sold another Marcy in April 2006.

May 2006 I sold a Hayley bag to a friend that wanted me to ship it to her mom for mother’s day.

August 2006 I sold an Iris bag.

September 2006 I sold another Marcy.

November 2006 I sold a Hayley and a Felicity.

Then in December, my big sales came: 4 D Totes...

...and a Jasmine and a Marcy.

And I sold a lot to my friends in person.

No sales in January 2007 , but in February, I’ve had 3 so far. A Bear, which was donated to a women’s shelter by the request of the customer, an Emily and a D pouch.







And I’m currently waiting for my 20th sale on etsy. This year I want to make dbD a success. Not by any way super huge, but I do want some consistent sales. I’ve discovered and become addicted to the etsy forums, and started this blog to get my name out there. I’m also looking into other places to advertise and never leave home without my business cards and a dbD purse on my arm. I have some new designs in the work and am trying to improve dbD as I am able.



So here’s to an excellent 2007 for designed by Diana!