In The Box

Today, I would like to introduce DianaDesignsNY:

Hi Diana, please introduce yourself:

My name is Diana. I am married to a wonderful man, have 2 great little dogs, and 7 grand children!

I have always loved crafts - crocheting, knitting, sewing since I was 7 yrs old.

Even as a little girl, I had always signed all of my “art work” Diana Designs. So when I opened my own on-line shop it was only natural that I maintain that name.

I am a country girl at heart, even though I have never lived in the country. If I did, I would probably have so many animals. I LOVE animals. No, I am crazy about animals.

What pets do you have and their names?

I have 2 dogs, Giupetto and Gianna. Their breed is called a Toy Mi-Ki (pronounced Me Key). They bring such joy to my husband and I.

I also have 4 birds. A Sun Conure parrot, named Sinbad. I have had him18 years.

I have a Spectacled Parrottlet, named Giacomo. He thinks he is a tough guy, standing at only 4 inches tall.

I have 2 little Zebra Finches, Sonny and Cher, who have had lots of babies.

What is the name/location of your Etsy shop?

I have 2 etsy shops. My first is DianaDesignsNY.etsy.com , which I started last April 2008. This May I added an additional shop, StylinDogsBoutique.etsy.com.

How did you happen to start selling on Etsy?

I started selling at groomer shops, fairs and on eBay. When a friend told me about etsy, and I set up shop there, many new things started happening, and opening up for me. I love etsy, and all the events I am now involved in, and other etsians I have met. I no longer have the time to sell at the groomers’ shops, or on eBay, but I still enjoy selling at the fairs. There is something very special about meeting people face to face and chatting about their dogs in the open air at the fairs.

What's your favorite item in your store?

Oh gosh, that is a tough one. I sell a lot of holiday items. Currently Halloween has taken over my shop. My favorite Halloween item is “Spider Hugs”.

My favorite girl’s sweater is “Lil Mermaid”. My favorite skirt-ter is “Skulls So Sweet”.

I also have a special affinity to my “Fuzzy and Friends” line. I just keep creating more characters, and I have taken Fuzzy through all the holidays as well.

What's your most popular line of products?

The sweaters specifically are my most popular.

My Halloween costumes have been a big hit this year.

During the summer, I sold a lot of harness vests. I was so pleased when these finally started to take off. I had come up with the idea of this little shirt/ vest look for my boy to match my girl’s dresses.

Where do you get your inspiration/ideas for new items?

First, I would say my dogs, also known as my kids.

My sweaters were created just for them. I wanted a sweater that was comfortable, that would fit them right, and one where you could access their harness from under the sweater. So I created my own.

The designs jump into my head at the strangest time. I could be sitting eating dinner when an idea pops into my head and I must sketch it right there.

Many times a fabric will trigger an idea, or a fancy yarn.

My Fuzzy and Friends line was created around this eyelash yarn that I bought, and then the characters grew from there.

What do you want us to know about you as a person?

I love all animals, but especially those wonderful creatures that God put on this earth for us to love and enjoy - dogs. All sizes, all breeds.

I have always loved to craft, knitting, sewing, crochet, wood burning, leather crafting, and the list goes on.

I love fashion design. My favorite show is Project Runway. I believe I have combined all of these loves into one, with my shop on etsy.

But the most valuable of all, is all of the wonderful people I have met, and all the stories and photos I have shared with fellow animal lovers.

What do you want us to know about you as a crafter/artist?

With me it is first and foremost about the pet. I am dedicated to the comfort of the dog. It is also important that I provide quality and originality. I put a lot of love and attention into each and every outfit I make. It is important to me that the customer be happy. I therefore provide an exchange on any item that does not fit their dog perfectly.

What do you want us to know about your shop?

My first and primary shop is dedicated to providing a unique variety of clothes for toy breeds, in tailored sizes, as well as custom designs. I create and sell sweaters, costumes, dresses, vests, bandanas and my own creation - skirt-ters (skirt with sweater combo).

My second shop is where you would go to get a ready to ship pre-made item, and dog and cat toys.

What would you be doing/making/selling if you weren't doing what you're doing now?

I have a full time job as controller of a contracting firm. If I did not have to work full time, I would dedicate even more of my time to pet items and branch out to other areas, perhaps dog beds. Patio furniture for dogs has been in the back of my mind for some time. LOL

Where else can we follow you (twitter, flickr, facebook, blog, other online stores, etc.)?

Right now, it is only my blog – DianaDesignsNY.blogspot.com , which I call “Gianna and Giupetto Tails”, where I share mostly pet photos.

What do you have in the Pet Sampler boxes?

I am having so much fun creating my new line of dog and cat toys, and have chosen these as the items I include in the pet sampler boxes. The month of October they are Halloween toys. Also included with the toy, is a coupon good towards a dog outfit in my DianaDesignsNY shop.