diengie heart and soul

Momentum

2011-03-16T14:25:00.001-04:00

The momentum is building...slowly. We are working to get geared up and get back in the game. We took a break for a move and a wedding--both events very much worth the time spent! Angie is happily married--celebrating with a memorable and unique ceremony and reception. And, now all three Diengie girls are (finally) in the same city. It has been 5 long years of long distances separating our families and challenging business operations. Throughout those years we were successful in sales and were very excited to gain so many customers who love our bags. Now that we are in the same city we are ready to pick up where we left off and continue on. The possibilities for Diengie grew with that move. We are working on a complete line of products which will become our traveling set which will make doing home shows this year a bit simpler. Our next goal is to start stocking up on merchandise. Our shop has been very quiet over the past few months. That should start changing soon. After that we plan to produce as many of our accessories as possible with the hope of selling to wholesale customers. So, with all these plans we are quickly realizing we will need more hands to get the work done. It is exciting and scary to think about hiring people to do piece work for Diengie. Wow! It really makes it feel like we are making headway. In addition to all of this we are also having our website overhauled by friend Jamie Stahler. He brings web, print and marketing experience to the table. All of which will greatly increase Diengie's potential. Soon our new website will be up and running. The modern design will help us pull more customers and we will also be able to sell directly from our site. We will let you know when it's time to check out the final product. Until then, please continue to pray for us. We are doing more than just building a business. Our dream is to grow a business that will support a ministry. Your prayers and support are very important to us at Diengie. Until next time...

heiDI, karEN and anGIE

DIENGIE DESIGNS

Is that a diengie bag?

2009-02-27T19:03:00.010-05:00

We had our first Diengie Purse Party on February 20 and it was a huge success! It was exciting getting ready for the party, yet very nerve-wracking. You know what they say about first impressions. . .well, we wanted our first party to be a big hit! We planned and prepared and took care in setting up our 'shop' in Angie's house. Then, our guests started to arrive, and kept arriving, and arriving. Angie's home was soon filled to capacity and our party was off to a great start. As I mentioned, we are rookies at this purse party scene, but not the women at our party. Oh no, they knew what to do. They went straight for the bags and snagged any and all that caught their eye. Now I may be biased, but I think for many it was love at first sight! Soon after, our shoppers were wanting to complete their purchases. We newbies had to ask them to slow it down and let us catch up. Their zeal was a huge compliment to us. We then sat them all down, pulled out our brag book and told them about our baby--diengie. It was a brief intro, but we hope it conveyed our hearts which are now totally entwined with this business which dreams of becoming a ministry. Ok, on with the sales. . . With a diengie bag or two hanging from their forearms, they lined up to become a diengie bag owner. When we saw the line of customers--well, wow! What else could we say? Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised at our sales for the evening and with the number of people who attended.

After the party, still basking in the glow of our bright success, we got a call from a friend who had been at the party that evening. After leaving Angie's house she had gone to a movie--carrying her diengie bag. While there someone asked, "Is that a diengie bag? I have one too!". Well, our friend was surprised and happy for us that our name was spreading. As for us, well, that was the icing on the cake for that evening! Since our business was born we have dreamed about diengie being a household name. Ok, so we're not there yet, but here we come!

If you are interested in attending the next Diengie purse party in Canton, OH watch for emails in your inbox. If you are not on our email list ask us to add you. Email us at diengie@diengie.com.

Don't forget to visit our shop at http://diengiedesigns.etsy.com/

Change is in the air...

2008-09-15T14:58:00.013-04:00

hhhhWell, the hot and sunny summer days have given way to cooler temperatures... at least for today. Fall is in the air! I can't say I am a very big fan of the changes that autumn brings...cooler days and chilly nights (I'm always cold so I like the weather hot!), the kids back in school (I love to have the kids at home thank you very much!), and everything that was green turning to brown (I love the green of summer).
hhhhChange is in the air. It could be that to me Fall means change. Maybe change is what I am always opposed to (not so much the season)... at least at first anyway. For change to come, things usually have to get shaken a bit! Just like the leaves falling off of the trees and being scattered everywhere...All of our neat little piles and lists, and the way we do things have to be shaken up or re-thought. And at times it feels like we just have to throw it all away and start over again. But really, for change to come we have to take what is good from the past and use it as a foundation to build on in the future.
hhhhDiengie is experiencing some growing pains in this season. Already outgrowing our new studio space and questions about how to produce more product at a faster rate are main concerns right now. Not sure how to make the dreams inside of us reality, we just keep plugging along- one bag at a time. Slow but sure. Steady wins the race!
hhhhYou see, its not really just about making bags. Oh, yes, we love making bags. And that is the work that God has given us to do... but it is just the tip of the iceberg... the small beginning. There is so much more. More vision. A bigger picture.
hhhhThere is usually lots more iceberg under water than iceberg that is visible above the water. Diengie is a lot like that. You may see only that we make bags. And that is true. But there is so much more. More to come. More in our hearts. More to the picture.
hhhhWe have a dream. A really scary big dream! At least for us it is. Please stay tuned in the weeks and months to come. We will begin to reveal parts of the iceberg that lie 'under the water'! Unveiling our dream is a little risky... a little unsettling. If the dream stays hidden, it is seemingly protected. If no one knows the dream... no one can say, "It can't be done!". But uncovering the dream means taking a risk. So bear with us as we prepare to let you in to 'see' the bigger picture- why we do what we do- what motivates us.
hhhhIn the meantime remember with me that change is GOOD! And change has to be embraced for your dreams to be realized!

Diengie Summer Newsletter—August 2008

2008-08-04T12:49:00.003-04:00

For diengie, summer has come with some transitions. By the end of summer each of us will have moved to a new home. This means our main studio has relocated and we have had to take some time off from diengie to get settled. Now we are getting back into the swing of things and are ready to release our next three designs. We have two new bags in our Green Bean collection! The Doppio Meta and Doppio Terzo, made from coffee bean bags. And, a third bag called The Page, made from recycled linens.

The Doppio Meta—Italian for half double—our reversible purse, is about half the size of and is patterned after our Doppio Petite. It is a must have! We love its size and style. It’s perfect for carrying your everyday needs—wallet, keys, phone, checkbook, small makeup bag, etc. Bag dimensions: 17" wide x 9" tall x 6" deep. Includes button closure and key loop.

The Doppio Terzo—Italian for a third double—our smallest reversible tote, is about a third of the size of and is patterned after our Doppio Grande. It is just right for your favorite book and journal. It would also be great as a purse or a ‘just the basics’ diaper bag. Bag dimensions: 13" wide x 11" tall x 5" deep.

The Page is our ultra-organized messenger featuring 5 pockets, two 'scrunchie' cup/water bottle holders and key clip on the inside. The outside has 3 pockets, large flap with easy magnetic closure and an adjustable strap with cell phone pocket. Also comes with a zippered wristlet. . .for all the small things you need to carry. We think the Page would be great as a purse, school bag or diaper bag. If you use the Page as a diaper bag, we suggest using the wristlet for mom's stuff. Just pull it out of the bag when going out without baby. Your purse is always packed--no changing purses! This bag is made with all recycled and refreshed fabrics. Measures approx. 12" wide, 14" tall, and 4" deep.

Speaking of change. . .We at diengie are gearing up to do more about the continuing problem of plastic grocery bags and their effect on the environment. In addition to using our own reusable shopping bags every time we shop, we would like to challenge all of you to use reusable shopping bags too. Below are just a few reasons to stop being a plastic shopping bag consumer:

“Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They clog waterways, spoil the landscape, and end up in landfills where they may take 1,000 years or more to break down into ever smaller particles that continue to pollute the soil and water. Plastic bags also pose a serious danger to birds and marine mammals that often mistake them for food. Thousands die each year after swallowing or choking on discarded plastic bags. Finally, producing plastic bags requires millions of gallons of petroleum that could be used for transportation or heating.”

quote found at: http://environment.about.com/od/reducingwaste/a/no_plastic_bags.htm

Here are some hints to help make using your own shopping bags easier:

1. Keep your shopping bags together and in an obvious place—near your front door, in the car, etc.—so they are easy to remember on your way out the door.
2. Generally, for a week’s worth of groceries, for a family of five, you will need about 4-6 reusable grocery bags, depending on the size of the bags.
3. Before checking out at the register make sure to tell the cashier that you have your own bags.
4. Reuse plastic and/or paper bags at the store. (Please RECYCLE them if you don’t plan to reuse! Some stores have recycling bins just for plastic bags.)

Stay tuned to find out our next step in reducing plastic bag use in our community. Please check out the website link above to learn more about plastic bags and their impact on the environment.

Shop online at http://diengiedesigns.etsy.com and visit our website at http://diengie.com. More designs are on the drawing board. . .check back often. And, we will soon have more Doppio Grandes and Doppio Petites in our shop!

Go green, in style!
heiDI, karEN, anGIE

Moving news!

2008-06-13T12:26:00.000-04:00

This is a busy time for the three of us who make up Diengie. We are in the middle of moving! One of us just recently moved...another will move at the end of this month. The third will be moving in the next couple of months. That means our studio will be moving too. Oh my, its a little overwhelming just thinking about that! It takes a lot of fabric and coffee bean bags to make all those doppios! But we will have a larger space once we do get moved, so it will be worth all the effort it will take to tear down and set up again. We are thinking of ways to get more organized so that our process is more efficient and we can create more great bags. Moving to a new place and space is like getting a fresh start... and we are ready! Ch...Ch...Ch...Changes!
Wonder what interesting new changes are in store for Diengie? Stay tuned to find out.

New Products

2008-06-11T15:48:00.004-04:00

We have been busy designing some new products here in the studio. Just a few days ago two new items were released and listed in our Etsy shop... the Peaberry Pouch and the Latte Loop. They're just a couple of fun accessories to use with your Doppio Petite or Doppio Grande. We use the scraps left over from making the Doppios to create these newest additions. See if you can find one, or both, made from the same fabric as your Doppio bag. Our soon to be released 'new and improved Doppios will include a fabric loop for hanging your Latte Loop in your bag, and a pocket just the right size for the Peaberry Pouch!

Designing new products is one of my favorite things to do. Its exhilarating to picture a bag, or a pouch, or a key loop in my mind and then watch as it comes to life during the design and prototyping process. I just have this insatiable need to create! Designing one thing and having it turn out well only makes me want to create more... and I am off again! This does make it a bit trying to keep the shop stocked with our popular items- since designing new ones is much more fun! I know... I know... balance is the key here. I have to be content with the sameness of making bags over and over - but I live for the days when I take a "creating" break. It does help that just about every bag we make is created from different fabric combinations. I don't know how I would push myself to make twenty... or one hundred of the exact same bag! Guess I'm not cut out for the assembly line... rather make OOAKs (one of a kinds)any day!

Watch for more new designs... two of us have been creating lately! Next month we will be releasing two new purses to add to our 'Green Bean' Collection.

ups and downs

2008-06-07T23:30:00.003-04:00

Growing a business is not easy, but growing a business grows our hearts. On this journey we are becoming intertwined with diengie. It is so much a part of who we are and we are so much a part of what diengie is. Each and every up and down of business brings about strong emotions from each of us--and that can happen on a daily basis. It is so exciting, exhilarating even, when we get noticed. Recently a writer for a magazine-to-be-named-later emailed us about possibly including our bags in a Coffee Lover's issue. Whoa! We were overwhelmed at the prospects! Think of how many people will look at the magazine! What will we do if we get a great response from those people? So many questions and emotions swirled around in our brains. Then, there are times when we are discouraged by a lack of sales. Yet, through these ups and downs our hearts are growing and learning. This whole process is so much a part of who we are as individuals--Heidi, Karen and Angie. God is faithful to use the ordinary and seemingly mundane of business dealings to make and mold us into DI-EN-GIE. We are so hopeful for the future of diengie. And just like climbing a mountain, you face peaks and valleys before reaching the top, so we will as we continue to grow diengie.

Two

2008-05-18T00:13:00.000-04:00

On Earth Day we released our very own Green Bean Collection to an overwhelming response from the public! We chose Earth Day because all the bags in this collection are 'earth friendly'. We use mainly recycled and refreshed fabrics in the making of our "green beans". So we are happy to say we are employing the practice of reusing, reducing, and recycling in our little company... instead of creating more need for new products and/or adding to the growing pile of throw-aways world-wide.
Anyway, the reason I got on the subject of Earth Day was to relay a few amusing facts about our release date. The basis for most or all of these being that diengie the word... means "two" in an indo-pacific language. And diengie ... the company...stands for 'designing second uses for discovered treasures'. Anyone seeing a 'two' theme here? On with the facts-

1. our release date was Earth Day 2008
April... the 4th month... 2x2...two 2's
22nd.... two 2's...
2008.... two, 2 zeros, then 8-the # of new beginnings!...and four 2's

2.It was on a TUESDAY ...2's day!!!!!!

This may all seem insignificant to you reading it, but to us these facts and numbers were an eye-opening reminder that God is leading us and guiding us in this business adventure! How else could we have come up with that perfect date, one that is so significant to the meaning of our company? We couldn't! And we believe that God led us to this point and wanted us to realize it in a very tangible...albeit humorous way! Realizing these amusing and amazing "2" facts gave us a huge push to move ahead, knowing that God is going before us and we are smack-dab in the middle of His perfect timing!

Other interesting and fun facts are sure to unfold, so stay tuned to find out what happens next in this amazing journey... the shaping of a company named DIENGIE !

Let's Make Bags

2008-05-09T07:22:00.005-04:00

That was our only thought when we started this
business- "Let's make bags!" Wow,we thought that was
all there was to it!
Now we are over our heads in details, details,
details... and we're realizing that there is a lot
more to a "bag business" than making bags! It seems
like there are decisions to make every day...little
details that need to be attended to. Getting a small
business up and running is very time consuming and
energy intensive! Its not unlike having a baby and
taking care of all the little details of their life
while they are growing and changing. There is always
something new,always something urgent,
always something routine and always something
fun thrown in there to keep you pushing on
through all the other somethings!
And like being a parent, the creative business
owner/partner thrives on all the attention their
little ones attract. It is nice to know that other
people think your creations/babies are adorable, and
well... just about the most wonderful "baby" they have
ever seen! And its even nicer when they tell you so!
It has been so exciting to find diengie on other blogs,
to get such a positive feedback on etsy, and even to
receive wholesale inquiries. We are just creating bags
that we love, and finding that others love them too is
a great encouragement... makes us want to create more
and more! I guess to have others really "get" what we
are doing and love it too makes the long hours and
hundreds of decisions less taxing. Of course we would
do what we do even if we never heard a word about
other people loving our bags... but the positive
responses help us more than we can express.
So, even knowing all the other things that need to
be done, and all of the details that will need to be
addressed... Let's make bags!!

Off to a running start

2008-05-05T01:54:00.001-04:00

We are so excited about the response we have gotten over the past 12 days. Our Doppios are flying off the shelves, er, out of the studio at an astounding rate, to us anyway. We are still new at this business, but we are off to a running start. Aside from great sales, we've been featured in a few 'handpicked' lists on Etsy and made appearances on a few blogs! While this may seem like nothing to some people we are basking in the glow of our red hot bag business. We are adding new bags just as fast as our little hands can make them. So, I'll cut this blog short and get back to business. . .

Green-tings friends! (from Earth Day)

2008-05-05T01:37:00.000-04:00

Green-tings friends!

Earth Day will soon be here. I'm sure you have heard of many companies and organizations making extra efforts this Earth Day to get people to 'go green'. There are so many ways--simple ways--we can make changes in our daily lives to become more eco-friendly. (Check out our R3 page at http://diengie.com for ideas.) At Diengie we are doing our part by releasing our brand new line of bags. We have named this line our 'Green Bean Collection". The term 'green' is quickly becoming a household word for one who is 'concerned with or supporting environmentalism'. We can call our bags 'green' because they are made entirely of refreshed and recycled fabrics, burlap is biodegradable, and we strive to use every bit of those goods to avoid excess waste. Also, the burlap used in our bags has been transformed from sacks which were once filled with 'green' coffee beans. A 'green' coffee bean is one that "has made it to all levels of processing except the actual roasting. Green [coffee] beans will store well for years without loss in quality." We feel the same way about our Green Beans. While we don't want you to store your "Green Bean" for years, we do stand behind our product and are confident it will last for years. Our top-quality, handcrafted bags will stand the test of time.

Visit our website, starting this Tuesday, April 22, when we will release our two newest bags. We will feature our Doppio Grande and Doppio Petite. For those of you familiar with coffee terms, these names will make sense. For the rest of us, I will offer an explanation. Doppio is the Italian word for 'double'. Grande, of course, means large, and petite, means small. We used the word doppio for two reasons (are you seeing a theme?). Our bags are fully reversible. Thus, double--two bags in one. Burlap on the outside and unexpected linings on the inside, or visa-versa, depending on your mood. Also, our name, diengie, means two. We love designing second uses for discovered treasures.

Our main purpose in creating these bags was to encourage more people to stop using plastic bags. If we all stopped using plastic bags we would make great strides in protecting our Earth. Yet, these bags are not only suitable for use as a market bag, but as an everyday carry-all. The possibilities are endless.

*******Be one of the first 20 to "go green in style" and get a free Green Bean key chain with the purchase of a Doppio Grande or Doppio Petite bag!

Please visit http://diengie.com or http://diengiedesigns.etsy.com to view and purchase your very own Green Bean bag this Tuesday! Pass along this email to your friends. Go green, in style!

Sincerely,
heiDI, karEN, anGIE

P.S. We will soon be releasing our littlest Green Bean pouch, the Peaberry (also a coffee plant term!). Check back often to see our newest additions.

Bag Race Anyone? (from 4/4/08)

2008-05-05T01:35:00.000-04:00

As our bio suggests, we love to shop for a bargain and find new uses forseemingly useless things. In Ann Arbor, Michigan there is a fun andunique store called The Scrap Box. It is just what its name suggests. They have tons of'scraps'--anything that would have otherwise been thrown away bybusinesses and consumer households. They receive donations and thepublic can then go in and buy these items for use in any way theirimagination can dream up.

Last year we wereexcited to find decorator fabric sample books. We were sure we couldput the beautiful, albeit tiny pieces of fabric to good use. Some ofour small pouches on Etsy are made of the fabric from those sample books!

Wehave made yet another discovery at this fabulous store. Karen took theplunge and bought 26 very large burlap coffee bean bags. Some of thebags still contained raw coffee beans! Our plan? Why, stylishreusable shopping bags, of course! Unfortunately, there is not ashopping-bag-making fairy. Taking these bags from The Scrap Box barrelto stylish carry-all is quite a feat. In fact, we are finding thatthis process is, of course, longer than we expected.

Here is a peek into a day in the life of Karen:

'Itook all 26 burlap bags to the laundromat and washed and dried them. They had the whole place smelling like wet burlap! I got a few curiouslooks from people as I was hauling them from place to place. Finally,one brave soul ventured over to ask the question burning in everyone'smind. . .'What are you going to do with those?' I told her they weregoing to be transformed into shopping bags--'green' shopping bags. Shewas satisfied with my answer, I guess. She said, 'Well, yes, that willwork.''

Once we finalized our designs werealized we would need to find a supplier of burlap coffee bean bags. Karen contacted a local Ann Arbor coffee roaster and specialty foodscompany called Zingermans. They graciously offered their supply of burlap coffee bean bags to help get us started.

Andthat is just the beginning of the coffee bean bag to stylish shoppingbag process. We are that committed to creating unique bags you willlove to carry. Each of us at Diengie has started carrying our own'green' bags everywhere. We use our 'green' bags as a purse, tote andreusable shopping bag. Gone are the days of stockpiling mounds ofearth-polluting plastic shopping bags. Many retail stores are jumpingon the 'green' bandwagon with their own reusable shopping bags, but whowants to carry boring, generic shopping bags? We are excited to soonrelease our own 'Green Bean' collection--great bags in two differentdesigns! With an earthy feel on the outside and unexpected linings,our original designs are not only functional but attractive. With sucha fashionable bag you won't be limited to carrying it in and out of thestore. Our 'Green Bean' bag can easily be an all-purpose carry-all. The possibilities are endless. It may just become your bag of choice.

View and purchase our products at http://diengiedesigns.etsy.com

Our 'Green Bean' collection will be released soon! We will notify you by email when they are available for purchase.