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Hi Everyone!
Most of you I know, some of you I am still getting to know, and still others are on their way, having not yet discovered Carole Dianne Designs! Don’t ya just love to make new friends?! I know I do!
So, without further ado…I’m Carole McDuffee—the Designer, Buyer & Owner of Carole Dianne Designs! I thought this Blog would be a fun and exiting way to begin sharing the passions of my heart w/ all of you. Let me tell you, my heart is poppin’ w/ fresh ideas, some new, some old, but always “FUN,” because if it ain’t FUN, I don’t want any part of it!” The acrostic I decided to fly w/ is W-I-D-D-E because my niche is WIDE & there’s tons I wanna share. I’ll be sharing (W)ardrobe Tips, (I)nspiration, (D)ecorating/(D)iy’s & (E)verything in Between!
It seems like every place I go, whether a restaurant, the store, the post office, etc…Compliments start flying outa people’s mouths on several things I’m wearing. (Just ask my hubby?! Just between you and I, I think it amuses him)…Let me preface this with the fact that—I carry a bright light w/ me wherever I go, and honestly, I attribute THAT to the favor I receive again & again, (which I will speak about later). Anyway, Wardrobe is like that precious red & juicy cherry that sits right smack dab in the middle and on the top of a prepared Sundae. Those compliments over the years have expanded into “I have no idea how to dress. Will you teach me? No one has ever taken the time…” Today, is the day I’m officially launching! Let’s roll?! Shall we?
When I was fresh out of High school in 1976, I enrolled in the Dory Passolt School of Modeling in Omaha, Nebraska where I learned about Wardrobe, Make Up, Runway Modeling & Etiquette. I learned how to Walk Properly, Sit Properly, Stand and Model on a stage. It was fun and exciting. On graduation day, I was proud to have attended a school for one of my long time personal interests. It was then I was offered the opportunity to broaden my knowledge through re-registering for the following year. Though, the knowledge I gained was valuable for any young lady my age, I personally was put off by the snobbery and fakery that seemed to blanket the field. It was then I decided it wasn’t for me.
Fast forward a few years, and my love for the Beauty industry began to grow. It was 1986. My husband & I were living in the beautiful southern city of Charleston in South Carolina where I found myself enrolling in the Academy of Hair Design. Alas, another one of my life long dreams being fulfilled! I registered knowing that once I was licensed, the possibilities were endless. (I could eventually have my own shop and learn Makeup Artistry)!
I completely shocked myself when I found out I was in the running for Valedictorian of my class at Academy of Hair Design! Due to that fact, one of the top Salon Owners on St. John’s Island wanted to hire me to work in his plush salon. Was this dream already unfolding? I couldn’t help but question, “Who me?” The girl who had mediocre grades all through grade school and high school? The one whose grades were often in the pooper, who had to work her butt off doing extra credit to pull that “D” or “F” up to at least a “C” to pass? I’m not even kidding. NOT. ONE. BIT! It just goes to show you that when you follow a passion that you’re interested in, you just might excel! I managed to miss Valedictorian by 3 stinking points and became Salutatorian, but hey, it was still a great accomplishment for me, not to mention a speech on graduation day! All of that was after winning first place in 3 of the 4 Hairstyling Contests on Mannequin heads. Again, I literally only missed winning the 4th Contest by a meager few points. Geesh!
I quickly forgot the above woah when we voted on having a big bash with a full-blown graduation ceremony and runway modeling! And, that…we did. OMGEEEE, it was a blast! I still remember walking the runway to “Putting on the Ritz,” by Irving Berlin.
Though I dreamt of becoming a make up artist, after delivering my daughter and having a 3-year-old and newborn baby at home, I felt being a stay-at-home-mom, was calling me. As much as I wanted a career in make up artistry, it would have to wait…
My next adventure was Fashion Coordinating which just seemed to fit with Cosmetology and the whole gamut of the beauty industry. People who love designing hairstyles, pretty nails, doing skincare and make up, love fashion. It just comes naturally to them. On the advice of a friend, I joined a company called Weekenders and began scheduling modeling shows/parties to show the versatility of all of our clothes! I taught others how to accent and dress up their pieces with scarves and jewelry. It was here I was able to hone in on many Fashion tips and share my expertise on (W)ardrobe which you will find in this blog.
In 1998, I studied to become an Inner Healer and Life Coach at Destiny Church in Albuquerque and graduated from Southwest School of Ministry in 2000. In the interim we did one-on-one inner-healing sessions, couples counseling, life coaching and several trainings. In 2008, Our ministry—Great Exchange Healing Ministries was born. Fast forward to 2017! Wanting to expand our expertise, my husband and I traveled to Anchorage, Alaska where we completed a two week training at Wellspring Ministries under the leadership of Dr. Art Mathias. Thus… you will find many Inner Healing Tips & (I)nspiration. I promise I won’t be too preachy. 😘😘😘
At one time, I considered going to college for Interior Decorating because I love it so much. When I was invited to work w/with Lois Lane Decorating in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I quickly jumped on board to learn all I could for three years. It was here that I fulfilled my desire to be an Interior Designer, learning how to professionally design a home using a menagerie of decor that create interest & flow. (Many that come to my home, love what they see and ask me to come decorate their homes). Thus, you will find (D)ecorating tips on this blog. As a long time crafter, you will also find many (DIY’S) that will inspire you and stimulate your creativity, helping you to hone in on your own designs and crafts.
Lastly, you will find a few articles on (E)verything in Between. These are articles of a willy-nilly nature; some serious, some silly and some downright funny. If you’re up for that kind of fun, join me friends on this blog?!
Moving right along… A lifelong dream of mine was to have my own business. AND…BOOM! That fulfillment began on July 10, 2020. Carole Dianne Designs was born. Let me emphasize, I jumped out of the womb artsy & crafty. (If my mom were alive, she’d probably confirm that for me! No joke)! Though I’d tried many businesses from being a seamstress for others to cake decorating, and going to Flea Markets to sell a few things, nothing flew until after I’d raised my kids while continuing to create.
I absolutely love what I do. I pride myself on “One-of-a-Kind” Designs. We were made to SHINE & to be UNIQUE. No two of us are alike so why should we simply fade into the background when we can stand out in a crowd and be uniquely US? When I am designing my jewelry, scarves, handmade cards, and the many other artistic pieces that have become a part of my niche, I strive for excellence & uniqueness!
While most choose ONE Niche… I choose many. I just can’t bring myself to get “STUCK” in one niche, thereby STUNTING my creativity. I design a wide variety of products & as a buyer for my company, I also buy what speaks to me and that I hope will speak to you also. You’ll find bright, happy, glitter, glam, bling and everything in between, as I buy & create the things in my shop that speak to my heart and to many.
So….❤️What makes me stand out and why should you buy from my store—Carole Dianne Designs—❤️instead of all the others?
I pride myself on personally helping my customers, find the perfect gifts for their friends & family once I know what they like. I send direct links for any product via FB or IG messenger or text to save the hassle of scrolling through my website wasting unnecessary time.
My customers LOVE the extreme care I take when their items arrive, packaged to perfection. They love the special touch & the candy that arrives in every package with the enclosed Thank You card! As a Calligrapher, I often offer FREE personalization’s on cards & ornaments when purchased, and other times, for a minimal fee. Many of our products chosen as gifts, come with an appropriate FREE Handmade card designed by me. What Big Box Store does that? (It’s actually unheard of). Not to be underdone, I also offer Gift Wrapping for any item for a small fee! This is a whole lot of BANG for your buck!
So I’ll end with this question: What Special Gift are you looking for and how can I help? Feel free to message me after you’ve taken a gander on CaroleDianneDesigns.com!
Love and (((Hugs))), ❤️Carole❤️
P.S. Check out my collection of Live Videos on both my FB & IG showcasing my product where we can connect face to face‼️
P. S. S. I do not know it all. I believe that as long as we’re on this earth, we’re still learning. Grab whatsoever you will in my blog posts and run with it! (((Hugs))), Carole
