Meet Danielle Sims | Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Sims and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, why did you pursue a creative career?
My passion for jewelry making started at a very young age. I was walking along a small town near where I grew up and stumbled upon a bead store. My mother and I went in and I was instantly hooked. We started taking classes together to get a basic understanding of how to create bracelets and earrings and my passion was even more ignited with every item I created. Little did I know at the time that bead work was quickly becoming not only my mothers way to spending time with me but a much needed creative outlet. When my father unexpectedly passed away before my 15th birthday, bead work and jewelry making became my way to cope. My mother always knew I was having trouble dealing with something because I would always go and sit in her room and feverishly create until I felt okay enough to discuss whatever was going on. I started learning from magazines and patterns and no longer required classes to hone my skills. There were many many nights that I would craft until the wee hours of the morning. Looking back this was a turning point for my bead work – I went from creating very basic, strung items to intricate woven pieces.
When I was 21 years old my mother was diagnosed with cancer. We quickly realized that all the time we had was precious and wanted to spend what time she had left together. We would spend hours together working on various projects while some crime tv show played in the background. I kept a go bag by the door filled with beads and other tools we would need for any extended hospital stay (if you’ve ever taken care of someone with cancer then you know those trips tend to happen a lot). Beadwork kept us focused on something other then the disease and enabled us to spend quality time together. After she passed, beadwork took on yet another meaning in my life: it became a way for me to honor my mother and keep her memory alive.
With the gentle encouragement from my husband and sister, I did my first official craft show about three months after my mother passed away. The rush of the first sale was something I wish I could experience every day for the rest of my life. I had always known I enjoyed bead work – but having other people (strangers, no less) not only enjoying my items but actually purchasing them was the validation I didn’t know I needed. My mother always believed in me and I was starting to believe in myself too.
As you can imagine, when I started having children being able to be at every function became my priority. The job I was at did not allow for any flexibility. I was on call after hours for a week at a time and it was soul crushing. I had already been working on DlpDesigned as a side hustle for a few years prior to making the leap to full time. When I quit, it was a breath of fresh air. I was able to work on my jewelry during the day but still be available for sick days and football practices. I slowly realized this had always been a small burning passion in my life and watching it come to life was a fulfillment I didn’t realize I needed. It shows my children that anything is possible and that they should follow their dreams, big and small.
In addition to creating jewelry, I also teach beading classes. During one of my first classes I encountered a pair of friends. One was super bubbly and the other – not so much. Right before class started the bubbly friend pulled me aside and told me that her friend’s son had just passed away and this was her first real outing since. I started off class by telling my story about how bead work helped me grieve the loss of my parents and by the end of class the student who had lost her son had begun to come out of her shell. She has messaged me since (we remain friends to this day) sharing that beadwork got her creative side flowing again and that it had helped her immensely with her grief process. If I can use my creative career to help other people with their grief – how can I pass that up?
As you can tell my journey into my creative career has had many twists and turns. It has helped me heal in ways I didn’t think was possible. I continue to show my children that hard work and resilience does indeed pay off and that anything is possible. I get to live a life I enjoy and never actually feel like I am working. I get to play with pretty glass beads every day. What more could I ask for?

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
There are a few things that I do differently then other jewelry designers that I know that set me apart. For starters my earrings are all on sterling silver ear wires. I have sensitive ears and have my entire life. I could never wear the cute fun earrings from Claire’s or Walmart and I remember feeling so bummed out. I never want my customers to feel like that. On that note – I also offer options that some small businesses don’t: I can make my earrings wearable by anyone, even those without pierced ears. I cannot tell you how many times customers have walked up to my booth and loved my earrings but didn’t have pierced ears. It’s a simply switch right there at the booth and the smile on their faces is worth the three seconds it takes.

I had one client who swore up and down she could never find bracelets that she could wear because she was allergic to a certain metal (rhodium as a matter of fact). Challenge accepted. I searched high and low and when she step foot in my class to create a bracelet I had rhodium free beads, clasps and wire set aside for her. I strive for inclusion. I can customize items based on color, size, style, allergy – you name it. I want my customers happy and coming back for more so I work hard to provide them with above and beyond service. I am a small business – I can cater to clients in ways bigger box stores can’t and that’s is something I take pride in.

One other thing that I do a little differently then some other small businesses is that I typically don’t buy wholesale. I get my seed beads from a small shop based out of Washington and I pay full price for them. Is there a way to get them cheaper? I’m sure there is – but I don’t want to cut out the middleman. I want to support other small businesses as much as possible because I respect what they are doing and working towards. I know that I legitimately do a happy dance every time an order comes through and I love the thought of being that joy for someone else.

To be honest, with out the support of my friends and family I do not think I would be where I am today professionally. When I first started I had a hard time even putting together colors for pieces without asking for approval from 3 or 4 different people. There were two local bead stores that really helped me along the way. Although both of the owners of the stores have since retired, they forever changed my life. I took hours of classes at each store to learn new techniques. One of the stores used to hold something called “Beads and Lunch” every Tuesday. A small group of us would get together and work on what ever project we were working and eat lunch together. Those women were always there to help me figure out a pattern I was stuck on or to tell me that my colors didn’t match anything. With out their encouragement and advice I do not know if my jewelry making skills would be what they are today.
Now, I understand the creative way of life. The business part of things – that’s another story. I may have a Bachelors Degree in small business management, but writing papers about small businesses and actually running one are two totally different things. It has not been an easy ride, that is for sure. However, I have met some amazing people along the way who have helped me up my game and strive to be better every day. They have showed me the difference between a hobby and an actual self sustaining business. From critiquing my items, to helping me pick out table clothes to help my items pop at craft shows, the people in my corner have been amazing.

“Where beautiful jewelry finds beautiful people” is more then just a business slogan (shout out to my husband for helping me come up with it). I want to create beautiful jewelry that makes people feel good about themselves. I want to see the smiles on their faces when they open a gift from a loved one and see a one of a kind, custom made piece just for them. I want to be able to create the items that remind a person of a loved one. That’s my goal as a business owner and that’s something I want to the world to know about me and DlpDesigned. I will always strive for the best possible customer service and to put that smile on every ones face.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where I live is a relatively small town but we are closer to several bigger cities. Whenever friends or family come to visit I strive to take them to restaurants that are not something that they can get anywhere else. We tend to focus more on the smaller, mom and pop type of restaurants rather then the bigger chains. For instance, on the weekends I would suggest the Smyrna Diner for breakfast. It has the retro diner feel, employees local kids as servers and offers an all you can eat buffet. When my husband and I were looking for places to live in Delaware, we picked Smyrna for one very specific reason: it was an equal distance from his office and the beach. My husband grew up in Florida, so by nature he is a beach bum. Over the years I have come to realize that, although I do not enjoy a dip in the ocean nearly as much as he does, the beach is one of my favorite places to spend my afternoon. The beauty of our area is there are several different beaches we can venture to. The one we tend to take our friends/family to the most is Cape Henlopen. It is part of one of the State Parks in Delaware. It is very family friendly and not nearly as crowded as some of the more tourist locations.
The only downfall of Cape Henlopen is the fact that there aren’t any actual restaurants in the State Park. Normally after a day at the beach we head over to one of our favorite Japanese Steakhouses, Tokyo Steakhouse. Since some of our family is vegetarian, this is a perfect place to ensure that every one goes home full and happy.
In some of the colder months we head to northern Delaware. There is a small zoo that is perfect for children who might not handle the full day or travel and walking at the bigger zoos (like Philadelphia or DC). Our favorite exhibit there is the red pandas. Unlike the bigger zoos, the Brandywine Zoo allows you to get a much closer view of them. They also have a small petting area as well that is the home of sheep and goats. It’s a fun family outing that doesn’t break the bank but always leaves us with smiles on our faces.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Todd deserves all the credit I could possibly give him and then some. He has always been supportive of my dream even when I did not realize exactly what it would entail. He has my back no matter what. He is the best sounding board I could ask for and quite frequently picks colors out for me when I am in a slump. I am a featured artist in an upcoming event and he helped me hash out what my collection is going to be and which direction to go. I know that I am the face of the company, but he is part of the heart of it. My sister, Catherine, is a major player in my story as well. She believed in me when I did not see my company going anywhere or amounting to anything. She lives far enough away that she can’t attend my events, but she never forgets one. She always checks in on how it is going and is quick to offer advice on how to better attract customers with my set up, usually with a suggestion on a new and unique color palette that ends up being a hit.
One of my very best friends, Rachel Settle, is an amazing part of my support system. She runs two business, @theboldcogirl and @monarchsolstice, flawlessly. She helps get me out of my head when I am starting to feel a slump coming on. We have done countless shows together in the past and are gearing up to do several together this year. Her unique clay earrings compliment my beadwork in ways I would have never imagined. The only reason my logo and branding is on point is because of her eye for design and color. We have not been friends more then a couple of years, but it feels like I have known her my entire life. I could not ask for a better woman to have in my corner.
Another woman in my life who deserves some recognition is Kim Barbieri (@kimbarbieri1). Her influence in my life and business is a little different then Rachel’s. Kim not only runs her business, Kim Barbieri LLC, where she serves as a podcast manager to several amazing podcasts, but she is also a mother of two young kids. In July, my husband and I welcomed our third child into the world. To say that juggling a business, being a mother and running a house all at the same time is a challenge would be an understatement. She understands when I feel overwhelmed and is always there to help me prioritize what needs to be done and reminds me to give myself grace when I need to.
The final person that deserves recognition is Melissa Craig. I met Melissa at a craft show in 2021 and we instantly hit it off. She is the founder and owner of a nonprofit called Seeking Stars Art (@seekingstarsart) where she provides models with runway and photo training while raising funds for local charities. She has introduced me to some amazing individuals and shown me so much as a business owner. She has pushed my creative boundaries and asked me to create countless pieces that I would never have dreamed up on my own.

Honorable Mentions (I could write books about people who have supported me along the way):

Krista Wheeler (@kentcountycandles) for helping me navigate the craft show world in Delaware
Laura Griffin (@thegypsyblues) for showing me there’s magic with in us all
Saundra King (@_saundra_king) for reminding me that I can be an amazing mother and business owner simultaneously

Website: Www.DlpDesigned.com

Instagram: @dlpdesigned

Facebook: Www.facebook.com/dlpdesigned

Image Credits
Models: Seeking Stars Art Photos: Shooting Stars Media Personal photo credit: Signature Shots Photography