How I got started...

I am an artist and designer, but somehow ended up selling trinkets. 

This all began when I was given a 40 pound box of Poly Pellets. I immediately knew what to do with them...make I Spy bags! I was really involved in doing humanitarian projects, making clothes, quilts, etc, but this was a new and fun idea for charity. I began collecting trinkets, small toys, and other household objects, paper clips, small stones, tiny babies, etc., but there wasn't much out there in the way of cute items. I began purchasing on Ebay and Etsy in small quantities of 10 or 20, and pretty soon I had 75 different trinkets to add to my I Spy bags. When I had nearly run out of pellets I needed to get rid of the excess trinkets, and one day nervously put them on Etsy. The rest as they say "is history." Almost!

Since it was hard to find cute things, I decided to add some confetti to brighten up the collection. I thought it was a cute idea, but then I got a scathing review from a customer about how she could find it all in her "junk drawer." Ouch! The challenge was on, and I decided if I was going to do this I was going to offer the best that could be found!

Two years later I bring trinkets in from the U.S. and around the world, with over 500 items and counting. (Don't even have time to list them all.) I no longer purchase in quantities of 10, but now up to 10,000 of an item. I'm not sure if I will get rid of those in my lifetime, but hey, they were a great price!

I have become a fanatic about finding the best, cutest, and most unique items for the lowest price, and I still get excited when I am able to find something new. I finally found an ibex, a weasel, and a yak! I had to purchase 10,000 of them so I could have them made. I wonder how most husbands would feel if their wives purchased $500 worth of yaks!

My next goal is to design and have my own trinkets made, but that comes with a hefty price tag.

As my customer base is shifting more toward teachers, the challenge for me is to get even better. It all becomes worth it when I read your comments and learn that even though I am not a "teacher" I can still have an impact on one child's learning. Learning made fun!

You can find Dinky Doodads on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.