Meet Jewelry Designer Deidra McNish-Brown

Deidra is a wife, mother of 2, Registered Nurse, former librarian, and owner/creator of D’s Delights. She started D’s Delights last summer as a way to deal with the stress of living and working through the pandemic. Deidra wanted to do something that allowed her to express her creativity, manage her stress, and bring joy to her life and the lives of others.

D’s Delights is all about handmade jewelry - bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and anklets. She does not believe in people having one set of style at all times so she strives to create a variety of pieces. While beaded bracelets are the most popular, Deidra looks forward to exploring different techniques and bringing the final product to her customers.

Q. How has it been working in the pandemic as a registered nurse?

Working during the pandemic was very stressful and it took a major toll- physically and mentally. Every day when I went out to work I could feel it in the air that things weren't right. There was so much unknown. You would expect that as healthcare professionals we were well protected but that was far from the truth.

Q. As a stress reliever during the pandemic, you started making handmade jewelry. What made you decide to turn it into a business?

You know, it's funny, the idea popped in my head and I just ran with it. I wanted to do something that relieved my stress/anxiety and I wanted to be able to provide people with something that brought them joy.

Q. Tell us about D's Delights. What kind of jewelry do you make and who's it for?

The idea behind D's Delights is to have jewelry that speaks to people with a variety of "tastes." I would love for anyone who looks at my offerings to see something that appeals to them and their style. I don't necessarily fit into one box when it comes to my style and I don't want to create based on only one style. My pieces center mainly around beads. I create bracelets, necklaces, earrings and anklets using semi-precious gemstones, recycled African glass, wood, bone, and seed beads. I paint and stain laser cut wood to make earrings. I also use resin to make unique earrings and pendants. I typically don't make more than 5 of any design because I want my customers to know and feel their piece is special.

Q. What type of marketing strategies do you use to get the word out?