My DIY line, circa 2005
Once upon a time, there was a cool place on the internet called eBay. The year was 2004 and all the hip up-and-coming designers were on it, testing out the waters for their lines. I was one of such designers, and my line was called – you guessed it – Lime Crime.
In fact, this is how most people came to know me – as a DIYer. I loved nothing more than to cut up an old t-shirt and turn it into a cute little bustier. Eventually I expanded into dresses, skirts, hoodies! When it came time to launch new auctions (and these would drop every week on Wednesday), I would make a collage showcasing my new creations and cross-post it everywhere I could. LiveJournal was the site of choice at the time, which had hundreds, possibly thousands of DIY communities.
More photos of my old designs on Lime Crime Flickr
If there was a common theme between all of the DIYers, it was the use of bright colors and bold patterns. Zebra, polka dot, bold stripes and leopard were in vogue and, therefore, the most coveted. Unfortunately, they also happened to be most difficult to obtain: places like JoAnne’s and similar stores didn’t carry them, and not everyone had access to quirky fabric boutiques like in NY and San Francisco. Girls constantly lamented about the lack of cute fabrics and trims.
Fast-forward to now: Brandi launches ILoveCookieParty: D.I.Y Fashion Supply! Stocked to the brim with fun buttons, trims and of course rare fabrics, this place is a DIYer’s dream! I am proud to have them as a sponsor on my blog and encourage you to go check them out. If you’ve been stuck in a sewing rut lately, consider yourself officially re-inspired!
What a cute flashback piece haha…
I remember this. That is how long I’ve been following your work. You are so talented in so many ways. I love your designs! :)
Jessica Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Same here ;D
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Wow, I can’t believe how many people remember me from eBay! :)
Meru Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:54 pm
same here :D
Oh yeah, I remember those days. I was sooo mad when I got outbid on a black and white checkered skirt, it went for way more than I could afford! Your pieces went for so much money! I did get my hands on a Fredericks of Hollywood black and pink bustier you sold once, out of your own wardrobe! That made up for it :)
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Oh, the memories! I can’t believe you still remember what you bid on, and what you got and didn’t get… It seems such a long time ago. :)
korinsama Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 2:21 pm
omg, i remember bidding on a jack skellington tunic/dress and being outbidded like at .1 second i was sooo pissed T_T i’m still thinking about it sometimes :P
korinsama Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 3:14 pm
omg that one!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/limecrime/4406039235/in/set-72157623553915814/ !!
Sheila Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Yeah, I still think about it too. I should get over it :)But it was my first bid war and I lost! I was so sad!
That is a really cute tunic top, I hope whoever ended up with it knew how lucky they were!!
oh my gosh, what do you know! you have a picture of the exact outfit I was bidding on in your flickr!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/limecrime/4406038113/in/set-72157623553915814/
I’m shaking my fist at whoever stole that from me… *shakes fist*
I still have one of your Sky Salt guitars from Ebay!!
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 3:36 pm
:D Do you play?
Zanthia Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 3:58 pm
It’s been a looooong time but I definitely logged some hours on that thing a few years ago :-)
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:48 pm
I haven’t played in a long time either. My fingers are too soft now, strings would tear them up in a minute..
More pictures, PLEASE! :D
I remember one of my favorite outfits was a cute pale yellow number you made and modeled them with IRREGULAR CHOICE pink boots! That’s how I fell in LOVE with the brand! <3
I have a Doe Deere piece from way back when that I bought from eBay. It’s seersucker with a little duck applique. Perfect summer wear!
I’m sad that when I first discovered this, I was far to heavy to ever buy anything you would design. Even when you started your own clothing line, there was nothing for heavier girls, and now that I’m thin it’s all gone. :[ Oh well! Such is life.
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 3:38 pm
You should learn how to sew & make yourself awesome things! :)
Oh I remember this!
There was this old band t-shirt you had turned into a long sleeved top that I ADORED! :D
But I never had the money to buy anything ^^
Your make up tutorials and DIY stuff were some of the triggers that made me more and more interested in style and made me develop my personal style.
I’ve been admiring your work since I was like 13 ^^
I loved your designs. I was way poor so I only ended up getting one thing. This is the only pic that I have wearing the top & you can’t really see it. http://bit.ly/bWXdU1 It is similar to the checkered skirt above, so cute.
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 3:37 pm
I remember that top! :)
I remember bidding on your stuff back in the Thunderpants days, now that was a while back!
you should design clothes again. it’d compliment your makeup line
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Ahh I wish I had the time! Unfortunately Lime Crime Makeup is like a giant baby that’s constantly demanding attention! Maybe one day.
I started following you when you were a DIYer.
The original line is my favourite of your incarnations. :)
P.S- I also loved your hair. xD
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Yeah, I used to have a blue streak in my bangs haha.
I remebre that! I wanted to have one of my t-shirts remade by you so bad (you did that too right??). But I was too young to spend money via the internet :( I visit your site so often, hoping that one day I’d own one of those awesome pieces.
Awesome! Although I live in a big metro area, we don’t have a good place for the trims. Fabric I can find…trims I can’t!
Love your designs, too. Those were really cute!
I used to love buying from you back then. I even bought from you back when you were thunderwear, I got a custom designed skirt that I still have and love. :) yay
Doe Deere Reply:
March 4, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Hey Jaci, I remember you! So good to hear from you again – what’s new with you??
Jaci Reply:
March 6, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Everything’s great, I’m a first-grade teacher in Miami, still buying too many pieces of clothing and shoes I can’t afford. I follow your blog and comment sometimes. I am excited to try some of the new makeup soon. Lately I’ve had a tights obsession. And I’m also obsessed with my dog. <– me in a nutshell at the moment :)
Dude, no fair. I got all excited and thought you were selling those things!
I so remember those days! The “Little Big Girl” DIY movement is partly what got me interested in lolita fashion!
I love the clotheeeees! haha I remember I sometimes used to enter Ebay and just look for Harry Potter-related stuff!
I absolutely like your hair in those pictures! The blue is soooooo amazing, I actually posted an entry talking about different hair colors (including blue, purple & pink)
Last summer I actually had blue and purple stripes! n_n
Anyway, I LOOOOOVE your blog! And I’m a follower! :)
Oh wow, those are great! ^_^
Also, I just wanted to say thanks for introducing me to Cookie Party. I’ve started making and selling felt cases for cell phones, mp3 players, and any combination thereof, and the heart-shaped buttons I bought from there have been a great addition. :D
I love all of this *___*
The Esmeralda top (I saw it on the flikr page)is super cute!
<3
What a cute site! I’ll definitely be buying from there. C:
I remember this! I stumbled across your livejournal right around that time. Even put a promotional banner you made for Maskara on my profile. I didn’t know you were a designer though.
All pieces are beyond cute!
Your designs are gorgeous! Great job!
Jules
Soloden.Com
The Brown Mestizo
I remember those days! I coveted all of those outfits, but I could never afford them. Heck…I STILL covet some of that stuff.
I remember these days!
I miss it.
Always a style icon!
I totally miss your DIY stuff! It was my dream to have a shirt re-imagined by you. The problem with most t-shirts is that that are t-shirts and I look awful in them, but they have such cute designs sometimes. =[ Any tips on how to rock a t-shirt and still look cute?
Doe Deere Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 9:59 am
My tip is to make sure it’s fitted!
Oh yeah, and what was the name of your eBay bestie? Sprinkle or snorkle or something?
Ruth Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 10:53 am
Shrinkle! Don’t be rude, her make up is amazing… *ahem* and she makes clothes at the same time…
Courtney Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Oh I wasn’t trying to be rude at all! I love her makeup and her clothes. I just really couldn’t remember her name and wanted to look her up again!
Lily Reply:
March 8, 2010 at 3:10 pm
I LOVE Shrinkle. You should check out her new makeup like, SugarPill. It has AMAZING.
I remember that! I mostly came for the makeup tuts but I was very interested in the clothes I still think they are awesome!
Doe, do you have ANY idea of how quickly®ularly you’d be sold out if you started sewing again?
Would be quite an option once LimeCrime Make Up is out in the stores… ;)
Doe Deere Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 9:58 am
I’m always going to be into fashion, but if we’re talking starting a serious business then it will have to wait at least a couple of years – Lime Crime is still a baby that’s learning how to walk and needs my daily guidance & attention. :)
Awesome so excited!
I bought a wonderful pink lace 60s style dress from you when you were known as Thunderwear. Just a few days ago I was going through an old box of papers and found a pink note from you that you had sent with the dress. So fun that I had kept it. Unfortunately I lost the dress when we moved some years ago. I really loved it.
Doe Deere Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 9:56 am
Aww too bad about the dress, but thank you for keeping the note. How sweet. :)
I was actually thinking about your old DIY stuff the other day! I always used to sit and bemoan that I couldn’t afford them, haha!
Your stuff has always been so fun!
You were so pretty back then! (Still are!) I love your hair on these photos.
I wish I could sew :)
I remember you from e-bay. You were my favoooorite seller and I’ve been following your work ever since. (:
Doe Deere Reply:
March 5, 2010 at 12:47 pm
All I can say is… thank you!
That was back in 2005?! So crazy. I can’t believe I’ve been following your evolution for that long.
Thank you for posting these!! Anychance of uplaoding that Manson dress onto your flickr?
I miss the inventiveness of peoples creations on e-bay. Everything now a days seems cookie cutter. The designers aren’t as daring. When they are its far and few.
I do my own sewing, and try to make everything different. i’m glad you did, and still do too.
I found you when you were doing that. I wanted so badly to send something to you to have it altered. But I was like, 14 and jobless. And then you stopped. :(
I remember those days!!! I waited patiently every week to see what you would come up with, and I was amazed every time!!!
Your creations were always amazing, but I was, alas only about 15 and quite poor.
Darling lovely Limey, I still can’t help but continuously covet your hair in these photos. Le sigh!
Ohh I loved those days. Would you happen to have a screenshot of your website’s layout, the one where you had the blue skirt with white polka dots on??
Yeah, I remember your Ebay shop! That’s how I’ve known you actually. I loved your design, you’re talented in designing clothes too ♥
These outfits and the ones on Flikr are so cute! I wish that I had known of you back when you sold this stuff. I would of loved to of bought it. So funky and different to what you find out there.
Wow- hot topic! You truly were an inspiration to diy designers like myself. The LBG stuff got me into lolita too! I know exactly what you mean about Lime Crime being your little baby you have to guide daily. Thanks for the mention and helping my little baby grow (^_^)
yup that’s how I found you…and I won a quilted Chinese jacket with a fuzzy red collar.
This is SO weird that this entry is here because I used to follow you on ebay back in the day and now I just found you again TODAY! You’ve come such a long way, I can’t believe you have your own make up line now, lucky lady!
And the fact that I am in first year of fashion design and I can’t find nice fabrics to work with ANYWHERE. This site link helps me out a lot and I am sooo thankful!!! There is just no such thing as finding black and white striped fabric in this small city of mine! Or anything cool for that matter, so this makes me so happy!!
I started following your work on eBay, even before you were known as Lime Crime, but I can’t remember what the name was. I’ve always loved your makeup tutorials and think it’s amazing that you’ve begun your own makeup line! You’ve been an inspiration to me for over 5 years, keep it going!
OMG That was you!!!!
Ahhhh I remember those days!
I was such a huge fan of the things you made and your rockin’ red hair!
I’ve been following limecrime for a while but somehow never made the connection.
That just totally made my day :D
[...] to stick to one creative medium. Over the years she’s accomplished many things including her clothing line, music, modeling, blogging and now her highly successful makeup brand. Through it all she never let [...]
I REMEMBER THIS! I’m always looking for older pictures of you like this, Doe. Do you have an archive somewhere? I’m looking to dye my hair very similarly, and the more 2005-2006 circa pictures of you I can find, the better!