Kerri-Anne Anderson

Well didn't 2014 fly by?? I've accomplished so much this year and while I didn't complete all my goals, I did come across opportunities that weren't even available at this time last year. So to begin, what were my goals for 2014? The first was to add a new bag style to my shop every month. And while it was tough at times, I did manage to complete this goal! I've added a range of different styles this year, from messenger bags, to totes, to tablet cases and wallets. Building up my stock eventually came in handy for the last couple of months of the year with the tricky task of managing stock between a couple of selling platforms. twelve new designs added this year The goal I did not complete was having a stall at the Handmade Markets in Canberra. I applied for the first two of the four markets and after being unsuccessful the second time I visited the store for some feedback. The lovely Julie provided lots of helpful advice and assured my products were of a

November has been a record month here, people have certainly started their Christmas shopping! Custom orders, Etsy sales, Old Bus Depot Markets and Trove, it's been a busy month! I kicked off the month with a $20 sale, check out online here . It all began at the Old Bus Depot markets, having my most successful day to date. I sold a mixture of items, from handbag hooks to totes to sale bags. Looking forward to December for my weekend long market! Trove has also been busy, with sales and new members joining with their beautiful items. A Christmas event at the end of the month topped it off with lucky dip prizes, food and drinks and 10% off storewide. Now in store we have lovely artwork, plus beautiful candles and gorgeous heat packs. And finally the bag of the month is a wallet! Featured back in September when I made myself the prototype they have been a hit with lots of positive feedback and a few custom orders. The wallet has room for eight cards, plus two open compa

October has been a very exciting month indeed! I began the month with the news I'd been accepted into a new and upcoming local handmade store, Trove. The shop was put together by fellow Etsy members who had met online and through markets and wanted a place to sell their handmade goods. They opened in August and once things were up and running they put out the invitation for new members. Once I was accepted I frantically got sewing to complete a few new messenger bags I wanted to add to the store. The zip messenger is the bag of the month and this one is a Trove exclusive! It features a contrasting vertical zipper as the feature on the flap which opens up to a large pocket and matches the lining. Simple but effective, this bag has plenty of room inside and a few internal pockets. Trove is located at the hip Lonsdale Street Traders on Lonsdale street of course, in Canberra. The building features pop up shops all with a unique variety of products. Apart of being accepted

This month sped by, but it was full of fun and improvement! New this month, I added four more handbag hooks to the store. Handbag hooks are great, they fold up in their little pouch and when needed, keep your bag off the floor! New colours include pink polka dots, black satin and navy denim. I also found some time to design a wallet for myself, I've been wanting to make it for the longest time. It features a tab flap with magnetic snap closure and opens up flat. Inside there are eight card slots, two open pockets and a zippered coin pocket. Took me a while to come up with a design I was happy with, but I'm pleased with the results. Most likely will add this design to the store in the near future. Had another Old Bus Depot Market on the 14th, which also coincided with the market's 20th birthday celebrations. It was a fun day, listening to bag pipes in the morning and eating cake in the afternoon plus lots of market excitement in the middle! One of my most suc

August has been a fun month indeed! The highlight was definitely the instagram challenge I took on board created by Jess Van Den from Create and Thrive . It was called #CTMonthInTheLife and that's what it was! A month in the life of creative people. A prompt was provided each day and after putting together the perfect pic, it was time to explore each other's pictures with the hashtag. It was certainly a lot of fun and I'm a little sad it's all over now! Check out all my photos on instagram - @kerrianneanderson. A selection of the photos from the challenge. Prompts from L-R: Raw Materials, Insitu, Post Office Hands, Photography, Sketchbook Tools, Work in Progress, Why This month I also extended the Pick your Pattern range - it now includes tote bags! Available in three versions, red, grey and blue, the panels are interchangeable with the messenger bags too. I also added three new panels for a bit of variety - a music theme, hearts and hexagon pattern. The ba

This month I finally got around to executing an idea I've been floating around with for almost a year. And it feels great to get it done! Let's begin with the back story... It all began two years ago when my boyfriend asked me to make a new messenger bag for him. He came up with the idea of zipping on and off a panel on the flap to change the theme of the bag. Making the bag itself was a challenge for me (he wanted so many pockets!) and really proved to myself what I could do. And then about a year ago I thought about adding the design to my store but really struggled with what to put on the panels. My problem was the five panels my boyfriend came up with for his bag were all based on licensed characters. I had a play with coming up with my own but it just wasn't right. I eventually moved on from the idea, even though I'd bought all the zips needed. Finally I decided it was time when I found some cool fabrics that would be suitable. Of course I then had to decide

June brings about the middle of the year and wow it's gone fast! I applied for the Old Bus Depot Markets at the beginning of the month and was quickly accepted to my surprise. The OBDM is described as 'Canberra's Sunday Best' and runs every week in an industrial building in Kingston. Featuring a mix of fabulous foods and beautiful handmade items it really has something for everyone. The hard part was then deciding which week I wanted to attend as I'd specified I'd like to trade once a month. I chose the 2nd Sunday with the exception of this month. Find out more about the Old Bus Depot Markets here My first stall was on the 15th which coincided with the annual Kid's in the Shed day, and it brought lots of the people to the market. I enjoyed meeting new people including fellow stallholders and the visits from a few Canberra Etsy team members. I'm looking forward to the next market on the 13th of July which is also another theme day - Creative Fi

It's been a month full of ideas and improvement this May. I began the month testing new techniques and proceeded to feature them in new designs. I also attended a business mentoring session from a fellow Etsian. It was a great meeting catching up and sharing ideas with local artists working towards a similar goal. The internal zipper pocket The bag of the month is a large tote featuring a patchwork collection of prints. The bag utilises my new techniques with a wide flat bottom and my proudest feature - an internal zipper pocket along the back! Inside also houses two open pouch pockets - I love using these for keys and my phone. The bag closes with a secure zipper. New tote bags in store here Lastly it's time to introduce the cutest member of the family, Riley the Rex! During May he has been settling in (and causing mayhem!). It's not so easy to sew with a kitten around, we've had to fight over the tape measure a few times. Riley's got me thinking abo

Easter's come and gone and one of the highlights was receiving a special Easter gift from a fellow Australian Wandarrah team member. The Etsy team ran a Bunny Swap following the success of last year's Secret Santa. I received a super cute egg cosy from Alma who also sells them in her store Heaven to Seven , along with adorable children's items. I sent Alma a purple flower printed clutch from my store. This month's new additions in store were tablet cases made in both 7 and 10 inch sizes. They are styled with an asymmetrical design with piping trims and feature a front pocket. The main compartment is lightly padded to offer some protection. The good news is they don't even have to be used with tablets! In Store Now And finally, it's my Etsy Anniversary this month! To celebrate more than 70 sales to 7 countries in three years I'm offering a $5 discount on purchases over $50. Simply use the coupon code THREEYEARS at the checkout, valid until

March is over already! My focus this month was working on Etsy School along with my team members Nari from NariDesignPot and Glenda from gtgadabout . The 4 week program focuses on improving our Etsy stores through photography, SEO and social media with the help of others. A shop critique from week one gave direction and began the improvement. Slowly we've been updating our shops and while I'm still finishing up, I am quite happy with the results so far. This month's bag of the month is a new clutch modeled on the special Valentine's item I donated to a worthy cause. The clutch features an asymmetrical flap detailed with contrasting piping and a magnetic snap closure on the front pocket. The main compartment closes with a zipper and the clutch also features a removable wrist strap. Available in store now for $30 each. In store here In other news I attended my first market for 2014, the unique Suitcase Rummage where all sales are made out a suitcase! It&#

Began February ahead of schedule! Always a good sign :) Spent a bit more time in January creating in order to prepare for a much deserved holiday! New this Month This month's bag is one of my new favourite designs, after I got over the learning curve of trying new techniques I was quite pleased with the results. Loving the colour combinations they have brought about too - soft greys and pink, bright rainbows and matching stripes with spots! The bags also feature an adjustable strap, giving the option of shoulder to cross body, but I quite like the shorter option. A contrasting bow on the front pocket is the main feature of my newest bag. Last month I mentioned the Valentine's Day Auction raising funds for Jasmine, and I can finally reveal the results! My one of kind Valentine's inspired clutch sold for $20 to a lady in South Australia after the bidding began at $10. The auction was a success with almost all items sold with a total of $3450 raised! And I had a

January... the month of reflection and new beginnings. A time to reevaluate and set new goals for the upcoming year. I'm proud to say I reached my shop goal for last year and have set new targets for this year. Had a disappointing minor set back this month, but all the more reason to push forward and aim higher! More on that later... New Satchels Now in Store Late last year I designed a satchel bag for myself and have decided to make a few to add in store. I'm loving the new canvas prints I found. The bags have adjustable straps so they can be worn across the body or a shoulder length. They also have pockets for organisation and the bag closes with a magnetic snap. Find out more about the auction I've also designed a special one of a kind clutch for a wonderful cause. Jasmine's Valentine's day auction will be held next month to raise money for an assistance dog for Jasmine. Many businesses have donated goods and services. I have donated a red and whi