Introducing Anna from AnnaGlee Designs. Where every item is handmade!! From her home in Illawarra on the South Coast, New South Wales, Anna has a love for creating homewares from Australian made rope and acrylic resin.
Find out why Anna started creating and why she is so passionate about the value of handmade.
Tell us about your creations and your handmade process.
I create one-of-a-kind homewares that blend my passions for sewing rope and working with acrylic resin. These materials bring a yin-and-yang to my homewares range. On the softer, natural side, I craft baskets and decorative pieces from Australian rope, evoking a gentle coastal vibe with soft and wavy patterns. In contrast, my acrylic resin photo frames and decor items have a fun hard bold feel with vibrant colours and patterns.
Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a handmade artist.
Since I was a young girl, I've been crafting things for myself and family, always finding joy in making something with my hands. The lightbulb moment of realising I wanted to become an artist and share my work more widely actually came during a "cheer-up" shopping trip after a breakup. I spotted a button brooch and thought, "I could make something like that." I bought that brooch and hung it on the wall - it's still there 15 years later.
I began by selling small handmade earrings between university classes, experimenting with anything that caught my imagination. Eventually, I fell in love with working with Australian rope. It took countless hours of practice-and plenty of trial and error-to develop a range I felt proud to share. I still have the very first (fairly dodgy) bowl I ever sewed, and it's incredible to see just how far I've come. More recently, I've discovered a second passion: creating one-of-a-kind pieces from acrylic resin. I design my own moulds, play with custom colour blends, and craft items that feel personal and joyful.
What is your inspiration or where do you find inspiration?
My inspiration is simple: I just love to create. That giddy joy I feel when I create something gorgeous - to start with nothing then shaping it into a piece that brings happiness. My main struggle is set a pace when trying new ideas.
I often see a shape or colour that sparks a new idea and it is all I can think about, and (unfortunately for my husband) talk about. There's no greater thrill than crafting something with my own hands and watching it come to life exactly as I imagined, and getting to do the happy dance.
Where did you learn your craft?
While I've always been drawn to creative, learning, dabbling in everything from screen-printing workshops to pottery classes, most of the techniques I use today, like sewing and working with acrylic resin, are self-taught. There's been a lot of trial and error along the way, starting with simple projects and gradually building my skills toward more intricate, imaginative pieces. Every so often, when I hit a challenge I can't quite solve, I'll dive into YouTube for a little extra guidance.
Why is handmade artistry so important to you?
I think everyone carries a soft spot for handmade creations. From the childhood joy of gifting something you made yourself and feeling so proud when it's loved-that feeling never really fades.
Handmade pieces are crafted from the heart, shaped by years of practice, patience, and passion.
My hands touch every part of what I create, forming it, refining it, and checking each detail with care. There's nothing quite like hearing, "Isn't it beautiful, and can you believe it's handmade?"
Anna is a much loved member of the MadeIt Collective, posting regularly in our Facebook Group ~ The Handmade Marketplace of Australia ~ and sharing their new creations as they are released. If you haven't connected with AnnaGlee Designs make sure you join our FB Group and say hi !
