Annie Blackberry NEW SEASON LAUNCH!

Welcome to War and Peace and No Place Like Space! My 2010 Summer/Autumn collection. In The Secret Garden is still going strong and so you're welcome to order from that summer 2009/2010 collection.

Most of the pieces below are available only for either a limited time or as more charms become available (vintage charms will naturally run out). I only have 1 available of the gun and 2 of the copper chandelier with charms :)

Our new wee puppy, Timmy, is a one-off and I've bought him :)

Annie :) xx

What You May Not Know About Annie Blackberry...

Hey Friends!

Thank you for reading this :)

I have actually been having a tough time of late. After losing our gorgeous chihuahua Gracie to a car accident at only 10 months of age quite soon after a miscarriage, I have also just lost 2 of my beautiful triplet rats, Edwina and Lady Penelope. Edwina was put down after suffering from cancer and Lady Penelope I found dead in her cage four days ago. This has affected me greatly. I shared a great bond with these 3 animals and their loss (esp. Gracie's) is inexplicably hard.

I have suffered the past 12 years with varying degrees of mild to severe depression which I 'caught' after a severe illness and burnout. I have also suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for the same amount of time and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) my entire life. I also started having convulsive seizures three eyars ago which thankfully have all but stopped. All these things have been diagnosed through a neuropsychiatrist and other top professionals. I have gained A LOT of weight due to the antidepressants and am slowly overcoming the shame of this.

A lot of the time I am quite ok, some of the time I am not and occasionally I really am not. At the moment, I'm really not. Please don't despair! I would never harm myself or do anything silly but sometimes I just need to be honest and upfront about how I am so I can feel that people may understand. I also want to remove some of the remaining stigma about mental illness. I think at one time or another we've all experienced it and if we haven't then we are extremely fortunate. I still have a lot of people whispering to me in the shop or emailing me in confidence to share with me that they too suffer from depression or another mental or physiological or biological illness. While I absolutely respect their right to keep it to themselves, I also feel sad that they feel ashamed of it or feel, somehow, weird.

I actually consider myself a pretty normal person. I would describe myself as extremely sensitive and can not bear to see others in any kind of pain. I think this means that I have no rose-tinted glasses though which to see life, so feel every bit of pain (and joy) to its fullest extent. I believe that my illness is physiological - a combination of a biological physical illness and an illness of the brain. I have a lot of counselling, prayer, read a lot of books, visit the doctor a lot and am limited in what I can or can't do (I find leaving home for over a day very hard for example). I sometimes do not understand people's actions and so seek explanation so I can try and assimilate this into my understanding of the world (someone may hurt me so I seek to know why, brassing them off trying to get my brain around what has happened, not to judge but to be able to process the situation and let go of it). Do I appease the OCD and keep looking for an answer and make ppl confused and angry or do I leave well enough alone and say nothing and be unable to let go?

I am a pain really but I also know that I am kind, loving, compassionate and a damn good laugh! If you are willing to accept me despite my foibles then I am extremely grateful. I have lost many friends thru lack of understanding on probably both our parts but have gained so many more through mutual understanding and a willingness on both parts to love.

I am Anna Sjardin-Killick, Annie, Annie Blackberry and I have OCD, depression, CFS and functional weakness and occasionally, seizures. I am at times grumpy, annoying and too intense. I am also fun-loving, humorous, talented and compassionate.

I accept me.

Thank you for accepting me.

Anna xxx

Annie Blackberry 2010

Hey Guys!

So nice to welcome in a New Year and hope you all had a GREAT Christmas!!

I am so excited about the new year at Annie Blackberry - I am so so grateful to you, my customers and friends, for your amazing support in the last year and look forward to serving you this year.

Thank you to my wonderful friends and casual staff Lydia, Annie, Kelsey and Joy and to my Mum and Dad and Andrew for their incredible hard work.

I've been searching the world (figuratively) for the latest trends and fashion and have based my 2010 collection on much of this as well as things that are close to my heart - animals, people and crazy, unique stuff.

Please email me on annieblackberry@hotmail.com for a good price :)

Annie :) xxx

Give Courage to Someone - ENcourage them

PIC #1 is an awesome drawing my husband did. The 2nd is a photo of my husband that his bro, Rob, did. I just love it - so moody. And PIC #3 is our new baby, Timmy Schmal..I am in love with him - we both are.

Had a pretty hard day today. My rat Edwina's dying, I had words with one of my family which hardly ever happens and I miss Gracie. Plus the OCD is bad today - random unwanted thoughts, guilt and anxiety - the usual.

Are you going through a hard time? I listen.

My girls, life is hard isn't it. When you're sensitive like me EVERYTHING is felt to the fullest - loss and pain and joy and laughter. It's a bit of a rollercoaster ride (no I'm not bi-polar but I do understand it :) )

We put up the Christmas tree and I think it's our best one yet! :) Sweet and simple.

I want to bless you with my jewellery, I hope I do. I hope you feel the love behind the brand.

Love Annie xx

An Annie Blackberry Christmas Special!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! :)

I have a special offer for you, my blog readers! Buy anything from me over $25 (through our Cherrywood shop, on Trade Me or through this blog) and mention to me the code word FREEDOM and get a free designer jewellery gift :)

ALSO, if you'd like an Annie Blackberry gift voucher we will give you $5 free for every $25 you buy! Why not buy one for yourself and save ourself $5 later!! :)

I'd just like to say a big THANK YOU to you, my wonderful supporters and customers, who have been so kind to me through this very difficult time.

Thank you to Wild Pair and Evolution for continuing to stock us and we are proud to be a part of the awesome fashion you deal in.

Remember...God made you special and he don't make mistakes x

Annie xxx

PS Timmy Schmal, our new puppy, is home - yay!! :) He is adorable and delightful.

A Normal Blog

My husband of 7 years today: Andrew Killick - THE Man.

Above: Timmy is the black one on the right :)

Lance and Andrew in the firetruck :)

A very tired me - I suppose we should all show at least one truthful shot ;)

Ooooo - the firetruck was actually fun :)

Hey Beautiful People!

Thought I'd do a normal blog instead of an advertising one (if you want a good deal, see the blog below this one ;) ).

I'd love to know what you think about Annie Blackberry. I get a lot of lovely emails from amazing people and it makes my year. But sometimes it's lonely creating for people you can't always see and a lot of the time you never even know what they think about what they've got.

It's been a year of loss for me. We lost a baby (miscarriage), our baby dog, Gracie (the love of our lives) to a horrible accident that we witnessed and I've lost a lot of friends with whom I've really tried to work things out. Sometimes I feel like Job. I'm scared to receive incase I lose.
It's also been a year of incredible change and hope. I am finally starting tog et well after 12 years of chronic illness, Annie Blackberry has gone further than I ever dreamed, I am meeting some incredible people from the fashion & TV folk right through to the little old lady who sits on her walker seat and talks about how her eyes have lost their colour. Everyone is special. And God's chosen us a wee puppy, Timmy. He's below.

I hope I can be there for as many of you as I can. I hope I can bless you in some small way. f you need prayer or a listening ear, or want a piece of jewellery made that has meaning and significance to you I'd be honoured to do it - email me at annieblackberry@hotmail.com

A shout out to Kelsey for being who she is - I love your blog, you are truly unique. Also to my sister, Deborah, for being the best sister a girl could ever have.

Andrew and i have been married 7 years tomorrow - am looking forward to the next 77 :) What amazing adventures are yet to come! We WILL get to Paris and London :) Thank you for looking after me.

God bless you one and all,

Annie :) xxxxx

Christmas Special!

Hey Everyone!

If you mention you're buying a CHRISTMAS present (even if it's for yourself ;) I'll give you 10% off my already discounted prices. I'll also gift wrap for free.

Email me with your budget (even if it's $20)and I can work with it to make something cool :)

A huge thanks for checking out my blog! Hope you're having an awesome lead-up to Christmas I'm already excited!! Guess what my friends are all getting for Christmas?! ;)

Thank you To Wild Pair, Lippy and Evolution Clothing for your orders - take a look at these awesome stores and stock up on the exclusive designs at Wild Pair and Lippy and the Annie Blackberry Deluxe range at Evolution Clothing - including some never-to-be-repeated one-offs!

In personal news: VERY sadly we lot our lil baby puppy Gracie as the result of an accident. We grieve everyday for her and miss her like crazy but I know we'll see her again in Heaven.
We welcome soon into our family in December a gorgeous puppy called Timmy Schmall (in photo above). He's our lil Annie Blackberry mascot :)

Hope you're all doing well - email me for a price on anything you like :)

Annie xx