Workshop Update 11/24/2015

Off the Hook

0032 - hats

On The Hook

0028 - Jack and Sally - about 50% or so complete.

Have questions about why I work on multiple orders at once, or why I work on the ones I do? Find out here!

Queue
0030  - Hat/cocoon set
0031 - 12" doll
0033 - 12"doll
gifts

Juggling Projects

Hello, Twisted friends!

December orders are coming along, but I thought I'd pause this morning to shine a task light on the Anna Twist process.  

The focusing chair

Usually, I like to work on one thing at a time.  I invest in it, and live and breathe it for as many hours in a row as I can. I hunker down in my chair in a quiet corner of the house, headphones on so I'm not distracted by cars or phone alerts or a restless dog's nails clicking across the floor, and pour over yarn and stitches until the last detail is set.  This process is plum necessary for details like doll hands, faces, dresses - focus is important.  

When I have multiple orders in queue at once, though, every moment counts!   And life just won't let me spend hours on end in my quiet corner.  Silly life.  I do spend time every day waiting, though - waiting for kids to walk out of school, waiting at the doctor.   And I do things every day that don't require my hands the whole time - helping with homework, watching my family's current favorite show (right now, it's The Goldbergs).  And I have a job that occasionally has some down time.  During this busy order season, those moments are, as often as possible, also spent working on parts of Anna Twist orders that aren't as detailed - the body of a hat, for instance.  I usually keep that order in a project bag that I can grab when I need to scoot. 

Go bags

So, in order to make every moment count, I switch between orders, working on whatever life will allow me to right then, as much as possible.  And I love it!  I pour over doll details in my chair while I can, and when I have to divide my attention, I grab the bag and work on something else until I can get back to my chair.

That said...the chair is calling.  

I hope this shed some light on how orders progress, and answered any questions you had, kind readers.  All two of you.  

Workshop Update 11/18/15

On The Hook

0028 - Jack and Sally - about 50% or so complete.

0032 - 2 hats

Have questions about why I work on multiple orders at once, or why I work on the ones I do? Find out here!

Queue
0030  - Hat/cocoon set
0031 - 12" doll
0033 - 12"doll
gifts

Workshop Update 11/13/15

On The Hook

0028 - Jack and Sally - about 50% or so complete.

Sorry, no image today due to some restraints, technologically speaking!

Queue
0030  - Hat/cocoon set
0031 - 12" doll
0032 - 2 hats
0033 - 12"doll
gifts

Workshop Update 11/3/15

Off the Hook

0019 - Leg warmers

On The Hook

0028 - Jack and Sally

Queue
0030  - Hat/cocoon set
0031 - 12" doll
0032 - 2 hats
gifts

Update on an Update

Hello, Twisted Friends!

I like yarn, but I love to crochet with yarn.  It's slow and methodical, and usually fairly predictable.  That's part of why I like it so much.

Technology's very opposite nature keeps me from loving it as much as I could.  

My order form stopped sending me alerts that all of you dear people were submitting orders!  I just noticed this morning.  So, here is an updated Workshop Update!

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers
0028 - Jack and Sally

Queue
0030  - Hat/cocoon set
0031 - 12" doll
0032 - 2 hats
gifts

Workshop Update 10/23/15

The Workshop is back up and running!  Oak Fest was a great experience, but I'm glad to be back to crocheting.  It's what I love.  And as any of you who have placed orders can attest, the business side of this business isn't my strength.  As long as you love your finished piece, I hope you can forgive that.  Now, on to it.

As you can see, the queue is pretty empty.  If you place an order, it will be done relatively soon!

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers
0028 - Jack and Sally

Queue
Gifts

Workshop Update 9/4/15

The Anna Twist Workshop is taking this opportunity to start working on product for Coppell's Oak Fest!

I'm so excited to get to be a part of this! I'll be sharing a booth with the talented Melody Trowell of Melody Studio.  We'll have product for sale, give-aways, make-and-takes, and the always exciting and popular - information!

Hope to see you there!

Workshop Update 8/31/15

Off the Hook

0025 - Rango

On The Hook

0029 - Ninja Turtle

Here's a process photo of this little guy.  

I'm admittedly taking the time to post this

today because it's time to begin stitching his details,

and those can be daunting.  A little

procrastination to gather my mettle.  

Queue

0027

0028

Prep for Oak Fest - stay tuned

Wibbly Wobbly Stuff

Good morning, Twisted Friends! 

How has a month gone by since I last posted?  I knew Summer time would make work hours hard to come by, but that got silly.  Time does seem less linear, and way more wibbly wobbly.  That Doctor might be on to something.  

Anna Twist is getting back on track, though.  Coppell's Oak Fest is coming up in October, and I'm planning to be there in some capacity, either sharing a booth with Melody Studios or borrowing a corner of a table through Old Town Mercantile.  Either way, I'll be honored to get to share some work and offer some giveaways!  

I'll be returning to nursing part-time, too, but that hopefully won't interrupt Anna Twist orders.  I'm determined!  

Thank you for reading, and for your patience the past couple of months.  

KBO, Friends
(keep buggering on)

Workshop Update, 8/25/15

Off the Hook

0025 - Rango

On The Hook

0029 - Ninja Turtle

Queue

0027

0028

Prep for Oak Fest - stay tuned

Workshop Update 7/24/15

Good morning, Twisted Friends!  My camera broke a couple of weeks ago.  I like using pictures in the Workshop updates, so I held off on the posts until I could get the camera fixed. Sadly, the camera seems to be gone for good.  Until I can get that sorted out, pictures are going to be rough!  Bear with me, friends.

Off the Hook

0021 - Gajeel and Levy

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers

Up Next

0025 - Rango

Queue

0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update 7/6/2015

Off The Hook

0005 - Mermaid photo prop!  I can't wait to see this on a baby!

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers

0021 - Gajeel and Levy

Up Next

0025 - Rango

Queue

0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update 6/24/15

Order 0022 - Bazinga!

Off The Hook

Order 0022

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers

0005 - Mermaid Set

Up Next

Order number 0021

Queue

0025
0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update - 6/15/15

I just returned from a trip to Colorado.  Most vacations leave me needing a few days to recover, but this was honestly a refreshing vacation.  Probably due to how safe my little home in the low-altitude suburbs feels compared to the adventures we went through at anywhere from 5,000-14,000 feet!  All great adventures, but I do love home.

Off the Hook

I never posted a picture of Hedwig!  Here she is in her tiny glory.  That's a quarter there in front of her for
scale.  

Order #0020 - Essentially finished, actually.  Just needs a button sewn on.

  






On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers

Up Next

Order number 0005, estimated start date 6/20

Queue

0021 

0022 estimated start date 6/22
0025
0027
0028
0029

Summer Hours

The Anna Twist Workshop is mostly a world of crochet.  It could be other things, but my hands and brain seem most willing to crochet, so that's what it is.   One other Workshop skill I'm working on, though, is carving.  Before you get excited (or scared for my fingers), it's a pun, so hang in there with me.  Carving out time, is what I'm saying.

I'm a registered nurse, but I'm not working at it right now.  Right now, and for the past 4 years, I have stayed home to manage our house and family, and to some extent, our extended family, sometimes against their will.  Can I get an 'amen'?  This has involved an ebb and flow of lots of different things.  Seasons, we Jesus freaks tend to call them.  But throughout this season of not being a nurse, I've found that I want to learn and do and be EVERYTHING.  I thought at first it was a new renaissance for myself. Then I realized, no.  No, it's just a terrible time of unfocused busy-ness. 

So.  Focus.  Of all of the seasons I've walked through, nursing and Anna Twist have settled best in me.  Some day, I'll return to nursing.  Anna Twist is blooming now, and I want to tend to it, so I'm working on setting aside other things so that I can do that.  

Of course, right as some of these "distractions" are coming to their natural end, Summer is upon us.  The Miniwiets will be home all day, and the Workshop hours will be reduced to afternoons, when it gets hot, and I finally let them just collapse into the couch and play on screens.  That's when I'll be working on your orders.  And when distraction threatens (and threatens...and threatens...), someone refocus me.  With force, if necessary.

Not exactly topical, but I never get tired of watching Dinklage smack Joffrey.

Enjoy this lovely weather, Twisted Friends!  Thanks for reading.

Workshop Update 6/2/15

Off the Hook

Order 0017 is complete!  Well, Hedwig needs some feet, but she'll have those soon, and then - complete!  This order has been a long time coming, so I appreciate the patience of the lovely lady who placed the order. 

  

On The Hook

0019 - Legwarmers
Running a little behind.  Hoping to make up for lost time this week!

Up Next

Order number 0005, estimated start date 6/7

Queue

0005  estimated start date 6/7

0020 estimated start date 6/10

0021 

0022 estimated start date 6/15
0025
0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update 5/21/15

Off the Hook

Order 0018 is complete.

On The Hook

Order 0017b (Ron) - will be complete this weekend.

Up Next

Order number 0019, estimated start date 5/30.

Queue

0019  estimated start date 5/30

0005  estimated start date 6/7

0020 estimated start date 6/10

0021 

0022 estimated start date 6/15
0025
0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update 5/19

On The Hook

Order 0018 - will be complete today. 
Order 0017b (Ron) - will be complete this weekend.

Up Next

Order number 0019, estimated start date 5/30.

Queue

0019  estimated start date 5/30

0005  estimated start date 6/7

0020 estimated start date 6/10

0021 

0022 estimated start date 6/15
0025
0027
0028
0029

Workshop Update 5/14/15

Off the Hook Today

This li'l Denver Bronco for the UTB Handmade Holiday Giveaway!

0012 complete, along with mystery addition! Order 0012 is a set with 0017a-c, so I'll post a picture of those all together when the set is complete.

On The Hook

Orders 0017b (Ron) and 0018, both estimated to be completed next week. 

Up Next

Order number 0019, estimated start date 5/21.

Queue

0019  estimated start date 5/30

0005  estimated start date 6/7

0020 estimated start date 6/10

0021 

0022 estimated start date 6/15
0025
0027
0028
0029