Make a Simple Tissue Box
This Weeks Project Video is one day early, as I need to spend tomorrow getting ready for my trip to IWF 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. This Tissue Box is made using Spalted Pecan and Mahogany.
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #795: Moving Forward - The Next Phase
It’s another early morning today. I suppose I am excited about all that is ahead of me today. It is a new day and a new week is beginning and I can’t wait to see what is in store. There are good things happening all around and allowing them to unfold before me fills me with anticipation. I am not as anxious as I have been in the past. After years of doubt and being unsure of so many things, I think that we have built a sturdy foundation for the business that is diverse enough...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #794: Enjoy the Process
As time goes on, it seems that the world is migrating more and more towards instant gratification. We are continually looking for ways to have things completed in record time, with fewer steps and the least amount of effort. While I realize that this is not news to anyone, I just wanted to bring it up to make my point. While doing things more quickly and efficiently can be a very positive thing, I sometimes find myself wondering what the hurrying is all about. Yes, I understand when we a...
Noah's Ark #1: The Plans and my first cuts.
My name is Keith. I am very new to scroll sawing. I received a scroll saw for Father’s Day, so that makes me about 2.5 months old in scroller years. :) I started off in my scrolling hobby by cutting some basic puzzles from this book. A few of the ABC snake puzzles later and I was itching for something a little more challenging. I stumbled upon Toy Maker Press and was immediately drawn to their Noah’s Ark sets. I’ve wanted to build one for my little nieces for quite ...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #790: Things and Stuff
Yesterday was a full day of all kinds of things. But all was good. People often ask me how I stay so organized when I am doing so many different things. I think that the answer to that is quite easy – maintenance. Even though I wanted to charge into the next project(s) that I am thinking about, I looked around here and things were getting a little shabby around the edges. Not myself actually (although I am sure some would argue with you!) but the usual tell tale things like my ...
ScrollSaw Information and Resources #41: Scroll Saw Blanks
So I have been searching online for better scrolling wood. Something like 12 inches by 12 inches or larger. Specifically I am looking of Maple or Cherry. I have found this one source but they state that the center is MDF. Not sure what the means (YES I know what MDF is) or how that would look in a scrolling appilcation. Are they saying that the center is the same wood as the top and bottom layer however just ground up? I have used lots of baltic birch which looks fine. Thanks for any respo...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #788: Do As I Say, Not As I Do
I never for a moment think that I have all the answers. In fact, I often think that the day I stop learning will be the day I take my last breath here on Earth. Sometimes learning something is an entirely new experience. We see something fresh and new and it is exciting to learn about it and expand our knowledge. We have a feeling of pride and accomplishment as we learn these new things, and it makes us feel great. Other times, we re-learn something that we knew in the past, but over ...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #784: Using My Time Wisely
I woke up this morning an hour or so early. Not because I was worried or troubled or ill or anything like that. But just because I wanted to start my day. These are the good days. I have never really needed eight hours of sleep anyway. When the kids were small, I used to get by fine on about four hours a night on the average. There just always seems so much to do and time slips by so quickly. I remember once seeing an episode of ‘Seinfeld’ where Kramer was reading a book o...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #783: Cover Girl
No matter how many years I work with the magazine, I never get over the feeling I get when I have one of my projects featured on the cover of the magazine. There is a wonderful feeling of pride and accomplishment that comes with being on the cover, as it means that the publishers believe that my project is nice enough to entice readers passing by the news stand to stop and take notice, and perhaps purchase the issue. And that means a lot. I just received word that the 2012 Holiday Issue ...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #782: "A" Is For "Almost Done"
I had hoped to have the two pattern packets done today and ready to put up on the site today (the snowmen pattern for both scroll sawing and painting) but there was a lot going on and I had another idea and it rather slowed me down. It’s times like this when I am glad I am on a flexible schedule. And while I don’t think these ideas are bad (quite the contrary!) they do tend to throw things out of kilter just a bit. Good thing I am the ‘boss’ and have the ability t...
