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My Journey As A Creative Designer - Woodworking and Beyond

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7M views 13K replies 477 participants last post by  teaklight12 
#1 ·
Beginning this Blog

I recently was referred to this site by Steve Good, who has a wonderful, comprehensive scroll saw forum and blog page. Although I have been doing woodworking for almost fifteen years, I have finally reached a point in my life where I am able to make it the main focus of my activities. Since my life revolves around my woodworking and business, I believe that this blog will reflect that very clearly, although it will also be somewhat personal. But I think that woodworking is very personal anyway.

It has been a long journey to get to this point. There have been many good times and some not-so-good ones, but I appreciate every single step because I think that if even one thing was different, I would not be where I am today or who I am inside. It isn't only the positive events in our lives that make us what we are. Many times it is the negative things that mold and shape us and teach us to look at things in a certain way. I try to remember that when things are tough and move ahead.

I have learned that there is only one thing we can be certain of in life: change. Whether things are good or bad, we need to hold on and appreciate the moment, as we can be certain that things will be different before long. This helps us to not only appreciate the good days and things we have now, but also hang on when things are not so good, as we know that they will be different soon. I like this philosophy.

I liked reading about the new contest offered by this site in the newsletter. Fluidity. It is a perfect theme for projects because our existence itself is fluid. I am anxious to see what interpretations are going to be, as I am sure everyone else is. It will be an adventure for all of us for sure.

So why am I starting this blog? The other day I received a call from a customer who had a question for me. He kept saying how surprised he was that I answered my own phone. I have worked as a Contributing Editor for Creative Woodworks and Crafts Magazine for the past 13+ years and I guess in the scroll saw community, many people have heard of me. It seemed so odd to me that he would think I would have a secretary or staff. We kind of laughed about it, but it really got me thinking about his interpretation of my life. We all tend to form opinions of others from very limited information. We see the outside of a person as they are presented to us and many times are very quick to categorize that person in our minds. I do it myself.

But in my years of talking with and dealing with many people from many different places, I have come to realize that people are like icebergs. We only see the tip of them and below the surface is a vast, complex side of them that is the basis of their actions and thinking.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has traveled a journey. No two people have traveled identical paths. Thus, we are all unique in our thoughts, actions and creative processes. I enjoy hearing others stories. I think that listening to others and hearing their experiences helps us to understand each other. With that understanding, we learn.

I have used the phrase "Knowledge Is Power" in my signature since I have been on the web. Once someone told me that they thought it was quite arrogant of me to say that. He thought that I was implying that I knew more than anyone else and he found that offensive. I told him he couldn't be more wrong. My interpretation of the phrase is that our QUEST for knowledge EMPOWERS us to make better decisions about things in our lives. We are never finished learning. I learn every single day from my friends, colleagues, fellow woodworkers and students. We never know when we will learn something new. Sometimes you can learn from even a seemingly insignificant event. I feel the key is that we need to be open to learning.

Everyone has a story.

So I will close today with those thoughts. I don't know how often I will post here, but I hope to make it a habit. I don't know if anyone will even read this, but somehow it doesn't matter. Writing is a key in self-awareness. By writing things down we categorize our actions and it helps (me anyway) to keep my life organized. Organization leads to peace as far as I am concerned.

I am quite overwhelmed with the scope of the site here. I am still getting my footings and lurking around. I think for the first several days or maybe even weeks I will be more of a passive observer while I find my comfortable position among the others here. I want to upload the new things I am working on here. Like everyone else, I am anxious to see the response they get. I love seeing others projects and could spend my days just looking.

Although it is quite intimidating, the forum looks like it is full of friendly, knowledgeable and wonderfully creative people.

I think I am going to like it here.
 
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#8,340 ·
Busy Day!

What a fun and busy day we had yesterday! I sent out a quick newsletter to those who are on our Mailing List announcing the updates we made to the site and spent the rest of the day cutting out my Christmas box, filling orders and corresponding with customers. I must say that is was one of the busiest days we have had on our site, as everyone really loved Keith's new plaques that I featured here yesterday.

It feels really great to have some of our new stuff received so well. I know it was a big boost to Keith because so many people jumped on getting these new patterns. It is nice to take the time to do something like that and have people appreciate it so much. Both of us are really grateful!

I am almost finished cutting the Christmas box, and I should be done today. I hope to have some finished pictures of the nativity keys too in the next day or so, and the finished box. Once I am done with these two projects, I can move on to some more things for the site, as most of the deadlines will be met.

I am going to keep today's post short, as there is lots to do and I want to get started. But I also wanted to wish everyone a happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope you have fun and stay safe and take a bit of time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Have a great weekend!

Head Sleeve Carnivore Automotive decal Felidae


FL102 - Forest Leaf Eagle Plaque
 

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#8,341 ·
Busy Day!

What a fun and busy day we had yesterday! I sent out a quick newsletter to those who are on our Mailing List announcing the updates we made to the site and spent the rest of the day cutting out my Christmas box, filling orders and corresponding with customers. I must say that is was one of the busiest days we have had on our site, as everyone really loved Keith's new plaques that I featured here yesterday.

It feels really great to have some of our new stuff received so well. I know it was a big boost to Keith because so many people jumped on getting these new patterns. It is nice to take the time to do something like that and have people appreciate it so much. Both of us are really grateful!

I am almost finished cutting the Christmas box, and I should be done today. I hope to have some finished pictures of the nativity keys too in the next day or so, and the finished box. Once I am done with these two projects, I can move on to some more things for the site, as most of the deadlines will be met.

I am going to keep today's post short, as there is lots to do and I want to get started. But I also wanted to wish everyone a happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope you have fun and stay safe and take a bit of time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Have a great weekend!

Head Sleeve Carnivore Automotive decal Felidae


FL102 - Forest Leaf Eagle Plaque
Eagerly awaiting the box, Sheila. Glad to hear you are both on a roll.
 

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#8,345 ·
The Christmas Box

After a somewhat bumpy road of construction and design, I have finished my Christmas box.

I say the road was 'bumpy' because there were a few issues that I had in both the design and the execution of creating this box. I can however say that I have ironed out all of those bumps and recreating this pieces should be very easy for those who wish to do so. I am happy with the results.

Those of you who read saw that my first attempt of cutting the lid design included the misspelling of the word 'divine.' After several hours of work, with a satisfactory result, I showed the lid of the box here on my blog, only to have a kind reader point out that the word 'divine' was spelled incorrectly. It was a bit aggravating.

Brown Rectangle Wood Textile Font


After feeling like someone threw a safe on my back while I was climbing up a muddy hill, I decided to switch gears and do some other cutting for the next project just for a change of scenery. (I will be showing that project tomorrow.)

The change did me good, and got me away from the dreaded piece long enough to help take the sting out of having to cut it out all over again. During my day away, I rationalized that I didn't quite like the darkness of the wood that I used originally (in the above picture) and I wanted a lighter piece of maple anyway. "Things happen for a reason . . . blah, blah, blah . . . " and all of that.

While I was doing the other project, Keith had gone to the wood store and purchased some additional maple, among other things. We were getting to the bottom of our supply, which was why I had chosen the darker piece originally. He had returned with some beautiful maple that was a bit lighter in color and I felt would look much better for this box.

I had also in the mean time decided that the lid that I had originally cut was a bit too small. I wanted the sides of the box to be slotted, with decorative scrolling on the slot extensions and while this looked proportionally correct on paper, as I had the lid cut out, I realized that there was very little overhang that I allowed and the lid would have appeared too small. Because of the way the design was placed on the lid, with the liner covering just the inner part of the design and the trim around the edges being left open, simply shrinking the sides down was not an option. The lid liner would have come about half way between the holly trim, looking sloppy and unplanned.

By cutting the lid over, I extended the edges by 1/2 inch all around, and I think that it made a vast improvement.

Since I made this box to coordinate with the new set of 12 ornaments that I cut, I needed to figure a way to incorporate the 12 designs into it. The front of the box has the holy family:

Rectangle Wood Font Beige Natural material


The left side shows the shepherd and a sheep:

Furniture Table Rectangle Creative arts Wood


The back has the three kings and the right side has the camel and an angel:

Rectangle Wood Art Natural material Font


I lined the lid with 1/8" walnut. This also served to hold it stable on the top of the box when in place:

Rectangle Wood Musical instrument Beige Font


The joints of the box are slotted, which is a nice way to make a box using only the scroll saw. It is very difficult to cut a perfectly straight line on the scroll saw and the slotted joints are probably the best way to join pieces, as they are somewhat forgiving. With the added decorative edging, even if there are small gaps, they are barely noticeable, as your eye is drawn to the decoration rather than the joints themselves.

Furniture Rectangle Wood Chair Table


Keith had suggested that I line the sides also, but I liked the look of the open scrolled work.

I finished the box in my usual mineral oil/spray lacquer finish. I love the soft look it gives the piece, and how it enhances the wood without making it look shiny or plastic-y.

All in all, I am pretty happy with the project. Not only will it make a beautiful holder for the companion ornaments, but it would be a nice stand alone project too, as you can store your Christmas cards or even candles in it. It measures approximately 7" x 10" x 4" tall and is made of maple.

The pattern will be available in the holiday issue of Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine, as well as on my site after the publication date which is scheduled for late August. I know many of you want it now, but it will still be out in plenty of time for people to make for holiday fairs and gift giving.

I hope you all like it. I liked seeing it finally be finished when I glued things up yesterday. It seemed to be a long time in coming, but that was probably because I had hit a couple of hurdles along the way. I suppose it just goes to show that sometimes it is best to take a breath and get away from something for a day or so when things go awry. When we return to it, we have a better perspective and a little more patience and more so than not, we are able to pull the project out of the fire pile and make it something we can still be proud of.

Have a wonderful Monday today! Happy Memorial Day to my friends in the USA.
 

Attachments

#8,346 ·
The Christmas Box

After a somewhat bumpy road of construction and design, I have finished my Christmas box.

I say the road was 'bumpy' because there were a few issues that I had in both the design and the execution of creating this box. I can however say that I have ironed out all of those bumps and recreating this pieces should be very easy for those who wish to do so. I am happy with the results.

Those of you who read saw that my first attempt of cutting the lid design included the misspelling of the word 'divine.' After several hours of work, with a satisfactory result, I showed the lid of the box here on my blog, only to have a kind reader point out that the word 'divine' was spelled incorrectly. It was a bit aggravating.

Brown Rectangle Wood Textile Font


After feeling like someone threw a safe on my back while I was climbing up a muddy hill, I decided to switch gears and do some other cutting for the next project just for a change of scenery. (I will be showing that project tomorrow.)

The change did me good, and got me away from the dreaded piece long enough to help take the sting out of having to cut it out all over again. During my day away, I rationalized that I didn't quite like the darkness of the wood that I used originally (in the above picture) and I wanted a lighter piece of maple anyway. "Things happen for a reason . . . blah, blah, blah . . . " and all of that.

While I was doing the other project, Keith had gone to the wood store and purchased some additional maple, among other things. We were getting to the bottom of our supply, which was why I had chosen the darker piece originally. He had returned with some beautiful maple that was a bit lighter in color and I felt would look much better for this box.

I had also in the mean time decided that the lid that I had originally cut was a bit too small. I wanted the sides of the box to be slotted, with decorative scrolling on the slot extensions and while this looked proportionally correct on paper, as I had the lid cut out, I realized that there was very little overhang that I allowed and the lid would have appeared too small. Because of the way the design was placed on the lid, with the liner covering just the inner part of the design and the trim around the edges being left open, simply shrinking the sides down was not an option. The lid liner would have come about half way between the holly trim, looking sloppy and unplanned.

By cutting the lid over, I extended the edges by 1/2 inch all around, and I think that it made a vast improvement.

Since I made this box to coordinate with the new set of 12 ornaments that I cut, I needed to figure a way to incorporate the 12 designs into it. The front of the box has the holy family:

Rectangle Wood Font Beige Natural material


The left side shows the shepherd and a sheep:

Furniture Table Rectangle Creative arts Wood


The back has the three kings and the right side has the camel and an angel:

Rectangle Wood Art Natural material Font


I lined the lid with 1/8" walnut. This also served to hold it stable on the top of the box when in place:

Rectangle Wood Musical instrument Beige Font


The joints of the box are slotted, which is a nice way to make a box using only the scroll saw. It is very difficult to cut a perfectly straight line on the scroll saw and the slotted joints are probably the best way to join pieces, as they are somewhat forgiving. With the added decorative edging, even if there are small gaps, they are barely noticeable, as your eye is drawn to the decoration rather than the joints themselves.

Furniture Rectangle Wood Chair Table


Keith had suggested that I line the sides also, but I liked the look of the open scrolled work.

I finished the box in my usual mineral oil/spray lacquer finish. I love the soft look it gives the piece, and how it enhances the wood without making it look shiny or plastic-y.

All in all, I am pretty happy with the project. Not only will it make a beautiful holder for the companion ornaments, but it would be a nice stand alone project too, as you can store your Christmas cards or even candles in it. It measures approximately 7" x 10" x 4" tall and is made of maple.

The pattern will be available in the holiday issue of Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine, as well as on my site after the publication date which is scheduled for late August. I know many of you want it now, but it will still be out in plenty of time for people to make for holiday fairs and gift giving.

I hope you all like it. I liked seeing it finally be finished when I glued things up yesterday. It seemed to be a long time in coming, but that was probably because I had hit a couple of hurdles along the way. I suppose it just goes to show that sometimes it is best to take a breath and get away from something for a day or so when things go awry. When we return to it, we have a better perspective and a little more patience and more so than not, we are able to pull the project out of the fire pile and make it something we can still be proud of.

Have a wonderful Monday today! Happy Memorial Day to my friends in the USA.
A veritable tour de force, Sheila.The simplicity of the box construction contrasts beautifully with the intricacy of the scroll work. The finish is perfect. Whilst I might agree with Keith over lining the box sides (it would match the lid) this is a minor point as the depth of the material gives a sharp edge contrast in any case. I really hope it sells well. It certainly should.
 

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#8,364 ·
Nativity Key Ornaments Finished

I really want to thank everyone for all the nice comments on the Christmas box project that I posted yesterday. It meant a great deal to me - especially after the issues that I had with making it. There were times when I thought that I may abandon the idea of doing it altogether, and I am really happy that I stuck with it. In figuring some things out, I feel that it will open the door for future box designs using that construction method. As I said - it is a challenge to make any type of joinery on the scroll saw, but doing things this way leaves a little room for some play in the design where little gaps won't be such an eyesore. There is some hope after all.

I spent the day yesterday planning the next and final project that I will be submitting for that issue. It is still in the works in my mind, but coming together nicely. I will post more on that as I progress, as I am certain that it will not be a complex project and my goal is to get it done by the end of the week.

I also finished up the complimentary project that I showed earlier last week (the Nativity Key Ornaments.) My idea was that the box would hold the ornaments, and they would be presented as a set, but each project could be made or given independently. The nativity silhouettes are the same on both, tying them together nicely.

I had the keys cut earlier in the week, and showed them on the blog. I used a very pretty bird's eye maple, and the marbleized grain really looked nice with the relative simplicity of the design.

Gold Finger Wood Font Circle


They came out nice, but since they are intended to be ornaments, I wanted something more for them.

I pictured them somehow having some nice tassels hanging from them. I wasn't sure how to do this without obstructing the view of each individual design. I had purchased some beautiful ivory tasseled trim from the craft store near me and I thought that I would cut it apart and use the tassels from it. I had originally thought about using some gold metallic yarn or thread, but frankly I wasn't in the mood for making the dozen tassels that I would need to finish the set. Maybe on a future project.

Leaving the tassels lose looked rather clumsy though, and I wanted something that looked more intentional. I decided to tie the tassels around the central indentation on the shaft of the key, and leave the tassel hang to the side. This looked really nice.

Gold Headgear Wood Font Jewellery


I found I needed to add a dot of clear-drying glue to the knot, as the shiny rayon wanted to slide apart, untying the knot. I wanted it trimmed as close as possible without leaving any unsightly ends that would distract from the scroll work and design.

This looked pretty, but it still needed something else, I felt. I decided to embellish the ornaments with clear crystal rhinestones so they would pick up light from the tree and look a bit 'richer.'

While I have a rainbow of colors on hand, I felt that keeping the crystals clear would look the best. While my customers could certainly color coordinate their own ornaments to suit their tastes, the clear stones with the ivory tassels looked just perfect I though. The neutral colors allowed the beautiful grain of the bird's eye maple to still show through, and didn't overpower it. I loved the final effect:

Gold Christmas ornament Ornament Jewellery Christmas decoration


(Me and my sparkles!)

I am quite pleased with how these came out. Not only are they nice ornaments independently, but they do tell a story:

Gold Ornament Body jewelry Jewellery Font


They will look lovely on a Victorian style tree, or even strung on a garland or a beautiful natural wreath. As a set, they really will make a wonderful keepsake:

Body jewelry Gesture Font Jewellery Circle


And of course, they have the coordinating box to store them in!

Rectangle Beige Font Wood Jewellery


I think that many people will want to make both of these projects and that they will make a wonderful set.

While it seemed slow in coming, I am surprised at how close the actual pieces came to what I had originally envisioned in my head. Although the box itself changed several times from what I first pictured, the end product was something that coordinated much better than I thought it would with the ornaments.

And the best part of this project is that neither the box nor the ornaments are extremely difficult to make. I think that the 'average' scroll sawyer could very easily pull this off and make it without much trouble. I would grade it an "intermediate" project.

The hardest thing for me now is telling people that I won't be able to sell them the pattern for several months. My advice to them is to subscribe to Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine, and then you will have access to both of these patterns the soonest. At $3.75 per issue (the subscription rate for USA customers) it is certainly worth the money for the many, many wonderful patterns that it offers throughout the year. For those of you who love ornaments, my partner Keith has been providing the magazine with a 'bonus set' of wonderful ornaments for each issue and they plan to continue that for quite a while. Those alone are worth well over the $3.75 price. :)

But I will have these on my site in September, after the holiday issue is released, which will give you all plenty of time to make them for the autumn craft season or for your own gifts. By that time, I will hopefully have several other neat projects that you can make too, and make your decision a difficult one, as I love to do.

Have a great day today. We are finally seeing the sun after over a week of clouds and rain. It is going to be a beautiful day!

Happy Tuesday!

Brown Wood Gold Beige Font
 

Attachments

#8,365 ·
Nativity Key Ornaments Finished

I really want to thank everyone for all the nice comments on the Christmas box project that I posted yesterday. It meant a great deal to me - especially after the issues that I had with making it. There were times when I thought that I may abandon the idea of doing it altogether, and I am really happy that I stuck with it. In figuring some things out, I feel that it will open the door for future box designs using that construction method. As I said - it is a challenge to make any type of joinery on the scroll saw, but doing things this way leaves a little room for some play in the design where little gaps won't be such an eyesore. There is some hope after all.

I spent the day yesterday planning the next and final project that I will be submitting for that issue. It is still in the works in my mind, but coming together nicely. I will post more on that as I progress, as I am certain that it will not be a complex project and my goal is to get it done by the end of the week.

I also finished up the complimentary project that I showed earlier last week (the Nativity Key Ornaments.) My idea was that the box would hold the ornaments, and they would be presented as a set, but each project could be made or given independently. The nativity silhouettes are the same on both, tying them together nicely.

I had the keys cut earlier in the week, and showed them on the blog. I used a very pretty bird's eye maple, and the marbleized grain really looked nice with the relative simplicity of the design.

Gold Finger Wood Font Circle


They came out nice, but since they are intended to be ornaments, I wanted something more for them.

I pictured them somehow having some nice tassels hanging from them. I wasn't sure how to do this without obstructing the view of each individual design. I had purchased some beautiful ivory tasseled trim from the craft store near me and I thought that I would cut it apart and use the tassels from it. I had originally thought about using some gold metallic yarn or thread, but frankly I wasn't in the mood for making the dozen tassels that I would need to finish the set. Maybe on a future project.

Leaving the tassels lose looked rather clumsy though, and I wanted something that looked more intentional. I decided to tie the tassels around the central indentation on the shaft of the key, and leave the tassel hang to the side. This looked really nice.

Gold Headgear Wood Font Jewellery


I found I needed to add a dot of clear-drying glue to the knot, as the shiny rayon wanted to slide apart, untying the knot. I wanted it trimmed as close as possible without leaving any unsightly ends that would distract from the scroll work and design.

This looked pretty, but it still needed something else, I felt. I decided to embellish the ornaments with clear crystal rhinestones so they would pick up light from the tree and look a bit 'richer.'

While I have a rainbow of colors on hand, I felt that keeping the crystals clear would look the best. While my customers could certainly color coordinate their own ornaments to suit their tastes, the clear stones with the ivory tassels looked just perfect I though. The neutral colors allowed the beautiful grain of the bird's eye maple to still show through, and didn't overpower it. I loved the final effect:

Gold Christmas ornament Ornament Jewellery Christmas decoration


(Me and my sparkles!)

I am quite pleased with how these came out. Not only are they nice ornaments independently, but they do tell a story:

Gold Ornament Body jewelry Jewellery Font


They will look lovely on a Victorian style tree, or even strung on a garland or a beautiful natural wreath. As a set, they really will make a wonderful keepsake:

Body jewelry Gesture Font Jewellery Circle


And of course, they have the coordinating box to store them in!

Rectangle Beige Font Wood Jewellery


I think that many people will want to make both of these projects and that they will make a wonderful set.

While it seemed slow in coming, I am surprised at how close the actual pieces came to what I had originally envisioned in my head. Although the box itself changed several times from what I first pictured, the end product was something that coordinated much better than I thought it would with the ornaments.

And the best part of this project is that neither the box nor the ornaments are extremely difficult to make. I think that the 'average' scroll sawyer could very easily pull this off and make it without much trouble. I would grade it an "intermediate" project.

The hardest thing for me now is telling people that I won't be able to sell them the pattern for several months. My advice to them is to subscribe to Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine, and then you will have access to both of these patterns the soonest. At $3.75 per issue (the subscription rate for USA customers) it is certainly worth the money for the many, many wonderful patterns that it offers throughout the year. For those of you who love ornaments, my partner Keith has been providing the magazine with a 'bonus set' of wonderful ornaments for each issue and they plan to continue that for quite a while. Those alone are worth well over the $3.75 price. :)

But I will have these on my site in September, after the holiday issue is released, which will give you all plenty of time to make them for the autumn craft season or for your own gifts. By that time, I will hopefully have several other neat projects that you can make too, and make your decision a difficult one, as I love to do.

Have a great day today. We are finally seeing the sun after over a week of clouds and rain. It is going to be a beautiful day!

Happy Tuesday!

Brown Wood Gold Beige Font
I love them both! You are such a talented lady!
 

Attachments

#8,374 ·
On to the Next Project

Today's post will be short, as I am in the drawing stage of things and I must admit that I didn't get a lot done in that department yesterday.

My car has just turned ten years old, and as it gets older, I realize that it will require more maintenance. It is part of having an older car, I realize and I just have to allow for some extra time to take care of things.

But the day was somewhat shot, so I really don't have a lot to report.

I can say though that last week I did hear back from Artist's Club and they want to carry the "12 Days of Christmas" key designs. Although, they decided that they didn't want them in key shapes, but asked if I would like to do them on their own ornament surfaces.

I didn't mind that, as it meant that I would only be providing the pattern packets to them, and not cutting the wood. While Keith and I enjoy cutting the production pieces, I was a bit worried because cutting the keys for that pattern was a bit more involved than the previous pieces that we had submitted. I was a bit worried because when I timed myself cutting them, it took over double the time to cut a set of keys as it did to cut the other sets of 12 ornaments. Actually almost three times.

I will still be offering the pattern in "key form" on my website, as the pieces for that are already finished, but I will also offer them on the shapes that are at this time being sent to me that Artist's Club provides. Either way it will work out.

Product Green Font Red Toy


That will mean that we will have more time over the summer to create new patterns for the holidays, which are when we sell the most patterns. So it isn't a bad thing.

I will still be represented in Artist's Club by the Haunted Masquerade pattern, and then the 12 Days of Christmas pattern will take me thorough Christmas. So I am happy.

Today I need to really focus and draw. I have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do, but I need to put it into motion. Sometimes that is the most difficult part.

Thanks once again for your nice comments yesterday on the projects. It really makes me feel good when my work is so well-received.

Have a great Wednesday!
 

Attachments

#8,375 ·
On to the Next Project

Today's post will be short, as I am in the drawing stage of things and I must admit that I didn't get a lot done in that department yesterday.

My car has just turned ten years old, and as it gets older, I realize that it will require more maintenance. It is part of having an older car, I realize and I just have to allow for some extra time to take care of things.

But the day was somewhat shot, so I really don't have a lot to report.

I can say though that last week I did hear back from Artist's Club and they want to carry the "12 Days of Christmas" key designs. Although, they decided that they didn't want them in key shapes, but asked if I would like to do them on their own ornament surfaces.

I didn't mind that, as it meant that I would only be providing the pattern packets to them, and not cutting the wood. While Keith and I enjoy cutting the production pieces, I was a bit worried because cutting the keys for that pattern was a bit more involved than the previous pieces that we had submitted. I was a bit worried because when I timed myself cutting them, it took over double the time to cut a set of keys as it did to cut the other sets of 12 ornaments. Actually almost three times.

I will still be offering the pattern in "key form" on my website, as the pieces for that are already finished, but I will also offer them on the shapes that are at this time being sent to me that Artist's Club provides. Either way it will work out.



That will mean that we will have more time over the summer to create new patterns for the holidays, which are when we sell the most patterns. So it isn't a bad thing.

I will still be represented in Artist's Club by the Haunted Masquerade pattern, and then the 12 Days of Christmas pattern will take me thorough Christmas. So I am happy.

Today I need to really focus and draw. I have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do, but I need to put it into motion. Sometimes that is the most difficult part.

Thanks once again for your nice comments yesterday on the projects. It really makes me feel good when my work is so well-received.

Have a great Wednesday!
Sheila they are beautiful
I think that they would look good on their own or
even on a tree or other Christmas ornament.

Have a wonderful day, Wednesday is my Chill day

Jamie
Not doing a lot by choice:)
 

Attachments

#8,383 ·
Ready for the Scrollsaw

I had a decent day yesterday. For the first time in a week, it was a beautiful and sunny day outside. It was still quite cool for this time of year, but seeing the sun after so many overcast days in a row was a welcome sight. I truly enjoyed doing my errands in the morning, and it was hard for me to come back inside to work, but I knew I had to get drawing done for my final submission for the holiday issue of Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine.

This final designs would be simpler though. Much simpler than my other holiday submissions. But sometimes making things simple takes more thought than some of the more complex designs. I find the trick is to make something that is attractive and fun to make without it being difficult. Knowing which steps to keep in and which to eliminate are sometimes a challenge.

But I did figure things out, and as usual I find myself with several different options in my head, wondering which one(s) I should implement. The more I think about it, the more ideas I get. Time to just jump in and do it! :)

So today I will be cutting the pieces out and beginning the work on them. Since they are simpler, I feel that the cutting should only take a short while - depending how many versions I plan to make. I woke up excited this morning because I think they are really going to look cool. I like days like that.

Here is a 'teaser' for you to think about:

Nose Head Hand Hairstyle Arm


As you may have guessed, she is an angel. But that is all I am going to say for now.

I woke up this morning to another rainy day. Not a violent storm, but soft and gentle rain. I suppose it is all part of spring and it is difficult to feel bad about it when I see all the trees finally filling in with leaves and things all greening up. Down the road from us, there is a pond that now hosts two families of Canadian Geese. For several weeks, all we saw was the lone male, and I rather felt sorry for him. He would be sitting by the pond by himself most times when we went by, and I had thought he lost his flock.

But someone said that the male will scout while the female nests, and apparently that is what has occurred. There are now four adults and probably ten goslings that are living on the banks of the pond. Yesterday, when coming home, we saw both families taking a swim in the river. I wish I had my camera.

The warm weather will come with time, as will the sunshine. After the long winter it is sometimes just hard to wait. But I will keep busy until then and look forward to taking a road trip or two this summer when the time is right. For now I need to work and keep up so that I can take off on a whim if I wish and do some exploring guilt free.

I look forward to working on these today. The pictures of them in my mind are nice and seeing them come to life will be exciting and fun.

I hope you all have a great day too. Happy Thursday!
 

Attachments

#8,384 ·
Ready for the Scrollsaw

I had a decent day yesterday. For the first time in a week, it was a beautiful and sunny day outside. It was still quite cool for this time of year, but seeing the sun after so many overcast days in a row was a welcome sight. I truly enjoyed doing my errands in the morning, and it was hard for me to come back inside to work, but I knew I had to get drawing done for my final submission for the holiday issue of Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine.

This final designs would be simpler though. Much simpler than my other holiday submissions. But sometimes making things simple takes more thought than some of the more complex designs. I find the trick is to make something that is attractive and fun to make without it being difficult. Knowing which steps to keep in and which to eliminate are sometimes a challenge.

But I did figure things out, and as usual I find myself with several different options in my head, wondering which one(s) I should implement. The more I think about it, the more ideas I get. Time to just jump in and do it! :)

So today I will be cutting the pieces out and beginning the work on them. Since they are simpler, I feel that the cutting should only take a short while - depending how many versions I plan to make. I woke up excited this morning because I think they are really going to look cool. I like days like that.

Here is a 'teaser' for you to think about:

Nose Head Hand Hairstyle Arm


As you may have guessed, she is an angel. But that is all I am going to say for now.

I woke up this morning to another rainy day. Not a violent storm, but soft and gentle rain. I suppose it is all part of spring and it is difficult to feel bad about it when I see all the trees finally filling in with leaves and things all greening up. Down the road from us, there is a pond that now hosts two families of Canadian Geese. For several weeks, all we saw was the lone male, and I rather felt sorry for him. He would be sitting by the pond by himself most times when we went by, and I had thought he lost his flock.

But someone said that the male will scout while the female nests, and apparently that is what has occurred. There are now four adults and probably ten goslings that are living on the banks of the pond. Yesterday, when coming home, we saw both families taking a swim in the river. I wish I had my camera.

The warm weather will come with time, as will the sunshine. After the long winter it is sometimes just hard to wait. But I will keep busy until then and look forward to taking a road trip or two this summer when the time is right. For now I need to work and keep up so that I can take off on a whim if I wish and do some exploring guilt free.

I look forward to working on these today. The pictures of them in my mind are nice and seeing them come to life will be exciting and fun.

I hope you all have a great day too. Happy Thursday!
Great blog. It is ironic that sometimes when we create and set up a project that in my minds seems simple, then we take to making it and it is more intricate than we think..lol.

As for the weather….me and Jenn are coming to Canada…lol. We are looking at about 90 most of the week with high humidity, not for me.

Send some of that cool Canaaaaadian air our way…...eh?

Be well Sheila and have a great day!
 

Attachments

#8,390 ·
Scroll Sawing a Dinosaur? I think not!

Yesterday evening, I was directed to a forum topic here on Lumberjocks. The title of the post is "Scroll saws vs Lasers - Is Scroll sawing Doomed?" and you can read it here.

Naturally, being in the position that I am in, I am somewhat curious as to what people think about this subject. After all, if scroll saws are doomed, then my own doom as a pattern designer for the scroll saw is soon to follow.

For now however, I am not very worried.

In reading the comments so far, while there are a few that are certain that the scroll saw will go the way of the dinosaur, for the most part people seem to feel that they are here to stay. I also think that scroll saws are going to be around for a while. Even though lasers can be used in several applications, they do have their limitations and I can think of many instances where the scroll saw is preferred over the laser.

First off, lasers are limited by the thickness of the material that they cut. While they may be good for some purposes, in general, the material needs to be very thin for a laser to do the job. This is fine if what you intend to cut is somewhere around 1/8" thin, but I would find that quite limiting as to what you can produce. I realize that it is possible to do multiple passes to achieve cutting on greater thicknesses, but I wouldn't think that it would be very efficient to do so. And I am assuming that efficiency would be what you are aiming for if you are using a CNC.

One advantage of using a CNC or similar machine is that you are able to "sculpt" pieces using the machine. My friend Lis here on Lumberjocks (tyskkvinna) does some amazing projects using the CNC router. One of my favorites of hers, which I purchased for my son, was this awesome Periodic Table that she carved with her router. I can't even begin to fathom the amount of thought and programming that went into her work! Lis certainly brings programming the router into a high-tech art form. It is far more than a matter of "pushing a few buttons."

Wood Rectangle Font Commemorative plaque Signage


Yes, the scroll saw is what some would consider "low tech" - just as a non-computerized sewing machine is considered "low tech." But there are still people who love to create and design and sew their own clothing and find a great deal of satisfaction from doing so.

A large part of why we do woodworking in the first place is because it fulfills our need to be creative. I realize that some here (like myself) are involved in woodworking to earn a living, and I am lucky enough to realize that what I do for a living also feeds my need to be creative and give me a wonderful sense of accomplishment with each design I draw, cut and finish. While some people may use woodworking strictly in an industrial sense, many others are able to gracefully blend and marry their passion for creating with making a living.

Dan Mosheim comes to mind as someone who has successfully made a living from creating pieces by hand. If you browse his project gallery you can immediately see that not only does he create functional pieces, but pieces that are beautiful too and will over time become heirlooms to those who are fortunate enough to own them. This is accomplished not only with the use of power tools, but also by many hours of hands-on "low tech" labor. Not everything can be automated successfully to provide the same level of excellence.

Furniture Table Wood Rectangle Desk


These are only a couple of examples of the many hundreds that are here on the Lumberjocks site alone.

In speaking with Ray Seymore from Seyco (one of the leading distributors of the Excalibur Scroll Saw in the USA) they are selling so many Excalibur saws these days that it is difficult to keep them in stock. I have heard from several customers of mine first-hand that there is a waiting list for a new Excalibur saw. That certainly wouldn't indicate to me that people are ready to put the scroll saw out to pasture quite yet.

I am sure that there are many people that find that CNC machines and routers are a useful tool for their woodworking purposes. One day, I hope to own one myself perhaps. But even if I were to have one sitting here, I don't think that I would be ready to retire my scroll saw any time soon.

I was happy when I read the responses on the above mentioned forum. While there were some that said they thought the scroll saw was on its way out, most of the people who checked in who actually used the scroll saw voiced that they thought it was here to stay. I believe the reason for this is that the people who scroll saw, do so not so much for the finished results or project, but also what plays a huge part in it is that the process of scroll sawing is in itself enjoyable and satisfying and leaves us with a sense of accomplishment.

Just like when Britboxmaker finished one of his amazing boxes, and sits back and thinks of his accomplishments and starts planning the next one - what he would do differently, what he liked about this one, etc., when I finish a scroll saw project, I sit back with that same sense of accomplishment and think about not only the final piece, but how much I enjoyed creating it. It is something that feeds the soul of any creative individual (INCLUDING people like Lis who accomplishes the same with her programming expertise and woodworking skills!)

Whether your tools are scroll saws or band saws or table saws or even programming a computer, we all enjoy doing something that is challenging to us and we love that feeling of accomplishment that accompanies the successes that we achieve doing so.

I think that there is plenty of room for BOTH the scroll saw and the CNC machines. I think that each of them have their purpose, and there will be loyal followers for each of them. It is a matter of personal choice it depends on what you like to do best to be creative.

While a scroll saw may only be as perfect as the person operating it, the CNC in all its perfection also has its limitations on thickness and speed. It is like comparing apples to oranges.

I didn't want to hijack the aforementioned post by offering a lengthy reply there. As you see, I had a lot to say about the subject. I invite you to go to the original post and voice your own thoughts on the matter, as it is very interesting to see others thoughts on the subject.

I am glad that this topic was addressed. We are all different people here with different goals and reasons that we do our woodworking projects. These differences are something that makes woodworking so interesting, and the diversity of we woodworkers, along with our passion for what we do is what keeps it fresh and exciting. At least that is how I feel about it.

No matter which method you use to be creative, the most important thing is that you are enjoying yourself and having FUN being creative. Life is too short not to enjoy every minute of it you can, and we need to make the most of our time and spend it doing something we love with passion. For me, that is scroll sawing and painting. For you, it may be something different.

I know however, that doing something that I love every day really makes for a good life. And sharing it with you all only adds to that happiness.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Font Art


I wish you all a wonderful Friday! I got my cutting done yesterday, and I should have something to show you by tomorrow. Have a great weekend!
 

Attachments

#8,391 ·
Scroll Sawing a Dinosaur? I think not!

Yesterday evening, I was directed to a forum topic here on Lumberjocks. The title of the post is "Scroll saws vs Lasers - Is Scroll sawing Doomed?" and you can read it here.

Naturally, being in the position that I am in, I am somewhat curious as to what people think about this subject. After all, if scroll saws are doomed, then my own doom as a pattern designer for the scroll saw is soon to follow.

For now however, I am not very worried.

In reading the comments so far, while there are a few that are certain that the scroll saw will go the way of the dinosaur, for the most part people seem to feel that they are here to stay. I also think that scroll saws are going to be around for a while. Even though lasers can be used in several applications, they do have their limitations and I can think of many instances where the scroll saw is preferred over the laser.

First off, lasers are limited by the thickness of the material that they cut. While they may be good for some purposes, in general, the material needs to be very thin for a laser to do the job. This is fine if what you intend to cut is somewhere around 1/8" thin, but I would find that quite limiting as to what you can produce. I realize that it is possible to do multiple passes to achieve cutting on greater thicknesses, but I wouldn't think that it would be very efficient to do so. And I am assuming that efficiency would be what you are aiming for if you are using a CNC.

One advantage of using a CNC or similar machine is that you are able to "sculpt" pieces using the machine. My friend Lis here on Lumberjocks (tyskkvinna) does some amazing projects using the CNC router. One of my favorites of hers, which I purchased for my son, was this awesome Periodic Table that she carved with her router. I can't even begin to fathom the amount of thought and programming that went into her work! Lis certainly brings programming the router into a high-tech art form. It is far more than a matter of "pushing a few buttons."

Wood Rectangle Font Commemorative plaque Signage


Yes, the scroll saw is what some would consider "low tech" - just as a non-computerized sewing machine is considered "low tech." But there are still people who love to create and design and sew their own clothing and find a great deal of satisfaction from doing so.

A large part of why we do woodworking in the first place is because it fulfills our need to be creative. I realize that some here (like myself) are involved in woodworking to earn a living, and I am lucky enough to realize that what I do for a living also feeds my need to be creative and give me a wonderful sense of accomplishment with each design I draw, cut and finish. While some people may use woodworking strictly in an industrial sense, many others are able to gracefully blend and marry their passion for creating with making a living.

Dan Mosheim comes to mind as someone who has successfully made a living from creating pieces by hand. If you browse his project gallery you can immediately see that not only does he create functional pieces, but pieces that are beautiful too and will over time become heirlooms to those who are fortunate enough to own them. This is accomplished not only with the use of power tools, but also by many hours of hands-on "low tech" labor. Not everything can be automated successfully to provide the same level of excellence.

Furniture Table Wood Rectangle Desk


These are only a couple of examples of the many hundreds that are here on the Lumberjocks site alone.

In speaking with Ray Seymore from Seyco (one of the leading distributors of the Excalibur Scroll Saw in the USA) they are selling so many Excalibur saws these days that it is difficult to keep them in stock. I have heard from several customers of mine first-hand that there is a waiting list for a new Excalibur saw. That certainly wouldn't indicate to me that people are ready to put the scroll saw out to pasture quite yet.

I am sure that there are many people that find that CNC machines and routers are a useful tool for their woodworking purposes. One day, I hope to own one myself perhaps. But even if I were to have one sitting here, I don't think that I would be ready to retire my scroll saw any time soon.

I was happy when I read the responses on the above mentioned forum. While there were some that said they thought the scroll saw was on its way out, most of the people who checked in who actually used the scroll saw voiced that they thought it was here to stay. I believe the reason for this is that the people who scroll saw, do so not so much for the finished results or project, but also what plays a huge part in it is that the process of scroll sawing is in itself enjoyable and satisfying and leaves us with a sense of accomplishment.

Just like when Britboxmaker finished one of his amazing boxes, and sits back and thinks of his accomplishments and starts planning the next one - what he would do differently, what he liked about this one, etc., when I finish a scroll saw project, I sit back with that same sense of accomplishment and think about not only the final piece, but how much I enjoyed creating it. It is something that feeds the soul of any creative individual (INCLUDING people like Lis who accomplishes the same with her programming expertise and woodworking skills!)

Whether your tools are scroll saws or band saws or table saws or even programming a computer, we all enjoy doing something that is challenging to us and we love that feeling of accomplishment that accompanies the successes that we achieve doing so.

I think that there is plenty of room for BOTH the scroll saw and the CNC machines. I think that each of them have their purpose, and there will be loyal followers for each of them. It is a matter of personal choice it depends on what you like to do best to be creative.

While a scroll saw may only be as perfect as the person operating it, the CNC in all its perfection also has its limitations on thickness and speed. It is like comparing apples to oranges.

I didn't want to hijack the aforementioned post by offering a lengthy reply there. As you see, I had a lot to say about the subject. I invite you to go to the original post and voice your own thoughts on the matter, as it is very interesting to see others thoughts on the subject.

I am glad that this topic was addressed. We are all different people here with different goals and reasons that we do our woodworking projects. These differences are something that makes woodworking so interesting, and the diversity of we woodworkers, along with our passion for what we do is what keeps it fresh and exciting. At least that is how I feel about it.

No matter which method you use to be creative, the most important thing is that you are enjoying yourself and having FUN being creative. Life is too short not to enjoy every minute of it you can, and we need to make the most of our time and spend it doing something we love with passion. For me, that is scroll sawing and painting. For you, it may be something different.

I know however, that doing something that I love every day really makes for a good life. And sharing it with you all only adds to that happiness.

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Font Art


I wish you all a wonderful Friday! I got my cutting done yesterday, and I should have something to show you by tomorrow. Have a great weekend!
Long Live the Scroll Saw Sheila!
Mine is already a fossil (twenty years old this year!), but I won't be trading it in anytime soon… It's too versatile!
It's also just plain Fun… :)
 

Attachments

#8,409 ·
Getting There . . .

What a beautiful morning I woke up to today! On this first day of June, it seems that we are finally getting warm and sunny weather. I heard, however that the midwestern United States got pounded again yesterday and I wish the best for all of you living there. Growing up in the Chicago area, we were very well aware of those violent storms that spring could bring and how frightening mother nature could be. It is certainly something that I don't miss living here near the ocean.

I had a very busy day yesterday and I think it was productive. While I didn't get as far as I would have liked with my projects (do I EVER?!) I did make pretty good headway and my goal of mailing everything out on Monday to the respective magazines is well within reach. That is my biggest concern right now.

I had some correspondence to do yesterday and I spend a good bit of time helping customers and answering questions. I never really mind that part of the job because it feels nice to direct others and share in their enthusiasm. With yesterday's topic raising the question of whether the scroll saw is on its way out to pasture or not, it felt good to hear from people who feel as passionate about scroll sawing as I do. I think it will be here for quite a while.

For the final project that I am working on for the magazine, I decided to make three versions of the pieces to show our readers some different finishing possibilities. While this isn't required when submitting something, I like to do so because many people tell me that they are unable to picture the variations in their head without seeing it. I know this takes a bit more time, but I also enjoy seeing the different possibilities come to life (and besides - it is fun to do!) so I take the time to do them.

As usual, I will be leaving one set in its natural color. As you can see, it is a set of angels:

Wood Creative arts Art Font Sculpture


These are made from 3/4" maple, and have at this point a mineral oil finish. There are going to be six pieces in the set, as you see. They are (as I stated) simple. But cutting 3/4" maple can be somewhat of a challenge in itself.

"What are they for?" you may be thinking.

I think I will leave you hanging another day or so an I will reveal that when the other sets are completed. I will tell you that they are a functional item and will be a nice holiday decoration.

In addition to finishing up these angels, I have already cut my next project out. This one is more of a painting project, and I think my painters who follow will really like it. I find that I need to spend a bit more time on my painting side of my site too, as people are always looking for new patterns there and I am far from running out of ideas.

So few hours each day to accomplish all of this!

I also received my pieces from the Artist's Club yesterday that I am to transfer my "12 Days of Christmas" key designs to. The pieces they wanted me to use are tear drop shaped ornaments, instead of the keys. They felt that the "key" theme was a bit overdone but liked the paintings that I did and asked me if I would transfer it to their surface. In thinking about this, I thought it was a fine idea, as the keys took quite a bit longer to cut than the other kit pieces that I had provided them with in the past (the witches hats and boots, masks, Christmas ornaments, etc.) In fact, when I timed myself cutting the keys, it took almost three times as long to cut a set. With the hundreds of kits that we cut this past year, I was wondering if I had made the wrong decision even submitting them as keys. So when it was suggested to use their surface, I happily agreed to it. That meant that my time this summer would be spent designing more patterns instead of doing production work. Besides - we still have to keep them supplied with masks, so there will be a little production work to do after all. It all worked out for the best.

I may or may not post tomorrow, depending how far I get on things. I have a full weekend planned and while it will be busy, I will be having fun doing what I love to do. What could be better?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned. Stay safe and have fun and take time to do what you enjoy to do. Life is short.

I'll leave you with a picture of my cat Pancakes. He is a good example of "relaxation" for you to follow. I think he found his "zen." :)

Carnivore Felidae Fawn Whiskers Cat
 

Attachments

#8,410 ·
Getting There . . .

What a beautiful morning I woke up to today! On this first day of June, it seems that we are finally getting warm and sunny weather. I heard, however that the midwestern United States got pounded again yesterday and I wish the best for all of you living there. Growing up in the Chicago area, we were very well aware of those violent storms that spring could bring and how frightening mother nature could be. It is certainly something that I don't miss living here near the ocean.

I had a very busy day yesterday and I think it was productive. While I didn't get as far as I would have liked with my projects (do I EVER?!) I did make pretty good headway and my goal of mailing everything out on Monday to the respective magazines is well within reach. That is my biggest concern right now.

I had some correspondence to do yesterday and I spend a good bit of time helping customers and answering questions. I never really mind that part of the job because it feels nice to direct others and share in their enthusiasm. With yesterday's topic raising the question of whether the scroll saw is on its way out to pasture or not, it felt good to hear from people who feel as passionate about scroll sawing as I do. I think it will be here for quite a while.

For the final project that I am working on for the magazine, I decided to make three versions of the pieces to show our readers some different finishing possibilities. While this isn't required when submitting something, I like to do so because many people tell me that they are unable to picture the variations in their head without seeing it. I know this takes a bit more time, but I also enjoy seeing the different possibilities come to life (and besides - it is fun to do!) so I take the time to do them.

As usual, I will be leaving one set in its natural color. As you can see, it is a set of angels:

Wood Creative arts Art Font Sculpture


These are made from 3/4" maple, and have at this point a mineral oil finish. There are going to be six pieces in the set, as you see. They are (as I stated) simple. But cutting 3/4" maple can be somewhat of a challenge in itself.

"What are they for?" you may be thinking.

I think I will leave you hanging another day or so an I will reveal that when the other sets are completed. I will tell you that they are a functional item and will be a nice holiday decoration.

In addition to finishing up these angels, I have already cut my next project out. This one is more of a painting project, and I think my painters who follow will really like it. I find that I need to spend a bit more time on my painting side of my site too, as people are always looking for new patterns there and I am far from running out of ideas.

So few hours each day to accomplish all of this!

I also received my pieces from the Artist's Club yesterday that I am to transfer my "12 Days of Christmas" key designs to. The pieces they wanted me to use are tear drop shaped ornaments, instead of the keys. They felt that the "key" theme was a bit overdone but liked the paintings that I did and asked me if I would transfer it to their surface. In thinking about this, I thought it was a fine idea, as the keys took quite a bit longer to cut than the other kit pieces that I had provided them with in the past (the witches hats and boots, masks, Christmas ornaments, etc.) In fact, when I timed myself cutting the keys, it took almost three times as long to cut a set. With the hundreds of kits that we cut this past year, I was wondering if I had made the wrong decision even submitting them as keys. So when it was suggested to use their surface, I happily agreed to it. That meant that my time this summer would be spent designing more patterns instead of doing production work. Besides - we still have to keep them supplied with masks, so there will be a little production work to do after all. It all worked out for the best.

I may or may not post tomorrow, depending how far I get on things. I have a full weekend planned and while it will be busy, I will be having fun doing what I love to do. What could be better?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned. Stay safe and have fun and take time to do what you enjoy to do. Life is short.

I'll leave you with a picture of my cat Pancakes. He is a good example of "relaxation" for you to follow. I think he found his "zen." :)

Carnivore Felidae Fawn Whiskers Cat
Hi Sheila,
Angels are pretty standing there but if they lie on their sides they form a bit like a maze or a jigsaw. Not sure but just a guess. If not right, then use this idea to interlock or bolts in just like a lego. Nicely done and they are thick.
I am glad that you are into thicker cut. A new adventure.
Have nice weekend.
 

Attachments

#8,415 ·
Pretty Maids All in a Row

What a busy, busy weekend I had! I can honestly say that I did very little fooling around, but I was still unable to get my projects finished to the point where I can pack them up and ship them out today.

I am close, but I still need to take pictures and packing is somewhat of an "art" in itself and I need to be sure that everything will safely arrive, so it will be all completed today and I will put the call in for pickup first thing tomorrow morning.

I don't feel as if I 'failed' though, as these things just take time to do properly. I made a change on one of my projects on Saturday morning, that meant back peddling and going back to not only the drawing board, but also to the saw and some finishing to bring the new pieces to the point where their sister pieces were at in production. I had been debating on the harp of the angel that I had shown in the blog, as it was a little difficult to cut even for me through the .75 inch stock, and my friend Jim mentioned that to me when I showed the pictures on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sheilalandrydesigns). Since it was in the back of my mind too, all I needed was the mention from him and it sent me back to the drawing table/saw to re-do the piece. But I was much happier with the results and glad that it was noticed by others instead of just myself because it is always really important to me what others think of the patterns - as they are the ones who will be making them. That is part of why I think that networking as I do here on the blog and on Facebook is so important to me.

In any case, when things were finally caught up, it took me pretty much of the day to finish up the second set of pieces, with a third to do on Sunday.

Along the way, I had decided to make three sets of these pieces. You all may think that is a bit excessive, but I really want to teach my readers and customers to look at things from several different perspectives. Just because a pattern is presented one way or in one color set doesn't mean you can't make it in another that you may like better. Training yourself to look at things from many different sides is a great asset to develop, and besides the problem of trying to decide which one you like best, I think it is something that is very valuable.

As far as this angel project is concern, I was having a really difficult time figuring out which color scheme I wanted to present. So many people like soft, pastel colors for their holiday decorating. Others like traditional jewel tones. Still others like the natural look of wood. I kept fighting as to which one I would make these in for the magazine article and I put it off as long as I could and was no further making a decision when the time came to make them. So I did them in all three.

Keith says I am a "make work" project for myself. I realize that doing the project in triplicate can slow things down and (naturally) take three times longer, but I just can't help myself and it is part of me that you all just have to accept. So without further discussion, I will show you the three sets of angles.

For those of you who were guessing, these particular angels will be used as place card holders at the holiday table. My dear friend Ellen Bell always sets a beautiful table at the holidays and I had her in mind when I designed these. (That means you will be seeing more similar designs from me for other holidays too!) They are cut from 3/4" stock and drilled at the top prior to cutting them on the scroll saw. You saw the maple set the other day. It was finished in oil and spray shellac:

Wood Creative arts Art Font Sculpture


The first alternative set was done in pastel colors. I cut them from pine and I first painted them in DecoArt Dazzling Metallic acrylic paint, and then used the DecoArt Glamour Dust Fine Glitter Paint over them:

Creative arts Gold Art Wood Ornament


Gold Wood Creative arts Font Art


Yellow Creative arts Gold Art Wood


The second set was painted in deep jewel tones:

Creative arts Art Font Christmas decoration Event


Gold Wood Font Art Event


Gesture Creative arts Finger Gold Wood


These were cut from poplar and again, I used the same process of using the Dazzling Metallic paints first and then following it with a coat or two of the Glamour Dust paint. I think that the metallic paints really make them look amazing! I know many of you aren't into painting wood, but there is no denying the eye appeal of these beautiful colors. I wish you could all see them in person, as they look even better than they do here.

I am still debating whether or not to brush a coat of clear DecoArt Glamour Dust Ultra Fine Glitter paint on the wings of the maple pieces, just to give them a bit of a shimmer. While they are pretty nice looking 'au natural', they do look a little 'plain' and I think that having a slight shimmer on just the wings would really make them look nice. I love the Glamour Dust paint because the glitter is so finely ground in it, it is a very subtle effect and looks like ground glass, or like they are dipped in sugar. Like most of the DecoArt products I use, they are under $2 per bottle (usually you can get them on sale too at places like Michael's and Hobby Lobby) so you can stock up on lots of them for a very minimal cost. The 2oz bottles go really far too, so you can add sparkle to your heart's content!

What do you all think?

I had flirted with the idea of adding rhinestones to these, too, but the metallics and the fine glitter were adequate to keep these looking festive. I think it is "enough."

I wanted to mention too, that the colors are simply "blocked in" and there is only a bit of shading on the hair, which I did with a wash. The rest is just basic painting and the metallic paint and fine glitter paint do the rest.

I am already thinking about making a separate packet of these designs and this time making them into ornaments and offering the silhouettes of them as kits. If I do that, I will do a bit more shading and highlighting, and I may even do a set with the beautiful MUD flowers as I did on the bunnies. (Oh - where will it STOP!!)

So today will be photography and packing. I hope that all three projects make it into the holiday issue. Keith will be having three in there too as things are now, so it means between us, team SLD will be offering SIX projects for that holiday issue! That's pretty cool!

I hope you like the angels. I will post some more 'final' pictures tomorrow. Even though I didn't quite reach my goal this weekend, they will be shipping out tomorrow. How can I feel disappointed when I see what I accomplished?

Gold Font Art Jewellery Metal


I wish you all a wonderful Monday!
 

Attachments

#8,416 ·
Pretty Maids All in a Row

What a busy, busy weekend I had! I can honestly say that I did very little fooling around, but I was still unable to get my projects finished to the point where I can pack them up and ship them out today.

I am close, but I still need to take pictures and packing is somewhat of an "art" in itself and I need to be sure that everything will safely arrive, so it will be all completed today and I will put the call in for pickup first thing tomorrow morning.

I don't feel as if I 'failed' though, as these things just take time to do properly. I made a change on one of my projects on Saturday morning, that meant back peddling and going back to not only the drawing board, but also to the saw and some finishing to bring the new pieces to the point where their sister pieces were at in production. I had been debating on the harp of the angel that I had shown in the blog, as it was a little difficult to cut even for me through the .75 inch stock, and my friend Jim mentioned that to me when I showed the pictures on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sheilalandrydesigns). Since it was in the back of my mind too, all I needed was the mention from him and it sent me back to the drawing table/saw to re-do the piece. But I was much happier with the results and glad that it was noticed by others instead of just myself because it is always really important to me what others think of the patterns - as they are the ones who will be making them. That is part of why I think that networking as I do here on the blog and on Facebook is so important to me.

In any case, when things were finally caught up, it took me pretty much of the day to finish up the second set of pieces, with a third to do on Sunday.

Along the way, I had decided to make three sets of these pieces. You all may think that is a bit excessive, but I really want to teach my readers and customers to look at things from several different perspectives. Just because a pattern is presented one way or in one color set doesn't mean you can't make it in another that you may like better. Training yourself to look at things from many different sides is a great asset to develop, and besides the problem of trying to decide which one you like best, I think it is something that is very valuable.

As far as this angel project is concern, I was having a really difficult time figuring out which color scheme I wanted to present. So many people like soft, pastel colors for their holiday decorating. Others like traditional jewel tones. Still others like the natural look of wood. I kept fighting as to which one I would make these in for the magazine article and I put it off as long as I could and was no further making a decision when the time came to make them. So I did them in all three.

Keith says I am a "make work" project for myself. I realize that doing the project in triplicate can slow things down and (naturally) take three times longer, but I just can't help myself and it is part of me that you all just have to accept. So without further discussion, I will show you the three sets of angles.

For those of you who were guessing, these particular angels will be used as place card holders at the holiday table. My dear friend Ellen Bell always sets a beautiful table at the holidays and I had her in mind when I designed these. (That means you will be seeing more similar designs from me for other holidays too!) They are cut from 3/4" stock and drilled at the top prior to cutting them on the scroll saw. You saw the maple set the other day. It was finished in oil and spray shellac:

Wood Creative arts Art Font Sculpture


The first alternative set was done in pastel colors. I cut them from pine and I first painted them in DecoArt Dazzling Metallic acrylic paint, and then used the DecoArt Glamour Dust Fine Glitter Paint over them:

Creative arts Gold Art Wood Ornament


Gold Wood Creative arts Font Art


Yellow Creative arts Gold Art Wood


The second set was painted in deep jewel tones:

Creative arts Art Font Christmas decoration Event


Gold Wood Font Art Event


Gesture Creative arts Finger Gold Wood


These were cut from poplar and again, I used the same process of using the Dazzling Metallic paints first and then following it with a coat or two of the Glamour Dust paint. I think that the metallic paints really make them look amazing! I know many of you aren't into painting wood, but there is no denying the eye appeal of these beautiful colors. I wish you could all see them in person, as they look even better than they do here.

I am still debating whether or not to brush a coat of clear DecoArt Glamour Dust Ultra Fine Glitter paint on the wings of the maple pieces, just to give them a bit of a shimmer. While they are pretty nice looking 'au natural', they do look a little 'plain' and I think that having a slight shimmer on just the wings would really make them look nice. I love the Glamour Dust paint because the glitter is so finely ground in it, it is a very subtle effect and looks like ground glass, or like they are dipped in sugar. Like most of the DecoArt products I use, they are under $2 per bottle (usually you can get them on sale too at places like Michael's and Hobby Lobby) so you can stock up on lots of them for a very minimal cost. The 2oz bottles go really far too, so you can add sparkle to your heart's content!

What do you all think?

I had flirted with the idea of adding rhinestones to these, too, but the metallics and the fine glitter were adequate to keep these looking festive. I think it is "enough."

I wanted to mention too, that the colors are simply "blocked in" and there is only a bit of shading on the hair, which I did with a wash. The rest is just basic painting and the metallic paint and fine glitter paint do the rest.

I am already thinking about making a separate packet of these designs and this time making them into ornaments and offering the silhouettes of them as kits. If I do that, I will do a bit more shading and highlighting, and I may even do a set with the beautiful MUD flowers as I did on the bunnies. (Oh - where will it STOP!!)

So today will be photography and packing. I hope that all three projects make it into the holiday issue. Keith will be having three in there too as things are now, so it means between us, team SLD will be offering SIX projects for that holiday issue! That's pretty cool!

I hope you like the angels. I will post some more 'final' pictures tomorrow. Even though I didn't quite reach my goal this weekend, they will be shipping out tomorrow. How can I feel disappointed when I see what I accomplished?

Gold Font Art Jewellery Metal


I wish you all a wonderful Monday!
I've only seen one angel, my guardian angel named Buck and I don't remember hair color. Are all angels blonde?
Those are SO cute.
DanK
 

Attachments

#8,429 ·
A Fun New Product to Work With!

I spent the majority of the day yesterday taking photographs and packaging everything up so it could be shipped to the respective magazines. When sending something out, I am always careful to be sure that I have enough photographs here of the pieces, as I usually don't see them again for many, many months. I like to release the patterns after the magazines have had their run, and I have learned from years of working with the magazines that receiving the items back sometimes takes quite a while. It is best to be prepared.

When looking at all the projects Keith and I are sending to Creative Woodworks and Crafts for their holiday issue, I was really rather proud. Between us, we have six entries for the issue. This is, I believe, the most we ever will have in a single issue between us, and it feels really good to know how well-represented we will be. I also really, really like all the projects we submitted. Every one of them is thought through carefully and we are proud of them.

I also have a box going to Scroll Saw, Woodworking and Crafts magazine. This is my first submission to that publication and I am also happy with the candle tray that I am sending their way. It feels good to be branching out and reaching more people. We are slowly growing and gaining new followers a little at a time.

A very exciting thing also happened yesterday. I received a new line of products from DecoArt that I have been very anxious to try out and work with. The product is called "Metallic Lustre" and it is a water-based, metallic wax that you apply with a soft cloth or sponge and buff off.

Hair Eye Human body Camera accessory Lens


It comes in six amazing colors and they look really awesome.

I had heard about this product almost a year ago, as I am in the DecoArt Helping Artist program, and it really intrigued me. With all the woodworking and painting that I do, I am always on the look out for new products and finishes that add some interest. I love the fact that all of DecoArt products are water based and don't have a strong odor and are non-toxic. I truly hate working with finishes that are stinky and harsh.

In first looking at the metallic wax, I was really excited. I opened each of the jars and what was inside looked just like a beautiful metallic frosting. I couldn't help but start to play with it a little. Since it is a 'paste wax' it is pretty thick. You only need a little to rub into whatever you are working on. You apply it with a cloth or a sponge and then buff off the excess, leaving a shimmer of metallic color. Of course, when I first tried it, I put it on a little thick. I used one of the discarded angels that I had laying around here just to see what it would look like. After buffing it though, it really looked cool. I did have to run a pin along the veining lines of the angel, as I got some of the wax in the cracks there, but it only took a minute and it looked pretty amazing.

I only tried the copper and the bright gold, but I can see using all the colors in future projects. I have some ideas already! :)

I could have spent hours playing with it and trying it out on so many different things. I found a scrolled sled runner left over from my ornaments that I created last year and again, it looked really, really cool. I think I am going to love this product!

I promise that I will do an in-depth blog or tutorial on using it, as soon as I figure things out myself. It will take a little time to get to know the product and the limitations and applications, and I want to fully understand the process before I lead you all down the wrong path.

If you want to read more about it, the product link it here:

http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?DecoArt_Metallic_Lustre

I am sure you will hear more about it from me in the future.

Today and the next couple of days will be spent writing instructions for these projects. I have all the information, but I need to organize it and get it to all the respective magazines in the next day or so. Then I will be working on some new things that I wanted to do that I will be able to share with you all immediately. No more 'teasing!' (For a little while, anyway!)

I hope you all have a great day today! Thank you all again for your nice comments on these projects. It is nice to have such a great cheering section!

Happy Tuesday!
 

Attachments

#8,430 ·
A Fun New Product to Work With!

I spent the majority of the day yesterday taking photographs and packaging everything up so it could be shipped to the respective magazines. When sending something out, I am always careful to be sure that I have enough photographs here of the pieces, as I usually don't see them again for many, many months. I like to release the patterns after the magazines have had their run, and I have learned from years of working with the magazines that receiving the items back sometimes takes quite a while. It is best to be prepared.

When looking at all the projects Keith and I are sending to Creative Woodworks and Crafts for their holiday issue, I was really rather proud. Between us, we have six entries for the issue. This is, I believe, the most we ever will have in a single issue between us, and it feels really good to know how well-represented we will be. I also really, really like all the projects we submitted. Every one of them is thought through carefully and we are proud of them.

I also have a box going to Scroll Saw, Woodworking and Crafts magazine. This is my first submission to that publication and I am also happy with the candle tray that I am sending their way. It feels good to be branching out and reaching more people. We are slowly growing and gaining new followers a little at a time.

A very exciting thing also happened yesterday. I received a new line of products from DecoArt that I have been very anxious to try out and work with. The product is called "Metallic Lustre" and it is a water-based, metallic wax that you apply with a soft cloth or sponge and buff off.

Hair Eye Human body Camera accessory Lens


It comes in six amazing colors and they look really awesome.

I had heard about this product almost a year ago, as I am in the DecoArt Helping Artist program, and it really intrigued me. With all the woodworking and painting that I do, I am always on the look out for new products and finishes that add some interest. I love the fact that all of DecoArt products are water based and don't have a strong odor and are non-toxic. I truly hate working with finishes that are stinky and harsh.

In first looking at the metallic wax, I was really excited. I opened each of the jars and what was inside looked just like a beautiful metallic frosting. I couldn't help but start to play with it a little. Since it is a 'paste wax' it is pretty thick. You only need a little to rub into whatever you are working on. You apply it with a cloth or a sponge and then buff off the excess, leaving a shimmer of metallic color. Of course, when I first tried it, I put it on a little thick. I used one of the discarded angels that I had laying around here just to see what it would look like. After buffing it though, it really looked cool. I did have to run a pin along the veining lines of the angel, as I got some of the wax in the cracks there, but it only took a minute and it looked pretty amazing.

I only tried the copper and the bright gold, but I can see using all the colors in future projects. I have some ideas already! :)

I could have spent hours playing with it and trying it out on so many different things. I found a scrolled sled runner left over from my ornaments that I created last year and again, it looked really, really cool. I think I am going to love this product!

I promise that I will do an in-depth blog or tutorial on using it, as soon as I figure things out myself. It will take a little time to get to know the product and the limitations and applications, and I want to fully understand the process before I lead you all down the wrong path.

If you want to read more about it, the product link it here:

http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?DecoArt_Metallic_Lustre

I am sure you will hear more about it from me in the future.

Today and the next couple of days will be spent writing instructions for these projects. I have all the information, but I need to organize it and get it to all the respective magazines in the next day or so. Then I will be working on some new things that I wanted to do that I will be able to share with you all immediately. No more 'teasing!' (For a little while, anyway!)

I hope you all have a great day today! Thank you all again for your nice comments on these projects. It is nice to have such a great cheering section!

Happy Tuesday!
Six entries is very impressive Sheila!

Lee
 

Attachments

#8,435 ·
Quick Blog Today

While writing the instructions is a very important part of the creating process, it isn't very interesting to blog about.

I spent the day yesterday working on the instructions for the four new projects that were sent out to the magazines yesterday. While I sometimes follow a similar format for certain types of projects, they pretty much need to be done on their own to make any sense.

In between things, I keep up on my mail and customer's requests and fill out orders and before I know it, the sun is going down and the day is over. It is times like that that time passes even more quickly than usual.

We have a beautiful morning here in Nova Scotia. I have been up for a couple of hours already and the sun has climbed in the sky and is shining brightly on the river. The sky is bright blue with no clouds and the trees are finally filled in with lush leaves.

I am thinking of the day when I can be 'caught up' enough to take a day or two and make a short road trip. It is a good goal to work for anyway.

The thing with me is that by the time I reach one goal, I have already established several additional goals. While in one sense that means that I am never 'caught up', in another it means that I always have something new to work towards. That is a great way to be I think, as it always means that I have something to look forward to and to strive for. I believe that is how we learn and grow.

I came across this quote the other day, and I saw myself in the words.

I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless. -Bette Davis

I think that no matter how much we achieve, some of us still want to achieve more. For me, achievements aren't measured financially, but creatively. There will always be another project to make. There will always be another new student to teach. There will always be another one to share my love of creating with.

I love what I do and I am very grateful that I am able to do something I love and survive on that income. I often think that even if I had the financial means to not have to work, I would be doing pretty much the same thing I am doing now. Perhaps I would travel and teach more. It is, I believe, what I was meant to do.

So we go back to writing today. And even though it may not be the most exciting part of the process, all I need to do is think of my customers and look at writing my instructions as sharing knowledge with them and teaching them, and somehow it brings it to life and makes it a lot more fun.

I hope you all have a great day today and get to do some things that make you happy. I know that my day will be good.

Oh - and here is a cat picture to make you smile. :)

Cat Felidae Plant Small to medium-sized cats Carnivore


Happy Wednesday!
 

Attachments

#8,436 ·
Quick Blog Today

While writing the instructions is a very important part of the creating process, it isn't very interesting to blog about.

I spent the day yesterday working on the instructions for the four new projects that were sent out to the magazines yesterday. While I sometimes follow a similar format for certain types of projects, they pretty much need to be done on their own to make any sense.

In between things, I keep up on my mail and customer's requests and fill out orders and before I know it, the sun is going down and the day is over. It is times like that that time passes even more quickly than usual.

We have a beautiful morning here in Nova Scotia. I have been up for a couple of hours already and the sun has climbed in the sky and is shining brightly on the river. The sky is bright blue with no clouds and the trees are finally filled in with lush leaves.

I am thinking of the day when I can be 'caught up' enough to take a day or two and make a short road trip. It is a good goal to work for anyway.

The thing with me is that by the time I reach one goal, I have already established several additional goals. While in one sense that means that I am never 'caught up', in another it means that I always have something new to work towards. That is a great way to be I think, as it always means that I have something to look forward to and to strive for. I believe that is how we learn and grow.

I came across this quote the other day, and I saw myself in the words.

I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless. -Bette Davis

I think that no matter how much we achieve, some of us still want to achieve more. For me, achievements aren't measured financially, but creatively. There will always be another project to make. There will always be another new student to teach. There will always be another one to share my love of creating with.

I love what I do and I am very grateful that I am able to do something I love and survive on that income. I often think that even if I had the financial means to not have to work, I would be doing pretty much the same thing I am doing now. Perhaps I would travel and teach more. It is, I believe, what I was meant to do.

So we go back to writing today. And even though it may not be the most exciting part of the process, all I need to do is think of my customers and look at writing my instructions as sharing knowledge with them and teaching them, and somehow it brings it to life and makes it a lot more fun.

I hope you all have a great day today and get to do some things that make you happy. I know that my day will be good.

Oh - and here is a cat picture to make you smile. :)

Cat Felidae Plant Small to medium-sized cats Carnivore


Happy Wednesday!
Sheila were you able to find a place where the eighth inch finnish grade Baltic Birch plywood can be purchased also I love the cat pictures you're quite a photographer too. Have a good day thanks
 

Attachments

#8,440 ·
Done With Instructions, On To the Next Projects

I feel very relieved this morning. Yesterday afternoon I finished the written instructions for each of the four projects that are going to be published in the holiday issues of both Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine and also Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts magazine (Yes! I know it is confusing! The only two magazines that I know of that are geared to scroll sawing have such similar names!) While I have been a contributing editor to Creative Woodworks and Crafts for over 15 years, this is the first time that any of my projects are going to be published in Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts. It is very exciting for me to be contributing to two different publications.

It felt a bit different working with a new magazine. While in some ways things were similar to what I was used to, as expected, each company has their own way of doing things and there was a bit of a learning curve to deal with. But that could be expected. I would be lying though if I said that I didn't feel just a little bit of pressure. While I always try to do my best job, I wanted to be extra sure that everything that I did was complete and correct. I hope they liked what they saw.

The same went for my own magazine. Having three projects included in an issue is something that doesn't happen often. I wanted to be sure that even though there were several different projects sent, each one of them was done with the level of work that they had come to expect from me.

As I finished everything up yesterday afternoon, I felt a great deal of relief. It felt good to have those under my belt, and even though I still have a load of other things on the go, it was nice to take a breath.

It was a beautiful day out yesterday, and we decided to take a walk around the river. The breeze kept the dreaded black flies at bay (I am allergic to their bite) and it was very good to just get outside and walk for a bit. I must admit, we haven't been walking much at all lately. We still go to the gym several times a week, but we need to still get outside and appreciate the fresh air. It seems that walks and taking time off have been shoved to the back burner lately, and I need to give it a higher priority. After all, we were in all winter and soon winter will be upon us again. We need to spend some time outside. It is just too easy to be too busy to do what is good for us, and in the long run it will slow us down even more.

I finally remembered to bring our camera, as there are two families of Canada Geese living just down the street from us at the little pond across from the river. I got some pictures of the two families and their children. The goslings are really growing fast. It is nice to see them when we pass and it seems that they found the perfect place to raise a family.

Plant Water Plant community Botany Nature


Plant Bird Canada goose Beak Ducks, geese and swans


Bird Plant Beak Ducks, geese and swans Grass


There are two families - four adults and several children. It is nice to drive by and see them swimming in the pond or even in the river. From the looks of it though they will be soon moving on, as the babies are getting big.

The mill looks nice too. The year before last, part of the dam broke and it took until last fall for them to repair it. It looks nice again though and is very picturesque.

Plant Water Water resources Building Window


I am going to end now, as there is much to do today and the site here on Lumberjocks is really giving me trouble. It has taken at least ten minutes to upload each picture, and in between that, I nearly lost the whole post. Good thing I learned when the site gets quirky like this I quickly paste what I have written onto my clip board. Otherwise there would be another day without a blog.

Today I am working on a painting pattern. It is a small one that I want to offer free on the site. Here is a sample of the line work. It is a simple pattern, but I hope to make it cute and entice new people to try painting.

Nose Head Plant Hand Smile


I need to spend more time doing some painting things, as I love to paint and I have many new ideas for pattern. It is all a balancing act.

I hope you all have a great day today. It is cool an overcast here. I hope to finish this little pattern today (we will see if I can accomplish that!) and also I need to catch up on some book work. Then I have more deadlines that I need to contend with.

There is always something fun to do!

Have a wonderful Friday!
 

Attachments

#8,441 ·
Done With Instructions, On To the Next Projects

I feel very relieved this morning. Yesterday afternoon I finished the written instructions for each of the four projects that are going to be published in the holiday issues of both Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine and also Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts magazine (Yes! I know it is confusing! The only two magazines that I know of that are geared to scroll sawing have such similar names!) While I have been a contributing editor to Creative Woodworks and Crafts for over 15 years, this is the first time that any of my projects are going to be published in Scrollsaw Woodworking and Crafts. It is very exciting for me to be contributing to two different publications.

It felt a bit different working with a new magazine. While in some ways things were similar to what I was used to, as expected, each company has their own way of doing things and there was a bit of a learning curve to deal with. But that could be expected. I would be lying though if I said that I didn't feel just a little bit of pressure. While I always try to do my best job, I wanted to be extra sure that everything that I did was complete and correct. I hope they liked what they saw.

The same went for my own magazine. Having three projects included in an issue is something that doesn't happen often. I wanted to be sure that even though there were several different projects sent, each one of them was done with the level of work that they had come to expect from me.

As I finished everything up yesterday afternoon, I felt a great deal of relief. It felt good to have those under my belt, and even though I still have a load of other things on the go, it was nice to take a breath.

It was a beautiful day out yesterday, and we decided to take a walk around the river. The breeze kept the dreaded black flies at bay (I am allergic to their bite) and it was very good to just get outside and walk for a bit. I must admit, we haven't been walking much at all lately. We still go to the gym several times a week, but we need to still get outside and appreciate the fresh air. It seems that walks and taking time off have been shoved to the back burner lately, and I need to give it a higher priority. After all, we were in all winter and soon winter will be upon us again. We need to spend some time outside. It is just too easy to be too busy to do what is good for us, and in the long run it will slow us down even more.

I finally remembered to bring our camera, as there are two families of Canada Geese living just down the street from us at the little pond across from the river. I got some pictures of the two families and their children. The goslings are really growing fast. It is nice to see them when we pass and it seems that they found the perfect place to raise a family.

Plant Water Plant community Botany Nature


Plant Bird Canada goose Beak Ducks, geese and swans


Bird Plant Beak Ducks, geese and swans Grass


There are two families - four adults and several children. It is nice to drive by and see them swimming in the pond or even in the river. From the looks of it though they will be soon moving on, as the babies are getting big.

The mill looks nice too. The year before last, part of the dam broke and it took until last fall for them to repair it. It looks nice again though and is very picturesque.

Plant Water Water resources Building Window


I am going to end now, as there is much to do today and the site here on Lumberjocks is really giving me trouble. It has taken at least ten minutes to upload each picture, and in between that, I nearly lost the whole post. Good thing I learned when the site gets quirky like this I quickly paste what I have written onto my clip board. Otherwise there would be another day without a blog.

Today I am working on a painting pattern. It is a small one that I want to offer free on the site. Here is a sample of the line work. It is a simple pattern, but I hope to make it cute and entice new people to try painting.

Nose Head Plant Hand Smile


I need to spend more time doing some painting things, as I love to paint and I have many new ideas for pattern. It is all a balancing act.

I hope you all have a great day today. It is cool an overcast here. I hope to finish this little pattern today (we will see if I can accomplish that!) and also I need to catch up on some book work. Then I have more deadlines that I need to contend with.

There is always something fun to do!

Have a wonderful Friday!
Sheila I'm glad to hear you have a project going into scroll saw woodworking and crafts as I recently subscribed to both creative wood works and crafts and scroll saw woodworking and crafts. I hope you continue to submit projects to both publications. By the way I hope you take your advice and you and Keith get out and smell the roses once in a while and take a break it's very important thanks have a great day
 

Attachments

#8,445 ·
Just a Little Something

Yesterday didn't quite go as I planned it. Sometimes that happens, and I have learned that we just have to roll with things sometimes.

I had planned to spend the day painting, and in reality, I only had an hour or so before I was tired out and decided to call it a day. But sometimes that is just the way it is.

In the morning, I needed to make a call to the vet. About a month ago, I had discovered a small lump on the chest of my kitty Richard. While I was concerned, I didn't want to panic. It was small and seemed to be close to the surface of the skin and moved around freely. It could have even been an ingrown hair. I decided to watch it and not to be too worried unless it changed.

The other day, I noticed though that it was getting bigger. Richard is only nine years old and kept strictly inside and for all purposes, a really healthy cat. Seeing that the little bump was growing made me a bit worried and I wanted to have it looked at.

I called the vet near us yesterday morning to see when I could get him in. Since we live in a rural area, the office that is close to us only has a vet on duty two days a week and the receptionist told me that there wouldn't be any available appointments until the first couple of weeks in July. I suppose this is where living in the country has its disadvantages. She did suggest that I take him to Yarmouth, which is about 45 minutes drive, as they had a larger clinic there with four vets and in all probability they would be able to see us sooner.

I called the office in Yarmouth and they had an opening for that afternoon. While I had planned to finally spend the day painting, I felt that getting Rich looked at and having peace of mind knowing what was going on was more important. So we did our morning errands and after lunch I loaded him into the carrier and off we went to the vets.

Keith decided to stay home, as he had work to do here and there was no reason I couldn't take him myself. I had his carrier on the passenger seat and Richard was so good and calm I couldn't believe it. I put on some nice soft music for the ride (Mozart) and I was actually able to leave the carrier open the entire time we were in the car and he laid there like an angel. I had also brought the small stuffed kitty toy he liked to drag around the house and it seemed to comfort him.

While we were waiting, a young girl of about six came up to see him. He was even sociable to her, and she petted him on the head and laughed when I told her his name. Her hair was as red as his, and she told me that her mom and dad were bringing their five puppies in for a check. I could hear the activity in the large carrier that her dad brought in and I couldn't imagine having five puppies all at once! Besides that, her mom had a young baby. She had her hands really full! :)

The vet did a thorough check and I discovered Rich had a heart murmur. She said it wasn't too bad though and that we just needed to watch it if he goes under anesthetic or anything like that. She examined the lump and took a biopsy right there. I was relieved to hear her impression of it was that it was just fatty matter and looked like nothing, but we decided to send the slide out anyway, just to be sure.

On the way home, Rich was again calm and cooperative. I am happy that he trusts me so much and that he wasn't at all distressed. I felt relieved, but tired as the worry that I experienced had taken its toll. While sitting in the office waiting to go in, I saw a chart they had on the wall of 'cat years' compared to 'human years.' By the chart, Rich's nine years equaled about 57 years in our life. How could time go by so fast.

As I see my own children and their peers as adults, it does make me realize that time does go by quickly. It also makes me realize how important it is to appreciate every single day, and all it has to offer.

I spent the latter part of the afternoon doing something that I love - painting. I worked on my angel bear, and I plan to spend today doing the same. The first attempt is done, and while I am not unhappy with it, I can see a little room for improvement. It is an Americana angel teddy, and I will be offering it as a free pattern on the site soon.

Toy Teddy bear Font Stuffed toy Bear


I am also going to do a "Canadian" version of the bear, and offer that too. Canada Day is also celebrated in the beginning of July, and I have many painting friends and customers from Canada who would enjoy that. I plan to make a small pin sized bear as well as this magnet sized one. (It is about 3") Both will be included in the free pattern.

I could think of many different ways to dress her and who knows how many versions of her I will make. I had drawn her up over 10 years ago when I lived in Chicago and I used to paint Memory Boxes and donated them through our painting club. I came across her pattern deep in my computer files and I thought it would be nice to give her some new life.

I have other painting that I need to do soon too. I have some things for the Artist's Club that I will be working on next week. But for today, I want to spend at least a day doing something "just because I want to do it."

We all need to find our happy place. And once we find it, we owe it to ourselves to make a point to spend some time there. Life is short and no matter how good things are in our life, this little bit of self-indulgence is something that everyone should experience. In the long run, it make our life much better.

Cat Felidae Carnivore Small to medium-sized cats Pet supply


Have a wonderful Saturday. Remember to spend some time in your own happy place.
 

Attachments

#8,446 ·
Just a Little Something

Yesterday didn't quite go as I planned it. Sometimes that happens, and I have learned that we just have to roll with things sometimes.

I had planned to spend the day painting, and in reality, I only had an hour or so before I was tired out and decided to call it a day. But sometimes that is just the way it is.

In the morning, I needed to make a call to the vet. About a month ago, I had discovered a small lump on the chest of my kitty Richard. While I was concerned, I didn't want to panic. It was small and seemed to be close to the surface of the skin and moved around freely. It could have even been an ingrown hair. I decided to watch it and not to be too worried unless it changed.

The other day, I noticed though that it was getting bigger. Richard is only nine years old and kept strictly inside and for all purposes, a really healthy cat. Seeing that the little bump was growing made me a bit worried and I wanted to have it looked at.

I called the vet near us yesterday morning to see when I could get him in. Since we live in a rural area, the office that is close to us only has a vet on duty two days a week and the receptionist told me that there wouldn't be any available appointments until the first couple of weeks in July. I suppose this is where living in the country has its disadvantages. She did suggest that I take him to Yarmouth, which is about 45 minutes drive, as they had a larger clinic there with four vets and in all probability they would be able to see us sooner.

I called the office in Yarmouth and they had an opening for that afternoon. While I had planned to finally spend the day painting, I felt that getting Rich looked at and having peace of mind knowing what was going on was more important. So we did our morning errands and after lunch I loaded him into the carrier and off we went to the vets.

Keith decided to stay home, as he had work to do here and there was no reason I couldn't take him myself. I had his carrier on the passenger seat and Richard was so good and calm I couldn't believe it. I put on some nice soft music for the ride (Mozart) and I was actually able to leave the carrier open the entire time we were in the car and he laid there like an angel. I had also brought the small stuffed kitty toy he liked to drag around the house and it seemed to comfort him.

While we were waiting, a young girl of about six came up to see him. He was even sociable to her, and she petted him on the head and laughed when I told her his name. Her hair was as red as his, and she told me that her mom and dad were bringing their five puppies in for a check. I could hear the activity in the large carrier that her dad brought in and I couldn't imagine having five puppies all at once! Besides that, her mom had a young baby. She had her hands really full! :)

The vet did a thorough check and I discovered Rich had a heart murmur. She said it wasn't too bad though and that we just needed to watch it if he goes under anesthetic or anything like that. She examined the lump and took a biopsy right there. I was relieved to hear her impression of it was that it was just fatty matter and looked like nothing, but we decided to send the slide out anyway, just to be sure.

On the way home, Rich was again calm and cooperative. I am happy that he trusts me so much and that he wasn't at all distressed. I felt relieved, but tired as the worry that I experienced had taken its toll. While sitting in the office waiting to go in, I saw a chart they had on the wall of 'cat years' compared to 'human years.' By the chart, Rich's nine years equaled about 57 years in our life. How could time go by so fast.

As I see my own children and their peers as adults, it does make me realize that time does go by quickly. It also makes me realize how important it is to appreciate every single day, and all it has to offer.

I spent the latter part of the afternoon doing something that I love - painting. I worked on my angel bear, and I plan to spend today doing the same. The first attempt is done, and while I am not unhappy with it, I can see a little room for improvement. It is an Americana angel teddy, and I will be offering it as a free pattern on the site soon.

Toy Teddy bear Font Stuffed toy Bear


I am also going to do a "Canadian" version of the bear, and offer that too. Canada Day is also celebrated in the beginning of July, and I have many painting friends and customers from Canada who would enjoy that. I plan to make a small pin sized bear as well as this magnet sized one. (It is about 3") Both will be included in the free pattern.

I could think of many different ways to dress her and who knows how many versions of her I will make. I had drawn her up over 10 years ago when I lived in Chicago and I used to paint Memory Boxes and donated them through our painting club. I came across her pattern deep in my computer files and I thought it would be nice to give her some new life.

I have other painting that I need to do soon too. I have some things for the Artist's Club that I will be working on next week. But for today, I want to spend at least a day doing something "just because I want to do it."

We all need to find our happy place. And once we find it, we owe it to ourselves to make a point to spend some time there. Life is short and no matter how good things are in our life, this little bit of self-indulgence is something that everyone should experience. In the long run, it make our life much better.

Cat Felidae Carnivore Small to medium-sized cats Pet supply


Have a wonderful Saturday. Remember to spend some time in your own happy place.
Well spoken, Sheila.
 

Attachments

#8,454 ·
New Free Pattern Available on My Site

I had a really fun weekend. It is nice to know that I can do what I want to do, and it is still related to scrolling and painting.

On Saturday, I had shown the little patriotic angel teddy bear that I painted. I had it in my mind that I wanted to offer this up as a free pattern on the site for the painters that follow me. I sometimes feel that I don't have enough new stuff for the painters, as it is a part of the site that I am still establishing and developing. I am also finding out that many of the woodworkers and scrollers also have the thought of wanting to learn to paint, so I really would like to have some learning things available to them too and hopefully it will expand their interest in painting.

With Independence day approaching, as well as Canada Day here in Canada, I thought that making this little angel in two versions and offering it free on the site would be nice. There is still plenty of time to do this project for the upcoming holidays, and it is a good project for those who perhaps are new to painting.

After finishing up my prototypes on Saturday, I once again painted both pieces yesterday and took step-by-step pictures along the way for the pattern packet.

I find that (for me anyway) it is sometimes necessary to paint something a couple of times before I am really comfortable with teaching it in a packet. While I liked my little bear the other day, there were a couple of things that I wanted to change with her.

The color that I used to shade the bear was a bit dark I felt, and as a result it made her face look dark. On the second round of things, I used a lighter brown to shade and I think the results was much better. I also adjusted the base coat color on her dress, and I thought the brighter blue as a base coat gave a better contrast. I did attempt to apply some rhinestones to the top of her dress to represent the 'stars' on the flag, but even though I did this on the larger piece, they just seem a little too large for my taste, so in the final version, I painted the stars in with some pretty white pearl paint. Overall they just look better.

Yes. I am picky. But once I have an idea in my head as to how I can do something better, my conscience just won't let me leave things along, and that usually means re-making the project. But now I can really feel good about them and it is easy for me to share them and be proud of what I did.

Here are the pictures of the finished pieces:

Toy Textile Mammal Stuffed toy Teddy bear


Red Toy Stuffed toy Teddy bear Marine invertebrates


These shown are both ornament size (about 3.5") and can be used for just about anything. I actually did finish the pattern packets yesterday too (at about 9pm!) and I was really proud that I got so much done on my "day off!" The packet includes both versions of the bears and has step-by-step instructions and photos for each of them. I gave the line work in two sizes, the ornament size and also a smaller (about 2") pin size.

I am giving them away on my site free page here:

http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/free-pattern

Feel free to stop by and download the PDF pattern packet if you like!

I have some more ideas for bears like this too so I can see some more patterns coming from this design in the future.

I truly enjoy doing painting projects, as well as scroll saw projects. I am also going to be offering the pre-cut pieces for these little bears for those of you who don't cut wood and would like them. (If they aren't on the site when you read this, just email me if you are interested!) I will be spending today working on the next newsletter and doing some additional updates on the site, as well as adding some more new scroll sawing patterns. Yes - Keith and I have been busy! :)

It is great when you can spend your day off doing something that is so much fun. I suppose that is why I don't take many days off - because I like what I do so much. I hope that by offering this pattern at no cost that it will encourage some of our woodworking followers to give some painting a try. I also hope that it is cute enough that even the seasoned painters will find the project fun. That way it will be a win/win for everyone!

Beside painting, we did get out a bit and take a couple of walks. Everything is green and lush here and it seemed that the little black flies that I am allergic to have just about finished their cycle. Hopefully that means that I can spend a little more time outdoors without worrying about being bit.

I hope you all had a good weekend also. And I hope that you come to the site to download the free patterns and perhaps try a new techniques that you haven't tried before. After all, life is short and getting out of our comfort zones is how we learn. You may even surprise yourself and like doing something new!

Have a great Monday everyone! I hope you enjoy your week!
 

Attachments

#8,455 ·
New Free Pattern Available on My Site

I had a really fun weekend. It is nice to know that I can do what I want to do, and it is still related to scrolling and painting.

On Saturday, I had shown the little patriotic angel teddy bear that I painted. I had it in my mind that I wanted to offer this up as a free pattern on the site for the painters that follow me. I sometimes feel that I don't have enough new stuff for the painters, as it is a part of the site that I am still establishing and developing. I am also finding out that many of the woodworkers and scrollers also have the thought of wanting to learn to paint, so I really would like to have some learning things available to them too and hopefully it will expand their interest in painting.

With Independence day approaching, as well as Canada Day here in Canada, I thought that making this little angel in two versions and offering it free on the site would be nice. There is still plenty of time to do this project for the upcoming holidays, and it is a good project for those who perhaps are new to painting.

After finishing up my prototypes on Saturday, I once again painted both pieces yesterday and took step-by-step pictures along the way for the pattern packet.

I find that (for me anyway) it is sometimes necessary to paint something a couple of times before I am really comfortable with teaching it in a packet. While I liked my little bear the other day, there were a couple of things that I wanted to change with her.

The color that I used to shade the bear was a bit dark I felt, and as a result it made her face look dark. On the second round of things, I used a lighter brown to shade and I think the results was much better. I also adjusted the base coat color on her dress, and I thought the brighter blue as a base coat gave a better contrast. I did attempt to apply some rhinestones to the top of her dress to represent the 'stars' on the flag, but even though I did this on the larger piece, they just seem a little too large for my taste, so in the final version, I painted the stars in with some pretty white pearl paint. Overall they just look better.

Yes. I am picky. But once I have an idea in my head as to how I can do something better, my conscience just won't let me leave things along, and that usually means re-making the project. But now I can really feel good about them and it is easy for me to share them and be proud of what I did.

Here are the pictures of the finished pieces:

Toy Textile Mammal Stuffed toy Teddy bear


Red Toy Stuffed toy Teddy bear Marine invertebrates


These shown are both ornament size (about 3.5") and can be used for just about anything. I actually did finish the pattern packets yesterday too (at about 9pm!) and I was really proud that I got so much done on my "day off!" The packet includes both versions of the bears and has step-by-step instructions and photos for each of them. I gave the line work in two sizes, the ornament size and also a smaller (about 2") pin size.

I am giving them away on my site free page here:

http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/free-pattern

Feel free to stop by and download the PDF pattern packet if you like!

I have some more ideas for bears like this too so I can see some more patterns coming from this design in the future.

I truly enjoy doing painting projects, as well as scroll saw projects. I am also going to be offering the pre-cut pieces for these little bears for those of you who don't cut wood and would like them. (If they aren't on the site when you read this, just email me if you are interested!) I will be spending today working on the next newsletter and doing some additional updates on the site, as well as adding some more new scroll sawing patterns. Yes - Keith and I have been busy! :)

It is great when you can spend your day off doing something that is so much fun. I suppose that is why I don't take many days off - because I like what I do so much. I hope that by offering this pattern at no cost that it will encourage some of our woodworking followers to give some painting a try. I also hope that it is cute enough that even the seasoned painters will find the project fun. That way it will be a win/win for everyone!

Beside painting, we did get out a bit and take a couple of walks. Everything is green and lush here and it seemed that the little black flies that I am allergic to have just about finished their cycle. Hopefully that means that I can spend a little more time outdoors without worrying about being bit.

I hope you all had a good weekend also. And I hope that you come to the site to download the free patterns and perhaps try a new techniques that you haven't tried before. After all, life is short and getting out of our comfort zones is how we learn. You may even surprise yourself and like doing something new!

Have a great Monday everyone! I hope you enjoy your week!
Thanks greatly for the pattern - I'm still working on the painting skills
 

Attachments

#8,461 ·
Another Site Update With Several New Patterns

I am happy to say that yesterday we completed another site update. Even though I have done many projects that needed to be shipped off the the magazine lately, which meant that I couldn't sell them just yet to my own customers, I am getting new projects released all the time that I am able to put up on the site and have new items for everyone to make. It all balances out, I suppose.

Another thing that helps is having a partner. When I am working on a painting pattern or something that takes me a bit longer, Keith is busy working on his own projects to keep new things flowing, as well as having his own items released from the magazine. This really helps us keep our customer busy with new choices of projects.

While it may seem to be troublesome that the magazines are so far ahead of the actual seasons in the theme they are highlighting, it does work to our advantage at times like this. As those of you who read know, I had just finished my Christmas and holiday submissions and sent them off last week. Here it is only the first of June, which may seem quite a bit early. But the good side of that is that the past issue of the magazine had featured all of its summer themed projects and now they are being released to us to sell. That falls just about into place for us, and it allows us to offer these projects to our customers who may not be able to get the magazines.

Some of the great projects that Keith made are as follows . . .

A set of Sea, Sand & Sun wall plaques (SLDK318)

Dishware Wood Font Art Pattern


These are just awesome little projects that are lots of fun to scroll! What Keith has been doing for the magazine is designing an extra set or two of Bonus Ornaments for each issue. In this particular issue, he designed two sets of filigree ornaments - one is of Tropical Fist (SLDK319):

Creative arts Font Art Wood Pattern


And other one is Filigree Sea Shells (SLDK320):

Food Organism Font Pattern Art


The coolest thing about them is that all the pieces are interchangeable! Since the main designs in the plaques are overlay pieces, you can pick whichever shell or fish you would like to make a beautiful themed set or wall mural! I loved this set and thought it was really clever and beautiful too!

Keith also added another Bible verse plaque. His other plaques in this set have done very well and people are asking for more. I think this one is also going to be a winner.

Wood Font Art Pattern Rectangle


(This is item SLDK317 on our site)

As for me, my Patriotic Word Art pieces are up on the site (SLD417) just in time for the Independence Day and Canada Day holidays. That was the project that I first used the beautiful rhinestone embellishments from Rhinestone Canada on and I also have a video which shows me decorating the pieces.

So I suppose that is quite a bit of new stuff for everyone to enjoy. Today I will be writing and sending out our newsletter to our customers announcing all the new items. It will probably be pretty much the same as the blog here, and will also announce our new sales and the new free pattern that I showed yesterday. I will spend the morning taking care of that and getting it out. If you want to join our mailing list, you can do so HERE.

Besides that, I am re-working the "12 Days of Christmas" key ornaments that I had shown on the blog here a couple of weeks ago. Artist's Club wants to carry them, but not in "key" form. They sent me some ornament surfaces that they want me to transfer the designs to for selling on their site. This worked out well for Keith and I because we do want to spend our summer doing as much designing as we can and while we want to do some production work, we don't want to be inundated with it. I am also designing my own surface to sell along with the "12 Days" theme so I don't infringe on anyone's copyright for the other surface. I'll be spending the rest of the week re-creating the design, and I think that I will also offer the key version of them on my own site, as there are many who were interested in that when I showed them last time.

All in all, it is going to be another busy week. It seems that I have enough to keep me busy for quite a while - not to mention all the stuff that I still have ideas for that I want to make.

With that said, I will get to it. I wish you all a wonderful day today and I hope you do something that you enjoy!

Happy Tuesday!
 

Attachments

#8,462 ·
Another Site Update With Several New Patterns

I am happy to say that yesterday we completed another site update. Even though I have done many projects that needed to be shipped off the the magazine lately, which meant that I couldn't sell them just yet to my own customers, I am getting new projects released all the time that I am able to put up on the site and have new items for everyone to make. It all balances out, I suppose.

Another thing that helps is having a partner. When I am working on a painting pattern or something that takes me a bit longer, Keith is busy working on his own projects to keep new things flowing, as well as having his own items released from the magazine. This really helps us keep our customer busy with new choices of projects.

While it may seem to be troublesome that the magazines are so far ahead of the actual seasons in the theme they are highlighting, it does work to our advantage at times like this. As those of you who read know, I had just finished my Christmas and holiday submissions and sent them off last week. Here it is only the first of June, which may seem quite a bit early. But the good side of that is that the past issue of the magazine had featured all of its summer themed projects and now they are being released to us to sell. That falls just about into place for us, and it allows us to offer these projects to our customers who may not be able to get the magazines.

Some of the great projects that Keith made are as follows . . .

A set of Sea, Sand & Sun wall plaques (SLDK318)

Dishware Wood Font Art Pattern


These are just awesome little projects that are lots of fun to scroll! What Keith has been doing for the magazine is designing an extra set or two of Bonus Ornaments for each issue. In this particular issue, he designed two sets of filigree ornaments - one is of Tropical Fist (SLDK319):

Creative arts Font Art Wood Pattern


And other one is Filigree Sea Shells (SLDK320):

Food Organism Font Pattern Art


The coolest thing about them is that all the pieces are interchangeable! Since the main designs in the plaques are overlay pieces, you can pick whichever shell or fish you would like to make a beautiful themed set or wall mural! I loved this set and thought it was really clever and beautiful too!

Keith also added another Bible verse plaque. His other plaques in this set have done very well and people are asking for more. I think this one is also going to be a winner.

Wood Font Art Pattern Rectangle


(This is item SLDK317 on our site)

As for me, my Patriotic Word Art pieces are up on the site (SLD417) just in time for the Independence Day and Canada Day holidays. That was the project that I first used the beautiful rhinestone embellishments from Rhinestone Canada on and I also have a video which shows me decorating the pieces.

So I suppose that is quite a bit of new stuff for everyone to enjoy. Today I will be writing and sending out our newsletter to our customers announcing all the new items. It will probably be pretty much the same as the blog here, and will also announce our new sales and the new free pattern that I showed yesterday. I will spend the morning taking care of that and getting it out. If you want to join our mailing list, you can do so HERE.

Besides that, I am re-working the "12 Days of Christmas" key ornaments that I had shown on the blog here a couple of weeks ago. Artist's Club wants to carry them, but not in "key" form. They sent me some ornament surfaces that they want me to transfer the designs to for selling on their site. This worked out well for Keith and I because we do want to spend our summer doing as much designing as we can and while we want to do some production work, we don't want to be inundated with it. I am also designing my own surface to sell along with the "12 Days" theme so I don't infringe on anyone's copyright for the other surface. I'll be spending the rest of the week re-creating the design, and I think that I will also offer the key version of them on my own site, as there are many who were interested in that when I showed them last time.

All in all, it is going to be another busy week. It seems that I have enough to keep me busy for quite a while - not to mention all the stuff that I still have ideas for that I want to make.

With that said, I will get to it. I wish you all a wonderful day today and I hope you do something that you enjoy!

Happy Tuesday!
All, amazing. I think scrollgirl should be promoted to scrollqueen. :)
 

Attachments

#8,469 ·
The Next Project

After arising late yesterday morning (Nearly 7am - late for me anyway!) I actually had a productive day and I accomplished a great deal. I managed to really stay focused on things and got the things I needed to do finished in a 'reasonable amount of time' - whatever that is.

The site is updated and we were once again pleased with the response we have had not only from our mailing list subscribers, but people in general. It is nice to be able to look at what we accomplish all in one place. I find that I really feel good about our site and what we have to offer people. It helps to have a gifted partner too. I can't even begin to think that things would be anywhere near as nice if it weren't for Keith. Having two people contributing and maintaining things really makes a huge difference. It allows each of us to pursue what we want while the other fills in the gaps. We also have a bit of a different style of designing, and I believe that it broadens our appeal.

We were a bit worried last year when we decided to leave the large wholesaler that we were selling our patterns through. We didn't know if we would be able to make up the difference, as they were a large source of our income. But even through these past few months, which are typically our slowest time of year, we have done well and more than made up for the income that we used to receive from them. Plus we know that our patterns are being distributed the way we intended them to be. Perhaps that is why we are doing so well in the long run. (Not to mention that we no longer have to worry if our wishes were being followed regarding our pattern distribution. What a load off our minds that is!) All in all, we feel it was the best decision we have made. It just goes to show that sometimes you have to follow your instincts.

After the update was completed, I spent the rest of the day filling orders and I began working on the next project in earnest. That is the "12 Days of Christmas Keys" that I am reworking for distribution through the Artist's Club. They will be selling the designs, but on their own surfaces. While Keith and I never mind cutting kits, I am happy with doing things this way this time because I feel that my time is better spent designing. I have so many ideas for the fall and winter seasons (and summer too for that matter!) that I really need to keep going in the design department. Since we are getting new customers every day and word is getting out about our patterns and service (thank you!) we want to keep offering the best patterns available of the highest quality. That takes time as those of you who read may realize.

I did some drawing yesterday and I am just about ready to begin painting again today. Since the shapes for the "12 Days" are a lot different that what I had originally created, they needed a unifying element to keep the set looking cohesive. This didn't have to be complex, as the designs themselves are to be the focal point, but sometimes I have a bit more difficulty in making things simple than I do making them complex. It is sometimes hard to tone things down to a subtle accent, which is what I wanted to happen here.

Here is a sample of what I came up with:

Font Ear Pattern Drawing Circle


(I nearly had a panic attack when I went for the sample picture and it wasn't in my folder. I had forgotten that I renamed and renumbered the file and put it in its own folder! Whew!)

Right now it is "nothing special" but I can envision it finished and I think it will look pretty slick when it is finished. I hope so anyway.

As with just about everything that I do, I can also see a scrolled version of these in the works. I am sure that i will be thinking about it as I paint these in. :)

This morning I awoke just after 5. Perhaps I was making up for yesterday, or perhaps I just had enough sleep after getting up so late. I have been picking around the computer this morning and enjoying my extra hour. But now it is time to get to it and get to work on these. Hopefully they will not take me long to do. Since the designs are going to be a bit larger than the originals, there is the opportunity for a bit more detail. I will like that.

It's mid-week already and while a soft and steady rain was falling when I awoke, it all seems to be clearing at this time. It is brightening up too, and although it is overcast, it may turn out to be a nice day after all. Everything is lush and green and I am still awaiting the summer heat to arrive, as it has been cool so far. All in good time.

I wish you all a great mid-week.

"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald"
 

Attachments

#8,470 ·
The Next Project

After arising late yesterday morning (Nearly 7am - late for me anyway!) I actually had a productive day and I accomplished a great deal. I managed to really stay focused on things and got the things I needed to do finished in a 'reasonable amount of time' - whatever that is.

The site is updated and we were once again pleased with the response we have had not only from our mailing list subscribers, but people in general. It is nice to be able to look at what we accomplish all in one place. I find that I really feel good about our site and what we have to offer people. It helps to have a gifted partner too. I can't even begin to think that things would be anywhere near as nice if it weren't for Keith. Having two people contributing and maintaining things really makes a huge difference. It allows each of us to pursue what we want while the other fills in the gaps. We also have a bit of a different style of designing, and I believe that it broadens our appeal.

We were a bit worried last year when we decided to leave the large wholesaler that we were selling our patterns through. We didn't know if we would be able to make up the difference, as they were a large source of our income. But even through these past few months, which are typically our slowest time of year, we have done well and more than made up for the income that we used to receive from them. Plus we know that our patterns are being distributed the way we intended them to be. Perhaps that is why we are doing so well in the long run. (Not to mention that we no longer have to worry if our wishes were being followed regarding our pattern distribution. What a load off our minds that is!) All in all, we feel it was the best decision we have made. It just goes to show that sometimes you have to follow your instincts.

After the update was completed, I spent the rest of the day filling orders and I began working on the next project in earnest. That is the "12 Days of Christmas Keys" that I am reworking for distribution through the Artist's Club. They will be selling the designs, but on their own surfaces. While Keith and I never mind cutting kits, I am happy with doing things this way this time because I feel that my time is better spent designing. I have so many ideas for the fall and winter seasons (and summer too for that matter!) that I really need to keep going in the design department. Since we are getting new customers every day and word is getting out about our patterns and service (thank you!) we want to keep offering the best patterns available of the highest quality. That takes time as those of you who read may realize.

I did some drawing yesterday and I am just about ready to begin painting again today. Since the shapes for the "12 Days" are a lot different that what I had originally created, they needed a unifying element to keep the set looking cohesive. This didn't have to be complex, as the designs themselves are to be the focal point, but sometimes I have a bit more difficulty in making things simple than I do making them complex. It is sometimes hard to tone things down to a subtle accent, which is what I wanted to happen here.

Here is a sample of what I came up with:

Font Ear Pattern Drawing Circle


(I nearly had a panic attack when I went for the sample picture and it wasn't in my folder. I had forgotten that I renamed and renumbered the file and put it in its own folder! Whew!)

Right now it is "nothing special" but I can envision it finished and I think it will look pretty slick when it is finished. I hope so anyway.

As with just about everything that I do, I can also see a scrolled version of these in the works. I am sure that i will be thinking about it as I paint these in. :)

This morning I awoke just after 5. Perhaps I was making up for yesterday, or perhaps I just had enough sleep after getting up so late. I have been picking around the computer this morning and enjoying my extra hour. But now it is time to get to it and get to work on these. Hopefully they will not take me long to do. Since the designs are going to be a bit larger than the originals, there is the opportunity for a bit more detail. I will like that.

It's mid-week already and while a soft and steady rain was falling when I awoke, it all seems to be clearing at this time. It is brightening up too, and although it is overcast, it may turn out to be a nice day after all. Everything is lush and green and I am still awaiting the summer heat to arrive, as it has been cool so far. All in good time.

I wish you all a great mid-week.

"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald"
Have a gr8 rest of the week.
 

Attachments

#8,476 ·
Supporting the Creative Industrys - Taking Responsibility

I accomplished a great deal yesterday, and I am pleased I came so far. It was an incredibly busy day and I had lots of interaction with customers and friends and I got a lot of work done. For the next several days I will be working on a painting pattern. While I showed the pieces being painted on one surface, a company that I sell through (the Artist's Club) requested that I use one of their surfaces for the design. So I am in the process of adapting it to that and also I had created my own pieces to use with it.

I am afraid that because of the time it will take for me to really get this done, things here on the blog may not be very exciting. I may take the next few days to bring to your attention some other things that are going on in the industry and with some of my incredibly artistic and talented friends.

As you know, not only do I create scroll saw patterns, but I also design painting patterns. Recently, some of my friends who are designers of painting patterns have had some bad experiences regarding their work being uploaded and distributed freely on the internet. Many times entire instruction books have been copied and shared this way and it has really hurt the designer tremendously. Those of you who read every day can see all the work that goes into creating instructional patterns for people. Good designers take time and care to make their patterns and instructions they best they possibly can, and they put their heart and soul into their work. And even if we do love what we do, it IS "work" because it is the only means of support for many of us. Without the income generated from people purchasing our patterns, we simply wouldn't be able to spend the necessary time to create the caliber of instructions that we create. And in the long run, not only do the crafters and customers suffer, but the whole industry suffers because as good designers drop out to find another means to make a living, what is left are cheap and shoddy patterns. I have seen many of my favorite designs - both in the painting world and in the woodworking world - disappear from the industry because they simply were not able to earn even a minimal living selling their patterns.

The internet is a double-edged sword for designers. While it offers a wonderful venue for us to reach out to people that we otherwise wouldn't be able to reach, it also leaves us vulnerable to those who may not be honest and wish to capitalize on our hard work with little effort on their own.

Unlike those who sell tangible, finished items, we are selling not only our drawings and line work for our designs, but our lessons we use to teach our customers how to make the designs themselves. In essence, we are selling concepts along with our drawings, and that makes it very difficult to police.

My partner Keith has been worried from the time I met him because I frequently take pictures head on of my finished work to show on both the site and now here on my blog and on Facebook and the like. We have heard stories of people who just trace the designs off the screen of their computer, and are able to cut them that way. I have heard of people right here that have boasted about doing that type of thing and it does trouble me a great deal. But what would the answer be?

We have tried to put lower resolution pictures only online. We have tried to skew the pictures, or only show part of the designs at a time. We have tried to make people aware that if they do steal our work in this way, they are only hurting themselves in the long run, because as designers drop out of the industry there will be less and less quality designs to choose from. Yet some people still want to get around paying for what they take.

Even if the above methods were successful in stopping thievery altogether, it would only take one proud customer to post a head-on shot of their work with our patterns to make it available to everyone. I truly don't feel that is the answer.

I think that we have to rely on educating people as to how detrimental stealing these designs are, and let them know that they are only hurting the industry as a whole when they share patterns and follow the above practices. Most patterns we offer are between $5 - $10. I think that this is an average price in both the painting and woodworking industry. Books run around $15 - $20 projects, but they are usually filled with at least 15 - 20 projects, making the instructions average out to only about $1 per pattern. Magazines are much cheaper and the cost per pattern is far less.

Why then would people choose to do so much damage to the designers and the industry that they love for such a small price? Many are even making projects to sell or use as gifts. Why would they think that the means to make these items should be "free"? It is beyond me.

They may think that "only once" won't do much damage. But if each person thought like that, the loss in revenue to the designers, publishers and artists would rise exponentially very quickly. And the truth is that once someone has adopted the attitude that they aren't hurting anyone, they tend to keep their blinders on and continue the practice.

I think that we as fellow artists and crafters need to make sharing and stealing patterns "socially unacceptable." There are many times I see call outs on forums for a certain pattern. The designer may or may not be mentioned, but there are times when someone posts the "I'll personal message you!" response from another member. More likely than not, it is at that time that the person offers to "share" the pattern with the requester. We have all seen that happen.

If we want our favorite designers to survive, we need to stand our ground and say "no, thank you" to those who are offering up others' work so freely. We not only need to refuse the offer, but we need to make it clear that what they are doing is WRONG and not only hurts the designer, but hurts the industry as a whole. Besides - Many designers offer "free" sample patterns of some of their best designs for you to use. If you can't afford it now, why not take a free design until you can save up for the ones you really like?

If someone offered you some stolen jewelry, would you accept it? How is this any different?

People complain that there aren't enough quality patterns available to them. They complain that the industry that they love so much (either scroll sawing or tole painting) is on the decline, and they honestly don't understand why that is the case. Perhaps it is that way because many of the good designers found that they could no longer make their living doing what they love because of these practices. While it may not be the entire blame, it certainly is responsible for a large part of it.

It is up to YOU ladies and gentlemen. Each and every incidence of sharing DOES count. We need to retrain ourselves that the practice of sharing what we have no right to share is NOT acceptable and should not be tolerated for our own good and the greater good of the industry of the hobbies we love so much. It may "only be a pattern" to you, but to the designer, it is their life's work and they have put their heart and soul into it. We need to respect that and support the designers whose work we love to create.

I'll end here, but I hope I gave you something to think about. I really don't like to preach to people, as we are all adults and we all know what is right or wrong, but seeing some of my favorite designers get plagiarized has made me see that there is a need to say something to remind people of how they can help. My heart goes out to those who have had their work exploited and I wanted to point out the obvious to you, my readers, so that you can get word out to your friends who are in your clubs and share your craft with you so that we ALL will have lots of choices of wonderful patterns from talented people who design. Help spread the word and be the example. That way we can all win.

Feel free to share this post with anyone you think will be interested. Every step, no matter how small toward supporting your favorite designers will be greatly appreciated. And it will insure you that you will continue to have many choices of high quality designs and fun projects to choose from.

Wood Font Religious item Cross Jewellery


Art Font Tints and shades Pattern Artifact


Have a great Thursday!
 

Attachments

#8,477 ·
Supporting the Creative Industrys - Taking Responsibility

I accomplished a great deal yesterday, and I am pleased I came so far. It was an incredibly busy day and I had lots of interaction with customers and friends and I got a lot of work done. For the next several days I will be working on a painting pattern. While I showed the pieces being painted on one surface, a company that I sell through (the Artist's Club) requested that I use one of their surfaces for the design. So I am in the process of adapting it to that and also I had created my own pieces to use with it.

I am afraid that because of the time it will take for me to really get this done, things here on the blog may not be very exciting. I may take the next few days to bring to your attention some other things that are going on in the industry and with some of my incredibly artistic and talented friends.

As you know, not only do I create scroll saw patterns, but I also design painting patterns. Recently, some of my friends who are designers of painting patterns have had some bad experiences regarding their work being uploaded and distributed freely on the internet. Many times entire instruction books have been copied and shared this way and it has really hurt the designer tremendously. Those of you who read every day can see all the work that goes into creating instructional patterns for people. Good designers take time and care to make their patterns and instructions they best they possibly can, and they put their heart and soul into their work. And even if we do love what we do, it IS "work" because it is the only means of support for many of us. Without the income generated from people purchasing our patterns, we simply wouldn't be able to spend the necessary time to create the caliber of instructions that we create. And in the long run, not only do the crafters and customers suffer, but the whole industry suffers because as good designers drop out to find another means to make a living, what is left are cheap and shoddy patterns. I have seen many of my favorite designs - both in the painting world and in the woodworking world - disappear from the industry because they simply were not able to earn even a minimal living selling their patterns.

The internet is a double-edged sword for designers. While it offers a wonderful venue for us to reach out to people that we otherwise wouldn't be able to reach, it also leaves us vulnerable to those who may not be honest and wish to capitalize on our hard work with little effort on their own.

Unlike those who sell tangible, finished items, we are selling not only our drawings and line work for our designs, but our lessons we use to teach our customers how to make the designs themselves. In essence, we are selling concepts along with our drawings, and that makes it very difficult to police.

My partner Keith has been worried from the time I met him because I frequently take pictures head on of my finished work to show on both the site and now here on my blog and on Facebook and the like. We have heard stories of people who just trace the designs off the screen of their computer, and are able to cut them that way. I have heard of people right here that have boasted about doing that type of thing and it does trouble me a great deal. But what would the answer be?

We have tried to put lower resolution pictures only online. We have tried to skew the pictures, or only show part of the designs at a time. We have tried to make people aware that if they do steal our work in this way, they are only hurting themselves in the long run, because as designers drop out of the industry there will be less and less quality designs to choose from. Yet some people still want to get around paying for what they take.

Even if the above methods were successful in stopping thievery altogether, it would only take one proud customer to post a head-on shot of their work with our patterns to make it available to everyone. I truly don't feel that is the answer.

I think that we have to rely on educating people as to how detrimental stealing these designs are, and let them know that they are only hurting the industry as a whole when they share patterns and follow the above practices. Most patterns we offer are between $5 - $10. I think that this is an average price in both the painting and woodworking industry. Books run around $15 - $20 projects, but they are usually filled with at least 15 - 20 projects, making the instructions average out to only about $1 per pattern. Magazines are much cheaper and the cost per pattern is far less.

Why then would people choose to do so much damage to the designers and the industry that they love for such a small price? Many are even making projects to sell or use as gifts. Why would they think that the means to make these items should be "free"? It is beyond me.

They may think that "only once" won't do much damage. But if each person thought like that, the loss in revenue to the designers, publishers and artists would rise exponentially very quickly. And the truth is that once someone has adopted the attitude that they aren't hurting anyone, they tend to keep their blinders on and continue the practice.

I think that we as fellow artists and crafters need to make sharing and stealing patterns "socially unacceptable." There are many times I see call outs on forums for a certain pattern. The designer may or may not be mentioned, but there are times when someone posts the "I'll personal message you!" response from another member. More likely than not, it is at that time that the person offers to "share" the pattern with the requester. We have all seen that happen.

If we want our favorite designers to survive, we need to stand our ground and say "no, thank you" to those who are offering up others' work so freely. We not only need to refuse the offer, but we need to make it clear that what they are doing is WRONG and not only hurts the designer, but hurts the industry as a whole. Besides - Many designers offer "free" sample patterns of some of their best designs for you to use. If you can't afford it now, why not take a free design until you can save up for the ones you really like?

If someone offered you some stolen jewelry, would you accept it? How is this any different?

People complain that there aren't enough quality patterns available to them. They complain that the industry that they love so much (either scroll sawing or tole painting) is on the decline, and they honestly don't understand why that is the case. Perhaps it is that way because many of the good designers found that they could no longer make their living doing what they love because of these practices. While it may not be the entire blame, it certainly is responsible for a large part of it.

It is up to YOU ladies and gentlemen. Each and every incidence of sharing DOES count. We need to retrain ourselves that the practice of sharing what we have no right to share is NOT acceptable and should not be tolerated for our own good and the greater good of the industry of the hobbies we love so much. It may "only be a pattern" to you, but to the designer, it is their life's work and they have put their heart and soul into it. We need to respect that and support the designers whose work we love to create.

I'll end here, but I hope I gave you something to think about. I really don't like to preach to people, as we are all adults and we all know what is right or wrong, but seeing some of my favorite designers get plagiarized has made me see that there is a need to say something to remind people of how they can help. My heart goes out to those who have had their work exploited and I wanted to point out the obvious to you, my readers, so that you can get word out to your friends who are in your clubs and share your craft with you so that we ALL will have lots of choices of wonderful patterns from talented people who design. Help spread the word and be the example. That way we can all win.

Feel free to share this post with anyone you think will be interested. Every step, no matter how small toward supporting your favorite designers will be greatly appreciated. And it will insure you that you will continue to have many choices of high quality designs and fun projects to choose from.

Wood Font Religious item Cross Jewellery


Art Font Tints and shades Pattern Artifact


Have a great Thursday!
Well said Sheila! I think that it is a shame to have to post things like this but I now think that society as a whole is going down hill in a basket with all of the stealing of ideas and i.d. theft that is going on. I really believe that the "end" is close. That said, hope you and Keith have a great day.
Rick
 

Attachments

#8,487 ·
A Very Rare Opportunity I Want to Share With You

I am still going to be working on painting today, and I prefer to wait a little until I give you all some previews of what I am working on, but there is something else that I want to bring to your attention today that many of you who read may be interested in.

A while back I told you about a wonderful artist that I stumbled across on Facebook. His name is Ryan MacLeod and he is extremely talented as a sculptor. His specialty for sculpting is dragons, and you can view his web page here:

http://www.macleoddragons.com/

If you view his many galleries, you will also be amazed at the quality of work and his talent.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to commission Ryan to create a piece for me. Each of his pieces are hand sculpted and require hundreds of hours of work. Since each piece is hand made, there are very few of them available and as his popularity grows and more people see his work, his list for creating commissions gets longer and longer (I understand that the wait for a commissioned piece is now over a year! Way to go Ryan!)

In addition to his growing popularity, Ryan has recently been married and he and his wife are expecting their first child! His life has certainly been full and busy!

When I received my dragon last December, I posted pictures of it here on the blog. I had requested a Steampunk themed dragon, as I love that genre and felt it would be a good fit for my place here. Below are some of the pictures of what Ryan came up with for my dragon:

Sculpture Art Statue Metal Font


Art Metal Action figure Toy Cg artwork


Headgear Toy Art Skull Personal protective equipment


Toy Gesture Machine Fictional character Action figure


Toy Sculpture Art Supernatural creature Statue


Of course, Ryan needed to include a kitty - at my request! I gave him license to do whatever his heart desired and I am absolutely thrilled at the result. Every rivet and cable and piece of this artwork was just perfect, and I cherish my piece!

So why am I bringing this up again?

I wanted to share the news that Ryan is holding an online silent auction to sell off one of his amazing pieces this weekend. The auction already started, and will run until midnight on Sunday.

The piece he is auctioning off is call the "Blue Dragon" and here is a picture of it:

Toy Font Electric blue Fictional character Art


Blue Toy Electric blue Fictional character Stuffed toy


Art Snout Artifact Sculpture Metal


Plant Flower Petal Organism Terrestrial plant


As with all of his pieces, you can see the extreme amount of detail that he uses to create them. Every one of his creations are awesome and this is a once in a lifetime chance to own an original piece of art by this very talented designer.

You can bid on this item on Ryan's Facebook Auction Page here:

https://www.facebook.com/MacLeodDragons

Even if you don't bid on the piece, I invite you to stop in at Ryan's web page and take a look at his amazing work. I know that this is just the beginning for this talented young man and I am so fortunate that I have one of his hand-made creations.

I also wanted to let you know that Richard (one of my cats) is going to be fine. I took him to the vet last week to have a small lump that I found on him looked at and they did a biopsy. I had several people ask about him and I did get the results yesterday and it turned out to be a small calcification that was benign. I am very relieved, as I love him very much and didn't want to see him go through surgery if he didn't have to do so. I hope to have him with me a long, long time.

Cat Carnivore Comfort Felidae Small to medium-sized cats


I should have something to show you by tomorrow on what I am working on. I hope you all have a great day today.

Happy Friday to you all!
 

Attachments

#8,488 ·
A Very Rare Opportunity I Want to Share With You

I am still going to be working on painting today, and I prefer to wait a little until I give you all some previews of what I am working on, but there is something else that I want to bring to your attention today that many of you who read may be interested in.

A while back I told you about a wonderful artist that I stumbled across on Facebook. His name is Ryan MacLeod and he is extremely talented as a sculptor. His specialty for sculpting is dragons, and you can view his web page here:

http://www.macleoddragons.com/

If you view his many galleries, you will also be amazed at the quality of work and his talent.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to commission Ryan to create a piece for me. Each of his pieces are hand sculpted and require hundreds of hours of work. Since each piece is hand made, there are very few of them available and as his popularity grows and more people see his work, his list for creating commissions gets longer and longer (I understand that the wait for a commissioned piece is now over a year! Way to go Ryan!)

In addition to his growing popularity, Ryan has recently been married and he and his wife are expecting their first child! His life has certainly been full and busy!

When I received my dragon last December, I posted pictures of it here on the blog. I had requested a Steampunk themed dragon, as I love that genre and felt it would be a good fit for my place here. Below are some of the pictures of what Ryan came up with for my dragon:

Sculpture Art Statue Metal Font


Art Metal Action figure Toy Cg artwork


Headgear Toy Art Skull Personal protective equipment


Toy Gesture Machine Fictional character Action figure


Toy Sculpture Art Supernatural creature Statue


Of course, Ryan needed to include a kitty - at my request! I gave him license to do whatever his heart desired and I am absolutely thrilled at the result. Every rivet and cable and piece of this artwork was just perfect, and I cherish my piece!

So why am I bringing this up again?

I wanted to share the news that Ryan is holding an online silent auction to sell off one of his amazing pieces this weekend. The auction already started, and will run until midnight on Sunday.

The piece he is auctioning off is call the "Blue Dragon" and here is a picture of it:

Toy Font Electric blue Fictional character Art


Blue Toy Electric blue Fictional character Stuffed toy


Art Snout Artifact Sculpture Metal


Plant Flower Petal Organism Terrestrial plant


As with all of his pieces, you can see the extreme amount of detail that he uses to create them. Every one of his creations are awesome and this is a once in a lifetime chance to own an original piece of art by this very talented designer.

You can bid on this item on Ryan's Facebook Auction Page here:

https://www.facebook.com/MacLeodDragons

Even if you don't bid on the piece, I invite you to stop in at Ryan's web page and take a look at his amazing work. I know that this is just the beginning for this talented young man and I am so fortunate that I have one of his hand-made creations.

I also wanted to let you know that Richard (one of my cats) is going to be fine. I took him to the vet last week to have a small lump that I found on him looked at and they did a biopsy. I had several people ask about him and I did get the results yesterday and it turned out to be a small calcification that was benign. I am very relieved, as I love him very much and didn't want to see him go through surgery if he didn't have to do so. I hope to have him with me a long, long time.

Cat Carnivore Comfort Felidae Small to medium-sized cats


I should have something to show you by tomorrow on what I am working on. I hope you all have a great day today.

Happy Friday to you all!
Sheila Awesome what a nice share. :)

Jamie
In Sunny Scotland
 

Attachments

#8,496 ·
Still Painting and a Highlight of Another Artist's Work

I spent the day painting yesterday and working on my new pattern. I have come to the realization that it may be several days before I am finished. I just am not a fast painter. I don't know if it is me or if it is my style or what the reason is, but that is the case. I am constantly amazed to watch other painters that I am friends with through painting pages on Facebook post the progress of their work with lightening speed. AND the designs are darling too! And here I go, poking along like a snail and feeling quite inadequate. But the bottom line is that in the end, I do usually like what I created, so I figure that it is worth the time I spend on it to make things happen. It's just me.

I am not quite ready to show you all what I am working on yet, so in the mean time I may skip a day or so blogging or I will highlight something else. Today I am going to show off a piece that I just received yesterday in the mail. I had purchased it from a fellow woodworker who has a page here on Lumberjocks.com and does not only beautiful scroll saw work, but also pyrography.

The artist's name is Pedro Santos and his Lumberjocks name is Pabreu. I just love his work. He does carving, band saw work and scroll sawing, and his partner Cris Pinho also does pyrography. They have an Etsy shop called ArtisIgnis and his items are really beautiful.

Not long ago, I saw a box that Pedro and his partner made that he posted either here or on Facebook. I just fell in love with it and when I saw the price, I thought it was very reasonably priced and I purchased it. It is a little trinket box with pyrography of a kitty and paw prints on it. I received it yesterday and it is truly beautiful.

It has a cute and whimsical kitty on the lid:

Furniture Table Rectangle Wood Font


Paw prints going around the sides:

Handwriting Rectangle Wood Font Fashion accessory


And it is nicely finished with black flocking on the inside:

Rectangle Table Wood Gas Box


Everything about this piece was done wonderfully and professionally. It was even wrapped with tissue and a logo sticker, and they included a personal note. I know these things sound like they are small, but the added touches, along with the quality of the piece really made a wonderful impression. I bought this box for myself, but what a beautiful presentation it would make for a gift for someone else too. This attention to detail just went to show that lots of thought and care went into making this, and I am really happy that I purchased it.

If you want to see their other items, I hope you visit their store. Even though they are located in Portugal, and I am here in Nova Scotia, Canada, the box arrived in just over a week. It took no longer for me to get it than if I ordered it from here in my own country.

I hope you don't mind me highlighting some of these businesses that I have had experiences with and purchased from. I like to share good news with you all and I want to do what I can to encourage you to purchase from people such as Pedro who work so hard to bring quality hand crafted items to you that are beautiful. By supporting these craftspeople, we are not only getting wonderful and unique items for ourselves and for gifts, but we are helping fellow craftsmen survive in a world where machine produced crap is all too common. As for myself - I would rather invest in these artists than purchase things that will be in the landfills in a very short time.

I hope you have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend. While it is still cool out and the day began with a dense fog, now that the sun in high in the sky the day looks simply beautiful. I plan to paint all weekend long and perhaps by Monday I will have something nice to show you. I'll be in a good place this weekend and I hope you will also.

Enjoy the weekend and happy father's day to the dads out there!
 

Attachments

#8,497 ·
Still Painting and a Highlight of Another Artist's Work

I spent the day painting yesterday and working on my new pattern. I have come to the realization that it may be several days before I am finished. I just am not a fast painter. I don't know if it is me or if it is my style or what the reason is, but that is the case. I am constantly amazed to watch other painters that I am friends with through painting pages on Facebook post the progress of their work with lightening speed. AND the designs are darling too! And here I go, poking along like a snail and feeling quite inadequate. But the bottom line is that in the end, I do usually like what I created, so I figure that it is worth the time I spend on it to make things happen. It's just me.

I am not quite ready to show you all what I am working on yet, so in the mean time I may skip a day or so blogging or I will highlight something else. Today I am going to show off a piece that I just received yesterday in the mail. I had purchased it from a fellow woodworker who has a page here on Lumberjocks.com and does not only beautiful scroll saw work, but also pyrography.

The artist's name is Pedro Santos and his Lumberjocks name is Pabreu. I just love his work. He does carving, band saw work and scroll sawing, and his partner Cris Pinho also does pyrography. They have an Etsy shop called ArtisIgnis and his items are really beautiful.

Not long ago, I saw a box that Pedro and his partner made that he posted either here or on Facebook. I just fell in love with it and when I saw the price, I thought it was very reasonably priced and I purchased it. It is a little trinket box with pyrography of a kitty and paw prints on it. I received it yesterday and it is truly beautiful.

It has a cute and whimsical kitty on the lid:

Furniture Table Rectangle Wood Font


Paw prints going around the sides:

Handwriting Rectangle Wood Font Fashion accessory


And it is nicely finished with black flocking on the inside:

Rectangle Table Wood Gas Box


Everything about this piece was done wonderfully and professionally. It was even wrapped with tissue and a logo sticker, and they included a personal note. I know these things sound like they are small, but the added touches, along with the quality of the piece really made a wonderful impression. I bought this box for myself, but what a beautiful presentation it would make for a gift for someone else too. This attention to detail just went to show that lots of thought and care went into making this, and I am really happy that I purchased it.

If you want to see their other items, I hope you visit their store. Even though they are located in Portugal, and I am here in Nova Scotia, Canada, the box arrived in just over a week. It took no longer for me to get it than if I ordered it from here in my own country.

I hope you don't mind me highlighting some of these businesses that I have had experiences with and purchased from. I like to share good news with you all and I want to do what I can to encourage you to purchase from people such as Pedro who work so hard to bring quality hand crafted items to you that are beautiful. By supporting these craftspeople, we are not only getting wonderful and unique items for ourselves and for gifts, but we are helping fellow craftsmen survive in a world where machine produced crap is all too common. As for myself - I would rather invest in these artists than purchase things that will be in the landfills in a very short time.

I hope you have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend. While it is still cool out and the day began with a dense fog, now that the sun in high in the sky the day looks simply beautiful. I plan to paint all weekend long and perhaps by Monday I will have something nice to show you. I'll be in a good place this weekend and I hope you will also.

Enjoy the weekend and happy father's day to the dads out there!
Sheila that is a very nice box and by the sounds of things
well worth considering for a gift.
Developing a new design Must take time, I've bought your
patterns and the effort you put in is obvious in the way it is
laid out. I remember looking at a tiny star, thinking I'll never do
it, it's to fine. But after following your instructions I could do it
first time. I think I told you that I'm in design update. Agh! It
takes for ever and only once assembled do you notice that I had
a Oops moment :)
We have a nice light drizzle here today
Have a great weekend

Jamie
 

Attachments

#8,502 ·
Slowly but Surely

Well folks - after a weekend of pretty much continual painting, I am still only about one third done with the project that I am designing. I don't remember the exact day I began working on it, but it was sometime in the middle of last week. There were some other work related things that came through in the mean time (a nice wholesale order and doing some printing for my friend Bernie) and that of course took me away from things for a bit, but other than that, I have been trying to remain focused on completing the task at hand.

The pieces are due in the middle of July - which seemed like a long, long time away when I first received the deadline. But as I work on them, I am grateful for the extra days so that I can do the patterns properly. As usual, I am doing two sets of the project - one to send for publication and one to keep here with me. For this project, I have been supplied with surfaces to paint on from Artist's Club that they will be selling to accompany the pattern, but I also drew up and cut out my own pieces that are a slightly different shape so that I am able to sell both the patterns and pieces on my own site without worrying about infringing on any copyrights of the suppliers of the pieces. That is one of the pluses of being able to draw and cut my own surfaces.

The painting projects typically take a bit of time to do. Not only do I need to draw the line work, but breaking the instructions down to a step-by-step tutorial process that people can follow to easily recreate pieces sometimes is a challenge. While I may be able to paint what I call my 'fine art' pieces such as those that I show on my Gallery page on my website, so much of the shading and painting is done by 'feel' that it would be difficult for even myself to recreate the painting to my satisfaction.

Doing the pieces in duplicate helps me standardize the process a little bit and break it down into understandable and easy-to-follow steps. That way people will be able to recreate it satisfactorily. Of course, people will apply their own style to the paintings, as painting a piece is much different than reproducing a scroll sawn project. While the scroll saw project is pretty much cut and dry with the customer following the lines, painting projects have a seemingly endless amount of variables that can be applied in the form of shading , toning, etc. It is because of this that I feel painting patterns are a bit more complex than woodworking patterns.

But I do enjoy creating them for a change. If I had to choose between creating scroll sawing patterns and creating painting patterns, I honestly don't know which one I would pick. I love cutting fretwork and my time at the saw and making wood pieces that look as if they are flowing, but I also love color and the beautiful variations that you can achieve with a paint brush. It would be a tough call to only be able to do one of the two processes, and I am happy that I am able to do both and that the painting side of my business is growing bit by bit every day.

As with anything though, being away from it sometimes makes you rusty. While I created the 12 days of Christmas Keys pattern to submit to Artist's Club only a couple of weeks ago, since that time so many projects have been done that it seems like it was months ago. At first I had thought that recreating the designs on a different surface would be fast and easy, but as I began to do so, I saw that there was much room for improvement and in some ways it is like starting from square one. I don't want you to think of this as a complaint though, as it is absolutely not and what it does is allow me to refine the designs and make them even better. And although that may be time consuming, it is a lot of fun and the final pieces are looking better than they originally did.

On Saturday evening I feel as if I hit my stride. I had finished the third piece of the series and I was so pleased with the outcome that it completely refreshed my excitement regarding the entire project. Here is a picture of the piece:

Bird Beak Chicken Creative arts Art


Unlike the original key shaped ornaments, the revised set will have outer frames in six deep jewel tones. After doing the Angel Place Card Holders last week with the jewel tones, I thought using similar colors for these frames would really look nice as a set. You may not be able to tell by the picture, but the frame for this ornament is a deep aqua/teal metallic. I also used the super fine Glamour Dust glitter paint on the frame and it looks really beautiful. I was pleased with my hen too, as it looks almost 'fluffy'. Even though it is taking a bit of time, I believe that in the end this pattern will be something that I can really be proud of.

At this point, I anticipate taking just about the entire week to finish getting these painted. I need to go to Digby one day as I have some things that I need to deliver to Bernie and Ellen. That will probably take much of one day up. I did paint yesterday morning and part of the afternoon, but we spent the late afternoon and evening with family. It was good to get out and we had a lovely dinner with Keith's parents.

I need to be patient with myself this next week. Even though I sometimes feel as if I am going at a snails' pace, as long as my end result is good, I can't allow myself to feel bad about how much time it will take to complete these. The good part about designing is that there is no quota as to the number of new designs I need to produce. I would rather introduce one excellent design that ten mediocre designs. Getting things done right is far more important to me than having a huge quantity of new pieces. I just need to remind myself that at the times when I get impatient.

I hope you all have a great Monday. It is foggy out this morning, but a bit warmer than it has been. Summer is trying to poke its nose here, a little at a time. I am sure it will come it it is ready. Once again, I need to practice patience.

Have a beautiful day.
 

Attachments

#8,503 ·
Slowly but Surely

Well folks - after a weekend of pretty much continual painting, I am still only about one third done with the project that I am designing. I don't remember the exact day I began working on it, but it was sometime in the middle of last week. There were some other work related things that came through in the mean time (a nice wholesale order and doing some printing for my friend Bernie) and that of course took me away from things for a bit, but other than that, I have been trying to remain focused on completing the task at hand.

The pieces are due in the middle of July - which seemed like a long, long time away when I first received the deadline. But as I work on them, I am grateful for the extra days so that I can do the patterns properly. As usual, I am doing two sets of the project - one to send for publication and one to keep here with me. For this project, I have been supplied with surfaces to paint on from Artist's Club that they will be selling to accompany the pattern, but I also drew up and cut out my own pieces that are a slightly different shape so that I am able to sell both the patterns and pieces on my own site without worrying about infringing on any copyrights of the suppliers of the pieces. That is one of the pluses of being able to draw and cut my own surfaces.

The painting projects typically take a bit of time to do. Not only do I need to draw the line work, but breaking the instructions down to a step-by-step tutorial process that people can follow to easily recreate pieces sometimes is a challenge. While I may be able to paint what I call my 'fine art' pieces such as those that I show on my Gallery page on my website, so much of the shading and painting is done by 'feel' that it would be difficult for even myself to recreate the painting to my satisfaction.

Doing the pieces in duplicate helps me standardize the process a little bit and break it down into understandable and easy-to-follow steps. That way people will be able to recreate it satisfactorily. Of course, people will apply their own style to the paintings, as painting a piece is much different than reproducing a scroll sawn project. While the scroll saw project is pretty much cut and dry with the customer following the lines, painting projects have a seemingly endless amount of variables that can be applied in the form of shading , toning, etc. It is because of this that I feel painting patterns are a bit more complex than woodworking patterns.

But I do enjoy creating them for a change. If I had to choose between creating scroll sawing patterns and creating painting patterns, I honestly don't know which one I would pick. I love cutting fretwork and my time at the saw and making wood pieces that look as if they are flowing, but I also love color and the beautiful variations that you can achieve with a paint brush. It would be a tough call to only be able to do one of the two processes, and I am happy that I am able to do both and that the painting side of my business is growing bit by bit every day.

As with anything though, being away from it sometimes makes you rusty. While I created the 12 days of Christmas Keys pattern to submit to Artist's Club only a couple of weeks ago, since that time so many projects have been done that it seems like it was months ago. At first I had thought that recreating the designs on a different surface would be fast and easy, but as I began to do so, I saw that there was much room for improvement and in some ways it is like starting from square one. I don't want you to think of this as a complaint though, as it is absolutely not and what it does is allow me to refine the designs and make them even better. And although that may be time consuming, it is a lot of fun and the final pieces are looking better than they originally did.

On Saturday evening I feel as if I hit my stride. I had finished the third piece of the series and I was so pleased with the outcome that it completely refreshed my excitement regarding the entire project. Here is a picture of the piece:

Bird Beak Chicken Creative arts Art


Unlike the original key shaped ornaments, the revised set will have outer frames in six deep jewel tones. After doing the Angel Place Card Holders last week with the jewel tones, I thought using similar colors for these frames would really look nice as a set. You may not be able to tell by the picture, but the frame for this ornament is a deep aqua/teal metallic. I also used the super fine Glamour Dust glitter paint on the frame and it looks really beautiful. I was pleased with my hen too, as it looks almost 'fluffy'. Even though it is taking a bit of time, I believe that in the end this pattern will be something that I can really be proud of.

At this point, I anticipate taking just about the entire week to finish getting these painted. I need to go to Digby one day as I have some things that I need to deliver to Bernie and Ellen. That will probably take much of one day up. I did paint yesterday morning and part of the afternoon, but we spent the late afternoon and evening with family. It was good to get out and we had a lovely dinner with Keith's parents.

I need to be patient with myself this next week. Even though I sometimes feel as if I am going at a snails' pace, as long as my end result is good, I can't allow myself to feel bad about how much time it will take to complete these. The good part about designing is that there is no quota as to the number of new designs I need to produce. I would rather introduce one excellent design that ten mediocre designs. Getting things done right is far more important to me than having a huge quantity of new pieces. I just need to remind myself that at the times when I get impatient.

I hope you all have a great Monday. It is foggy out this morning, but a bit warmer than it has been. Summer is trying to poke its nose here, a little at a time. I am sure it will come it it is ready. Once again, I need to practice patience.

Have a beautiful day.
WOW! The hen looks fantastic - it certainly does look like you cut out a real picture and affixed it to the wood. You have every right to brag about this!

I would say she doesn't look french, but how WOULD you make her look French??? ;-)

Lovely work Sheila!

-bob
 

Attachments

#8,509 ·
A New Box of "Pretty"

Today will be a quick blog. I am still working on my painting project and making some progress, but I think it will take me at least until the end of the week to finish. So far, so good though and I am really getting excited seeing the pieces come to life.

We had some errands in Digby yesterday, which meant taking the time to make the drive into town. It may not seem like a lot, but with so much to do here, it always seems to be a big deal to get away for even part of the day. We try to let the errands accumulate so that we are knocking off a lot of things at once and using our time wisely. The more efficient we are the more we can accomplish. And that seems the name of the game lately.

When we arrived home, I got a surprise box delivered from DecoArt. I am in their Helping Artists' program which they offer for designers to learn about their new products and they also supply us with samples to try and use in our designing. This is a great benefit to everyone because not only does it allow us to see and try new products, but it also allows us to make suggestions and give DecoArt feedback so that they can make their products better.

I have been involved in several different programs like this from various companies throughout the fifteen plus years that I have been designing and I have never worked with a company so dedicated to designers and making their products the highest quality possible. They are generous with their supplies and they do listen to what we suggest and work to make their products the best on the market, while keeping the cost of them low. It is a win/win/win for the company itself, me as a designer, and most importantly - my customers and those who use their products to create my designs.

I feel great about recommending DecoArt products to anyone. They are reasonable in cost, high quality and they are very easy to find. If you can't find them at your local stores, they now have a full line of all their products available to order online at www.decoart.com. That means that even people who are like me and live in remote areas can purchase exactly the product and colors they need without any hassle. I think that is really important.

I also know that when I recommend a product that they produce, my customers will not only get a high quality product, but also there is great customer support if they have any issues or questions regarding the products. There is always someone there to answer questions and DecoArt does have customer support for both me as the designer and customers to directly contact them regarding all of their lines of paint and other products.

The box I received contained the new Metallic waxes that I talked about last week. I will be using these probably as soon as I am done with this set of ornaments and I plan to do an in-depth review on them soon. These are really cool because they are metallic waxes that you rub on with a cloth or a sponge, as you would apply a paste wax. The colors are deep an amazing and I can see many applications for them in the woodworking world. They are really beautiful!

Hair Eye Human body Camera accessory Lens


I also received samples of their new Multi-Purpose Satin paints which are going to be great for several types of projects, including yard and outdoor projects. They are paints that can be used on almost any surface, and need no primer and require no sealer at all. They are supposed to have great adhesion and last in the elements, and I think that they will be great for those who enjoy doing outdoor projects and decorating. My head is already spinning with ideas as to how I can use them.

Brown Liquid Plant Bottle Fluid


The colors are just amazing, too! They are bright and cheerful and are going to be great fun to play with! I will also be reviewing them as I get a chance to use them and let you know my thoughts on them.

There are other new products too, such as a new chalkboard paint that you apply to glass pieces. This will be great for jars and other applications and while it may not excite my woodworking followers, I find that many of you who read don't just follow one path of creativity and love to do multiple types of creating.

So now my "to do" list just got longer! (Who needs to sleep anyway?) I am even more excited than I usually am and I can't wait to get to using all of these beautiful products.

So it is off to paint now, and while I am doing so I am dreaming of the next scroll sawing project and planning it out in my head. I hope you all have fun today and do something that is fun and makes you happy.

Have a great Tuesday!
 

Attachments

#8,510 ·
A New Box of "Pretty"

Today will be a quick blog. I am still working on my painting project and making some progress, but I think it will take me at least until the end of the week to finish. So far, so good though and I am really getting excited seeing the pieces come to life.

We had some errands in Digby yesterday, which meant taking the time to make the drive into town. It may not seem like a lot, but with so much to do here, it always seems to be a big deal to get away for even part of the day. We try to let the errands accumulate so that we are knocking off a lot of things at once and using our time wisely. The more efficient we are the more we can accomplish. And that seems the name of the game lately.

When we arrived home, I got a surprise box delivered from DecoArt. I am in their Helping Artists' program which they offer for designers to learn about their new products and they also supply us with samples to try and use in our designing. This is a great benefit to everyone because not only does it allow us to see and try new products, but it also allows us to make suggestions and give DecoArt feedback so that they can make their products better.

I have been involved in several different programs like this from various companies throughout the fifteen plus years that I have been designing and I have never worked with a company so dedicated to designers and making their products the highest quality possible. They are generous with their supplies and they do listen to what we suggest and work to make their products the best on the market, while keeping the cost of them low. It is a win/win/win for the company itself, me as a designer, and most importantly - my customers and those who use their products to create my designs.

I feel great about recommending DecoArt products to anyone. They are reasonable in cost, high quality and they are very easy to find. If you can't find them at your local stores, they now have a full line of all their products available to order online at www.decoart.com. That means that even people who are like me and live in remote areas can purchase exactly the product and colors they need without any hassle. I think that is really important.

I also know that when I recommend a product that they produce, my customers will not only get a high quality product, but also there is great customer support if they have any issues or questions regarding the products. There is always someone there to answer questions and DecoArt does have customer support for both me as the designer and customers to directly contact them regarding all of their lines of paint and other products.

The box I received contained the new Metallic waxes that I talked about last week. I will be using these probably as soon as I am done with this set of ornaments and I plan to do an in-depth review on them soon. These are really cool because they are metallic waxes that you rub on with a cloth or a sponge, as you would apply a paste wax. The colors are deep an amazing and I can see many applications for them in the woodworking world. They are really beautiful!

Hair Eye Human body Camera accessory Lens


I also received samples of their new Multi-Purpose Satin paints which are going to be great for several types of projects, including yard and outdoor projects. They are paints that can be used on almost any surface, and need no primer and require no sealer at all. They are supposed to have great adhesion and last in the elements, and I think that they will be great for those who enjoy doing outdoor projects and decorating. My head is already spinning with ideas as to how I can use them.

Brown Liquid Plant Bottle Fluid


The colors are just amazing, too! They are bright and cheerful and are going to be great fun to play with! I will also be reviewing them as I get a chance to use them and let you know my thoughts on them.

There are other new products too, such as a new chalkboard paint that you apply to glass pieces. This will be great for jars and other applications and while it may not excite my woodworking followers, I find that many of you who read don't just follow one path of creativity and love to do multiple types of creating.

So now my "to do" list just got longer! (Who needs to sleep anyway?) I am even more excited than I usually am and I can't wait to get to using all of these beautiful products.

So it is off to paint now, and while I am doing so I am dreaming of the next scroll sawing project and planning it out in my head. I hope you all have fun today and do something that is fun and makes you happy.

Have a great Tuesday!
Can't wait to see your review of the multi-purpose stain
 

Attachments

#8,516 ·
The Half-Way Mark

What a beautiful morning it is! One would think that starting the day with a mundane chore like putting the garbage on the curb would be poopie, but I think with the right point of view, even something like that could be pleasant.

Yes - I know I am crazy!

Shortly after it got light out, I was making my morning coffee and saw my Google reminder that today was garbage day. While I waited for the water to boil I thought I may as well get it to the curb early. There was a foggy mist over the river and all was quiet (which was good because I had on my jammie pants and a t-shirt!) Our trash bin is located across the road nestled in the trees on the riverbank. As I approached it, I could hear the rushing water of the river and it was all so quiet and peaceful and pretty. Mornings are certainly wonderful.

I almost would have liked to taken a walk just then, before the rest of the world awoke, but I didn't think walking around in my jammies would be that impressive. I may think of keeping some clothes handy so that in the future if the morning calls to me, I can walk.

We took a nice walk around the river yesterday afternoon. After sitting and painting all morning, my back was stiff and I needed to stretch. It was a beautiful day with sunshine and a calm breeze and it just seemed like the thing to do. It is a shame that I always feel guilty about the time spent walking, as there is just so much that I need to accomplish, but I do need to take these breaks and enjoy things around me. I know very well that they will soon be gone and I need to enjoy them every chance I can. Before I know it, they will disappear and I will find myself looking back with regret because I didn't take advantage of these opportunities as they arose. I don't want that.

I also have yet to visit the beach. Here it is mid-June and summer is nearly upon us and I haven't been to the beach all spring. Perhaps I should plan a couple of hours in the next few days if the weather cooperates and it is dry. I would love to bring my painting there and have a different atmosphere to work on this ornament set. Well see . . .

Besides the break for the walk, I worked the entire day on the ornaments. I was able to progress by nearly finishing two more 'days' of the 12 days of Christmas. However, I am still working on the second piece of day 6 and have about an hour left to go on it. I am at the half way point in painting these and it feels good to progress. As usual, I am painting two sets - one to send to be published and one for myself to keep here. That way I don't feel badly about sending them away and I have a set with me while I write the final instructions. It doesn't hurt to have another set here too in case I want to give it away as a gift or donation. I wish I were that organize as to do that!

I wanted to show the picture of the sixth piece:

Bird Window Beak Badge Creative arts


I am really proud of how it is coming out. While I liked the key shapes that I had created a month or so back, I do think that putting these same designs on a larger surface allows me to relax a bit more and add in better detail. They are simply just more fun to paint like this.

Again, I wish you could see them in person. The colors are amazing and my scanner just doesn't do them justice. The blue frame is coated with the Glamour Dust paint and it looks rich and shimmers beautifully. I am still thinking that I will be adding some rhinestones too on the frame. Not many, but I think a couple of them that are strategically placed will really make the ornaments look finished and polished. I have to think about it though.

I hope you all have a good day today. I am still hoping that if I work hard I will be able to complete the painting part of these ornaments by the weekend, and get the packets done too. I realize I am redundant in my complaining, but they just take time.

Wednesday already. The weeks just fly by, don't they? I hope you all have a good day today and spend time doing something you love. Remember to take time out - even if you are busy - to take in the good things around you. Sometimes we have to look for them, but they are always there.

Have a great day!
 

Attachments

#8,517 ·
The Half-Way Mark

What a beautiful morning it is! One would think that starting the day with a mundane chore like putting the garbage on the curb would be poopie, but I think with the right point of view, even something like that could be pleasant.

Yes - I know I am crazy!

Shortly after it got light out, I was making my morning coffee and saw my Google reminder that today was garbage day. While I waited for the water to boil I thought I may as well get it to the curb early. There was a foggy mist over the river and all was quiet (which was good because I had on my jammie pants and a t-shirt!) Our trash bin is located across the road nestled in the trees on the riverbank. As I approached it, I could hear the rushing water of the river and it was all so quiet and peaceful and pretty. Mornings are certainly wonderful.

I almost would have liked to taken a walk just then, before the rest of the world awoke, but I didn't think walking around in my jammies would be that impressive. I may think of keeping some clothes handy so that in the future if the morning calls to me, I can walk.

We took a nice walk around the river yesterday afternoon. After sitting and painting all morning, my back was stiff and I needed to stretch. It was a beautiful day with sunshine and a calm breeze and it just seemed like the thing to do. It is a shame that I always feel guilty about the time spent walking, as there is just so much that I need to accomplish, but I do need to take these breaks and enjoy things around me. I know very well that they will soon be gone and I need to enjoy them every chance I can. Before I know it, they will disappear and I will find myself looking back with regret because I didn't take advantage of these opportunities as they arose. I don't want that.

I also have yet to visit the beach. Here it is mid-June and summer is nearly upon us and I haven't been to the beach all spring. Perhaps I should plan a couple of hours in the next few days if the weather cooperates and it is dry. I would love to bring my painting there and have a different atmosphere to work on this ornament set. Well see . . .

Besides the break for the walk, I worked the entire day on the ornaments. I was able to progress by nearly finishing two more 'days' of the 12 days of Christmas. However, I am still working on the second piece of day 6 and have about an hour left to go on it. I am at the half way point in painting these and it feels good to progress. As usual, I am painting two sets - one to send to be published and one for myself to keep here. That way I don't feel badly about sending them away and I have a set with me while I write the final instructions. It doesn't hurt to have another set here too in case I want to give it away as a gift or donation. I wish I were that organize as to do that!

I wanted to show the picture of the sixth piece:

Bird Window Beak Badge Creative arts


I am really proud of how it is coming out. While I liked the key shapes that I had created a month or so back, I do think that putting these same designs on a larger surface allows me to relax a bit more and add in better detail. They are simply just more fun to paint like this.

Again, I wish you could see them in person. The colors are amazing and my scanner just doesn't do them justice. The blue frame is coated with the Glamour Dust paint and it looks rich and shimmers beautifully. I am still thinking that I will be adding some rhinestones too on the frame. Not many, but I think a couple of them that are strategically placed will really make the ornaments look finished and polished. I have to think about it though.

I hope you all have a good day today. I am still hoping that if I work hard I will be able to complete the painting part of these ornaments by the weekend, and get the packets done too. I realize I am redundant in my complaining, but they just take time.

Wednesday already. The weeks just fly by, don't they? I hope you all have a good day today and spend time doing something you love. Remember to take time out - even if you are busy - to take in the good things around you. Sometimes we have to look for them, but they are always there.

Have a great day!
That came out nicely Sheila. Yes, these days, they are flying by like the blink of an eye.
 

Attachments

#8,523 ·
Patience and Flexibility - Two Ingredients for Success

Today's post will once again be rather quick. On Wednesday night, we received a reorder for Haunted Masquerade kits from Artist's Club and we needed to switch gears so we could get them done:

Yellow Guitar accessory Body jewelry Font Jewellery


I was happy to get this order so early in the year. That means that they are doing well and hopefully there will be more orders to follow.

We immediately turned into "production mode" and got about half the order done yesterday. The printing of the patterns actually takes longer than cutting the pieces, and we knew that there was no way that we would be able to ship things out today, so we have the weekend to put everything together so the order will ship on Monday. I must admit it did feel good to cut production again. I don't mind it at all and it was a nice change of pace. I love that our work takes us in so many different directions!

In the mean time, I have a picture of day seven of the "12 Days" ornaments that I am working on. This was finished the other night:

Bird Creative arts Ornament Art Beak


Again, I am happy with how these are looking and I will hopefully get some painting time in tonight after we finish cutting today. My goal was to get them done by the end of the weekend, but with things changing, that day may need to be bumped up a little bit. But that is OK. It is a good problem to have.

It dawned on me that the two most important things you need when you own your own business are patience and flexibility. You need to realize that there is no such thing as 'overnight success' and that developing a business from the ground up is the best way to go about things. This takes a huge amount of patience and time, but if you offer a good product at a fair price and work hard to achieve success, eventually things should pay off.

The flexibility part is also important. You never know what will come your way or when, and you need to be able to change your focus at a moment's notice in order to do what is best for you and your business. Sometimes that is difficult for the type of person who has their own business, as many times they are disciplined and can be a bit regimented in their routines. But you need to know that frequently situations come up which cause you to reassess and re-evaluate your priorities in order to do what you need to do to make your business grow.

It is all an adventure, and can be exciting and fun if you are up for it.

On a final note for today, I want to mention that once again, Ryan MacLeod at MacLeod Dragons is auctioning off a piece. This will be his final piece that will be available before he once again works on his lengthy commission list. It may be the last chance you have to acquire one of his dragons for a long, long time. The piece is called "The Red Dragon"

Fawn Toy Cryptid Terrestrial animal Supernatural creature


It is another beautiful piece. If you wish to look in on the auction, or to join Ryan's Facebook page so you can see his amazing creations come to life, you can go here to do so:

https://www.facebook.com/MacLeodDragons

I understand that Ryan is also in the process of creating some beautiful 2014 calendars as well as coffee mugs with pictures of his dragons on them. This is a great way that those who aren't able to acquire an original sculpture can still have a nice keepsake of his dragons. I think it is a great idea for him to offer these and I hope if you are a dragon fan, you will check him out.

Well - that is all for today. I have to jump in and get to work. So much to get done, but also it is very exciting for me!

Today is the Summer Solstice which marks the beginning of summer. Finally in the last couple of days it has warmed up to the point where it is beginning to feel like summer will actually come after all. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Have fun and enjoy the season!
 

Attachments

#8,524 ·
Patience and Flexibility - Two Ingredients for Success

Today's post will once again be rather quick. On Wednesday night, we received a reorder for Haunted Masquerade kits from Artist's Club and we needed to switch gears so we could get them done:

Yellow Guitar accessory Body jewelry Font Jewellery


I was happy to get this order so early in the year. That means that they are doing well and hopefully there will be more orders to follow.

We immediately turned into "production mode" and got about half the order done yesterday. The printing of the patterns actually takes longer than cutting the pieces, and we knew that there was no way that we would be able to ship things out today, so we have the weekend to put everything together so the order will ship on Monday. I must admit it did feel good to cut production again. I don't mind it at all and it was a nice change of pace. I love that our work takes us in so many different directions!

In the mean time, I have a picture of day seven of the "12 Days" ornaments that I am working on. This was finished the other night:

Bird Creative arts Ornament Art Beak


Again, I am happy with how these are looking and I will hopefully get some painting time in tonight after we finish cutting today. My goal was to get them done by the end of the weekend, but with things changing, that day may need to be bumped up a little bit. But that is OK. It is a good problem to have.

It dawned on me that the two most important things you need when you own your own business are patience and flexibility. You need to realize that there is no such thing as 'overnight success' and that developing a business from the ground up is the best way to go about things. This takes a huge amount of patience and time, but if you offer a good product at a fair price and work hard to achieve success, eventually things should pay off.

The flexibility part is also important. You never know what will come your way or when, and you need to be able to change your focus at a moment's notice in order to do what is best for you and your business. Sometimes that is difficult for the type of person who has their own business, as many times they are disciplined and can be a bit regimented in their routines. But you need to know that frequently situations come up which cause you to reassess and re-evaluate your priorities in order to do what you need to do to make your business grow.

It is all an adventure, and can be exciting and fun if you are up for it.

On a final note for today, I want to mention that once again, Ryan MacLeod at MacLeod Dragons is auctioning off a piece. This will be his final piece that will be available before he once again works on his lengthy commission list. It may be the last chance you have to acquire one of his dragons for a long, long time. The piece is called "The Red Dragon"

Fawn Toy Cryptid Terrestrial animal Supernatural creature


It is another beautiful piece. If you wish to look in on the auction, or to join Ryan's Facebook page so you can see his amazing creations come to life, you can go here to do so:

https://www.facebook.com/MacLeodDragons

I understand that Ryan is also in the process of creating some beautiful 2014 calendars as well as coffee mugs with pictures of his dragons on them. This is a great way that those who aren't able to acquire an original sculpture can still have a nice keepsake of his dragons. I think it is a great idea for him to offer these and I hope if you are a dragon fan, you will check him out.

Well - that is all for today. I have to jump in and get to work. So much to get done, but also it is very exciting for me!

Today is the Summer Solstice which marks the beginning of summer. Finally in the last couple of days it has warmed up to the point where it is beginning to feel like summer will actually come after all. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Have fun and enjoy the season!
Another beautiful piece Sheila. You make the piece come alive! I can see that swan swimming!
Enjoy.
 

Attachments

#8,528 ·
Knowing When to say "When"

I got up this morning and I still felt a bit tired. Those of you who know me and have read over these past three plus years know that doesn't really happen often. I suppose that it is just one of those times when I need to take a breath.

I worked pretty much all day yesterday on packing up the order for wholesale. Keith did the drilling (for the hanging holes for the ornaments) and helped pack the patterns into the plastic bags while I finished printing the patterns and then added the pieces to make each kit. It was good to see the 1200 pieces done and packed. For those of you who can't envision what 1200 ornaments look like, here is a picture:

Wood Dishware Cuisine Natural material Artifact


Not bad for two days of cutting.

I tried painting yesterday and continuing on my 12 Days series, but it was one of those days that I just didn't like what I was doing. Funny how that happens. There are some days when I love what I paint and extremely proud of my accomplishments, but there are also times when I look at what I did and say "meh!" and I am not impressed. Yesterday was unfortunately a "meh" day.

So when 10pm rolled around I did what I felt was probably the smartest thing I could do - I called it a night. I didn't even want to poke around on the computer anymore or read or play a game - my usual way to unwind at the end of a busy day. I suppose that knowing when to say when is probably a smart move on my part, as anything additional that I would accomplish wouldn't be very good anyway.

I missed writing yesterday morning not because of the above reasons, but because the site here at Lumberjocks (where my blog writing originates) was extremely slow or unresponsive. Perhaps fighting with the site here first thing in the morning was an omen as to what the rest of the day would be like. (That's easy to say now that I am looking back!) There are just days like that when it is uncooperative here and it is as if the greater powers are telling me not to push things. Perhaps I should listen to them. :)

So I am going to go slow today and see where the wind takes me. Even though there is a mountain of things that I want to accomplish, I realize that is usually the case so if I am waiting until I "catch up" to take some time to myself, that time may never arrive.

I'm going to make a good breakfast this morning. I think cinnamon French toast and sausages sounds good. And then I will see what I feel like doing. Sometimes taking the pressure off of myself by putting my mind in a different place is all I need to continue to move forward. I'll have to see.

I wish you all a wonderful Sunday today. It is still a bit overcast here, but warm and nice. Perhaps a nice walk or drive is in order for today too. I need to do that more often anyway.

Have a great day. Remember to take time to enjoy what is around you and to do something that you love to do.

Happy Sunday!
 

Attachments

#8,529 ·
Knowing When to say "When"

I got up this morning and I still felt a bit tired. Those of you who know me and have read over these past three plus years know that doesn't really happen often. I suppose that it is just one of those times when I need to take a breath.

I worked pretty much all day yesterday on packing up the order for wholesale. Keith did the drilling (for the hanging holes for the ornaments) and helped pack the patterns into the plastic bags while I finished printing the patterns and then added the pieces to make each kit. It was good to see the 1200 pieces done and packed. For those of you who can't envision what 1200 ornaments look like, here is a picture:

Wood Dishware Cuisine Natural material Artifact


Not bad for two days of cutting.

I tried painting yesterday and continuing on my 12 Days series, but it was one of those days that I just didn't like what I was doing. Funny how that happens. There are some days when I love what I paint and extremely proud of my accomplishments, but there are also times when I look at what I did and say "meh!" and I am not impressed. Yesterday was unfortunately a "meh" day.

So when 10pm rolled around I did what I felt was probably the smartest thing I could do - I called it a night. I didn't even want to poke around on the computer anymore or read or play a game - my usual way to unwind at the end of a busy day. I suppose that knowing when to say when is probably a smart move on my part, as anything additional that I would accomplish wouldn't be very good anyway.

I missed writing yesterday morning not because of the above reasons, but because the site here at Lumberjocks (where my blog writing originates) was extremely slow or unresponsive. Perhaps fighting with the site here first thing in the morning was an omen as to what the rest of the day would be like. (That's easy to say now that I am looking back!) There are just days like that when it is uncooperative here and it is as if the greater powers are telling me not to push things. Perhaps I should listen to them. :)

So I am going to go slow today and see where the wind takes me. Even though there is a mountain of things that I want to accomplish, I realize that is usually the case so if I am waiting until I "catch up" to take some time to myself, that time may never arrive.

I'm going to make a good breakfast this morning. I think cinnamon French toast and sausages sounds good. And then I will see what I feel like doing. Sometimes taking the pressure off of myself by putting my mind in a different place is all I need to continue to move forward. I'll have to see.

I wish you all a wonderful Sunday today. It is still a bit overcast here, but warm and nice. Perhaps a nice walk or drive is in order for today too. I need to do that more often anyway.

Have a great day. Remember to take time to enjoy what is around you and to do something that you love to do.

Happy Sunday!
Now there is one pile of work! Hope you enjoyed your day and did something fun today.
It was warm but cloudy with us today. Raining this evening. Ah well, the garden needs watered! :)
Enjoy your evening.
 

Attachments

#8,530 ·
A Short but Necessary Break

Yesterday I took the day 'off'. Well, as much as it is possible for me to do so. It has been a long time since I spent some time on myself and I was really beginning to feel very overwhelmed by all the things I need to do.

Common sense tells me that the last thing that I am supposed to do when feeling this way is to do MORE. My natural instinct would be to work harder to accomplish everything and get back on track. But I have been trying that for several weeks now and all it is doing is making my anxiety levels move higher, as it seems that as I try to work harder and faster, the work keeps coming in faster than I can keep up with it. In the end I am feeling even more overwhelmed, on top of feeling guilty for not finishing up all I want to finish.

That isn't a good thing. The last thing I need to do is crash and burn right now when things are going well. But I need to do something a little differently so that I don't let all of this get the best of me.

Even though I took the day off yesterday, I spent about half the day doing customer service things. I strongly feel that no matter what, I try to help people as quickly as I can when they have questions or need help with things. Yesterday there was an issue with Paypal and a charge back to my account. Even though the amount of the charge back was small, I didn't understand why it occurred. Apparently the customer ordered the pattern and Paypal felt the customer may have not authorized a payment. I found this odd because it was the second time the customer ordered from us. The first time, they paid for the pattern with Visa and all was fine. They came back for a second, similar themed pattern so I didn't think that there was any fraud involved. Add to that they only ordered one pattern. One would think if the account was compromised, the thief wouldn't risk being caught over one pattern.

I had received notice that the funds were on hold 10 days prior. I provided Paypal with all the documentation which showed that I shipped the pattern at that point, when requested. I was somewhat shocked to see that Paypal decided to give the customer back their money. It made me rather upset because I was never contacted by the customer that anything was amiss, including that they never received the pattern. So in the end, they got their pattern for free.

I give patterns away all the time, so you know that the amount wasn't what bothered me. It was that someone would take advantage of me like this without even contacting me. I would have certainly re-sent them pattern if necessary and work with the customer to make things right. I did try to call the customer, and the woman who answered the phone said she knew nothing about it and her husband was not at home and wouldn't be for a long time. She seemed very suspicious of me as if I were trying to sell her something.

I tried to call Paypal, but I was left on hold for over an hour and a half until my phone battery went dead. Apparently they can do that and don't really care if their customers are happy or not. That was also very frustrating. Finally I decided to just let it go. It wasn't worth it to me anymore.

People mentioned that they don't use Paypal because of this reason, but nearly half of our income with our website sales are from Paypal and we find that many customers use it over credit cards. So we need to use it also.

Our little business is growing every day. As it does, we need to grow with it and it is our desire to keep our service and quality at the high levels that brought us to where we are in the first place. I think it is wise to step back and take a breath every now and then and regather our thoughts.

It is for that reason that I am going to take a day or two off from writing here for the time being. I am still working on my "12 Days" project and I really want to focus on that and finish it up. It has take quite a while it seems to me to get moving, and I think that I will feel much better once it is behind me and done.

Yesterday, after the Paypal incident, Keith took me out for a ride to Yarmouth just for no reason. We had a nice quiet dinner and picked up a couple of things, and when we got home I took a short nap. We then spent the evening watching a couple of movies and I played some of my computer games for a couple of hours in the background. No painting. No drawing. No cleaning the house or cooking. Just quiet.

It was probably the laziest day I have had in a couple of years.

I am not going to get into the habit of doing it, but for the moment, I felt it was necessary. If I didn't take some time for myself soon, I was certainly working toward getting sick or something like that.

I promise I will be back soon. I do miss when I don't write because I hear from so many of you from the different places that I post and you have all become part of my day as much as I am part of yours. But sometimes just a short break is necessary to keep things going in a good way. I think this is one of those times.

I wish you all a great day and week. I look forward to finishing up my latest project and showing it to you all when I am done. In the mean time, I hope you all have fun finding creative things to do. And take time to enjoy your life in the process.

Grass Fawn Terrestrial animal Beak Dog breed


May you find your sliver of sunshine, and enjoy it to the fullest! :)

Happy Monday!
 

Attachments

#8,531 ·
A Short but Necessary Break

Yesterday I took the day 'off'. Well, as much as it is possible for me to do so. It has been a long time since I spent some time on myself and I was really beginning to feel very overwhelmed by all the things I need to do.

Common sense tells me that the last thing that I am supposed to do when feeling this way is to do MORE. My natural instinct would be to work harder to accomplish everything and get back on track. But I have been trying that for several weeks now and all it is doing is making my anxiety levels move higher, as it seems that as I try to work harder and faster, the work keeps coming in faster than I can keep up with it. In the end I am feeling even more overwhelmed, on top of feeling guilty for not finishing up all I want to finish.

That isn't a good thing. The last thing I need to do is crash and burn right now when things are going well. But I need to do something a little differently so that I don't let all of this get the best of me.

Even though I took the day off yesterday, I spent about half the day doing customer service things. I strongly feel that no matter what, I try to help people as quickly as I can when they have questions or need help with things. Yesterday there was an issue with Paypal and a charge back to my account. Even though the amount of the charge back was small, I didn't understand why it occurred. Apparently the customer ordered the pattern and Paypal felt the customer may have not authorized a payment. I found this odd because it was the second time the customer ordered from us. The first time, they paid for the pattern with Visa and all was fine. They came back for a second, similar themed pattern so I didn't think that there was any fraud involved. Add to that they only ordered one pattern. One would think if the account was compromised, the thief wouldn't risk being caught over one pattern.

I had received notice that the funds were on hold 10 days prior. I provided Paypal with all the documentation which showed that I shipped the pattern at that point, when requested. I was somewhat shocked to see that Paypal decided to give the customer back their money. It made me rather upset because I was never contacted by the customer that anything was amiss, including that they never received the pattern. So in the end, they got their pattern for free.

I give patterns away all the time, so you know that the amount wasn't what bothered me. It was that someone would take advantage of me like this without even contacting me. I would have certainly re-sent them pattern if necessary and work with the customer to make things right. I did try to call the customer, and the woman who answered the phone said she knew nothing about it and her husband was not at home and wouldn't be for a long time. She seemed very suspicious of me as if I were trying to sell her something.

I tried to call Paypal, but I was left on hold for over an hour and a half until my phone battery went dead. Apparently they can do that and don't really care if their customers are happy or not. That was also very frustrating. Finally I decided to just let it go. It wasn't worth it to me anymore.

People mentioned that they don't use Paypal because of this reason, but nearly half of our income with our website sales are from Paypal and we find that many customers use it over credit cards. So we need to use it also.

Our little business is growing every day. As it does, we need to grow with it and it is our desire to keep our service and quality at the high levels that brought us to where we are in the first place. I think it is wise to step back and take a breath every now and then and regather our thoughts.

It is for that reason that I am going to take a day or two off from writing here for the time being. I am still working on my "12 Days" project and I really want to focus on that and finish it up. It has take quite a while it seems to me to get moving, and I think that I will feel much better once it is behind me and done.

Yesterday, after the Paypal incident, Keith took me out for a ride to Yarmouth just for no reason. We had a nice quiet dinner and picked up a couple of things, and when we got home I took a short nap. We then spent the evening watching a couple of movies and I played some of my computer games for a couple of hours in the background. No painting. No drawing. No cleaning the house or cooking. Just quiet.

It was probably the laziest day I have had in a couple of years.

I am not going to get into the habit of doing it, but for the moment, I felt it was necessary. If I didn't take some time for myself soon, I was certainly working toward getting sick or something like that.

I promise I will be back soon. I do miss when I don't write because I hear from so many of you from the different places that I post and you have all become part of my day as much as I am part of yours. But sometimes just a short break is necessary to keep things going in a good way. I think this is one of those times.

I wish you all a great day and week. I look forward to finishing up my latest project and showing it to you all when I am done. In the mean time, I hope you all have fun finding creative things to do. And take time to enjoy your life in the process.

Grass Fawn Terrestrial animal Beak Dog breed


May you find your sliver of sunshine, and enjoy it to the fullest! :)

Happy Monday!
Enjoy your day Sheila. You crank more work out than I could ever imagine and then these blogs to boot…wow. I think your doing a great job. I would also say that your thinking smart about taking a breather or stepping back for a bit. As much as we may love our crafts, even those that may provide us income, we may become so locked into it that burnout is the only outcome.

Your doing a great job, life is a difficult balancing act but keep in mind that balance is the key. You have a lot to be proud of and more is on the way, just let yourself regroup and it will all come together!

Be well and have a good laugh!....Actually have a lot of good laughs, I think we could all use more of them early and often…lol.

All the best

Joe
 

Attachments

#8,537 ·
You Can't Miss Me If I Don't Go Away From Time to Time

Last night at about 10pm, I finally finished painting the 12th piece in the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' ornament set that I have been working on. While it may not seem like a big project, it was one that took me a lot more time than anticipated. I know I say that a lot, but this time I really mean it.

I had originally estimated that the set would take me about a week to do, but as it turned out, it has been a week and a half. At first I thought that it was because I was 'distracted' or not concentrating or doing stuff in between (like answering emails or cooking or other household chores) but for the past several days, I pretty much isolated myself to the kitchen table and worked straight through on painting. I ate 'quick meals' that required little preparation and only answered essential emails and didn't really 'visit' online at all. Yet, the pace of completed work stayed pretty much the same. I even skipped writing here for a couple of days so I could get in earlier start at painting and hopefully see things happen faster.

I had nearly forgotten however that Keith and I spent a couple days filling the wholesale order for 100 painting kits. Between that and our regular orders, we cut nearly 1300 pieces as well as printed patterns and packaged the kits and mailed them out. That only served to lengthen the process of finishing painting these ornaments. At least in my own mind it did.

I have come to the conclusion however that painting just takes a great deal more time. Even if the design is simple. Painting requires several layers and when I am painting this small, it is a but fussy and even though acrylic paint dries very quickly (and I painted two sets at the same time) there is still some delay waiting to move on. It just can't be avoided.

But all in all, I am very happy with the outcome of these pieces. They are slightly larger than the original designs that I created, which allowed me to show more detail in them.

Besides being done on the pieces that the Artist's Club will supply, I designed my own ornament shape so that I can also sell wooden pieces with the pattern as kits on my own site. I am finding that this leg of my business is slowly growing, and I enjoy being able to offer both patterns and wood pieces for the painters.

Here is a picture of the 12th piece from the set:

Human body Art Window Picture frame Circle


The colors of all the pieces look amazing! The borders are done first in a layer of metallic paint. That is then shaded with a very dark color. I then coat them with a layer of the fine glitter paint, and then the metallic swirls are added on the top. The effect is very deep and beautiful. When they are all together with the jewel toned backgrounds they really look outstanding.

Today I will be doing some final touch-up shadings and painting the backs (I didn't paint the backs yet!) I will also be taking the formal pictures of the pieces, as well as beginning to assemble the pattern packet. I took scans all along the way when painting these, but I need to do all the Photoshop work on the photos for the pattern. This will take a little bit of time to do.

My goal here is to have everything done by tomorrow (Friday.) We will be doing a site update then and I hope to have the patterns and kits ready to sell by then. Then it is on to the many new designs that I need to work on.

It is funny, but while painting these ornaments, I thought up at least ten new designs to make (both for scroll sawing and for painting!) I don't think that I will be running out of new things to do anytime soon!

It feels so good to have this under my belt. I feel great today and besides doing the things that I mentioned above, I am going to spend the day getting my house back in order and tidying up a bit. Things have been neglected as you can imagine and I really need to get a handle on things. I also need to catch up on emails again.

Summer has finally come to Nova Scotia, but it is in the form of warm and muggy weather. It has been raining off and on the past couple of days, and the air has been heavy. Not my favorite type of weather at all. At least the nights have cooled off though. If the sun comes out (which eventually it will) I will try to find some time to head to the beach. That will be a nice change for a bit.

It feels great to be over the hump of that project and back to morning writing. I only took a couple of days off, but I did miss the interaction with everyone. I do appreciate all the nice notes and messages that many of my 'regulars' have sent me, and it really encouraged me a great deal.

I really love both my woodworking friends as well as my painting friends. Having communication with other creative people is really essential in helping me stay motivated and focused. It was nice to be missed, and I don't think that I would accomplish half as much as I do if I didn't have you all cheering me on. :)

Have a great day today. It is Thursday already and we are in for a long weekend. It is overcast and cool and there is a misty rain falling. But overall, it is not too bad.

Enjoy the day!
 

Attachments

#8,538 ·
You Can't Miss Me If I Don't Go Away From Time to Time

Last night at about 10pm, I finally finished painting the 12th piece in the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' ornament set that I have been working on. While it may not seem like a big project, it was one that took me a lot more time than anticipated. I know I say that a lot, but this time I really mean it.

I had originally estimated that the set would take me about a week to do, but as it turned out, it has been a week and a half. At first I thought that it was because I was 'distracted' or not concentrating or doing stuff in between (like answering emails or cooking or other household chores) but for the past several days, I pretty much isolated myself to the kitchen table and worked straight through on painting. I ate 'quick meals' that required little preparation and only answered essential emails and didn't really 'visit' online at all. Yet, the pace of completed work stayed pretty much the same. I even skipped writing here for a couple of days so I could get in earlier start at painting and hopefully see things happen faster.

I had nearly forgotten however that Keith and I spent a couple days filling the wholesale order for 100 painting kits. Between that and our regular orders, we cut nearly 1300 pieces as well as printed patterns and packaged the kits and mailed them out. That only served to lengthen the process of finishing painting these ornaments. At least in my own mind it did.

I have come to the conclusion however that painting just takes a great deal more time. Even if the design is simple. Painting requires several layers and when I am painting this small, it is a but fussy and even though acrylic paint dries very quickly (and I painted two sets at the same time) there is still some delay waiting to move on. It just can't be avoided.

But all in all, I am very happy with the outcome of these pieces. They are slightly larger than the original designs that I created, which allowed me to show more detail in them.

Besides being done on the pieces that the Artist's Club will supply, I designed my own ornament shape so that I can also sell wooden pieces with the pattern as kits on my own site. I am finding that this leg of my business is slowly growing, and I enjoy being able to offer both patterns and wood pieces for the painters.

Here is a picture of the 12th piece from the set:

Human body Art Window Picture frame Circle


The colors of all the pieces look amazing! The borders are done first in a layer of metallic paint. That is then shaded with a very dark color. I then coat them with a layer of the fine glitter paint, and then the metallic swirls are added on the top. The effect is very deep and beautiful. When they are all together with the jewel toned backgrounds they really look outstanding.

Today I will be doing some final touch-up shadings and painting the backs (I didn't paint the backs yet!) I will also be taking the formal pictures of the pieces, as well as beginning to assemble the pattern packet. I took scans all along the way when painting these, but I need to do all the Photoshop work on the photos for the pattern. This will take a little bit of time to do.

My goal here is to have everything done by tomorrow (Friday.) We will be doing a site update then and I hope to have the patterns and kits ready to sell by then. Then it is on to the many new designs that I need to work on.

It is funny, but while painting these ornaments, I thought up at least ten new designs to make (both for scroll sawing and for painting!) I don't think that I will be running out of new things to do anytime soon!

It feels so good to have this under my belt. I feel great today and besides doing the things that I mentioned above, I am going to spend the day getting my house back in order and tidying up a bit. Things have been neglected as you can imagine and I really need to get a handle on things. I also need to catch up on emails again.

Summer has finally come to Nova Scotia, but it is in the form of warm and muggy weather. It has been raining off and on the past couple of days, and the air has been heavy. Not my favorite type of weather at all. At least the nights have cooled off though. If the sun comes out (which eventually it will) I will try to find some time to head to the beach. That will be a nice change for a bit.

It feels great to be over the hump of that project and back to morning writing. I only took a couple of days off, but I did miss the interaction with everyone. I do appreciate all the nice notes and messages that many of my 'regulars' have sent me, and it really encouraged me a great deal.

I really love both my woodworking friends as well as my painting friends. Having communication with other creative people is really essential in helping me stay motivated and focused. It was nice to be missed, and I don't think that I would accomplish half as much as I do if I didn't have you all cheering me on. :)

Have a great day today. It is Thursday already and we are in for a long weekend. It is overcast and cool and there is a misty rain falling. But overall, it is not too bad.

Enjoy the day!
Thank You for your in-depth coverage of this project. The twelveth is Beautiful. Is your art/painting considered Tole type?
 

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