Travis

I'm glad you still like them. I'm working on this year's kit now. Usually, I release them on November 1st. I usually run a 50% off sale on the current year's design, which goes through Cyber Monday.

Are you looking for a project? Here are 3 in the Project Workshop that might scratch that creepy crawly itch!

"We did the Mash! The Monster Mash!" This is my favorite scroll saw challenge...the Halloween Challenge! This year's theme is Monster Mash! Share your monster and spooky Halloween projects! From movie monsters, cartoon monsters, or things that are creepy and go bump in the night. Anything Halloween related goes! I can't wait to see your monstrous projects!

I don't know if what I did made a difference or not. I'm not much of a computer engineer....I just poke at things and sometimes they work. Let me know if folks are having issues and I'll poke at something else.

I did a Database repair. @OCtoolguy @meflick @dgman @wombatie or anybody else who were having slow load times, is it any better since I did the database repair?

It probably won't work, but it's something I'm trying. Can't figure out why some folks are having trouble and others aren't. The people having trouble are experiencing similar things. So I'm trying different things to see if I can narrow down the issue.

Have you tried the "Test Theme"? Did that help at all?

Give this a try. At the bottom of the screen, choose the pulldown that says Theme. Then choose Test Theme. It's basically stripped-down version of the way SSV looks. I don't think this will help, but it's worth a shot to see if I can rule out your connection issues. I'll only keep the Test Theme active for a week or two.

So when you come to the website, it lags for a bit? But once it loads, everything else seems to work OK and you can browse easily? Do you log into your account every time? Or do you stay logged in day after day?

hmmmmm...I'm not sure what would cause that. Lemme look around and see what I can find.

Another software update. Y'all know the story....something wonky, lemme know.

There is, but as Scrappile has mentioned, it really depends on whether the uploader named the file well, added a title that matches, or adds something to the description to make it easy to search. At any rate, at the search bar, click into that. On the right, it says "Everywhere", click that to get a pulldown. Then select images. You can continue to refine your search by clicking "More Search Options" This will give you a ton of ways narrow down your search. I do try to categorize the patterns, but some of those categories are huge. I am rather proud to say, our pattern library has over 4,800 free scroll saw patterns, designed by our talented members! That's pretty amazing IMO!

I'm sorry to hear about that. He created a brand new account a couple of weeks ago and started posting. He said he lost his info because his old phone broke. He also reached out to me to get his other account. I've sent him a few emails, but he hasn't responded. I can help him. Once he feels better, we can get him squared away.

This is the easiest scroll saw challenge yet! Post your most recent project. That's it! No theme other than your last project. It'd be fun to see what folks are working on. When you post, tell us why or who you are making it for. It's always nice to hear the story behind a project.

It used to be Bing maps, I think. I think the api was no longer supported or something and it no longer worked. I can look to see if they have something new. It was a cool feature.

This is a tough challenge for sure. So it might take a bit of thinking and loose association....LOL. Here's mine. I made this for my son when he was little. He liked playing with matchbox cars, so I made this wavy rainbow so that he can run his cars through the tunnels. it's kinda hippy-like. He actually played with it a fair amount, which surprised me. Sometimes the simplest toys are the best toys.

I went to the big box store to pick up a couple of things and I saw this guy with a long salt-and-peppered beard and a bright tie-dye t-shirt. He looked like he stepped straight out of Woodstock. When I got home, I looked up Woodstock. I guess it was August 15-18, 1969. It was meant to be a 3-day music festival, but it certainly turned into a symbol of the era. So, I thought it would be fun to do a scroll saw challenge about peace, love, and everything groooovy. Like the other scroll saw challenges, it is open to interpretation. From hippies to VW vans, peace signs to bubble letters, music icons or just some funky project you made. Have fun with it! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Thanks all! I really appreciate the support. It used to be that I could put some Google ads on the website and make enough money to cover server costs and software licenses. But over the years, that ad revenue has dropped about 80%. So the SSV Patron/membership makes a huge difference in covering the costs of running SSV. This year, my operating costs went up by 30%, which was a bit of sticker shock. I guess as the popularity of a website grows, it gets more expensive to maintain. Luckily, I'm still in the black, but not by much..LOL. I'm just happy to be able to provide a nice resource, a place to learn, and place to hang out for the scrolling community.

Hi all. Let's remember that this scroll saw challenge is all about celebrating creativity and craftsmanship, not about policing each other's interpretations of heroes. The theme 'Heroes' is intentionally open-ended to allow for a diverse range of projects that reflect what heroism means to each of us. Some may find inspiration in comic book and movie superheroes, and that's absolutely valid. These characters can represent symbols of strength, courage, and hope. On the other hand, many of us also admire and appreciate everyday heroes who make a real difference in our lives – be it nurses, firefighters, military personnel, or anyone else who selflessly serves their community. By showcasing our projects, we're not discounting the importance of one type of hero over another. Instead, we're taking the opportunity to share our passion for scroll saw work and honor the heroes who resonate with us personally. So, let's keep the spirit of this challenge positive and inclusive. Let's celebrate the diversity of interpretations and the skill that goes into making these projects. Happy scrolling, and let the creative heroics continue!

Here's one of Deadpool I did when the movie came out. Regular portrait style, but I did stain some of the wood for some extra color. Captain America shield and Ironman Mask were done with a lathart style, which was kinda fun.

I really enjoyed the new Indiana Jones movie. It was a great ride full of adventure and action. July is the time for summer blockbusters, with lots of action flicks and superheroes. So this month's scroll saw challenge's theme is Heroes. This will be open to interpretation. From everyday heroes like nurses, firefighters, and military, to superheroes of the silver screen. Post your hero projects! I can't wait to see them!

This afternoon, I called my hosting provider and upgraded our server and service plan to the next tier. It's about 35% more expensive, but we're getting more CPU cores and more RAM. I'm hoping this will make the website work a bit faster and more responsive. I hope! SSV does take a fair amount of time and money to run. We don't have the luxury of a publishing company flipping our bill. So, thank you to all of the SSV Patrons who help cover the cost of running this website. Without your support, we couldn't keep the lights on. If you're not an SSV Supporter and would like to help out, you can become a Patron here. Plus, if you become a Patron, you get a few extra perks! You can also upgrade/downgrade your support plan here, too. If you're interested in a simple one-time donation, you can do that here. OK...I'm that's the end of my Telethon. Enjoy the new faster server!

I updated again. As always, let me know if you see anything strange. Strange people are OK, though.

Is anybody else having trouble with SSV being slow, or being hard to log in?

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I had a great day and my family spoiled me with a nice Mexican restaurant and lemon pie for dessert!