Travis

Springtime is my favorite time of the year. The birds are out, flowers are blooming, and people are spending time in their yard and garden. This month's scroll saw challenge is about enjoying the beautiful weather and nature. Post your garden themed projects. This can be things like plant markers, decorative fence toppers, bird house fretwork, cute bumble bees, or whimsical garden gnomes. If you're especially daring, add a splash of color to your project too. Anything garden, spring, or nature is fair game! I can't wait to see what you come up with! Happy Spring!

I went through his catalog and had a bit of analysis paralysis. There are so many good patterns, sometimes it's hard to pick a project. I ended up printing about 6 of them and was gunna pick 2 or 3 to cut this month. Unfortunately, I only had the time to cut one, but I thought it turned out nice. It was a lot of fun to get back into the shop again, and I couldn't help but to think of him and his family. Rest easy, my friend.

Today, we got the sad news that Steve Good, our friend and fellow scroller, has passed away. You can read about that here. Steve was such an influential contributor to the scroll saw community, with over 5,000 free scroll saw patterns. He was generous with his time, knowledge, and talent. Back in January, 2023, we had a scroll saw challenge that celebrated Steve's patterns. Folks posted projects that he designed and it was a lot of fun to see. So for this month's scroll saw challenge, I'm going to do something that I haven't done before...I'm gunna reopen a past scroll saw challenge. But this time, instead of sharing a project you've already cut, go to his website and download a new pattern you've always wanted to try. And this month, as a remembrance of his generosity and friendship, take some time and cut one of his patterns and post the results here. You can find his entire catalog here: https://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/index.php While you're at it, go back to the first page of this thread, and look at what folks posted in January 2023.

I read this sad news last night and it taken me a bit of time to process. It's no exaggeration to say he had one of the biggest impact in the scrolling community for his sheer prolific pattern making, free sharing of knowledge, and passion for the hobby. He wanted to get as many people into scrolling as he could. Tutorials, videos, reviews, tips, software....the list goes on. And none of us can ignore the sheer volume of professional patterns he has designed over the years. In total, over 5,000 patterns, all for free! It's just mind boggling how much he has done. Even more amazing, he answered all his emails with thought and care. (I can't even fathom how many emails hit is inbox each day). He had a love of technology, learning and trying new things. He was always excited to see what new thing can be added to the hobby. When I started my blog in 2007, he was very generous with his time and knowledge and he was excited for me. Then, I started SSV in 2009. And again, he was excited for me and what it could offer to the hobby. He promoted SSV, linked, and shared. He never considered any of it as competition, he only looked at it as "more awesome stuff for the community." He had such a kind and giving heart. We can only hope to be remembered as he has. Rest, our friend.

Oh no! I'm really sorry to hear that. Have you thought about using something like Shopify? You basically own your own website, but they handle payment processing and whatnot. I'm not sure if they handle local taxes like Etsy or not, but I know they have a lot of services. They also have an email list (which I don't think Etsy does), which is really valuable. That way you always have your customer's email address, wherever you go. You can do email blasts easily with promotions or new pattern announcements. You might not have the same discoverability like Etsy provides, but you have a big enough name where I'd imagine 80% of your business comes from people who already know who you are. But, if Etsy does allow you back onto their platform, you can run both. There are some DIY options like WooCommerce and WordPress has plugins. I did that years ago and did OK.

Changed Website to http://na

Happy Groundhog's Day! This is a bit of a strange challenge. I took a bit of inspiration from Bill Murry who experiences the same day over and over. This scroll saw challenge is to share projects that you tend to do a lot of. Maybe you make a ton of keychains to give out for gifts. Or maybe you make a lot of puzzles for craft fairs because they're hot sellers. Or a bunch of rock-and-roll portraits. What is your go-to project? Something that's a crowd pleaser, or just a you pleaser. Tell us about them. It's fun to hear the stories behind the projects.

I hope everybody had a great Holiday season and can finally catch your breath. As we're stepping into a new year, January is always a time for reflection, looking back on the memories, milestones, and moments spent enjoying our hobbies. For this month’s challenge, think about the projects you created over the past year and share a pic of some of your favorite scroll saw projects. Tell us what made it stand out in your mind. Was it made for a gift or for a special occasion? We always enjoy hearing the stories behind your work and look forward to seeing your favorite project.

I would like to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I hope you are able to spend this special time of year surrounded by those you love. My Christmas wish is that the new year brings you prosperity, comfort, and hope…and sawdust. Lots and lots of sawdust. Merry Christmas!

Here is a link to the Ornaments For Charity eBook. If you haven't already, give us a review! And spread the word!

I'm happy to announce that our Ornaments For Charity - 2025 Edition eBook is now available! For the last 15 years, members of Scroll Saw Village have donated their talents to designing ornaments for this unique eBook of patterns. This year, we added 5 designers to design 25 additional patterns. The book has gotten so large, we had to split it into 2 books. Book 1 covers our first 10 years; 2010-2020. Our newest book, Book 2, covers 2021-2024. Between the two books, we have 182 pages with 570 Holiday ornament patterns! So be sure to download both books so you don't miss any of the goodness. You can download the eBooks for free to check them out. If you decide to keep these amazing pattern books, we ask you to donate to your favorite charity (we're on the honor system here). Remember, this isn't about "buying" an eBook of patterns, it's about helping those in need. So dig deep when donating to your favorite charity. Please spread the word about these wonderful eBooks of patterns. Post to your favorite social media, other clubs, and organizations. The more people who know about it, the more money we're able to raise for worthy causes. You can find those eBooks here. There will be a tab on the navigation menu through Christmas. After Christmas, it will be moved under the Patterns tab in the navigation bar. Special thanks to the following designers for donating patterns to this year's Ornaments For Charity eBook: @Travis @Fab4 @Archer @don in brooklin on @rafairchild2 I hope everybody has a wonderful Holiday Season!