Scroll Saw Village

Last week, I wrote an article about Copyright Free Photos.  Well, I’ve got another great resource for you. Stock.xchg has a huge collection of free photographs available to publishers. With over 350,000 photographs from 30,000 photographers, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the right picture for your next pattern. If you create free account, you’ll be able to add photographs to your light box (a photo bookmarking tool) for future reference. You’ll also have access to blogs, tutorials, and a forum. This is an amazing resource, so be sure to bookmark it.

I’ll warn you, though. There is a trick to using this website. Stock.xchg is a website brought to you by StockXpert, a paid stock photography service. When you do a search in Stock.xchg, you’ll get some results at the top of the screen (usually one line of photos labeled as “Premium”). These are photos from StockXpert and require a fee to use. Below this section, you’ll see your results. These are the free images you can use. Stock.xchg and StockXpert uses the same design and layout, so keep an eye on the URL to make sure you’re in the right area. Also note that some photographers may have restrictions, usually to be notified where and when their photo is being used. Be sure to read the license before using any of the pictures. Have fun!

This video series was brought to my attention by Steve Good’s blog Scroll Saw Workshop.  It was so wonderful, I had to share it as well.

Dick Sader of Northwest Indiana Woodworkers Association has put together a great three-part video tutorial on how to cut compound Christmas ornaments.  He goes through each step with detail.  I’m sure you’ll learn a few things and perhaps you’ll give it a try yourself! After you’re done watching these videos, be sure to check out his other videos on violin building. Very impressive!

Often, as pattern designers, we’re always on the lookout for photographs to create patterns from.  Unfortunately, this can be a sticky situation when using someone else’s photographs.  Unless you were given explicit permission to use a photographer’s picture,  you may be in violation of copyright law.  But before you throw in your pattern-making hat, there is a solution.    There is an emergence of public domain and copyright free photo websites springing up. Copyright-Free-Photos.org.uk is one of them that has a nice collection of photographs available for public use. Their collection is organized into categories for easy browsing, and the picture quality is quite good. They have a number of subjects from wildlife to castles. So there’s certainly a little something for everybody!  Check it out!

Awhile back, I wrote a couple articles (No More Handmade Toys, Save Hand Made Toys) about how handcrafted toys and products for children will be a thing of the past due to the new law that takes effect on Feb. 10, 2009.  Well, I’m happy to report a little good news.  The Handmade Toy Alliance was successful in raising enough votes with Change.org to be included in the discussion with the Obama administration.  On January 16, 2009, they expressed their concern and offered solutions to President Obama’s transition team.  Change.org and the Handmade Toy Alliance will be working together to find assistance with an appropriate non-profit group to help further their cause.  They have also opened a forum where you can discuss, offer solutions and help further this cause to save handcrafted toys and children’s products.  You can find more information at www.handmadetoyalliance.org or join in the discussion at Change.org.

Finding free clip art for our patterns can be tricky at best.  Most clipart sites require monthly memberships or expensive bundled downloads.  Even then, the clipart may not be royalty free.  Thanks to a reader’s suggestion, I became aware of WP Clipart, a website that specializes in public domain clipart.  Their entire collection is available for  free downloading.  At tht time of this writing, they have over 25,000 images in their achives.  Their images are catagorized with easy thumbnail viewing.  They offer lossless PNG format as well as JPG, so you can easily import it into your favorite graphics program.  Check it out!  I look forward to  your next scroll saw pattern!

The Cook Family

One of the first forms of word art was calligraphy.  The beautiful swooping lines are certainly an eye pleaser.  Its no wonder why calligraphy is so well received and certainly offers a great scrolling opportunity.

RealfEZ creates beautiful wordart in Arabic calligraphy on his website Arabic Calligraphy For You.  He’ll turn your name into a scroll saw pattern in a matter of a few days.  So if you’re looking for a unique gift, or your family name in Arabic calligraphy, check out his website and put in a request!  You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll have a great conversation piece for your home!  Check it out!

The price of tools and supplies can add up pretty quick.  Especially time saving tools such as sanding mops.  Steve from Scroll Saw Workshop has a great tutorial provided by one of his readers, Rick.  He provides step-by-step instructions on how to create your own sanding mop.  It looks Rick’s version of the sanding mop is designed for a lathe, but the concepts can easily be adapted to be used with a drill press.  Steve also gives a great demonstration video on how to use a commercial sanding mop.  You’ll soon realize its something you’ll want in your shop too!  Check it out!

Last month, I wrote an article about how hand-made toys will soon become a thing of the past. Why? Because selling or donating handcrafted toys will be illegal without expensive certification. Thousands of small businesses will be closing their doors as of Feb. 10, 2009 simply because they cannot afford the 3rd party certification the ‘big boys’ do. From stay-at-home moms making dolls to sell at craft shows, to small cottage industries who sell online and to boutiques. Charities will be affected too. You can no longer donate handcrafted toys, a practice many crafting organizations take part in every Christmas.

The bill has already been passed and will go in effect on Feb. 10, 2009. But there’s still some hope. Ideas For Change In America will be presenting the top 10 ideas directly to President Elect Obama just before inauguration day. The Hand Made Toy Alliance has offered their ideas and are currently in 6th place. If you value hand made toys, or are a crafter who may be affected by this bill, please offer your support to the Hand Made Toy Alliance. You can do so by voting to include this bill in the discussion with President Elect Obama. The Vote Now button is in the upper left corner of the page next to the proposal.

You can read more about the Hand Made Toy Alliance on their official website. You can also refer to my previous article “No More Handmade Toys.” Be sure to sign their online petition on their website too. Every bit of support will help.

Here’s a fun little automata project that’s perfect for the scroll saw! This project is provided by Lee Valley Tools. They include detailed instructions with plenty of photos. They also provide the pattern in PDF format for easy printing. The project is easy enough for an afternoon in the shop. Check it out! And while you’re there, be sure to take a look through their woodworking catalog. It’s like being a kid in a candy store!

Here’s a fun project that would make a perfect gift for the little ones in your life. This Color and Shapes puzzle was designed by relfEZ of Tangible Art Projects. The pattern is provided in JPG format for easy scaling. This quick project can be easily cut from plywood or MDF. Paint the shapes with craft paint, a quick clear coat of acrylic spray and you’re set! Check it out. And while you’re there, check out his other projects. He has a lot of unique scroll saw patterns freely available for download. Very cool.