Sometimes you just have to get the paint out. St Patrick's Day is this weekend. You need to wear something green or you might get pinched. This pin will do the trick.
The pin is three inches tall and cut from 1/8" Baltic birch plywood. BB ply is easy to paint so it's a good choice for this project.
You can find the bar pin finding in the jewelry section of most hobby stores. If you need to buy them online here is an Amazon link to one that will work. You can install it with epoxy.
You may notice that I originally designed the clover with two stand-offs to make a necklace. I changed my mind and decided to go with the pin. You can choose either solution. I just thought it was better sized to be a pin.
I highly recommend that you stack cut at least two of these at a time. The thin BB ply is difficult to cut and stacking will give you some resistance and make cutting much easier. You also need to use a #1 or #3 blade for these small cuts.
I recently did a video titled."The most important scroll saw technique". The technique I teach in that video comes in very handy when cutting very thin wood. It will help prevent over cutting the turns.
If you are intimidated by the paint then just paint the clover green and the leprechaun solid black.
Notice that I darkened the green on the leprechaun by adding a little blue. I wanted him to stand out better from the green on the clover.
I also sprayed the pin with clear acrylic after the paint dried to give it some shine.
Do you want to sell online?
There are a few choices for selling crafts online but one of the easiest is Etsy.com. By easy I mean the setup and not actually getting people to buy your product. That is a challenge any place you sell.
Etsy.com is an online marketplace for creative crafts. Etsy provides all the tools for you to start selling without having to learn to much complicated techy stuff.
Etsy allows you to open your online store for free and they then charge fees when you sell. The fees are 20 cents to list the product plus a transaction fee plus a fee for providing the payment transaction. It sounds complicated but they show everything upfront.
The primary skill you will need to learn is how to take and process good quality photos of your products. Great photos are essential.
The video above is one I found on YouTube. The owner of Timber Ridge Gifts takes you through the complete setup of an Etsy store. He does a pretty good job of going step by step. The editing is a little strange but it gets the job done.
Anytime you try to sell online it is all about getting people who may be interested in your products to see your store. That is a tough obstacle to overcome. You will get a few people finding your store simply by browsing the Etsy site. Unfortunately, there are over 2 million sellers on Etsy so your chances of getting seen are poor.
So why would you set up an Etsy store if no one will see it? Many crafters sell locally at craft shows, farmers markets, and retail stores. There will be many potential customers who stop to see your crafts who are not ready to buy. If you have a business card with your Etsy store listed then they have a place to go when they get home. That can add a great deal of value to your local sales. Pass out your business cards to everyone who will take one.
Let me give you a tip about selling crafts. This is true if you are selling locally or online. Specialize as much as possible. If you make clocks then specialize in clocks. Make the best and most creative clocks possible. Become the clock lady/man.
Almost every craft seller I know who does well specializes in one or two types of products. I know a few crafters who sell puzzles. They only sell puzzles and do very well. I have a good friend who specializes in clocks. His display is stunning with his wooden gear clocks. He has a wide range of prices but only clocks. Find your niche and be unique.
Don't underprice your products. It will take a while to find what a product will sell for and still make a profit. Be detailed in counting the actual cost to make the product. Decide what you are willing to work for per hour. I normally tell crafters to shoot for $12 to $15 per hour in the beginning after costs. If the product won't make at least that then consider another product or figure out how to get the cost down so you can make that hourly rate. Time is your most valuable product. Don't give away your time.
If you want to see what a great Etsy store looks like then check out Bomemian Findings . They started on Etsy in 2010 and have over 1,600,000 sales. They have over 18,000 items listed. They specialize. They also do something that works very well. They sell supplies to crafters. The number one way to make money in crafts is to sell to crafters who want to make money in crafts. I know that sounds harsh but it is just the way it is.
$12 per sheet of 12 coins plus $3.50 shipping
Inlay with a 1" Forstner Bit.
The perfect way to sign your work.
Email Newsletter Readers: Remember that the Newsletter is just a copy of the daily blog post. To see the post in it's proper formatting click this link. If you ever misplace a pattern or any item you see here you can always find it on the blog. Everything stays on the blog forever.
Products for your consideration:
Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2018 in DVD
This DVD has over 2,600 patterns published from 2007 thru 2018.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.
If you use the DVD on a Windows PC there is a simple viewer program to browse through the patterns.
The DVD also works fine on a MAC. The viewer program is not MAC compatible but there is an included PDF with all the patterns shown as thumbnails for easy viewing.
All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
Now Available on USB Thumb Drive
Don't have a DVD drive on your new computer. No problem. Buy the catalog on a USB thumb drive.All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
Scroll Saw Pattern Design Tutorial: DVD
Let me teach you to create a beautiful wooden portrait pattern. I will show you everything you need from start to finish. The video will show you the free software program you can download for Windows or Mac OS. I will show you how to install the program and configure it for best results.
Let me teach you to create a beautiful wooden portrait pattern. I will show you everything you need from start to finish. The video will show you the free software program you can download for Windows or Mac OS. I will show you how to install the program and configure it for best results.
Then I will show you the technique to take your photograph and make a pattern from it. When the pattern is complete we will go in the shop and cut it.
The DVD is $10 plus shipping. This is a data DVD that you will use on your computer to watch the video tutorial
Want to create beautiful wooden vases on the scroll saw?
My two "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books make it easy.
The books are $12 each and available for instant download after purchase. Click for Video Demonstration.
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Home of Pegas scroll saw blades.
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