My one regret when I started scrolling.

[GrampaJim]

After 7+ years of making things with a scroll saw, I wish I had kept a record of the pieces I gave to friends and family.  My memory of what I gave to who and when, has gotten me into trouble twice with friends, and very often with my wife.  Conversations are like "didn't you already give them one" and I go "I don't know" 

My advice to the newer scrollers (and others too), keep a log of everything.   It seems like a waste of time, but you will be glad you did someday.

[Wichman]

I started a folder on a thumb drive. I take a picture of the item, the file name is the person and the date. I have individual folders for immediate family and generic folders for others.

[rafairchild2]

I take photos of everything that comes off my saw, no matter what. Most of what I make becomes a gift.  I have in-progress photos and then finished photos.  I have a black background that I put my pieces on so they look really good when photographed.  I then back all of them up to my Google Photos folder.  I also post them to my personal blog in that gallery (see link below), so they are available to the public, along with my writing about scrolling.  This way everything is backed up.  Once in a while, I do copy my computer folders to a storage hard drives as well.

Old military saying. Two is one and one is none!  This is why I am backed up to a minimum of 2 places, preferably 3, better 4. 

ps: I do the same thing with patterns on my Google Drive. All patterns I buy/download/create also go to my Google Drive or my encrypted proton drive.

 

[jollyred]

I have a list of my Christmas presents going back to 2004.  Had more at one time but lost them somewhere.  With my memory, I am taking as few chances as possible in duplicating gifts.  It also gives me ideas for what I haven't given someone.

Tom

[JimNC]

I ran out of friends and family. Now starting to "gift" neighbors. LOL

[Scrappile]

When I started, when I gave someone something as a gift, I request a picture of them with the piece.  I thought if was simple request, especially in this day of modern technology.   But I would say less than 5% followed through.  I wanted a folder of memories. but not to be.  No big deal but a disappointment.  So like you, I can't remember them all.  Won't stop me.  

[Denny Knappen]

I too have pictures of all projects.  The problem is at ArtCrafters, I tend to give away projects with no record.  I give "HUG"s at ArtCrafters and someone just said I got one several weeks ago.  I told her it is good to collect "HUG"s.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I too started taking photos of everything I made but they were film photos back then. No computer and digital prints. I started making a photo album and would bring to shows so people could see other items I made and they could order them if they wanted to. That lasted a couple years and then became a pain. So much easier to take photos today and poste in forums and things. But the many many projects I made back then I have no digital photos. I made over 500 different items for sure. As others I too have made things for family and friends that were never sold. Some I have pictures and some I do not. But have the memories. 

[Norm Fengstad]

On 10/6/2023 at 4:25 PM, GrampaJim said:

After 7+ years of making things with a scroll saw, I wish I had kept a record of the pieces I gave to friends and family.  My memory of what I gave to who and when, has gotten me into trouble twice with friends, and very often with my wife.  Conversations are like "didn't you already give them one" and I go "I don't know" 

My advice to the newer scrollers (and others too), keep a log of everything.   It seems like a waste of time, but you will be glad you did someday.

That is good advice been there done that

[crupiea]

My technique is to just not have any friends. lol

[rafairchild2]

5 hours ago, crupiea said:

My technique is to just not have any friends. lol

Same here.  I can pick my friends, I can pick my nose, but I can't pick my family.  Might as well give them gifts.