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These are the names of three (Steve Good designed) gnomes. I made Sven and Olaf last year and they are featured in the Yule display on the top shelf of the large display cabinet at the end of our hall: Most of the (few) visitors to our home this season have noticed and admired Sven and Olaf. This encouraged me to make their sister, Inga. Here is a photo of the three of them: I also decided to make additional sets of the three of them as gifts for our visitors who were most enthusiastic about the two gomes that they saw in our display.

Jim Blume pattern for my native friend

I'm finally getting back into my woodshop and making something again. Health issues had just about completely put an end to my woodworking two years ago. I lost almost total use of my right leg, and none of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with me. Then last January a mild, but large bruise formed on and around my right knee, and the pain started going away. By about April I was able to put weight on it, but then it took me until about June to walk on it without cane or crutches. The bruise gradually went away along with the pain. I still have some balance problems, but I'm walking again. Just not nearly as well as before all this. I started going back out to the shop in the Fall, but at first I just stayed an hour or so, looking around, and then went back to the house. My son was doing the required maintenance for me when something absolutely needed to be done, but his idea of putting tools and supplies back when finished using them is in a pile just inside the shop door. I still have a significant pile to put away, but I was eager to see if I could make reindeer again. This one is the first in almost 2 years. I made 7 total Wednesday afternoon of the two larger sizes that I make. This is Mrs. Rudolf, slightly smaller than Rudy, the largest, who is almost 4" tall. She is about 3 1/4" tall. The next size down from the Mrs. is Trudy the teen daughter and then the smallest is ear ring size at about 7/8" tall and I call him Rudy Jr. I named the sizes years ago as a way of keeping track of the quantities and sizes that I was making. I've actually made smaller, at about 1/2" tall, but the average success rate of about 4 good in 10 made me quit. I've been making reindeer every year since 2004, except for these last 2 years. Well, with these, this year now isn't a total bust, so only one year, last year, without making any. Every Christmas Season I've just been making and then giving them away to any woman who helps me in some way during the Christmas Season. Every sales clerk, waitress, nurse, etc. gets one if they want it. For some strange reason, the women and teen girls seem to love these things. Most men are insulted if offered one, but I do give them away to woodworkers who want them. As I wish the women a "Very Merry Christmas" at the completion of my business with them, I hold my hand out palm down with a reindeer in it, then drop it in their hand when they reach out. Their excitement makes it worth doing. I've been hugged and even kissed on the cheek, but the smile Is all I'm after, and the chance to improve the "Christmas Spirit" in them. I lost exact count, but it's somewhere around 15,000 total reindeer that I've made since starting this. Reindeer are not the only thing that I make, but it usually keeps me busy from September on, when I'm in the shop and not working on a larger or more pressing project. I took this photo immediately after cutting her out. No eyes or red nose yet, Not even de-fuzzed yet. The eyes and nose are put on with black and red marking pens after de-fuzzing. Then a coat of clear lacquer. These were completed yesterday, before we went shopping, and one has already been given away. I've been avoiding it as much as possible this year, but Suzanne wants to go to the big mall, and traffic is very likely to be a mess around there. She doesn't handle driving in heavy traffic well any more. I don't either, but she thinks I do better than her, but we are very likely to make this venture to the Concord Mills Mall today, so I doubt I'll be making any more reindeer before Christmas this year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get started early and make a bunch of them before the Christmas Season next year. For those interested, that's the clamp that I used to hold the pieces of the reindeer blank together while I'm cutting it, and most 3D patterns, that the reindeer is sitting next to. It's about 6" long and made from 12 mm Baltic Birch plywood about 1" wide, two 6" long pieces of #8-32 stainless steel all thread, four hex nuts, two #8-32 wing nuts, six #8 flat washers. Only the all thread needs to be stainless. I use the stainless steel all thread because the mild steel version are too soft and stretch easily with many repeated uses. I don't have that trouble with the stainless all thread. Charley Attachments First 2021 Reindeer IMG_20211221_161725.jpg 78.8 KB · Views: 15

Pattern by Worthington House

It has been awhile since I have done much scroll saw work. I needed to practice a bit before making the ornaments. The pattern was from the Scroll Saw magazine. I made some out of 1-1/4" Cherry, Maple and Walnut. I cut them with either the FD Polar #5 or The PS Woods Super Sharps #5. Both of them are skip tooth blades and work well in thicker wood. The Super Sharps are more expensive but cut easier. They were finished with eagle can lacquer. I thought they were a bit plain so cut some 5/8" tall reindeer, stars or Christmas Trees. The small reindeer were cut from 1/8" Maple with a #3 FD Polar and a 3X magnifier lens. I made about 10 ornaments and gave most away to friends.

Oh Travis did it I thought it was the beer.

Bugger Travis it's only one person I love it...it's the only snow I get all year down the bottom of the world... Keep it it man...Merry Christmas to you and yours and everyone at the village...oh a Happy New Year...Merlin...

Is ther anyway to turn off the snowflakes floating down my screen? They are very anoying/

Remember "the 12 days of Christmas".

snowflakes? i dont see any snowflakes. must be your eyes. lol

Me too! Bring back the lights!

Do the Christmas lights only show up on Christmas day? Kinda miss mousing over and popping all the lightbulbs.

Welcome back Charlie, have a blessed holiday, RJ

Hey Charlie, it’s good to see that you can get back into the shop! Your reindeer looks great!

Glad to see you are now coping with whatever it was that was ailing you. Many thanks for your story and a Merry Christmas to you and yours. Don W

Oh WOW that is awesome. Excellent work. Marg

Sorry to hear of your health problems, so glad that you are getting back to normal and it's even better to see that you are back doing what you love, cutting and making people smile. Marg

Edges aren't rounded, just the shadow from the brown chair. I lightly burned along the grain. I was trying to get somewhat of trees in the background of the open area

Onya Charlie, It's a nice feeling to be able to get back into doing what you love.

Great job. It looks like you rounded over the edges and then gave the piece a light blush with a torch. Turned out great.

Looks nice, good job

Wow! Great Pattern @Jim Blume and Well cut on a nice piece of wood @Woodrush God Bless! Spirithorse

Great looking deer and I certainly hope and pray that you have no more health issues. God Bless! Spirithorse

Our furry and feathered friends do make for very nice pattern subjects, don't they? Very nice and well cut.

I like those. The addition of the stars and deer really make them.

To each their own..... I think the Super Sharps work great on compound cuts. The ornaments were from 1-1/4" Maple, Cherry and Walnut. They cut well with no burning. Since I only made a few ornaments, I could care less the cost.

I agree with Merlin, I love the snowflakes. Perhaps we should take a vote next year..............................Merry Christmas!

I wouldn't buy them at that price. I have tried them but wasn't impressed. I have a bunch of them that came with the first used EX that I bought. When yhey are gone, unless I change my opinion of them, I won't be buying more.

I couldn't get the Christmas lights working this year, so I went with the snow. I guess a bulb burnt out. One goes out, they all go out. There has been changes to the software this last year, so the developer who made those cool lights hasn't updated their software yet. Hopefully next year, because I thought they were a lot of fun, too.

Are the super sharp worth the money using them for compound cutting?

What a kind gesture. Glad it hear you are doing better.

I thought my eyesight was blurry.

Don’t be such a Scrooge Robert! Most of us enjoy it, and even look forward to it each year! It will go away a day after Christmas.

Patience. It happen every year. More reliable than our local forecasters. I had a screen saver on our shared computer that not only snowed but it accumulates. My wife hated it because it covered the picture behind it.

fantastic job

Those are cute projects and you must have been very busy. I'm sure your visitors will be very pleased with their gifts.

Well done! Thanks for sharing and God Bless! Spirithorse

I love these. What a great expression of scroll saw art. Congratulations!

Just a fact that most of the older generation leather fire helmets were black. Today, the FD's that have upgraded to better protection and better visibility have gone to the light weight composite material helmets that are bright YELLOW.

Hi Marg. Yes, I have her that option but she opted for the black. As the saying goes (and especially with family): The customer is always right

Very well done and nice finish.

Great work. I enjoy 3-d cutting too. You've got it down pat.

Charley, what did you find was the reason for your back/knee pain and bruising? Was it a clot or sciatic or ???. Just curious. Glad you're able to get back at it though. You have so much knowledge to offer, I miss it when you aren't as active. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Shout out to the Wooden Teddy Bear. Great service and fast order completion and shipping. I am always pleasantly surprised by them!

"Mike's Woodshop" and "The Wooden Teddy Bear" are now the same company, but still using Mile's website to take orders as well. Mile sold his business to The Wooden Teddy Bear several years ago when his health began to decline. Both websites continue to work for orders, but eventually they will likely be shutting Mike's website down. Just keep this in mind if you suddenly can no longer find the "Mike's Woodshop" website some day. Charley

They look great Larry, very nice work!

It is not a great search,, the work you are searching for needs to be in the title I beleive like, Dan said... May tell what you are searching for we could help. It is time consumong to go theroug all the patterns and they are not always under the catagory you think they would be,,, I have lots of time right now,,, I am on light duty, do suppose to be doing physical stuff.. If I can help let me know what pattern you are looking for... If you know who made the pattern, you might try searching. for the person's name.

Well I am back once again. For those who remember me, Howdy once again, and I am glad I am back with the hopes to be actually active. For those who don't know me, Howdy to you and nice to meet ya. So to bring you up to speed on my first absence: Went through a divorce and a job change. I met a great gal and we both started driving a big rig together. We got married last year and bought a house with 15 Acres in North East Texas. We both have quit driving so we can spend time at home and develop our property into a homestead. So if you want to swing by and meet us, just let us know, there is plenty of room for a camper, tent, and we even have a spare room. (You will have to PM me to see about meeting us.) There is an excellent Bass Fishing lake just minutes from the house and a couple of camp grounds you can use as well. I have managed to get my stuff out of storage and I am also in the process of getting things set back up to start up my woodworking again, and I am planning on getting back into making patterns. I just need to get back into it slowly. While I probably wont be as active as I was the first time here (I was a former mod) I do plan on being active. Good to see you all, and have a great day. Chris Messman's Woodworking

It makes it difficult to read posts. The constant motion is distracting.