I "quit" (read was downsized out of) my full time construction job back in June and have made a living from my saw and designs since. I do A LOT of shows across about 1/3 of the country. I do about 30 shows a year these are major shows several of them ranked in the top 200 in the country by various craft magazines. I also design for Scroller, and Wooden Teddy Bear and have articles coming out in both major scroll saw magazines. Without the income from my designs and the articles (each of which has an original pattern associated with it) I don't think we would be able to keep our head above water. However people seem to like the patterns I design and they sell fairly well.

 

Biggest advice I can give you: try production work first.... Its totally different trying to scroll as much as you can as fast as you can so you can make a few dollars, then it is to leisurely cut something that interests you. Establish yourself in the craft ciruit and see what type of shows you can get into and what your work will sell for. Learn to design, and then keep learning. Save enough money to live off of for a year so if you struggle you won't be homeless. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly.... Belive in yourself and your abilities!

 

If I can be of further help feel free to e-mail me: [email protected]

Happy Scrolling and God Luck!

Shadez 

Wow, thanks for the advise... I am currently working on "banging out" as a large pile of cuts to try to build a bit of an inventory. am looking at some local shows to try to start out. Don't know about traveling too very much right now.. 100 miles or so would be about the limit at this point in time... but with my location, (northeast Pa) that gives me alot of shows to choose from.. looking at a few local shows at first... then maybe to Kutztoen festival IF I can get in.... not too sure how Juried shows work but will find out.

 

A few notes form "Life 101":

 If you have the choice: Don't quit your day job until your hobby is generating a significant portion of your income, and the opportunity is identified to increase the hobby's income enough to support yourself and grow the business.

 

Across the years I have ruined some perfectly good hobbies by trying to make a living at them. It always seems like the demands of the market place require doing things that aren't as much fun as the challenges of the hobby. (paper work [lots of it]; dealing with people [irate, stubborn, dead beat, mean, picky, etc.] and doing it with a smile; not leaving the unresolved problems on the shelf until you are ready to deal with them -- if ever, etc.) It helps to know about these before you take the big leap.

 

I only need for my hobby to pay for its self. At the moment it is doing a bit better than that, but I don't know what happens after the current cash cow runs dry. There can be a lot of hit and miss before you find the products and outlets that will work for you. What Shadez says about having more than one way to generate income --that is a big deal. The more you can do, the better you chance of success. 

 

You will be trading the relative security of a steady pay check (and perhaps a benefit package) for the uncertainty of how you will pay next months rent.

 

From my perspective, the biggest key to success is to do something you love so much that you are willing to go with out sleep or food to do it, and still want more. It must also motivate you enough that "all that other stuff" doesn't really matter. That also helps with the "confidence in yourself" thing.

 

Best of luck, what ever you do,

Klahr

The from address shown is incorrect.  It should be [email protected].  I'm retired from the USAF.  My wife and I recently moved from TN to FL to start a web-based home operated crafting business.  I'm getting into scroll sawing and other minor woodcrafting projects.  I'm subscribed to more magazines now than I've ever been subscribed to in my life but I enjoy everyone of them.  My wife does machine embroidery and other crafting products.  While in TN we both worked good-paying jobs and were able to get rid of our consumer debt and save some money to make the move and get our business going.  We're not there yet but we're living comfortably on my AF pension and what we saved until we do get there.  So, yes we will be doing this full time once we get it all together and operating.  The main thing has been for me to get a workshop area set up.  She will work on getting the web-site built.  Her workshop area is already set up and mine almost is.  We will also do a few craft fairs and that sort of thing.  We're hoping that our breadnbutter will be from the web-site.  I agree with both Shadez and Klahr in what they said.  Especially the part about not quitting your day job unless you already have another source of income and have some extra bucks stashed away.  I wish you much success.  And let me know how it's going for you.

 

Tuck the Scrollman Tucker