What program to use?

[jpedersm]

What program is the best to make word sayings and make clock insert inside or around them. Also creating over patterns other then portraits?

[kofte]

I use corelDraw to do my word art & other patterns. A bit of a learning curve, but being vector-based it's easy to adjust sizes and not worry about line widths.

For word art, just select the text tool. I'll usually change the color of the text to gray with a .5pt black outline. Then convert text into curves. "Break" the curves apart. At this time any letters with holes ('O','A',etc) will lose the hole--no problem, just select the entire letter with the mouse and click the "subtract back from front" button and the hole returns. Then drag/resize/morph the letters anyway you'd like. If you want a cleaner-looking pattern, use the "weld" button to merge the letters/etc. but you don't have to.

You can also have the text to go around a shape (like a circle where the insert would be); this is a little more difficult, but can be done.

An "educational and home use" version would run about $80-90 or so new.