EllyMae, the driving force behind Silhouette Secrets+/Swift Creek Customs, has been teaching Silhouette users worldwide since 2016 through blog tutorials, in-person events, and online classes on her Teachable site. Recognized as a top troubleshooter in the industry, EllyMae, a Maker & Creator, seamlessly blends software and technology in her crafting, showcasing expertise in cutting machines, sublimation, and various industry products.
Today I’m sharing a card design where I combined a stamp from Emerald Creek and used it with an easel card cut file from Lori Whitlock. I cut all of the pieces for the easel card and then added special touches to it with stamping, watercolors, and a little bit of sketching with a pen. One easel card cut file can be used to create so many different kinds of cards. Or scale the card file up and use it as home decor too!
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Rather than keep the base of the card plain white, I chose to use the same flower stamp and stamp a few more along the bottom edge. I first stamped onto a sticky note and then cut around the stamped image to use it as a mask over top of the center flower, so the side flowers look like they are behind the middle image.
Then I used a small Thank You stamp from Emerald Creek on the sentiment cut piece and then did a little bit of pen work around the edges to make it stand out. It is matted onto the same background paper as the top card piece and then popped up with foam tape. This little piece gives the card the support to create the easel part.
Change it up with different flowers or focal designs and mix and match sentiments. One card cut file can open up a world of possibilities.
It is great to have the option to be able to print and cut sentiments, but often times if I’m only making up a card or two, I know it will take me longer to find more designs to fill the page. Having a few key sentiment stamps can be very handy to finish up the card quickly.
This easel card style is one that you could easily have all the pieces cut and customize it as needed whenever you need a quick card to send out too!
The original file has holes around the scalloped edges, and I didn’t want those for this design. It was an easy modification to do by selecting the scallop piece, right clicking on it, and choosing release compound path. It may also need to be ungrouped too. Then I could move the large scallop piece away and deleted the small circles.
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
Create more with your designs and your Silhouette! Do you ever get a file and then use it once and are done with it? Let’s change that way of thinking and get our designs to do more for us! That is exactly what the Crafting Creativity series is all about. Unlocking the ideas of creating with a design and seeing what can happen. For more inspiration and ideas, check out the Crafting Creativity series HERE.
In this blog post I’m sharing creative project ideas with one design file from Wispy Willow Designs. One design has so much potential and can be the key to unlocking the creative fire inside you! Check out how I used one design in 5 different projects ideas, including the ones that failed.
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Create More:Crafting Creativity with Wispy Willow Designs
Project #1 –Print and Cut Stickers
For this project, I did some stickers and was testing it with some adhesive photo paper that says it’s waterproof. While the image itself was waterproof, the paper itself was not and the stickers did not last.
While this project failed as a water bottle decal, I still found I love the adhesive photo paper for other projects. I have been using it for cards, home decor signs, and more!
Here is a look at my setup in Silhouette Studio for this print and cut page. I try to maximize the space when I do a print and cut project. However, I do use the default registration marks for the most accurate print and cut results.
When I created the print and cut sheet design, I was thinking ahead to projects and included a size of the image that I could use on a wood round for a tiered tray sign.
Wood is a natural surface, so it can be tricky sometimes to get things to stick. I did add a coat of Mod Podge to the wood and let that dry before applying the adhesive photo paper to it.
This project was a failure! Big fat failure! The design itself turned out fabulous but the rest went into the trash.
I printed 2 copies of the beach design and then added them to a cardstock backer to make a double sided piece that was supposed to go inside a round clear ornament. I mentioned above that I like to maximize my print and cut space, so I included extra designs that I can use on cards in the future too!
I wanted to add in sand and shells to the bottom of the ornament, but the glue didn’t look right when dry.
Back to the drawing board on this one. I tossed the ornament in the trash.
It was just not the look I was hoping for, but I do have a double sided design that is looking for a new project to be used in.
The previous project may have failed, but this one turned out FANTASTIC!
I cut each layer out of Siser Easyweed HTV and then pre-pressed the tote bag. Then each layer was placed and pressed for 3-5 seconds, just enough to get it secure and to be able to remove the carrier sheet. After the last layer give the entire design a press. I did 10 seconds at the end, but it really just depends on the layers and the material being used. This is a canvas tote bag with some texture, so I wanted to make sure it was well secured.
When cutting different colors of the same material, you can usually cut more than one color at a time. I do this with cardstock, adhesive vinyl, HTV, etc.
Here is a look at my setup for cutting this design, then I will cut my HTV colors down to the size I need and place them exactly where they are shown on the screen.
If using a Silhouette cutting mat and the mat is loaded properly, then the designs should cut in the exact location they show on the screen. If using a 3rd party cutting mat, they may not line up the same since the margins on the mat edges can vary from a true Silhouette cutting mat.
Cutting multiple colors at once, not only can save you time, but it can also make your mats last longer too because you are cutting the materials down to the size needed and not ripping a full piece of material off the entire mat each time.
Here is a look at the pieces after I cut and weeded each one.
Mirror the Design Yourself
Flip the design manually, by right clicking on the design and selecting Flip > Horizontal on the Design tab and then when you Send the design to cut, select “Send As Is” and the design will cut out exactly where you have it placed on the screen.
If you let the Silhouette software mirror the design, then you may end up wasting materials and not having the material in the right location to cut. The software flips the entire mat, not just the design and does not show that on the screen. So you think it will cut on the left side, but it flips the entire mat and then cuts on the right.
Now, here is the humdinger on this one – the software flipping the entire mat can vary by software version. They added this “new feature” in and then it did not work the way a real user works, so many users wasted vinyl. After several years, they tried to “fix” it in the software so it would just flip the design and not the entire mat. Then in later versions, it was reverted back to flipping the entire mat again. It’s one of those things that I guess you’d say was implemented by an engineer and not someone who actually uses the Silhouette to cut HTV daily.
Pressing Multiple Layers and Colors
When pressing multiple colors, typically each color is pressed separately unless the pieces can be lined up WITHOUT any overlapping cover sheets. If the cover sheet of the HTV piece overlaps, it can interfere with the design being pressed.
Place one color of the design, then press for 3-5 seconds to “tack” it down, then remove the carrier sheet and repeat for all the layers.
Unless the carrier sheet of each layer covers the entire design, make sure to only press long enough to tack it down and then remove the carrier sheet for that piece. If you press it too long the carrier sheet can leave an indent in the other pieces of HTV that are already pressed.
For instance, if I left the carrier sheet for Beach on too long, it might leave a line impressed into the sunshine rays.
Use a protective layer on top of the HTV when pressing each layer, unless the carrier sheet covers all of the HTV each time. This will protect the HTV and prevent it from sticking to the top platen of the heat press. I use a Teflon sheet or a piece of parchment paper depending on what’s handy and what material I’m using.
Oh and another one – parchment paper and wax paper are not the same. Wax paper in a heat press can leave a big mess.
This project was a test, well, actually several tests.
Testing pens to see if they were waterproof, sketching with the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II with no mat, and mixing watercolor backgrounds with acrylic paint markers.
This idea just would not go away and for some reason, I really wanted to sketch out this month’s design. I can’t pinpoint why, but sometimes you just don’t know what will turn out until you give it a try. And sometimes you just have to let yourself play.
And it worked! The pens were waterproof and did not bleed. The Silhouette machine sketched the design as it should without a cutting mat. The watercolor background turned out fantastic – LOVE IT! The acrylic markers on top = worked!
It is unique! It also gave me a bunch more ideas too.
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One design can be used in so many different ways. If you’re looking for even more inspiration, tips, and creative project ideas, be sure to browse the Crafting Creativitysection on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Creating a “craft camp” does not have to be complex or require a high level of skill. What do you need? Paper and craft supplies – DONE! I’m sharing how easy it is to create your own little craft camp and have a little fun. This is fun for all ages and skill levels. If you have a Silhouette cutting machine, you can use it to cut blanks, stencils, and more to use in the craft camp, but it can be done without a cutting machine too!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Watch the video below and then scroll under it for more details and a supply list too.
I cut several shapes from mixed media paper and then set up a random selection of craft supplies from Pointer USA. I am a Creative Professional with NAMTA (National Art Materials Trade Association) and was contacted by Pointer USA to test out some of their craft supplies. I have been impressed with the supplies I’ve tested so far and the best part is that they are economical too! Especially if you are getting started with a new medium!
First, I’m going to brag on the Art Pro Mixed Media paper. It cuts fantastic with a cutting machine, which is not always the case with mixed media papers because of the fibrous make up. Often times the fibers will tear and smoosh rather than cut cleanly. But I have now ordered 2 more Art Pro pads because I’ve used it so much.
I also cut out some shaped dragonfly stencils and butterflies with the mixed media paper too.
Here are a couple photos from Round 1 of Craft Camp.
Designs by A
The butterfly and dragonfly stencils were put to use quickly.
Designs by C
And seeing their creations just made me want to create too. After all, I didn’t need to record the entire time. I love to simply add the watercolors to my Glassboard mat and then work with them from there. The smooshing technique is by far my favorite because no two are alike and I have no control over what it might turn out like. Simply scribble, add water, and then place the mixed media paper on top to pick up the color.
Designs by EllyMae
Craft Camp Round 2
Here’s a look at the blanks I cut for Round 2. This time I added in some tags as well to the shapes I cut.
And the creativity just continues. I love how they mixed all the colors around. I would turn around and a new creation would be in progress. I’m not sure who was more excited about them creating – them or me. It was so fun to see how they just picked up the craft supplies and turned it into something.
Designs by A
Every creation is different. The hardest part is the letting go and not thinking it has to be perfect. Each one is unique and just have fun. Anyone can do this! Fun for all ages.
Designs by F
My oldest and I had the idea about the same time. It was probably the tree silhouette stencil that prompted the creative thoughts, but I just had to try out some Northern Lights inspired images. I made the first one and recorded the process to create the second one and shared that in the video. If you missed it, check out the video HERE.
Here is a look at the Craftermath after Craft Camp Round 2. I’ll do a bit of clean up and resetting. But I’ll keep this set up for anyone who feels the urge to create.
I know my creativity sometimes is squashed simply by the thought of pulling out the craft supplies I want to use or having to move things around to get started. This might help me too!
I am loving the quality of the Pointer USA craft supplies. They are not only reasonably priced but also good quality for all ages. Check out the Pointer USA Amazon shop HERE for more options or visit them direct HERE.
If you are looking for a mixed media paper that cuts well with a cutting machine like Silhouette, grab the Art Pro Mixed Media paper by Pointer USA and give it a try.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
Have you ever made a hybrid card before? If you have made a card, you probably have but didn’t even think about it when you did. It is a card combining digital and physical elements in the creation. I am on the Emerald Creek Design Team the June theme was “Tiny joy, simple things.” I’m sharing the details of this card creation below including a supply list for the materials used in the creation.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Creating the Hybrid Dream Card
First, I started with the Dreams Live Here PNG by Pam Bray and brought it into Silhouette. I only wanted to use the Dream part of it, so I used the knife to cut the design apart. Then repeated the pattern to fill the size I wanted for my card front. I did play around with a couple different layouts with this as you can see in the photo below.
While I could use the Silhouette machine to cut around the design and even set it up as a print and cut, it is sometimes easier just to use a paper trimmer, especially when it’s straight lines.
Next, I used a stencil that I cut with my Silhouette from a mixed media design by Sarah Hurley in a recent Crafting Creativity project, and drew in the stencil with embossing pens.
Then added the Magical Mysteries Kiss of the Fairy Emerald Creek embossing powder and heated that up to melt the embossing powder onto the Dream background. Next, I cut a larger background from the Lemoncello Paper by Pam Bray for the card base and inked the edges of it.
And then adhered the Dream background on top of the blue background.
Then I adhered the Dream background onto the card base and then used foam tape to adhere the matted flowers to the bottom right. For a bit of dimension, I added some pink twine behind the flowers before securing it down. Then I cut just the word Dream from the other pattern I had printed and matted it on black cardstock. I used foam tape on the left side to keep it even with the flower elements.
And the final step was to add 3 clear rhinestones in the top left of the card.
Here are some close up looks at the finished Dream card.
The embossing powder is so cool when it reflects the light.
I love how this card turned out combining digital elements with physical stamping, watercoloring, and inking.
I hope this post on the hybrid card I created gives you some ideas of what you could create. See what supplies you have on hand and what you can combine to create a unique card, tag, mixed media creation and more!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I am not a bot and this post is not written with AI. All words are composed and written directly from EllyMae, so if there are typos or it doesn’t make sense, remember it comes from a human 😉 not a robot.
Are you looking to stock up on craft supplies? Or need other items? Prime Days are happening June 23 – 25, 2026 (technically) but the EARLY DEALS are already happening.
I have a couple tips for shopping this year as I know things are tight for all of us!
2026 Sale Shopping Tips
Buy what you need to stock up on OR what you know you will use. Just because it’s on sale or a person you follow is flashing it in your social media feed – if you won’t use that product in the next year, you probably don’t need it right now.
Facebook and Instagram links – shop carefully and securely! There are a lot of scammers out there lately and I absolutely hate when people get taken advantage of!
Facebook and Instagram links can do goofy things! Have you ever clicked on an Amazon link on Facebook and it asks you to log in? BUT, you are already logged in on your device. This happens to me ALL the time! And it’s due to the way Facebook (and Instagram) route the link and track the link to see what you are doing. Have you ever noticed the extra characters at the end of a web address when you click it on Facebook or Instagram? If you have not, watch closely and you’ll start to see it.
This is what social media sites add onto the web address to see what you are doing and also why if you click on an Amazon link it asks you to sign in again. It is NOT connected to your Amazon app on your device or the log in you already have actively open.
If you run into issues like that, I would highly recommend going to the person’s site directly and clicking on a direct link to their Amazon store or list.
This is why I’ve created a new header on the Silhouette Secrets+ website so it can easily be found – check it out HERE. I am also adding in additional sales and deals that I am seeing from other vendors to that page on the website too! Many companies will put up a sale or discount to entice customers to shop with them during Prime Days as well and sometimes you can find an even better deal out there 😉
I’ll be 100% honest and tell you that I do not trust Facebook or Instagram and all the crap they pull. I do not buy things direct through their ads either as I’ve seen way too many scams.
Buy good stuff! I hope you find some great crafty deals for what you will use and work with in your crafty projects! Remember, cheaper isn’t always better 😉
Have fun! Even if you do not buy anything, that’s ok. Have fun “window” shopping!
I’ve created an Amazon Prime Day list in my Amazon Storefront and will continue to add things to the list as I see them pop up. EARLY DEALS are already happening, so the list is already growing.
I have found adhesive, pens, HeatnBond lite, brayers, glue sticks, organizers, Sharpie Creative Markers, heat tool, Posca markers, glue guns and more already in the EARLY deals!
Check out my full store front HERE as I keep a running list of craft supplies and more that I use all year long.
Looking for ideas of products I use and recommend? Check out the header on the blog – EllyMae’s Craft Supplies HERE for details and links to products I use.
Happy shopping and crafting!
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
Come along with me and see what I shared in the Glassboard Studio booth at Creativation 2026. In this video I’m recreating what I shared and demonstrating how I use the Glassboard magnetic craft mats in my studio and projects. I enjoyed my demo time in the Glassboard booth at Creativation 2026 so much because I was able to share different projects and collect things on the trade show floor to add in as well. Plus, in this video, I share some bonus projects that just did not work out to share on the show floor too!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Glassboard Studio Demo – Project Remakes with Glassboard Mat
I would love to hear what your favorite project shared was or your favorite tip. Let me know in the comments below.
Behind-the-scenes look – Glassboard Mat Demo
I always forget to take photos when I’m busy teaching, creating, or doing demos. Thank you to Julie McGuffee for snapping a photo of me in the Glassboard Studio booth!
Here is the one and only photo that I took while I was doing the actual demos.
For this one, I was creating with a custom stamps designed specifically for Creativation 2026 by Photocentric and then watercoloring the images in with a watercolor palette by Pointer USA. This has become one of my favorite items to collect on the trade show floor!
One neat thing about this was that I was able to leave my paints exactly as you see on the glassboard mat and break for lunch. Then when I came back for my second demo shift, I simply reactivated the colors with a bit of water and continued creating.
Here are a couple photos from the demo remake. This shows the stamped image from the video and then I added with Lindy’s Gang Magical Shakers for the colors. I love the sparkle it has, but it may not come through well in the photo.
And then a sample of just the colors themselves from the video demo.
In the video demo remake I was able to share multiple projects and show how I use the Glassboard Studio tools when I create. I lost track of how many different projects I was able to share, but here is a look at what was on my work space for this video.
I spy with my little eye… Stamped and watercolored images, custom faux wax seals – hot glue – print and cut images – Posca gold marker for accents, beaded pots of personality, sketching with Sharpie, painted faces with Liquitex, swatching and coloring with Lindy’s Gang Magical Shakers.
If you watch the video demo, you will hear me say that a year ago I did not own a Glassboard magnetic craft mat. I had to really talk myself into spending the money and ordering one. Now, I have 5+ in my craft studio and I do use them all. I have a couple on dedicated work spaces such as my beading & jewelry table, my main work space where I record videos, and a couple set up for a summer “craft camp”. I move them around as needed and I will admit, this is one of those situations where I purchased a couple of them simply because I loved the pattern and it made me happy. Impulse buy – probably!!! And not only have I added the magnetic mat to my work space, but the accessories like the Craft Catcher’s are right beside it too! I use them all the time.
After Creativation and doing the demo, I also added the HexaFlex Organizer Set to my work station as well. There is something about using a tool or storage accessory that gets me every time. Each year of Creativation I seem to add another new tool to my studio.
During the event, I like to be in the moment and I often get too busy & forget to post on social media and then after I get so far behind in posting and compiling video and photos, but there is lots to be shared and I hope to have more soon.
If you are on Instagram, I did put up a couple quick reels from the event.
And I also demonstrated in the Pointer USA booth with my Silhouette Portrait 4 and sketching on their mixed media paper. If you missed it, here is the remake of that demo too and also what failed on the show floor.
Want to see more from the Creativation Tradeshow floor? Check out these videos by my fellow NAMTA Creative Professionals that I was able to hang out with.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
The Creative Community with EllyMae | Crafting & Troubleshooting subscription kicked off this year and is going strong. There are 2 parts to the Community: a private Facebook group where we troubleshoot issues and answer questions for users and the Community Forum where exclusive member content is posted each month. Each month we’ve covered a new topic in-depth and I share all the information I can on the topic to help user’s get to know their Silhouette software and machines and use them to their full potential. Video tutorials have a heavy focus on the Silhouette software and showing how to create and use the tools in the software for many different applications.
In the private Facebook group, we have helped to diagnose Silhouette machine issues and solve Silhouette software questions for users as they are posted. Myself and the admins in the group have many years of troubleshooting experience and can usually identify the issues quickly and get users up and running.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Every month is a new in-depth topic posted to the Community Forum vault. Here are the topics so far in 2026:
January 2026 – Core Silhouette Studio Design Skills Using Planner Stickers
In this video tutorial I show how to create your own design from scratch in Silhouette. From simple shapes to even drawing out a drinking glass design using the tools in the Silhouette software. These techniques can be used for more than planner stickers – to do lists, tags, stickers, pages, and more!
I really tried to keep it to an hour but it ended up being 1 hour & 30 minutes packed with information, tips, and troubleshooting…. Plus, a 6 minute bonus video with additional info.
February 2026– Text Secrets in Silhouette Studio: From Fonts to Finished Designs
This Silhouette video tutorial took on a life of its own and I created several project examples of what could be created with the techniques taught.
Designing with text in Silhouette Studio goes far beyond typing words on the screen—and this in-depth class shows you exactly how to turn fonts into polished, professional designs you’ll actually use.
Text Secrets in Silhouette Studio: From Fonts to Finished Designs is a 95-minute, step-by-step video class that goes into everything you need to know about working with fonts and text inside Silhouette Studio. From understanding where fonts live to creating finished designs ready for cutting, printing, or sharing, this class walks you through the entire process.
In this exclusive Crafting Community with EllyMae tutorial, you’ll watch 10 complete designs created using text, giving you real-world examples you can immediately apply to cards, vinyl projects, print and cut, apparel, signage, and more.
In this class, you’ll learn:
Font Basics – what you really need to know (and what you don’t)
Where Fonts Are Found & How They’re Installed
Fonts in the Silhouette Library Explained
How to Use Fonts from the Silhouette Library
Font Organization in Silhouette Studio
EllyMae’s “Secret” to Font Storage (no more lost fonts!)
Designing with Glyphs in Silhouette Studio
Creating 4 Designs Using Glyphs
An Additional Way to Use Glyphs
Here is a gallery look at a few of the projects I created using the techniques taught in this 95-minute video tutorial.
March 2026– Conical Warp WOW! From Basic Decals to Conical Stencils
This video tutorial is all about the Conical Warp tool in Silhouette Studio. We cover all the options of the Conical Warp Panel and how each option can affect a design. Then we will put those steps to use by taking measurements of a conical shaped blank and inputting the information to make a decal to fit the blank. I created decals for several different shaped objects and share a look at the design, weeding, and application process. This tutorial shares tips along the way for issues you might encounter as well as taking it to the next level.
One thing leads to another and during the basic decal creation process I had an idea I wanted to test out. It was a success and I’m thrilled to share with you how to up your conical warp game with a conical warp stencil to create a WOW project with glass etching.
I am sharing how I created the stencil design to fit the conical shaped martini glass and how I made the permanent design so you can read it while using the glass to enjoy your beverage.
April 2026– Follow the Path with Text and Objects in Silhouette
The text to path feature in Silhouette can be so much fun to create unique designs with. A path can be any cut line in Silhouette Studio and when you add text to that path it can bring a new level to the project. In this Silhouette video tutorial, we start with some of the basics, add in a few tricks to make it easier to work with difficult designs, and then take it to an advanced level with a bit of a spin. As a bonus, we will also cover Objects to Path too!
Here is an example of a spinner card created with the text to path techniques taught in the video tutorial.
And another example of using text to path for acrylic etching with the Silhouette Curio 2.
Take the techniques taught in the video tutorial and use them to create a wide variety of projects. And then keep the fun going with the bonus video on Objects to Path in Silhouette too!
May 2026 – Deep Dive into Silhouette Studio Software – Preferences
Deep Dive into the Silhouette Studio Software – Preferences video tutorial covers everything about the Preferences in Silhouette Studio. In this 1 hour and 42 minutes tutorial we cover it all! The things you may already be aware of, as well as the things you may not need when things go wrong, but just in case you do, it’s covered. What does it all mean? I go through each topic and where I can show a demonstration of exactly what the preference changes or how it behaves.
There are 7 different tabs under the Preferences Panel, and each one can give you options to customize how your Silhouette software reacts. Discover what tools make your workflow easier or what settings might make the software run smoother for you.
Some of these options you may be familiar with, but some you may have never seen before or know when or what you might need it for. Let’s take the mystery out of the Preferences and set the software up for how YOU will use it for your workflow.
June 2026 – Silhouette & Rhinestone Designs – Create, Customize, and Sparkle!*
*class creation in progress – topic & class name may be altered as needed
This month’s tutorial will focus on creating your own rhinestone design from scratch. We will start with something simple to get the hang of how things look and work, then explore even more under the Rhinestone features. The rhinestone features in Silhouette Studio can be used for so much more than just rhinestone designs. Some additional ideas are faux rhinestone designs with holographic HTV (my favorite!), journey/travel signs, outlines, and more!
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When you hear “mixed media” do you instantly think of physical elements only? Or do you think of digital designs as well? In this issue of Crafting Creativity I’m sharing several projects created using Mixed Media Designs by Sarah Hurley. Whether you make the same projects or not, I hope it unlocks some inspiration and thoughts stirring around on what you can use designs for. The Crafting Creativity series is designed to spark interest and ideas on what you can create using one design file or a style of designs such as these mixed media designs.
Often times I think users get a cut file and think of only one possible project for it and then it might sit in our digital resources forever and not be used again. But, there is so much more that can be created with just one design. For more inspiration and ideas, check out the Crafting Creativity series HERE.
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Crafting Creativity with Sarah Hurley Mixed Media Designs
Project #1 – Easy Shaker Cardswith Mixed Media Designs
Shaker cards can be very simple to make and assemble. It’s all about layers and creating a “pocket” to hold the shaker bits in place.
I used some glitter cardstock hearts that I’ve kept in a little baggie from when I was testing the Silhouette Electrostatic Mat cutting glitter cardstock. They have just been waiting for the right project.
I wanted to see how the design would look in 2 ways – with the mixed media design on top and as the background.
Here is a closer look at the design with the mixed media layer on top of the shaker bits.
And a close up look at the design with the mixed media layer as a background behind the shaker bits.
Watch the video tutorial below on how I created these designs.
This was such a random idea that popped into my head and I decided to try it and see what happened. I love how it turned out!
In the Silhouette software, I released the compound path and deleted some of the bits in the middle to make it a little more successful in cutting and create a larger space for the design in the middle. Then selected the entire mixed media design and made a compound path again.
Here is a look at the design before I saved as a svg to send to my Glowforge.
I still need to finish this out and I’m not sure if I’ll add stain or just a protective sealer to it.
I then scaled the design down a bit and made a business sign too.
Use mixed media designs to create unique stencils that can be used for many different purposes.
This project uses the mixed media files in 3 different ways
as stencils
as physical elements cut
as digital backgrounds
This project came together layer by layer. A collage of different mediums and materials. I love how it has turned out so far. I am not sure it’s completely finished, but I’m sure it will tell me one of these days.
Here is a close up look at some of the layered details on this canvas collage showing 3 different methods of using the mixed media designs.
I also used the stencils in a mixed media journal to practice with before adding to my canvas. My first attempt on the canvas the paint was a bit watery and ran under the stencil, so I set that aside and practiced a bit in the journal.
Use the mixed media designs and cut the design from cardstock or other materials to create a physical element. Layer and add this to the canvas for even more uniqueness and interest.
Add a digital pattern to the mixed media design, print it out, and cut out in a shape to add another layer to the canvas.
Mixed media designs have so much potential on what they can be used for and in this case I layered the different elements and just kept building the canvas project.
I created a couple different shirt designs using the mixed media designs and then cut out of HTV. The first one is cut from Siser Tiger Lily Puff Metallic HTV and another one of my favorites. I made one similar to this last year and it still looks great!
Next, I swapped out the Metallic Puff HTV and used a pattern HTV that’s in my stash along with a Siser Glitter Puff HTV. Although the glitter puff didn’t really puff up that much, it still looks great on the shirt.
And one more creation. I’m not sure how I feel about this color combination, but I think it’s growing on me. I used Siser Glitter Puff HTV in orange and it didn’t puff up much either, but still looks great on the shirt.
All of these shirts were created using the same techniques of an offset of the text and subtracting the offset from the mixed media design.
Each year for Creativation I’ve made ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) and pass these out to others at the show. I used 2 of the mixed media designs on the background of the ATCs. These techniques could be applied to many other projects such as cards, bookmarks, stickers, etc.
Watch the step-by-step tutorial on creating these ATC (Artist Trading Cards) below.
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One design can be used in so many different ways. If you’re looking for even more inspiration, tips, and creative project ideas, be sure to browse the Crafting Creativitysection on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore!
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Have you ever heard of an ATC? Or Artist Trading Card? They are a very popular thing to create to swap or pass out to other creatives at events or even through the mail. I had a good friend many years ago who collected them and would put them into trading card pockets. I thought it was such a neat idea. Then fast forward and I started attending Silhouette events and started making things to trade. Without even thinking about it, I was creating ATCs and swapping them. ATCs can be created with physical supplies or digital supplies and then printed. There is NO WRONG WAY to create one.
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When I’m traveling, I like to make digital ATCs, so they take up less room and are not bulky. And you don’t even need to own a Silhouette machine to create and print from Silhouette Studio. The Silhouette Studio software basic edition is free for anyone to download from Silhouette America.
Here is a look at the ATC design in Silhouette Studio that I created for Creativation 2026 that was held in St Louis. I used a colorful background pattern, mixed media design, and a font by Sarah Hurley, along with a St Louis svg I found.
Now, one thing to note, if you want to open svg files in Silhouette Studio, it does require a software upgrade to Designer Edition or higher. Find more details on that HERE.
Once I had the design how I wanted, then I grouped it all together and replicated the design and centered them all to the page.
I also wanted this one to be a double-sided ATC so created a second page by using File > Save As, then deleting the details inside the rectangles and adding new information. This ensures that the design placement is exactly the same for both sides.
Now, the biggest thing about a double-sided print is figuring out how your printer loads, pulls the material through the machine, and which side it will print on. Every printer is different and the only way to know is to test it and make a few mistakes. It never fails every time I do this that I have a few I mess up.
Since my design is straight lines, I opted to not use print and cut and have the registration marks take up space or spend the time loading each page into the machine for it to be cut out. I grabbed 2 of my paper trimmers, a 12″ to cut the long lengths and then a smaller one to cut each card apart. It ended up being faster to do this than if I let the machine do it for me and I can get more to a page.
However, if I have a design that needs to be cut exactly around the design, then I definitely set up a print and cut project.
I share the full creation process of the ATCs in the video below or on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.
What will you create today? Sometimes it’s fun to just play around and put things together to see what happens, even if you don’t have a purpose for it at the moment.
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
Did you know that sketching without a cutting mat is possible on any Silhouette cutting machine? While most Silhouette users think of their machine primarily as a cutting tool, sketching is one of the most versatile and creative features available. If you’re creating a sketch-only project and don’t plan to cut through the material afterward, you can often skip the cutting mat altogether when your machine and material are set up correctly. In this blog post, I’m sharing how I created a matless sketch project using the May 2026 featured design from the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter. You’ll find a quick video walkthrough, machine setup tips, sketch pen recommendations, a complete supply list, and additional resources to help you successfully create your own Silhouette sketching projects.
Are you subscribed to the Silhouette Secrets+ weekly newsletter? Each month, a talented collaborating artist is featured, along with an exclusive free design for newsletter subscribers. Throughout the month, I share a variety of project ideas, tutorials, and creative inspiration using that design to showcase the many possibilities that can come from a single file. Be sure to subscribe and download the current month’s featured design so you can craft along and discover new ways to get the most from your Silhouette machine.
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Check out the video and information below and then add it to the list to try out if you have not already. Just play around with it and see what happens. Sketching with the Silhouette can add a unique element to your projects or just be fun to play around with and test.
Set up the software for your page size and no mat in the Page Setup Panel.
Check the box for “Show Cut Border” so you know the parameters.
Make sure the Silhouette machine is clean and there is no debris that could create an uneven surface under the material or pen.
Move the right roller to a location it can be locked in place on the right edge of the material.
Make sure the material is completely flat and not bubbling up between the rollers.
If you do encounter skipping or issues, then try with a clean, debris free cutting mat to see if the extra support helps with your design.
If you are cutting out the design after sketching, then I would recommend using a cutting mat. Cutting completely through a material with no cutting mat can damage the machine, cutting strip, or blade channel that runs under the blade housing.
Supplies Used for Sketching without a Silhouette Mat
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Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click the link to buy a coffee. Every little bit helps in the cost of running the site.
