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DIY Custom Apron Project: Using Artesprix Sublimation Markers, Paints, and a Silhouette

Artesprix DIY Apron with Sublimation
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

If you’re looking to add a personal touch to your kitchen or craft space, creating a custom apron is a fun and creative way to do so! In this DIY project, I’m sharing how I designed and create a one-of-a-kind apron using Artesprix Sublimation Markers, Sublimation Paints, and a Silhouette Machine. Whether you want to add a quirky quote, a custom graphic, or a colorful design, this technique allows you to create vibrant, long-lasting prints on fabric. Follow along for a step-by-step guide on how to use these amazing tools to bring your unique design vision to life, all while learning some fun sublimation techniques along the way!

Artesprix Sublimation Apron with Pumpkin Design

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For this design, I first had the Silhouette machine sketch out the pumpkin design using an Artesprix Black Fine Tip Sublimation Marker.

Silhouette Sketch by Fill Color with Artesprix Sublimation Markers

I had a lot of fun experimenting with the different sketch fills and designs, so I created several extras too!

Check out a quick video of this in action on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

Additional Resources for Sketching with Silhouette

Supplies for DIY Sublimation Apron:

Watch this tutorial HERE on the Artesprix YouTube channel.

Find additional DIY sublimation ideas created with the Artesprix Apron HERE.

I absolutely love working with Artesprix products—they always spark my creativity and leave me inspired with even more ideas for future projects. Find more projects I’ve created using the Artesprix sublimation products HERE.

I’ll be sharing more so make sure to follow Artesprix on social media to see more projects!
YouTube channel
Blog
Facebook Page
Iron-on-Ink Inspirational Facebook Group

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Sublimation Apron with Artesprix Markers & Paint

Grab some Artesprix sublimation products and get to creating today!

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Beautifully Etched Acrylic Clipboard Created with Silhouette Curio 2

Etched Acrylic Clipboard with the Silhouette Curio 2 and Power Engraver
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Looking to personalize your office supplies or make a custom gift? In this post, I’m excited to share a recent project I created using the Silhouette Curio 2 and the Power Engraver: a beautifully etched acrylic clipboard featuring a design by Sarah Hurley. This project showcases the versatility of the Curio 2, turning a simple clipboard into a stylish, functional piece. Create your own etched masterpiece, perfect for home, office, or as a unique gift. Read on to discover how to elevate your DIY etching projects with the Silhouette Curio 2!

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Etched Acrylic Clipboard created with the Silhouette Curio 2

When I get an idea in my head, there are times, it just will not leave until I do something. That is how this project came to be. The first one I did, I etched on the backside of the clipboard.

Etched Acrylic Clipboard with Silhouette Curio 2

It looks great in person, but I had to hold up a sheet of black cardstock behind it in order to get it to show up on a photo. This one was a bit tricky because the hardware on the clipboard is not removable, so I had to rig up some supports underneath the clipboard to make it a completely flat surface. It was definitely a trial and I am so happy with how it turned out, but I knew I wanted to try again.

Test #2 actually was a failure. I switched to etching on the top of the clipboard to see how it would work and I could hear that something was not right while it was etching. Eventually, it just stopped etching entirely. I thought I’d take the Power Engraver out to clean it. Don’t do that during an etch! When the power tool was removed, it did not start up again when I put it back in while the machine was paused.

Silhouette Curio 2 Etching Failure

It is NOT a waste though! The one thing I’ve learned through the years in all the testing and troubleshooting that I do is that things WILL go wrong. Get extra blanks because something is going to happen. And if it doesn’t, well, you have extra blanks to use. Not a waste! A learning experience and opportunity.

I could not figure out what the issue was, so I swapped out the Silhouette Power Engraver for a new one and marked the old one with issues. I’ll troubleshoot that another day.

Test #3 was a success! The Silhouette Power Engrave tool has a smooth finish so even though this etch is on the top of the clipboard, it is not rough to the touch.

Etched Acrylic Clipboard with the Silhouette Curio 2

I used a lint roller to clean up the acrylic dust that the Silhouette Power Engraver creates before I removed anything. Be careful with any debris and keep your machine clean for best results. Do not inhale the acrylic dust or get it in your eyes.

Supplies Used for Etched Acrylic Clipboard with the Silhouette Curio 2

Silhouette Curio 2 Resources

Tips for Etching

  • Get extra blanks
  • Secure the blank well – any movement and it will be a dud as the etching is permanent
  • Not all acrylic is good acrylic – some will just smoosh versus etch – testing is the only way to know what will work
  • Start small – I prefer a 3″ round or a coaster when practicing and testing – cheaper to test and mess up with
  • Do not remove the tool from the machine, even if it is paused.
  • Be careful with any debris and keep your machine clean for best results. Do not inhale the acrylic dust or get it in your eyes.

Silhouette Curio 2 Classes

Want to get started with the Silhouette Curio 2 faster? I have step-by-step classes available on Teachable from out-of-the-box projects to setting up for successful etching on acrylic.

Silhouette Curio 2 Classes by EllyMae at Silhouette Secrets+

Check out all the Silhouette Classes HERE.

Find more Silhouette Curio 2 information on the website HERE.

And more videos on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.
Silhouette Curio 2 playlist HERE.

Silhouette Curio 2 Playlist on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Silhouette Curio 2 Acrylic Etching

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Mixed Media Journal Cover with Silhouette & Grafix Laminate

Mixed Media Journal Cover
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

My mixed media journal is no longer naked!!! I had so much fun creating with a combination of digital mixed media and physical mixed media materials. And I feel confident that my cover is going to stand up to being in and out of a tote bag as I travel with it because it’s protected with the Grafix Laminate. I love how all the layers came together!

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I have really not gotten into creating with mixed medias too much. But, it is growing on me! One of the hardest things for me to overcome is that there are no rules. There is no right or wrong way to do it. You can use whatever supplies you want, mix them, match them, throw them at it. There is no wrong way. I just have to tell myself to keep going and if I really don’t like something, leave it alone and come back later. My perspective often changes when I take a step back and am not scrutinizing it so close.

I say all of that to say, I am not an expert in mixed media at all! I am watching others and learning from them.

In today’s project, I’ve taken digital mixed media created in the Silhouette Studio software and combined it with physical mixed media to add dimension and layers to it.

Mixed Media Journal Cover

I created a background in the Silhouette Studio software combining a patterned background and clipping masks that were filled with colors to match the background. Then added the text on top and filled with white. Since it was created in Silhouette, I could move things around, adjust colors, test out the text saying, and tweak things without committing. Once I was satisfied, then I printed it on Silhouette Printable Vinyl using the high quality settings on my printer. Make sure to let that dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Silhouette Printable Vinyl for Mixed Media Cover

I stamped white acrylic paint on top of the printed background and then splattered paint around the design.

Mixed Media Journal Cover Close Up Stamped Paint

I love how the stamps looked with the acrylic paint and how it dried to give it texture.

Mixed Media Journal Cover Close Up

Once that was completely dry, then I applied the Grafix Laminate on top of it. This will act as a protectant for the journal cover, but it does not stop there! I used the Tim Holtz Layering Splatters Stencil with a bit of Staz-On ink and added that to the top of the laminate.

Mixed Media Journal Cover with Stencil on top of Grafix Laminate

And here is a look at the bottom right corner of the journal cover.

Mixed Media Journal Cover with Stenciled Design on top of Grafix Laminate

I love the textured look that is protected with the layers of ink on top of the Grafix Laminate!

Grafix Laminate Mixed Media Journal Cover

This was so much fun to create and I’m not even sure it’s 100% finished. I can continue to add things to it in the future. That’s one of the the things I’m learning more and more with these projects is that there is no wrong way to do it!

Check out the video on the Grafix Arts YouTube channel where I share how I did this HERE and I’ve included a supply list below too!

Supplies used for Mixed Media Journal Cover:

Designs I used in the video:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Mixed Media Journal Cover with Grafix Laminate Protectant

Find more tutorials on the Silhouette Secrets+ website HERE.

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Create a Custom Sublimation Zip Case with Artesprix Sublimation Markers & Stamp Techniques: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Artesprix Sublimation Stamping Techniques Blog Post
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Want to learn a few stamping techniques that can be fun in creating custom designs? I’m sharing several tips in the latest Artesprix YouTube video tutorial that can work whether you are making cards, using sublimation supplies, or other stamping projects.

Artesprix Sublimation Markers & Stamping Techniques

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I did not have a stamp to make up the word “To”, so I shared some tips in using a stamping technique called “masking” in order to make up the word I needed with the stamps I did have. I wanted the text to match. Find out what went right and what did not along the way in the new video tutorial. I’ve included a list of the supplies I used below.

Supplies:

Watch this tutorial featuring stamping techniques HERE on the Artesprix YouTube channel.

Check out additional ideas created with the Artesprix Canvas Zipper Bag HERE.

I absolutely love working with Artesprix products—they always spark my creativity and leave me inspired with even more ideas for future projects. Find more projects I’ve created using the Artesprix sublimation products HERE.

I’ll be sharing more so make sure to follow Artesprix on social media to see more projects!
YouTube channel
Blog
Facebook Page
Iron-on-Ink Inspirational Facebook Group

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Sublimation with Artesprix using stamping techniques

Grab some Artesprix sublimation products and get to creating today!

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Alcohol Ink Backgrounds with Grafix Dura-Bright White

Grafix Dura-Bright Alcohol Ink Backgrounds
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

I had so much fun playing with alcohol inks and the Grafix Dura-Bright White creating a background that I used for several different projects!

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This project took on a life of it’s own as I went. I started with the idea to create a card and a bookmark, but ended up letting the art talk to me and see where it went. I love it!!!!

Alcohol Ink Backgrounds for cards, bookmarks, and framed decor with Grafix Dura-Bright.

Anyone can do this! I used alcohol ink and dropped it onto the Dura-Bright White and moved it around with an air blower. While the background was drying, I cut some designs out of Oracal 651 white adhesive vinyl. After the Dura-Bright was fully dry, I cut it up into several sizes for the projects, then added a laminate overlay on top to protect the alcohol ink design. Finished off the designs with the adhesive vinyl decal on top.

Alcohol Ink Background Framed Design with Grafix Dura-Bright White

While creating the intended designs, another idea was born, and I just rolled with it. Now I have a framed piece of art for my desk. I love it!!!!

Additional Resources:

Check out the video on the Grafix Arts YouTube channel where I share how I did this HERE and I’ve included a supply list below too!

Supplies used for Alcohol Ink Backgrounds with Grafix Dura-Bright:

Designs I used in the video:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Grafix Dura-Bright Alcohol Ink Backgrounds

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Sublimation Door Hanger with Artesprix Sublimation Inks & Markers

Sublimation Door Hanger
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

This month’s project with Artesprix is all about adding a personal touch with a custom sublimation door hanger! For this design, I decided to go the extra creative mile by hand-drawing the artwork, giving it a unique and personal feel. Using Artesprix sublimation markers and my own creativity, I transformed a simple blank door hanger into a vibrant, one-of-a-kind piece of home decor. From the initial sketch to the final heat press reveal, this project showcases just how versatile and fun sublimation crafting can be!

Artesprix Sublimation Door Hanger with Markers and Inks

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For this design I was experimenting a bit along the way and I already have ideas for another one too!

I used the Artesprix Sublimation Ink mixed with a bit of water for the background and painted that onto mixed media paper. In the future, I will add a little more water to the ink to make it a little bit lighter. With sublimation colors, you don’t see the final color until after it has been heat pressed. This turned out with a very vibrant, bright yellow.

Then I hand lettered the text using the Artesprix sublimation markers. The key about text with sublimation is that it has to be mirrored. I am not great at writing backwards, so I shared some tricks I used in the video below.

Next, I drew the leaves using a pencil. Pencil does not transfer to the sublimation blank so it’s great to draw around your blank for a template or sketch in designs. And then used more ink colors to color in the leaves and finished those off by outlining with the sublimation markers in several colors.

Anyone can do this and you do NOT have to be an artist to create with the Artesprix Sublimation products. You also do NOT need a sublimation printer, so it is a great way to dip your toe in the water to test sublimation before investing in a bunch of equipment.

Supplies used to create sublimation door hanger:

Watch how this all came together with the Artesprix Sublimation products in the new tutorial HERE on the Artesprix YouTube channel.

Check out additional ideas created with the Artesprix Door Hanger HERE.

I love creating with the Artesprix products and find it really stretches my creative soul often leaving me with more ideas for future projects. Find more projects I’ve created using the Artesprix sublimation products HERE.

I’ll be sharing more so make sure to follow Artesprix on social media to see more projects!
YouTube channel
Blog
Facebook Page
Iron-on-Ink Inspirational Facebook Group

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Sublimation Door Hanger with Artesprix Sublimation Inks & Markers Pin


Grab some Artesprix sublimation products and get to creating today!

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!

Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
**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.
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Silhouette Studio: Testing Print Colors

Silhouette Testing Print Colors
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

The Silhouette Studio software allows you to print directly from the program to any printer that is setup on your computer. This action can be performed easily by going to File > Print and selecting the printer you are using once the design is ready to print. However, the colors you see on the computer screen may not be the actual results that print out from your printer.

Silhouette Print in Color

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Factors That Can Affect Printed Colors

  1. A computer monitor is not calibrated to print colors. Each brand of computer monitor can vary in the visual representative that you see.
    If you were sitting next to someone else using the exact same Silhouette Studio software version, your colors may not appear the same on screen as that person next to you simply because you are using different computers.
  2. Computer monitors display in RGB (Red Green Blue) versus printers that are CYMK (Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, black) – this can affect the actual printed results versus what is seen on the screen.
  3. There are many different brands and models of printers out there on the market being used worldwide. Different brands and models of printers can yield different results.
  4. Printer ink can vary by brand and yield different results.
  5. The material being printed on can affect the colors. Different materials absorb the ink and the final color you see can vary depending on the material.
    For instance, plain cardstock will absorb more ink into the paper versus a glossy photo paper. This can make the color appear muted on the cardstock versus a more vibrant print on a shiny gloss of photo paper.
  6. The printer settings selected when printing can affect color outcome. Each printer model has different settings it can print at and what you select for the print job sent can affect the final outcome of colors. For example, draft settings versus normal versus photo quality.
  7. Printer drivers can affect the outcome of colors and other options available, such as print page size, etc. For best results, install the full printer drivers direct from the printer manufacturer’s website for your specific printer model. Simply plugging in a printer or connecting it to your computer does not usually install the full printer drivers. While it may print, it may not have all the options of the full print driver as it’s using a default driver that’s in the computer operating system to perform basic print functions.
  8. Computer operating systems (OS) and updates. Print quality can vary by Windows versus MAC and also by the OS updates on those computer systems. We have seen print color output change overnight with a computer OS update.
  9. Different software programs can have different print color results.

Now that we’ve covered a few things that can make the difference, how can you test what colors you see versus what colors you get when printing?

Silhouette Studio: Color Test Print

Draw out 1-inch squares (or larger if needed) and replicate to fill the page

Silhouette Studio Test Print Squares

Open the Fill Color Panel and fill each square with a color that you want to test print.

Silhouette Fill Color Panel

The full Fill Color Panel on the right side of the Silhouette software has several options for adding colors. Use the preset colors, add your own custom color, or add in colors by HEX, HSL, or RGB codes. Create your own custom color palettes too for easy access on future projects.

Silhouette Fill Color Panel Entering Hex codes for test print

I used the Color Cubes by Sarah Renae Clark to fill in a page of color combinations that I want to test print.  The color cards give 5 colors with the HEX code for each color and also have shades of that color shown on the card.

Color Cubes by Sarah Renae Clark

In the Silhouette Studio software, at the bottom of the Fill Color Panel, you can adjust the color to another shade easily by moving the custom color dot around on the color palette.

Silhouette Fill Color Panel Custom Palette

Once page is filled as desired, then select File > Print in top left corner.

Silhouette File Print Preview

Verify on the Print Preview that everything will be printed as desired. The print preview is where you can catch errors before you waste ink printing. For instance, if the design is not showing completely and is cut off, that can indicate the wrong printer is selected or the page size is incorrect. There is still time to make changes before you commit to printing and using ink.
If you are doing a print and cut project, verify that all 3 registration marks show as printing completely on the page before you click print.

When ready, click Print. The printer menu will pop up and you can select what options you would like to print at and where to print from. I use the rear tray on my printer when printing any specialty materials or cardstock.

Silhouette File Print Printer Menu

If you make any changes such as the actual printer being used or the page size, you will need to apply those changes and then cancel out to the main design screen to reset those settings completely.

Once printed, you can see how the colors will print on that particular material. It’s always best to test on the actual material you will be using to know for sure.

Test Print from Silhouette Studio

I printed this on higher quality copy paper using the regular print settings from my printer. I was also notified that one ink cartridge was low on ink, so I know that will affect the colors that are printed as well.

Additional Tips for Printing:

Objects or designs need to be filled with color to print.

Silhouette Studio is designed as a cutting software. That means the red lines you see on the design mat are cut lines for a Silhouette machine to follow. When a shape is drawn or text typed out, it is generally not filled with any color and the software sees it as empty. Which is exactly how it will print to a printer if sent. This is one great thing about utilizing print preview, you can catch issues before you’ve actually tried to print the project.

Cut lines do not print unless told to do so.

There are 2 options if you want the line of an object to print.

1 – Increase line thickness above 0. Any line thickness above 0 will print on the material.

    Silhouette Increase Line Thickness for Printing

    Here is what the text above will show on the Print Preview when the top text line is set to 0 line width and the bottom is set to 1.75.

    Silhouette Print Preview Line Thickness Increased

    2 – Select the objects you want the lines to print on and check the Print Lines of Selected Shapes box on the bottom of the Line Style Panel.

    Silhouette Print Lines of Selected Shapes

    Here is what the text above will show on the Print Preview when the top text has the print lines of selected shapes chosen.

    Silhouette Print Preview of Print Lines Selected

    There is also an italic note stating: This will display your 0 pt cut lines as 0.1 pt lines in prints and in SVG and PDF exports.

    Sublimation prints need to be pressed to show true color.

    If you are printing using sublimation inks, the true colors will not show until the design has been pressed. A sublimation print will always look dull or muted prior to pressing.
    For best results and the most accurate colors, press onto 100% polyester. This will show the final colors

    New equipment may not function the same as old equipment.

    Getting a new, updated printer model can be a great thing! However, users can be quickly frustrated when things do not work the same or the new printer doesn’t print the same colors the same as the old one did. It can take some getting used to for all new equipment.

    Low ink of any cartridge or tank can affect the color outcome.

    Most home printers have a set of color cartridges or tanks, for instance, my Canon TS9521C has 3 colors and 2 black cartridges. To make up the colors you are asking it to print, the printer combines those inks in order to make the color output. If a color cartridge or tank is low on ink, it may not yield the desired results.

    The results that each user sees and has when printed can vary simply because we all have different equipment we are using.

    Additional resources:

    And check out the Silhouette Live Tutorial – Colors in Silhouette HERE on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

    Silhouette Live Tutorial on YouTube about Colors

    Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

    Silhouette Testing Print Colors Pin

    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!

    Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

    Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
    **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.
    Posted on — Leave a comment

    Silhouette Studio: 4 Ways to Open Patterns

    Silhouette Patterns Folder
    Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

    Four Ways to Open Patterns in Silhouette Studio

    Using patterns in the Silhouette Studio software can give your projects a unique look. Whether you are doing a print and cut project or creating a digital graphic image. Digital patterns can be a great asset to your toolbox. As with many tools in the Silhouette Studio software, there can be multiple ways to do it. I’m sharing 4 ways that patterns can be opened in Silhouette Studio below, but first what is a pattern?

    A digital pattern is a photo file. It is typically a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF file format. Before we get too far into it, one thing to note about digital patterns is that they can be quite large. A digital pattern, when designed properly should be 300 dpi for print quality. That means the file size is much greater than your average SVG file. Since every user has a different computer with different specifications, that also means that each user’s computer may handle data differently. When working with heavy data files, close any programs that are not necessary and any tabs within Silhouette that are not needed. I’d also recommend clearing out any Recovered Documents and keep that cleared out as well. This will help your computer and software run as smooth as it can.

    4 Ways to Open Patterns in Silhouette Studio

    1 – Open the pattern from the Silhouette Library Patterns Folder.
    If you want to open the full pattern on the design mat, double click on the pattern in the Silhouette Library Patterns folder.
    If you want to fill a particular shape, click on the shape to select it on the design mat. Then click on the Library Tab, Patterns folder and single click on the pattern. Click back on the Design tab and the shape will be filled with the pattern selected.
    If you double click with a shape selected, it will fill the shape and then also open the full pattern on top of that too.

    Silhouette Library Patterns Folder

    2 – Select a pattern from the Fill Color Panel – Tab 3.

    Silhouette Fill Color Panel

      3 – Click on the Show/Hide Library icon in the bottom left corner of the design tab.
      This will open a split screen showing the library and the design tab. This can be much easier to see larger images of thumbnails and design with instead of having to swap back and forth between the Design and Library tabs.
      Select a pattern the same way as in #1.

      Silhouette Show Hide Library Split Screen



      4 – Drag and drop a pattern from a folder saved on your computer or storage device.
      When dragging and dropping, drag the pattern to the shape you want to fill and hold it until the pattern has filled the shape. If you move too fast and release the mouse button too quick a little white rectangle will appear and not go away. The only way to get it to disappear is to close and reopen the software.

      Silhouette Drag and Drop Pattern

      I am sharing even more information in this video on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel found HERE.

      Silhouette YouTube video on 4 Ways to Open Patterns in Silhouette Studio

      I hope these tips have helped give you some ideas on how to work with patterns and create unique projects in Silhouette Studio. Check out the additional resources below to learn even more!

      Additional Resources:

      Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

      Patterns in Silhouette Pin

      Enjoy !

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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!

      Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

      Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
      **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.
      Posted on — 1 Comment

      Grafix Frisket Film with Silhouette

      Frisket Film Card Designs
      Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

      There are so many possibilities when you have a cutting machine and can cut any design that you want. Combine that with the Grafix Frisket Film and wow! Endless card designs and projects you can create. I’m sharing a few cards I created below and I hope it sparks some ideas of projects you could create too!

      Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

      For this project I used several flower designs in Silhouette Studio and cut those from the Grafix Frisket Film on the Silhouette Cameo 5. You could use any brand of cutting machine or a die cut machine as well to cut the Grafix Frisket Film.

      Silhouette Studio Setup Flower Designs

      Cut settings for materials can vary by machine, blade life, material, and more! Test cuts are the only way you will know for sure what will work best and not waste materials.

      For the Grafix Frisket Film, I used Silhouette settings of:
      Blade Depth – 2, Force – 10, and Speed – 5

      Additional Resources:

      Cards with Grafix Frisket Film

      Take a look at these stunning cards—yes, you can create them too! I am sharing the video tutorial and supply list below to start crafting your own beautiful designs today!

      Grafix Frisket Film to Create Cards with Silhouette

      Find the new video on the Grafix Arts YouTube channel where I share how I did this HERE and I’ve included a supply list below too!

      Supplies used for Creating Cards with Grafix Frisket Film:

      Flower Designs I used in the video:

      Grafix Frisket Film Cards Close Up

      Every card you create can be unique and you can use the Grafix Frisket Film over and over again or cut new designs to use too!

      Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

      Grafix Frisket Film for Card Masking

      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!

      Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

      Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
      **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.
      Posted on — 2 Comments

      Create Stunning Silhouette Projects with Sarah Hurley’s Designs: Cards, T-shirts & More

      Crafting Creativity Sarah Hurley
      Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

      In this edition of Crafting Creativity I’ll be sharing the projects I created through the month with an arrow background/stencil design. So many great options from one file! A great big thank you to Sarah Hurley for providing the free file for the Silhouette Secrets+ August newsletter!

      Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Sarah Hurley website

      What is Crafting Creativity?

      I started sharing a blog post each month where I’m sharing the projects I’ve created with 1 file from an artist I have collaborated with. This is a file that the designer has provided for the Silhouette Secrets+ Newsletter subscribers and each month is something new! My goal is to share how you can take 1 design and think about different projects use it in to make your designs go farther! In each blog post, I’m sharing the projects created, the supply list, and additional resources that can help you learn more and advance your skills!

      Sarah Hurley Arrow Background Stencil Design Silhouette Design Store

      Crafting Creativity with Sarah Hurley

      Project #1 – Fun Card with Bosh Cat and Arrow Background

      Card created with designs by Sarah Hurley

      I knew the moment I saw the Bosh cat design that I wanted to use him on a project. In following Sarah Hurley on social media and saw that she had adopted him, so I watch for his appearances. I always wonder what he’s thinking and feel like many of her designs would fit right in with Bosh’s thoughts.

      Additional Resources:

      Supplies Used:

      Project #2 – Fun Interchangeable Sign

      Fun Interchangeable Sign with Silhouette with designs by Sarah Hurley

      Projects seem to take on a life of their own and I am getting better about just going with the flow of things and the direction it takes me. I knew I wanted to start with something bigger with this project and it developed along the way.

      This fun sign is magnetic and the saying can be swapped out depending on what mood strikes you. Feeling snarky? Add a snarky saying. Sarah Hurley has some good ones in the Silhouette Design Store and sometimes I just enjoy scrolling through them for a laugh.
      Need a pick-me-up? Add an inspiration saying…. or – leave them guessing at what will be up next.

      Watch the video on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel and learn how to create your own interchangeable sign. Find it out HERE or click the image below.

      Video Tutorial link to Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel for Interchangeable Sign
      Video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE

      Additional Resources:

      Supplies Used:

      Project #3 – This Side Up T-Shirt Using Text to Path

      Text To Path T-Shirt Design in Silhouette with designs by Sarah Hurley

      This was a fun way to use up scraps and create a fun shirt for myself. Anyone who’s ever traveled with me knows that I can trip over thin air. It’s genetic or that’s what we joke about because I get it from my Mom. If you ever see me on the ground, you’ll know why.

      Text to Path is an awesome feature in the Silhouette Studio software and is available for all users. Check out how easy it is in this new video – Silhouette Tutorial: Quick and Easy Text to Path Tutorial HERE.

      Silhouette Tutorial Text to Path

      Additional Resources:

      Supplies Used:

      Project #4 – Sublimation Journal Cover with a Stencil

      Grafix Stencil Film with Silhouette

      I love being able to create my own projects and modify them as needed. That is exactly what I did in creating this stencil with the Grafix Stencil Film. The arrow background/stencil design came in as a square, but I was able to modify it with a few simple steps to make it for what I needed.

      Check out more details on how I created the stencil in this blog post:
      Create Customs Stencils: Using Grafix Stencil Film with Your Silhouette HERE

      Stencil Design in Silhouette Studio with Sarah Hurley design

      This was a fun project I created in a collaboration with Grafix Arts. Find the new video tutorial on the Grafix YouTube channel HERE

      Additional Resources:

      Supplies Used:

      Project #5 – Bookmarks with Print and Cut

      Silhouette Print and Cut Bookmarks with a Holographic Overlay with Sarah Hurley design

      I used the arrow background/stencil design to create these bookmarks and then added my own custom color to it with the help of the Color Cubes by Sarah Renae Clark to select a color palette for the 2 different designs.

      I shared how I did that in this video – Silhouette Studio Custom Color Palette Add Colors found HERE on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

      Custom Color Palette in Silhouette Studio

      The holographic overlay adds a fun touch as well as protects the bookmark front too!

      Additional Resources:

      Supplies Used:

      I hope this edition of Crafting Creativity with Sarah Hurley has sparked a few ideas about what you can create. Write those ideas down and see where they take you!!!

      Find more amazing designs by Sarah Hurley at the Silhouette Design Store. Follow along with Sarah Hurley on their website, Facebook, and Instagram too!

      A great big thank you to Sarah Hurley for contributing the free file for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter for the month of August! If you missed grabbing the free Arrow Background/Stencil, it is available in the Silhouette Design Store HERE.

      Sign up for the weekly newsletter HERE to have information delivered direct to your inbox and grab the new freebie each month.

      Silhouette Secrets+ Newsletter

      Never miss out on the news, tips, “secrets”, deals, classes, and more that I share on Silhouette Secrets+. Sign up for the newsletter and get information delivered to your inbox every Friday.
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      I hope this has given you some ideas on how one file can lead to many different projects!

      Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

      Multiple Projects from 1 Design by Sarah Hurley

      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!

      Silhouette step-by-step Classes by Silhouette Secrets+

      Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae
      **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.