Category: Silhouette

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3D Cards and More with One File + Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

This edition of Crafting Creativity is all about projects with a 3D Lemonade Bouquet Card by Lori Whitlock and is designed to spark the creative ideas of what you can do with 1 file. This blog post covers 6 projects I created using one 3D card design with my Silhouette Studio software and machines.

A decorative yellow pitcher filled with paper flowers and lemons, featuring the text 'Squeeze the Day!' 3D Lemonade Bouquet Card design by Lori Whitlock.

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

The Crafting Creativity series is designed for sharing inspiration, designs, and showing how to make your designs go farther or think outside the box. Find more Crafting Creativity inspiration HERE.

Crafting Creativity with Lori Whitlock

The Crafting Creativity video below shares a preview of the projects created with 3D Lemonade Bouquet Card file by Lori Whitlock. Additional photos, details, tips, tutorials, and supply lists can be found by scrolling under the video.

Project #1 – 3D Lemonade Bouquet Card and Mini Card

A vibrant paper craft featuring a lemon-themed bouquet in a yellow pitcher, with green leaves and white flowers, alongside a green card that says 'Have a Good Day.'

I like to start with the original file as it was designed to kick the monthly projects off. This card is designed to fit in a 5″ x 7″ envelope and has a little mini buddy card with it.

Check out the LIVE video I did to assemble this card below. I shared tips for assembly, admitted my mistakes, showed ways to embellish the card, and assembled a 2nd card style during the LIVE as well.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #2 – Chalkboard Sign

A decorative black sign with the phrase 'Squeeze the Day!' in white script, featuring yellow lemons and green leaves, adorned with a colorful beaded hanger.

For this project, I took the lemon blossoms and the saying from the design to create the sign. I like to mock up the design in Silhouette and see what the placement will look like. This way I can play with the sizing of the design and know what will work to cut. I draw out a rounded rectangle the same size as the actual chalkboard and then adjust the design as needed. Here is a look at my design file and the arrangements I was looking at.

A digital design workspace showcasing three chalkboard signs featuring the phrase 'Squeeze the Day!' with lemon and flower graphics. The workspace includes design tools and settings on the right side.

When I was ready to cut, I set up the design to cut multiple colors of adhesive vinyl at one time.

A screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying a design for chalkboard signs with lemon illustrations and the phrase 'Squeeze the Day!' on a black background, along with a cutting mat setup.

I did modify the lemon blossom designs a bit, so I was not layering adhesive vinyl on top of each other. Sometimes when using colors like white and yellow over top of a darker color, like green, the green will affect the color of the lighter vinyl. I didn’t want that, so I took the layered design and subtracted the areas underneath. When I did this, it was not exact, so I had to do some clean-up, which then turned into the August Creative Community member exclusive tutorial. I shared step-by-step how I did it and what worked, what didn’t, what you might encounter, and we covered several tools in Silhouette Studio.

In addition to that, I needed to be able to provide members with a design to practice with, which I shared how I created that in the YouTube video shown below.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #3 – Lemon Print and Cut Cards & Stickers

I took the lemon blossoms, arranged them together, and turned them into a print and cut page. It started as a card design using print and cut elements and personally, I have to fill up the extra space with additional designs and not leave it blank, so I added in a few smaller lemon blossoms too.

Graphic design interface displaying a patterned arrangement of yellow lemons and green leaves, along with text labels like 'Squeeze the Day', 'Hello Sunshine', 'Happy Birthday', and 'Oh Happy Day'.

To give these designs a bit more dimension & depth, I added a line color to the green and yellow of 0.75″ in a slightly darker shade of the fill color. This helps to differentiate between the overlapping lemons and leaves.

A graphic design featuring two yellow lemons with green leaves and white flowers, created in Silhouette Studio software.

This is not something that you have to do and is very project dependent, but I felt it helped to make the pieces stand out versus melt together in blobs.

With the entire design selected, click on the Send tab and it might look like a mess of cut lines. That is because the file is designed to cut each of the pieces out of material and layer it together.

A digital design of two lemons with green leaves and white flowers on a Silhouette Studio interface.

With the design selected, you’ll also see that on the right side, “Cut” is highlighted. This means that the software thinks every piece is to be cut out and why you see the overlapping cut lines. With the entire design selected, choose “Cut Edge”.

A digital design interface showing a graphic of two lemons and white flowers with green leaves, created in Silhouette Studio software, along with tools for cutting and material settings.

I printed on sticker paper and had a few extra planner stickers in addition to 4 card designs.

A workspace featuring a planner open to September 2026, surrounded by handmade greeting cards with floral designs and cheerful messages.

There are a couple things to mention here for this type of project. The Silhouette software only does what you tell it to do. If a design isn’t filled with color, then nothing will be printed. This file was filled with color when it was opened, so those are the colors that I used. However, you can change things up simply by selecting the design and changing the fill color.

By now, you have read me say – “select the design” several times. This is very important! It is one of the most common things we see users post with issues. Most often, they are referring to the Send tab and the options for “Cut” or “Cut Edge” are not highlighted or won’t allow a change. Or in old Silhouette software versions, it could be changed, but nothing happens on the screen.

If nothing is selected, there is nothing to change. So if the design is not selected on the screen, the software has nothing to apply the changes to and that is why “Cut” and “Cut Edge” are not highlighted or able to be switched.

While we see it most often with the Send tab and changing Cut to Cut Edge or turning cut lines off entirely, it can also be a reason something else isn’t looking right either. For instance, if nothing is selected on the screen the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) won’t have as many options shown.

Graphic design software interface showing a lemon illustration with leaves and flowers, labeled 'QAT' at the top.

If you have ever wondered why you couldn’t select “Cut” or “Cut Edge” or why some options aren’t available to you, hopefully that solves that mystery.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #4 – Supersized Giant Cards

For this project, I took the Lemonade Bouquet Card and blew it up! Using .studio or SVG files have so much versatility in that you can scale a project up or down and not lose quality. I took the file and made it the largest I could with the supplies I had.

A woman holding a large, colorful paper cutout of a tea cup with flowers and a lemon, set in a craft studio filled with various crafting supplies.

I used the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II and 22″ x 28″ poster board to make this giant, supersized card.

Here is a photo showing the size difference in the original card design next to the giant, supersized project.

A person holding a large, colorful decoration of a lemon-themed flower arrangement in a yellow pitcher labeled 'Squeeze the Day'. The background includes craft supplies and tools.

There are 4 main factors that affect how large you can create:

  • Material size – cardstock sizes can be a limiting factor. I used poster board for the largest pieces of this giant card.
  • Machine model – from the Silhouette Portrait with a cutting width of 8-8.5″ wide up to the Cameo Pro with a cutting width of ~24″ wide
  • The Design – layout and pieces of the design affect the size or if the file will need modified to cut larger
  • Time – all projects take time. The larger you go, the more time it might take to cut and assemble.

I was able to put together a quick video showing how I determine the size I can create in Silhouette and a few additional tips I learned along the way with my project.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #5 & 6 – Card Creations

These next 2 cards just happened through the month. I attended an in-person event called Craft Roulette and started participating in their challenges as a goal for myself – to create more!

Craft Roulette is a weekly online “show” that spins a wheel to give the creators different parameters each week. It is designed to challenge the creator and help crafters think outside the box. What is posted in the gallery and Facebook group is amazing! So many different ideas that come up the same parameters is truly inspiring.

Here is my first ever submission to Craft Roulette that I submitted the week before the in-person event.

A colorful poster featuring a quote that says 'When life gives you LEMONS make lemonade' with illustrations of lemons and flowers on a blue background.

I mixed and matched designs in this project and have those listed below.

Supplies Used:

And then I used the design again at the end of the month for a Craft Roulette submission. This one took the lemonade bouquet and shrunk it down to fit on the front of a card.

A handmade greeting card featuring a yellow pitcher with green leaves, lemons, and white flowers, placed on a green and yellow patterned background, with a cutting machine in the background.

Supplies Used:

Do you only use a file one time or for the original project? Or are you getting the most out of your designs that you own? I hope these ideas have sparked some creative energy and get you thinking about your designs in a new way.

Want to see more ideas? Check out the last collaboration with Lori Whitlock – 4 Creative Ways to Use Lori Whitlock Designs: Inspiring Projects for Every Crafter HERE.

Featured Designer – Lori Whitlock

A great big THANK YOU to Lori Whitlock for collaborating for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter!

Find more designs by Lori Whitlock

Follow along with Lori Whitlock on her website, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Find tutorials on Lori Whitlock’s website HERE.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE so you don’t miss out on future collaborations.

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For even more inspiration, tips, and creative project ideas, be sure to browse the Crafting Creativity section on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

A collage of crafting projects themed around lemons and flowers, featuring various paper designs, cards, and decorative items that promote creativity and positive messages.

Enjoy !

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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!

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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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Easy Fun Fall Card with Silhouette & Watercolors

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

These cards turned out fantastic and I just have to share how I created the Fall cards with my Silhouette and supplies from Pointer USA.

A crafting workspace with pink cardstock, art supplies, and homemade autumn-themed cards with falling leaves and inspirational quotes.

Sometimes I get the opportunity to work with a company or product and my goal is to find ways to use that with my Silhouette or with a Silhouette project. That is after all the main focus of Silhouette Secrets+ right!

I am a Creative Professional with NAMTA and Pointer USA reached out to me before the 2026 Creativation to see if I’d like to test some of their products. I will fully admit I wasn’t sure what the quality would be when I first looked at the site, but once I started using the products I had no doubts. I have since purchased more myself because I am using the products in my projects. Not only are they a good quality craft supply, but they are also economical too, which I know that most of those reading are also looking for. No matter what supplies you use, I hope you get some ideas from this blog post for your future projects

Full disclosure: I have received products from Pointer USA for testing and was paid for the Instagram reel created (Sept 2026). My opinions are my own and I was not paid to promote with this blog post.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

First, I want to share the Instagram reel that I created that shows the process. Of course, reels are designed for short form & it takes longer than 50 seconds to complete the project, so it is a very quick glimpse at my process. I’ll share a few more details, a supply list, and screenshots of my design in Silhouette Studio below the reel, so make sure to scroll farther down.

Supplies Used for Fall Cards with Silhouette

Fall Card Design Details

I started first with the watercolor background. This takes no skill at all and anyone can do this smoosh technique. I love how it gives a different pattern and unique look each time.

I started with my lightest color first. I added a bit of yellow watercolor paint on top of my Glassboard mat and then added water with a water brush from the watercolor travel kit.

Close-up of a hand using a water brush to apply yellow paint onto a grid-patterned surface, with a watercolor palette and paint tubes visible in the background.

Then I laid down the mixed media paper over top to pick up the color. I repeated that to fill the entire page. And repeated the same process with the orange and red watercolors. Have fun with this and create some awesome background images. Don’t focus on what the entire page looks like. It should be random, especially for this project since you will only see a glimpse of the background through the leaf cutouts of the card front.

A vibrant watercolor painting featuring shades of orange and yellow on textured paper, accompanied by a watercolor palette and a water brush.

I chose to use the Art PRO watercolor tubes of paint for this project and it turned out fantastic and bright.

While that dried I headed to the Silhouette Studio software to create my card design. I used a combination of sketching and cutting with the Silhouette to make the card fronts and designed everything in Silhouette so I knew exactly how it would look.

Here is a look at the card design in Silhouette Studio all put together. I love to be able to mock-up a design before I start cutting so I can see how it will all fit together.

A digital design featuring red autumn leaves scattered around the word 'fall,' with the text 'is proof that change is beautiful' at the bottom. The design has a layered border in orange and yellow.

The white and the yellow layers have the leaves cut out so it will show through the red layer which is going to be the watercolor background.

Here is a look at the layers of this card design separated out in Silhouette Studio.

Design workspace in Silhouette Studio showing a layout for fall-themed crafting, featuring various colored rectangles and autumn leaves.

The fall sentiment will be sent to sketch out on the front of the card and then without unloading the mat, the leaves will be cut from the card front. From one sheet of letter size paper, I could get 4 card fronts and I took it a step farther by swapping out the pen for each one. This took a little bit more time to complete, but I wanted to show how the colors would look and mix it up.

Since I was sending the designs to sketch and then cut, I used the Cut by line feature to be able to send each action separately. This was extremely helpful to be able to send only one card to sketch at a time and swap out the pen colors in between. More details on using the Cut/Sketch by Line Color in Silhouette HERE.

Four handcrafted greeting cards featuring autumn leaves in various colors, with the word 'fall' and the phrase 'is proof that change is beautiful' displayed prominently.

Look at that background showing through! It turned out even better than I thought it would. Each card is completely different and I don’t know which one is my favorite.

I love playing with paper and seeing what is possible. I hope this has sparked some ideas for crafty projects in your future.

Find more Silhouette Resources HERE.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Colorful fall-themed cut out cards displayed on a crafting table with various art supplies, including glue, scissors, and pens.

Enjoy !

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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!

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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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Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette – Types, Tips, and Troubleshooting

Photo shows a Pocket Notebook cut from chipboard with a Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Have you ever cut chipboard with your Silhouette? Have you ever had troubles cutting chipboard? Years ago, I was testing and cutting chipboard with the plan to put out information on it. I ended up having some issues with different types of chipboard and burnt myself out on the topic. Fast forward to this month and I am working with a pocket notebook design for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter and have been cutting more chipboard again. So, it seemed fitting to share tips that can help you be successful if you use it for a project.

Here is a look at the first pocket notebook that I cut.

A handmade brown craft notebook with a green Celtic knot design on the cover, partially open to show blank white pages inside.

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

And then I wanted to cut it bigger, so I did. That’s the best part of having a cutting machine, being able to cut what you want.

An open, handmade notebook displaying blank pages, with a visible stitching along the spine. Surrounding tools include scissors, thread, paper embellishments, and crafting supplies on a blue cutting mat.

Tips for Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette

  • Do NOT unload the cutting mat after the cut. Check to see if it cut first and then send it again if needed.
  • It is common for chipboard to require multiple passes.
  • Increase the blade depth incrementally for each round of passes. Starting at a high blade depth can be more difficult to cut through thicker materials and can cause cut issues.
  • Not all parts of the file may need cut multiple times. For instance, score lines may not need to be cut more than a few times, since it’s not a cut through. Turn the cut lines off for those parts of the file. This can save you time & decrease the areas the cut can go wrong.
  • If the cut lines are not lining up on additional passes or the mat is skewing, this generally happens because the cut settings are too high. Back off the blade depth and try a few more passes before increasing the blade depth.
  • Buy extra materials!
  • Keep a dedicated blade for materials that are fibrous or dull quicker than others.
  • The blade may need to be cleaned out when cutting fibrous materials. Debris build up inside the blade can affect the swivel action and cut capabilities. Unscrew the cap on the bottom of the blade housing and remove any debris, then carefully screw the cap back on. Be careful not to cross thread the cap or it may not cut properly.

Supplies Used in Demo:

Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette video

Settings Used in the Video for Light Chipboard

Silhouette Autoblade with Portrait 4 machine model
Round 1 – Blade depth 4, Force 33, Passes 2
Round 2 – Blade depth 6, Force 33, Passes 2
Round 3 – Blade depth 8, Force 33, Passes 2

Additional Resources:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

A woman holding a piece of chipboard and pointing at it, wearing a t-shirt with 'create' printed on it, in a crafting workspace with various supplies in the background. Text overlay reads 'Cutting Chipboard WITH SILHOUETTE'.

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!

shop classes
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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Glass Etched Beach Themed Decor with Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

I love glass etching and being able to take something plain and make it stand out. I am always on the hunt for glassware at thrift stores and I’ve found some really good things. Thrifting is a great way to make amazing projects and keep on budget too. And Etchall etching creme never disappoints! It is so worth it, and a bottle lasts me a long time and more projects than I can count.

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

Here is a recent find from the thrift store and I love how it turned out. Now, full confession, it takes me a long time to find a design I like and settle on. I’ll share a glimpse of that farther in the blog post.

Photo shows a glass home decor vase that is etched with Don't Worry Beach Happy next to a bottle of Etchall etching creme.

Steps to Etched Glass Projects

  1. Create a stencil for etching.
  2. Clean glass blank with alcohol and allow to dry.
  3. Apply stencil.
  4. Mask off edge of stencil to prevent bleeding
  5. Apply Etchall Etching Creme and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove any excess Etching Creme and place back in the bottle.
  7. Wipe off remaining excess with a paper towel and safely discard paper towel.
  8. Run water in the sink and rinse off decal thoroughly.
  9. Remove masking tape and adhesive vinyl under running water.
  10. Rinse blank thoroughly.
  11. Dry and Enjoy!

Glass Etched Decor Supplies

Glass Etched Decor with Silhouette

Gather the supplies. I use scraps whenever I can. As you’ll see through the photos my adhesive vinyl color changes. I grabbed a scrap of adhesive vinyl and unfortunately, it was bad. It cut fine, but when I went to weed it, I knew there was an issue because it was not easy to weed. And in my true stubborn fashion, I worked hard and weeded the entire thing and then it wouldn’t stick to the glass. I know better. And I still continue to punish myself and try to salvage it. I’m sure there is at least one other person reading this that understands.

Photo show a table top with supplies for glass etching that include adhesive vinyl, a craft stick, painters tape, Etchall etching creme, a glass vase, and a Silhouette Cameo 5 in the background.

A couple signs that adhesive vinyl has gone bad is that with a good cut it’s still hard to weed and the backing separates from itself. This generally appears that the backing sticks to the adhesive vinyl and is difficult to weed. This can also happen when the cut is too deep, but as you get more and more experience you will start to recognize old vinyl versus a bad cut.

I measure the blank and create the shape the same size in the Silhouette software using the Drawing Tools. Then it is time to find the design for your project. This takes me the longest time. I will go through so many options, but I don’t delete them, I just move them off to the side and keep on creating.

Photo shows a screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software with design choices for the glass etching project.

Glass etching is permanent and I like to ensure success, so I like to hit it with a little bit of heat. But, be careful and let the glass cool after this. Hot glass looks like cool glass. This step can help with little bits being held in place better. It can also help smooth out any areas that may have had allowed etching creme to seep underneath. I also add a layer of painter’s tape around the edges just in case any etching creme dribbles or runs. This has saved me so many times.

Photo shows a table top with adhesive vinyl applied to a glass vase and heat being applied to secure the stencil. A bottle of Etchall etching creme and a Silhouette Cameo 5 are in the background.

I then cover the entire stencil area where the design is with Etchall etching creme and wait 20 minutes.

Photo shows a glass etching project with the Etchall etching creme applied to complete the etch process.

When 20 minutes is up, I carefully scrap the Etchall etching creme off and put it back in the jar. Etchall etching creme can be reused and doesn’t lose its potency. After the excess is scrapped off, I will carefully wipe the design with a paper towel before running water in the sink and rinsing off any remaining residue. At this step, you do want to be careful not to dislodge any pieces of the design. It never fails that when an oops happens and the creme touches an area you do not want to etch; it will etch in seconds.

Once the Etchall etching creme has been rinsed, removed the stencil and painter’s tape, and then carefully dry the glass container. I love using Etchall etching creme and have perfect etches each time! I’ve compared etching creme’s and it is the best. Glass can have its flaws, which can cause some imperfections in the etch, but those are few and far between with Etchall etching creme.

Photo shows a look at the glass vase after the Etchall etching creme has been removed and the glass vase has been cleaned, dried, and polished.

I love it! That sounds like a broken record, but it’s true when I etch with Etchall etching creme. Now the only thing left to do is find the perfect thing to fill this glass etched decor vase with. I tried some shells and sea glass, but just wasn’t happy with how it looked, so I am still on the hunt for the perfect fit to this gorgeous piece.

Photo shows a finished look at the beach themed glass etched home decor project with a bottle of Etchall etching creme next to it.

Give it a try! But I’ll warn you, it might be addicting and then you’ll be on the hunt for more glassware to etch and more projects get added to your to do list.

Check out more glass etching projects HERE.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photo is a Pinterest image of the glass etched beach theme decor with Etchall.

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!

shop classes
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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BIG projects with Silhouette – Supersized Giant Card Creation

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Do you create more than one project with a cut file? That is exactly what the Crafting Creativity series is all about! Do more with your files like blow it up and create a supersized, giant card creation with your Silhouette. Have you seen the giant cards in the store? If you own a cutting machine, you can make your own. I took a 5″ x 7″ card design by Lori Whitlock and scaled it up as large as I could to create a giant card.

Photo shows a background of a craft studio with supplies and EllyMae with Silhouette Secrets+ holding a giant card made with Silhouette.

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

This project type could be done with any model of Silhouette machine from the Silhouette Portrait, Silhouette Cameo, the Silhouette Cameo Pro, and even the Silhouette Curio 2. In the video below, I shared factors that go into this type of project & how I determined how big I could cut this file depending on the machine type.

Plus, more tips, still photos, and a supply list are included farther down in this blog post.

Supplies Used for Giant Card Creation

I used the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II to cut all the pieces for this giant card using the 24″ x 24″, 12″ x 24″, and 12″ x 12″ Silhouette cutting mats. Here is a look at the giant card next to the original card design size of 5″ x 7″.

Photo shows a craft studio background and a supersized, giant card next to the original sized card for comparison.

If I were to recreate this project again, I would probably cut multiples of each piece and layer them together to make the card a bit more sturdy.

Here is a look at all the pieces cut for this card next to the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II.

Photo shows a craft studio with a Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II machine on a table and poster board and cardstock pieces cut before assembly for a giant, supersized card.

How Large Can a Design Be Cut?

When cutting large projects like this, there are 4 main factors to how large you can cut.

  1. Material size – cardstock sizes can be a limiting factor. I used poster board for the largest pieces of this giant card.
  2. Machine model – from the Silhouette Portrait with a cutting width of 8-8.5″ wide up to the Cameo Pro with a cutting width of ~24″ wide
  3. The Design – layout and pieces of the design affect the size or if the file will need modified to cut larger
  4. Time – all projects take time. The larger you go, the more time it might take to cut and assemble.

Cut Settings for Poster Board

Poster board varies greatly in thickness, coating, density, and quality. There is no magic numbers for cut settings that works for all poster board. What does work to determine what works for the poster board you have are TEST CUTS!

The poster board I was using is thinner than other brands I’ve worked with, so my cut settings did not have to be very high.

Photo shows a screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software showing the Send tab with the cut settings used by EllyMae at Silhouette Secrets+ for this giant, supersized card project.

As I mentioned in the video, you want to use the largest piece of the design to determine the maximum size you can cut with your materials. I thought this green leaf piece was the largest piece and it was not until I started cutting parts out that I realized the largest piece was the pop out mechanism. I was already half way done cutting when I realized this, but for this project it was not too big of a deal and I could just scale the pop out mechanism down a little bit and keep on going.

Photo shows a screenshot of Silhouette Studio software with the pop out mechanism design on the virtual mat to be cut for the giant, supersized card creation.

This was such a fun project to create. Have you ever created a supersized project with Silhouette? Let us know below in the comments.

If you missed it above, you can watch the video on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

Check out the even faster reel on Instagram HERE. It took me about an hour to cut all the pieces for the card, but when you forget to adjust the timelapse speed from auto, it records it all in 21 seconds.

Photo shows EllyMae with Silhouette Secrets+ holding up the giant, supersized card created with Silhouette that features a Lemonade Bouquet design by Lori Whitlock.

Additional Resources:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photo is in Pinterest format and shows a giant, supersized card creation by EllyMae with Silhouette Secrets+.

Enjoy !

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Monogram Font Projects with Silhouette

Close up look at a custom shaker card made with Silhouette.

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

This edition of Crafting Creativity is all about projects with a Monogram Font from Quietfire Designs. The Crafting Creativity series focuses on using your designs to create more! More possibilities, more ideas, more crafting! This month’s feature is a Big Snowflake Monogram Font by Quietfire Designs and has so many options that include unique snowflake letters, but also 3 additional snowflake designs with alternate keystrokes.

Big Snowflake Monogram Font by Quietfire Designs

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

The Crafting Creativity series is designed for sharing inspiration, designs, and showing how to make your designs go farther or think outside the box. Find more Crafting Creativity inspiration HERE.

Crafting Creativity with QuietFire Designs

Crafting Creativity video preview of the projects created with Big Snowflake Monogram Font by Quietfire Designs. Additional photos, details, tips, tutorials, and supply lists can be found by scrolling under the video.

Project #1 – Shaped Edge Monogram Card – 2 Ways

I used the letter H monogram from the Big Snowflake Monogram Font and created a side fold and a top fold shaped edge monogram card. Plus, the way the font is created, you end up with a snowflake design cut from the middle that can be used for another project too!

This photo shows 2 shaped edge monogram cards that were created in the Silhouette software on a table in front of a Silhouette Cameo 5 with a Precision Glue Press.

Here is a look at the design file in Silhouette Studio as I was creating these cards.

Photos shows a screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software with the design of 2 shaped edge monogram cards created by EllyMae at Silhouette Secrets+

And I have a YouTube video showing you exactly how I created both of these cards in the Silhouette Studio software on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel. Watch it below or direct on YouTube.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #2 – Snowflake Ornament and Monogram Ornament

For this project, I used the Big Snowflake Monogram font added an offset and a small circle at the top to create an ornament design. I then exported the design as a SVG file to use with my laser machine.

I originally was just going to do the monogram ornament and then the snowflake jumped in the projects too! In this monogram font, the comma, period, and question mark all create a design too!

Photo shows 2 custom snowflake laser engraved and cut wood ornaments with wire wrapped beaded ornament hangers.

And then with a bit of wire bending and wrapping created 2 beaded ornament hangers. You could also use craft twine or premade ornament hangers too!

Don’t have access to a laser? No problem, you could also create ornaments out of many other different materials such as adhesive vinyl, cardstock, HTV, fabric, etc.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #3 – Snowflake Shaker Cards

Have you ever created a shaker card? While they may look intimidating, they can also be made very simply too!

The Big Snowflake Monogram font has the options that the keystrokes of a comma, period, and question mark all give a different snowflake design.

To create this shaker card, I started by creating the background of the card with a printed sentiment. I could print 4 – 4.25″ x 5.5″ card designs on one letter size sheet of paper.

Screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software showing a design for 4 card backgrounds.

I printed this on a blue shimmer paper and then took my paper trimmer and cut it apart.

Then I took one of the snowflakes and welded it to an oval frame.

Screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software showing the snowflake frame design created to be cut out.

I then cut the outer oval from a sheet of clear acetate/transparency film.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio showing the oval shapes to be cut from clear transparency for a shaker card.

Glue the acetate directly behind the frame and then add foam tape to create the “pocket” for the shaker and ta-da – you have a shaker card. I love how it turned out and now have 4 cards created in a short amount of time.

Photo shows a shaker card created in Silhouette and cut with the Silhouette Cameo 5 with a saying of We are like snowflakes, all different in our own beautiful way!

I share exactly how I created these shaker cards in this video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel. Watch below or direct on YouTube.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #4 – Custom Snowflake Ornaments, Gift Tags, or Bag Tags

These acrylic etchings could be used for bag tags, gift tags, or ornaments. It can be an embellishment for a gift given or the gift itself.

I used the Silhouette Curio 2 and the Power Engraver to etch 3″ acrylic rounds.

Photos shows acrylic rounds that have been etched with the Silhouette Curio 2 using the Snowflake Monogram Font and then twine and beads added for hangers.

What a great way to personalize a gift and make it unique! I added some wooden beads on twine and made it even more personalized too. You could also match the colors to the gift wrap or bag too!

Now, what if you don’t have the Silhouette Curio 2? Well, maybe it should be on your wish list or…
Use the same idea but cut adhesive vinyl and apply it to an acrylic round instead.

And if you do start making stuff for the holidays, make sure you put it in a place you will remember where to find it. I cut out a vinyl decal and added it to a box so I can continue to add things like Christmas cards and decor to the box and hopefully it doesn’t get lost in a “safe” space when I need it.

Photos shows a plastic storage tote that is customized to with an adhesive vinyl decal that says Christmas 2026.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #5 – Custom Snowflake Monogram Glass Etched Decor

This design is the perfect design to use to create and customize gifts. I used it to create a stencil and then etched a monogram onto a glass container for a family friend.

Photo shows a custom monogram etched onto a glass container with a bottle of Etchall etching creme in the background.

This could be used as a candy or treat dish, candle holder, or a variety of other ideas. And it hardly cost anything to make. I used a piece of scrap adhesive vinyl from my stash and the container is from the Dollar Tree.

This glass container has a bit of a conical shape on it, so I used the Conical Warp tool to help in creating the stencil so it would lay flatter and not have any buckles in the design.

I shared this technique in the March Crafting Community exclusive tutorial when I made the etched martini glasses.

Photos shows a custom glass etched martini glass with the saying Espresso Yourself etched using Etchall etching creme also in the photo.

If you are a current subscriber, make sure to check it out in the Creative Community forum!

Not a member? Find out more details on the Creative Community HERE.

Find more details on this glass etching project in the blog post – Custom Etched Monogram Gifts & Decor with Glass Etching

Photo shows a title of Glass Etching with Custom Monogram Font - Silhouette & Etchall.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

So many options with one design! And with this monogram font you have endless possibilities on how you can customize and make unique, personalized gift ideas too!

Featured Designer – Quietfire Designs

A great big THANK YOU to Quietfire Designs for collaborating for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter!

Find more designs by Quietfire Designs

Follow along with Quietfire Designs on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE so you don’t miss out on future collaborations.

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For even more inspiration, tips, and creative project ideas, be sure to browse the Crafting Creativity section on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photos shows a Pinterest collage of the projects featured in this edition of the Crafting Creativity series.

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!

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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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Custom Etched Monogram Gifts & Decor with Glass Etching

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

I love being able to create custom gifts for friends, family, and for events I attend. When I was brainstorming the 5th project for the month of July’s weekly newsletter I had several options. The one that beat out the other ideas was because it can be used as a gift for a family friend for the holidays. The winner? A custom etched monogram on a glass container with Etchall etching creme. This could be used for a candy dish, candle holder, home decor, or many other things. I’ll leave that up to the recipient to decide what to do with it.

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

Photo shows a look at a finished project with glass etching using Etchall Etching Creme.

Steps to Etched Glass Projects

  1. Create a stencil for etching.
  2. Clean glass blank with alcohol and allow to dry.
  3. Apply stencil.
  4. Mask off edge of stencil to prevent bleeding
  5. Apply Etchall Etching Creme and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove any excess Etching Creme and place back in the bottle.
  7. Wipe off remaining excess with a paper towel and safely discard paper towel.
  8. Run water in the sink and rinse off decal thoroughly.
  9. Remove masking tape and adhesive vinyl under running water.
  10. Rinse blank thoroughly.
  11. Dry and Enjoy!

Glass Etching Supplies

Gather the supplies. I started by grabbing a sheet of Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl in a color that I don’t really use often, however, I ended up using a scrap from my scrap pile because the design fit on it and I have a drawer full of scraps.

Photo shows supplies being used for glass etching with Etchall Etching creme that includes a craft stick, adhesive vinyl, transfer tape, and a glass dish.

Enlist a helper, whether you really want their help or not. Supervisor Goldy decided she was going to test out the tools and if I turned my back she would have taste tested the adhesive vinyl and transfer tape too!

Photo shows a yellow cat helping with the supplies for the project.

Measure the blank and create the design to cut for the stencil. For this project it does have a bit of a conical shape to the widest part of the vase, so I used the Conical Warp tool with the etched monogram design to help with that. I shared this technique in the March 2026 Crafting Community member exclusive tutorial when making etched martini glasses.
See more on the etched martini glasses HERE.

Photo shows a look at the Silhouette Studio software showing the glass etching design on the virtual mat.

Then I grabbed a scrap of adhesive vinyl and cut it with the Silhouette Cameo. Any Silhouette model machine can cut adhesive vinyl for stencils.

Photo shows a look at the Silhouette Cameo machine with a mat loaded with adhesive vinyl on it for the glass etching stencil.

Glass etching is permanent. So I do like to add a little bit of heat to the glass etching stencil when it has fine details. I do this carefully so not to burn myself and then let the glass and stencil cool completely. This step can help the adhesive vinyl adhere a bit better and smooth out any areas that may have had allowed etching creme to seep underneath. And then I add a layer of painter’s tape around the edges just in case any etching creme dribbles or runs.

Photo shows a look at the adhesive vinyl stencil applied to the glass container with painter's tape around the edges and a heat gun on the work space.

While you could cut a larger piece of adhesive vinyl with the stencil to avoid using the painter’s tape, then you run the risk of more wrinkles and the stencil not adhering completely flat on a curved surface.

I then cover the entire stencil area where the design is with Etchall etching creme and wait 20 minutes.

Photo shows a workspace with Etchall etching creme applied to a glass container.

When 20 minutes is up, I carefully scrap the Etchall etching creme off and put it back in the jar. It can be reused. Then I will carefully wipe the design with a paper towel before running water in the sink and rinsing off any remaining creme. At this step, you do want to be careful not to dislodge any pieces of the design. It never fails that when an oops happens and the creme touches an area you do not want to etch, it will happen in seconds.

Once the Etchall etching creme has been rinsed, removed the stencil and painter’s tape, and then carefully dry the glass container. Then admire the custom glass etched monogram project.

Photo shows a look at the finished etch when the glass is cleaned up.

I love how this turned out! A perfect gift idea with a custom etched monogram. And it was a very economical project to complete too! Glass jar from the Dollar Tree (which isn’t a dollar anymore, but still reasonable) and reusable Etchall etching creme that can make many, many more projects!

Photo shows a look at the finished custom glass etched monogram container with Etchall etching creme next to it.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photo shows a finished glass etching project in a Pinterest format photo.

Enjoy !

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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!

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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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Creative Projects that Sparkle with Clikchic Designs

Time to Sparkle Header

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

It’s Time to Sparkle! And use your designs for more than just 1 project. Clikchic Designs is this blog posts featured artist and I’m sharing several projects created with one of their designs. I have collected a lot of Clikchic Designs files and love seeing her process of creation. Did you know she creates her designs by hand? That may be one of the things that first caught my eye and made her designs stand out to me. She creates by hand and then digitizes her work to share with us. I am so inspired by her creations! Check out the end of this post for even more inspiration by Clikchic Designs!

Preview of Time to Sparkle Design by Clikchic Designs.

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

The Crafting Creativity series is designed exactly for sharing inspiration, designs, and showing how to make your designs go farther or think outside the box. Find more Crafting Creativity inspiration HERE.

Crafting Creativity with Clikchic Designs: Time to Sparkle

Crafting Creativity video preview of the projects created with Time to Sparkle by Clikchic Designs. Additional photos, details, tips, tutorials, and supply lists can be found by scrolling under the video.

Project #1 – 3-D Mixed Media Canvas

I am a Creative Professional with NAMTA and every year they host Creativation which is a large gathering of craft industry businesses, retailers, and brands from around the world. This year the Creative Professionals had the chance to display art in the entrance hall of the event. We were given the parameters of a 12″ x 12″ canvas and a red, white, and blue theme and told to create to share our skills and talents. I love to be able to make unique creations and start with something flat and give it dimension.

Photo shows a 3-D Mixed Media Canvas project with a red, white, and blue theme. Projects features several 3-D papercraft designs.

This project was several weeks in the making. I believe we found out we were going to do this in January or February with the conference happening in May. Once a topic is given to me my brain just starts with throwing out ideas. I try to keep a running list, usually in my phone, but often times I find a physical list in my creative journal is what really gets ideas flowing and allows me to narrow things down.

This is one of those projects that is built as it goes along and I continued to add things to it over the entire process.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #2 – Sublimation Tumbler

Photos shows a shimmer sublimation tumbler with a colorful design and Time to Sparkle on the front along with the Craft Pro Tumbler Press from Heat Press Nation.

I started by measuring the tumbler then drew a rectangle in Silhouette Studio for the template size. Then the process of filling the design with patterns began. After testing many options I decided I loved this pattern with the ombre blues and having the design in white.

Photo is a screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software showing a rectangle template for the sublimation print with a background design and Time to Sparkle in the center.

I love how it turned out and now have another custom tumbler I can use.

Photo shows a custom sublimation tumbler with a bright background and Time to Sparkle on the tumbler. This design was created in Silhouette Studio and printed with an Epson F170 Sublimation Printer.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #3 – Sketch and Cut Out Card Design

This card design was created by first setting the Time to Sparkle up for sketching and then cutting out the stars and swooshes from the card front.

Photo shows a card created by cutting parts of the background out and sketching Time to Sparkle on the front of the card.

This design works perfectly for a going away card, new adventure, best wishes, congratulations, and more!

I set the text to sketch and used a crosshatch sketch fill of 0.015″. Then used the “cut” by Line Color on the Send tab to tell it what action I wanted each line color to do.

Photo shows a screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software with the Sketch set up on the Send tab to complete on the front of the card.

After the sketching and the cut out was complete on the front of the card, I added a layer of glitter cardstock behind to give it more sparkle.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #4 – Lighted Cake Topper

I added the Time to Sparkle design cut from glitter adhesive vinyl onto a clear transparency layer for this cake topper.

Photo shows a Lighted Cake Topper that was custom made in Silhouette Studio using the Time To Sparkle Design by Clikchic Designs

This design was created using the Draw Shapes tool in Silhouette Studio and creating several layers.

Photo shows a screenshot from the Silhouette Studio software showing the layers created for the lighted cake topper design featuring Time to Sparkle.

Supplies Used:

I love how one design can be used to create so many projects. The possibilities are endless!

Featured Designer – Clikchic Designs

A great big THANK YOU to Clikchic Designs for collaborating for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter!

Find more designs by Clikchic Designs

Follow along with Clikchic Designs on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Here are a few Instagram links to get you started – make sure when you visit to like and leave a comment too! Creators love to hear from real people who enjoy their work.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE so you don’t miss out on future collaborations.

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Unsubscribe at anytime.

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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 Creativity section on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photo shows a collage of projects for the Crafting Creativity blog post featuring Clikchic Designs - Time to Sparkle Design. Projects shown include a 3D Mixed Media Canvas, Sublimation Tumbler, Custom Card, and Lighted Cake Topper.

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!

shop classes
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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3D Mixed Media Canvas Creation with Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

When we were told as Creative Professionals with NAMTA that we would have the opportunity to display our artwork at the 2026 Creativation event, my brain immediately started thinking of ideas and I started a list in my phone. We were allowed to have 2 – 12″ x 12″ canvases on display in the entrance hall for the conference and were given a theme of red, white, and blue. This was an opportunity to display our art and share our skills. I love building things, so a 3D mixed media design was a no brainer for me. This was one of those projects that I started with a few basic ideas and built the project as I went. Sometimes that’s just how it goes. Some things might work together along the way and some things might not.

I love building 3D projects! There is just something about taking flat materials and molding them into a final 3D project. Having a cutting machine like a Silhouette or Siser Juliet or Romeo opens up a lot of possibilities to cut designs for 3D creations. The biggest factor that goes into it all is – TIME! It takes time to design, build, and modify things as you go along in the process.

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

In this blog post, I’m sharing a look at the behind the scenes of creating this 3D Mixed Media Canvas: Time to Sparkle with a few still photos & the supply list. Check out the video at the end of the blog post for additional shots of the process as well.

First, here is a look at the finished project.

Photos shares a look at the finished Time to Sparkle 3-D Mixed Media Canvas project completed by EllyMae at Silhouette Secrets+ by Swift Creek Customs.

I started by gathering some supplies to get started. I had to order new inks to print the background papers. These 3 are designs by Clikchic Designs and can be found in the supply list below. I am able to print borderless with the Canon TS9521C printer. I ordered Oracal 851 glitter adhesive vinyl in red, white, and blue from Vinyl Spectrum. The entire theme of this canvas is to sparkle, so I embraced that fully.

Photos shows supplies on a desk that includes printed backgrounds, glitter adhesive vinyl, Mod Podge, a 12" x 12" canvas, TCW Stencil Butters, and tools that will be used to create a 3D Mixed Media Canvas.

I first started by cutting down the background paper for the backside of the canvas to fit within the frame. Then added layer of Mod Podge to the canvas and to the backside of the blue patterned paper. Smooth that down as much as possible. Adding the Mod Podge to both the canvas and the back of the paper helps it to adhere smoothly. Once it’s down flat, then I added another layer of Mod Podge Sparkle on the front of the blue paper. Let this dry completely.

Photo shows a bottle of Mod Podge and Mod Podge Sparkle that has been applied to the backside of the 12" x 12" canvas for the 3D Mixed Media project.

While that was drying I set up the design for cutting from Oracal 851 Glitter Adhesive Vinyl in Silhouette Studio.

Photo shows a screenshot of Silhouette Studio and the design set up to cut multiple layers of adhesive vinyl using layering marks.

Then I cut each color of glitter adhesive vinyl. For each layer, I cut the color and the green rectangles. The green rectangles are designed as layering marks that are used to line up the layers exactly. While it might use a little more material when using these marks, I find I get a much more accurate layering. This is one of those techniques that no matter how you do it, practice makes it better.

Photo shows a look at the layered adhesive vinyl design with 3 colors using layering marks to line up each layer.

While this design is not technically layered, the colors are in a specific location to each other, so I used the same technique with the layering marks and it worked out great!

Then I carefully applied the adhesive vinyl to the front of the patterned paper. This will be the background that shows through on the busted canvas.

Photo shows a look at the adhesive vinyl design applied to the patterned paper background for the 3D Mixed Media Canvas project.

Once the backside of the canvas was dry, I flipped it over and applied a layer of Mod Podge to the front of the canvas and to the backside of the pattern paper for the front. Once it was flat on the canvas, I applied a layer of Mod Podge Sparkle to cover the entire paper on the front. Let that dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Photo showing the patterned paper attached to the front of the canvas with Mod Podge and the background paper completed for the 3D Mixed Media Project.

Once it’s dry, then I flipped the canvas over and used a box cutter with a ruler to slice through the paper & canvas layers in multiple directions. This will allow the front to be rolled out for the “busted” canvas technique.

Photo shows a look at the front of the canvas after it's been cut and the edge rolled back to create the busted look for the 3D Mixed Media project.

I have made several of these busted canvas projects and I found that it was much easier to glue the rolled edges down and have them stay if the pieces were “trained” first before gluing down. To do this carefully roll the sections back and hold for a little bit. Then let it sit for awhile. Repeat this step as needed. I found I was much more successful in having the curls hold with hot glue when I did this as the paper didn’t lift or try to go back to it’s original shape. Since there are several layers of glue, paper, and canvas, it can be a bit stiff.

Once it has sat in “training” for a bit, then I glued each end down onto the canvas with hot glue and held it in place until it cooled. Repeat for any stubborn sections.

I have several other pieces to this project so while it’s in “training” or things are waiting to dry, I would move on to the next element of the design.

Photo shows a work space with craft supplies and cut pieces from cardstock to create 3D sparklers along with an assembled firecracker box for the 3D mixed media project.

I did not get any photos of the first 3D firecracker I created that’s shown in the top left corner of the photo above. As you can see, I have 2 copies. The first was a proto type that I cut and assembled to see if it would work with the layout. Then I decided to cut the box out of glitter cardstock while I was cutting the pieces for the sparklers too. These sparkler designs by Paper Beats Dynamite are fantastic with excellent written instructions.

The rectangles of color are glued to a bamboo stick and then once the glue is set, are rolled and glued around the stick.

Photo shows a close up look at creation of the 3D Sparklers for the 3D Mixed Media project. Hot glue was added to the ends of the bamboo skewers to look like it was melting.

On the end of each skewer, hot glue is drizzled from where the cardstock strip ends to the end of the skewer to make it appear like it’s melted.

Photo shows a look at creating 3D Sparklers using embossing powder on the ends to make it look like it's melting and on fire for the 3D Mixed Media project.

A layer of gray acrylic paint was applied over top of the hot glue and the cardstock. Then I used black and red embossing powders on the end of the sparklers to make it look burnt and burning or hot.

Next I cut more glitter cardstock for additional firecrackers to add to the canvas.

Photo shows glitter cardstock squares on a table with some rolled and some flat. These will be used to create 3D Firecrackers for the 3D Mixed Media Canvas.

These squares are rolled up and glued together to create a firecracker and I found it was easier to “train” them first and let them hold that shape a bit before gluing together. Once the glue was set, I could start adding them randomly to the bottom of the busted canvas section using hot glue.

Photo shows a bunch of assembled glitter cardstock 3D firecrackers on a work space. These will be elements added into the 3D Mixed Media Canvas.

Now, I will admit that I don’t typically like to cut glitter cardstock. It literally eats blades and can be difficult. But this project it was worth the effort it took. However, I am shocked that I actually got it all cut without issues because this is what my blade looked like after I was done cutting all these pieces.

Photo shows a look close up of a Silhouette blade with the cap off and the glitter debris that is filled inside the blade after cutting lots of glitter cardstock for the 3D Mixed Media project.

Next, I wanted to add another element in – beading. I even had my supervisor, Goldy in on this one. She wasn’t much real “help” but she made sure to keep me focused.

Photo shows a cat supervising and "helping" with wire and beads on a board.

Since this is a 3D mixed media art piece, I added another hobby of mine – beading – into the design elements. I strung beads in red, white, and blue on a wire and then bundled the colors together to create 3 different firework bursts. The one thing I did not take into account on this element was the weight of the beads and wire when finished. It all worked out and a LOT of hot glue held them in place.

Photo shows a workspace with a variety of craft supplies on the table that are being used to create the 3D Mixed Media Canvas. With 3 beaded bundles in red, white, and blue in the foreground.

I love how this all came together and the entire process of creating it piece by piece. 3D creations are one of my favorite things to do, but I don’t always take the time to do it.

This 3D Mixed Media Canvas may not be a project that you recreate, but I hope it inspires you to think outside the box and to combine and create ideas that reflect you as an artist. Every individual reading this has the creative spirit inside of them whether you believe it’s there or not. Sometimes you just have to let it out and let it flow, not try to control it or have the exact plan at the beginning.

Supplies Used for 3D Mixed Media Canvas:

Want to see a little bit more? I’ve created a video sharing even more of the photos behind the scenes in creating this process.

I love seeing what others are creating and their talents and skills. Check out this video I did from the Creativation 2026 entrance hall sharing a look at all the canvas creations by the Creative Professionals on Instagram or Facebook.
Each canvas is unique and no two are alike!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Photo shows a completed 3D Mixed Media Canvas project Pinterest pin layout.

Enjoy !

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Easel Card Design with Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Emerald Creek Design Team – July 2026

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!

Photo contains an image of an easel card with a flower stamp from Emerald Creek.

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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.

Close up look at the front of an easel card with a flower stamp from Emerald Creek and a Thank you sentiment.

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.

Photo contains an image of an easel card with a flower stamp from Emerald Creek.

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.

Photo contains an image of an easel card with a flower stamp from Emerald Creek.

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.

Supplies Used for Easel Card:

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Enjoy !

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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!

shop classes
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.