Acrylic Etching Archives

This year I am honored to be teaching several classes at the 2018 All Things Silhouette Conference hosted by Terri Johnson Creates. An option at the conference is participating in the Silhouette Showcase. This is a chance to show off things that you have made using your Silhouette machines or software and is open for all levels of users. Each person who enters gets an extra ticket to a prize drawing and while the staff is excluded from winning, we can display items in the hopes of inspiring others and showing all the possibilities with Silhouette.

I was so excited to be able to make up a few things to display during this event and wanted to share those with you.

Silhouette Showcase

Not sure what you start your day with, but mine is coffee.
So I started with this coffee inspired collection.

Metal serving tray with Oracal 651 vinyl.
This design was created with Lori Whitlock’s Fresh Eggs font – Design #263759 and Coffee Dingbats Font – Design #223050 using the Warp Feature in the Silhouette software. I use Oracal transfer tape for all my vinyl decal applications. Acrylic

Glass etched coffee mugs.
These glass mugs were purchased from Target and work well for etching. I used Oracal 651 vinyl for my etching stencil and Etchall cream for a great etch every time. For the mug on the left, I used Yay Coffee by Dawn Nicole Designs – Design #188578 and Coffee Pulse by Sophie Gallo – Design #149882. For the mug on the right, I used You Can Do This – Coffee by Jillibean Soup – Design #218802.

Acrylic coasters etched with the Silhouette Curio machine.
I used the emboss panel in the Silhouette software to create the etched design.
These acrylic coasters can be found at Craft Chameleon and I would recommend purchasing the Curio template as well.
The designs used to create the coasters are:
Yes. Coffee by Kolette Hall – Design #171334
But First Coffee by Lilium Pixel SVG – Design #242962
Life Begins After Coffee Arrow Quote by Sarah Hurley – Design #258161
Relax and Enjoy the Coffee by Silhouette Secrets+ using History font by JumboDesign – Design #268580 and The Memories Sans Font Duo by Nursery Art – Design #276602.

If you have followed me in my “Let’s Explore v4” series or on my Facebook page or group, you may know that I enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.
So of course, a wine collection set is right up my alley.

Acrylic wine bottle caddy etched with the Silhouette Curio and the large Curio base.
This acrylic wine bottle caddy can be found at Craft Chameleon and the design file is included with the purchase of the acrylic blank. I would suggest the Curio large base template as well, it makes etching this blank so easy.

Glass etched wine glasses.
For the etching stencil, I once again used the Oracal 651 vinyl and Etchall etching cream. The Monogram Wreath Font by Kristen Magee – Design #260225 was used to create these personalized glasses.

Wine cork collector.
This glass block was found in a craft store and Siser Easy PSV Merlot & black and Oracal 651 gray vinyl applied to the front.
The design is I Saved Some Wine Today Phrase by Kolette Hall – Design #131228 from the Silhouette Design Store.

Acrylic wine charms etched with the Silhouette Curio.
These wine charms are 15/16″ clear acrylic circles and wine charm rings from Craft Chameleon.
Designs used to create the wine charms are:
Pour Me…. More Wine by Sophie Gallo – Design #203872
Live Love Wine by Kolette Hall – Design #158086
Drinks Well With Others by Kelly Lollar Design from SoFontsy
Screw It design – Freebie from Silhouette School
Got Wine design – created using the Buddy Mac font by Missy Meyer from SoFontsy

Acrylic coaster etched with the Silhouette Curio machine.
These acrylic coasters from Craft Chameleon are a great way to personalize any gift.
The designs used on the coasters are:
Mom’s Fidget Spinner by Sweet Afton – Design #202772
Today’s Forecast 90% Chance of Wine by Jillibean Soup – Design #212800
Uncork and Unwind Arrow Quote by Sarah Hurley – Design #236620
Add More Wine by Megan Hardy Designs – Design #124514

For the Silhouette Showcase, a recipe is included with each display item.

I used the Silhouette Print and Cut feature to create recipes.

Don’t forget when doing a print and cut, to select all the objects that you do not want to cut out and then choose the No Cut option on the Send Tab.
For instance, all I want is the outside edge to cut, so all the Cut lines except the outside edge need to be turned off.

I started my Silhouette journey with paper crafting and continue to have a passion for it as well as all the other neat things you can do with it such as vinyl, glass etching & acrylic with the Curio, etc.

I could have just left it at that, but of course, I didn’t. I added a little detail to the back that makes it stand up even more.

This easel adds the perfect touch to my recipe, so I am easily able to transport it on the plane and display it at the Silhouette Showcase.
This is a file by Lori Whitlock called Easel for Back of Card – Design #76159 and I have used it many times when creating paper crafts.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the projects I created using my Silhouette software and machines for the Silhouette Showcase at the 2018 All Things Silhouette Conference.

Enjoy!

I love seeing what you are creating with your Silhouette machines!
Feel free to post on my Facebook group at 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.

The Emboss Panel is such neat feature. Currently, it is only available to those who have plugged in a Curio machine.

It can be found on the right side of the Silhouette Studio v4 software and looks like a star with a shadow.

Since this is a currently a Curio feature only, if you have not plugged a Curio into your computer, the Panel will be grayed out. If you hover over the icon, you get this message.

So keep that in mind if you are looking at it along with me.

Deboss – the design will be created as seen on the screen & will press the design down into the material exactly as seen on screen.
For example, if using cardstock, it will create a valley where the design is.
Emboss – the design is flipped horizontally so it is mirrored BUT it does not show this on the screen. You will place your material face down on the embossing mat and the design will be pressed mirrored. When it’s finished, you will flip it over and the design should be raised on the side that was face down on the mat.
F – This tells you which way to put the material on the mat. For deboss, put the material face up.

For emboss, put the material face down.
Embossing Patterns – Choose between 5 options: none, lined, concentric, cross hatched, or spiral.
Lined

Concentric

Cross hatched

Spiral

Each design will vary in which pattern may look better for the emboss. Again it is a matter of personal preference. I prefer the look of the cross hatched pattern, especially when etching on acrylic. But, that is just my preference, you should play with the patterns and decide what you like.
Spacing – Increase or decrease the grid spacing between the lines of the pattern. This is 0.005 spacing – a really tight DebossIf we zoom in on the design, you will see the pattern.

Here the deboss is 0.025.

This is another area where you are changing a lot of data at one time, so be patient with your computer if it is thinking.
If the pattern spacing is smaller than what the Silhouette can process, then you will end up with a blue square or a square with an X in it.

Use the up arrow and increase the spacing just a bit or delete and type in a number just a bit higher than the current spacing, until the box disappears. Remember, be patient and go slow, it is processing a lot of data.

Above 0.015 was too small but increasing to 0.025 there was no longer the error.
Angle – Change the angle of the deboss or emboss pattern.
Release Emboss – Releases the lines of the emboss pattern. When you are satisfied with the pattern, click on the Release Emboss button.Once the emboss/deboss is released, you could add another pattern on top if you chose to.

Here is the flower design (Floral Elements Design #191146) embossed on a piece of Silhouette Score & Emboss paper. This was embossed using the Silhouette fine tip embossing tool and 3 different embossing patterns.

Now, while I have not been that impressed with the emboss ability on cardstock, it is just not deep enough for my liking, I do love using the emboss features on materials such as metal and acrylic.

Silhouette Metal Etching Sheet

Home Sweet Home Montana by Jennifer Wambach Design #148502

Welcome Elk by Sophie Gallo Design #89012

Acrylic

Acrylic coaster blanks from Craft Chameleon
Eat, Sleep, Coffee Repeat by Sophie Gallo Design #230872
Less Monday More Coffee by Tany Batrak Design #209927
Yes, Coffee by Kolette Hall Design #171334
But First Coffee by Lilium Pixel SVG Design #242962

I hope you have learned a little bit about the Emboss Panel today. The Curio machine very quickly because a favorite of mine and now I can’t put it away.

Here are a few more a things to help you get started on the Curio.
The Curio – Getting Started with the Curio
Silhouette Curio Beginner Metal Etching
Basic Acrylic Etching Video Class

I’d love to see what you are creating with your Silhouette machine.
Feel free to post over on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Enjoy!