Cutting machine Archives

Posted on July 19, 2017April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

Quick gifts

I love being able to whip up a quick gift to send to a friend.

I had a towel in my stash & it seemed to be whispering my name. So I went shopping in the Silhouette Design store to find a cut file I liked.

After a measurement error & my 2nd scrap of black HTV, I ended up with a nice, simple gift I could throw in my care package.

Yes, even seasoned Silhouette users make mistakes. And do you know, often times you learn more from making a mistake than not. At least in my experience, I remember things better the next time when I’ve made a mistake or had to research how to do something. Does that mean I won’t make the same mistake again? No! But I may laugh at myself more the next time!

How do you learn to use the machine? You play, you practice, you research, you create!

I love learning what new technique or new project I can do with my Silhouette Cameo.

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.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on January 4, 2017April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

After Christmas crafting

On Christmas morning I quickly realized that I needed Santa sacks, so no one could “peek” at what Santa brought before everyone else got out of bed. While shopping in the Target Christmas clearance the day after Christmas, I happened on these burlap sacks.

I quickly sprang into action….

Grabbed 3 of them and headed home. There was some HTV that would be great on these. I found some gold foil HTV in my sample stash and set to creating the names in the Studio.

Just as a reminder…. always mirror your image when using HTV or you will end up wasting a bit of vinyl. Eventually, I will get a heat press, but for now, my iron works with my teflon sheet.

The kids all enjoyed modeling their new Santa sacks for next year.

Do Something Creative Everyday!

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.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on January 1, 2017April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

New Year – New Mat!!!

I was cutting a few designs out of vinyl and it just seemed to keep tearing….. I powered through and cut a second time & then carefully coaxed it while weeding the design….

You can find that previous blog post with image HERE.

A few days later I sit down to cut a few more and think to myself, “Let’s try a new mat and see if it makes a difference.”

Oh my gosh! I don’t know why I always forget to try this….. It’s probably because I feel that my old mat is still sticky, but it just must not be sticky enough. A new mat, the vinyl doesn’t slip at all and I think that makes all the difference in clear cut lines…. This design below was so easy to weed and on 651, which I seem to have more issues with weeding.

New mat = problem solved!

I found this design in the Silhouette store and it said “Buy Me”…. well – click… and now I can just place it on my mat, resize it and cut. So simple!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year & wish you many blessings in 2017!!

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.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on December 24, 2016April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

‘Twas the Night before Christmas

I’ve seen variations of this all over and I just had to try it.

This was a bit difficult to weed the vinyl but I was determined. I wanted this image on my charger plate. I ended up cutting it twice and then coaxing it along while weeding & applying it, but I love the end result.

I decided I needed to cut up the words a bit & applied in pieces. It seemed to lay on the charger & go on better with less bubbles.

And done….. another Christmas decoration off my to- do list.

I hope you enjoy your Christmas Eve!

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.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on November 15, 2016April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

Simple Santa Ornament

Here is another simple ornament made using basic shapes within the Silhouette Studio program.
I created a long rectangle belt after measuring the circumference of my square ornament, which I then cut out of black 651 vinyl.
Then I made 2 squares and used the Subtract all feature to make the belt, which I cut out of silver 651 vinyl.

I then used transfer tape to place the images onto my ornament.

And added a few clear rhinestones with some E6000 glue and you have a simple Santa belt ornament.

Hope you are able to create something today1

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.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on October 17, 2016April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 1 Comment

Stencils with the Silhouette

I knew you could do it… but I’d never done it…. then I opened my mouth & volunteered to make stencils for my son’s preschool class fundraiser…..
After my offer was confirmed, I started researching…. usually I would recommend doing it the other way around and volunteering for something that you already know for sure you can do….. But, that’s another story.
My first idea was to use my Cameo machine & cut stencils from chipboard…. we were applying them to flower pots and it was for preschool & younger children.
Then I started looking into it and thought there would be better materials to use….
Amazon Prime to my rescue… I ordered some Silhouette Stencil material and a box of laminating pouches.

After my supplies were delivered, I broke out my laminating machine I picked up many, many years ago…. Had to blow some dust off that box!
Once heated up, I ran the laminating sheets through the machine and it became a hard plastic “stencil” material. This was still flexible enough to apply to a round surface, like the pots we were using.
Then I got to work cutting lots & lots of designs from my Silhouette library and other things I traced or drew myself.

I had to make a demo pot to make sure the stencils would work…. There was some bleed through… but less paint is better!!

And I may have gone a bit crazy with the stencils I made… at least I thought I might have.
I was so worried the day of the event that these wouldn’t work & no one would want to use them…. but, I was wrong… everyone LOVED them!
It turned out wonderful and so many pots were painted with unique designs….

It was great seeing people take the stencils and make their own designs and have a keepsake to take home with them.

There are so many possibilities to create using your Silhouette Cameo and this machine amazes me at what materials it can cut… I am forever testing it out!

Posted on October 10, 2016October 10, 2016 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

TJC Licensed Instructor

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending Terri Johnson Creates first Licensed Instructor class. I was ecstatic when I saw her announce the opening of her first Licensing event and I had to sign up immediately.

Why?
Well, I’m a Silhouette fanatic and have been since I first started using the machine.
I started out using a Cricut machine and found it very limiting….
Why could I not change the image and adjust it how I wanted it to be?
I was very familiar with their Design program, but did not like how little I had control over.
Then I won a Silhouette Portrait in a digital scrapbooking challenge and that changed everything. The first time I used the machine I knew that I need the bigger Cameo.
Yep, I upgraded immediately. I fell in love with it.

Now, almost 4 years later I am a graduating member of the TJC Instructor program.
Several times I have thought back to years before that when a friend told me about this awesome machine that she just knew I would love and had so much potential.
Boy, do I wish I had listened to her sooner (you should have pushed harder Bobbi)!

Since the retreat, I have been working on a business plan & this new blog site.
It’s a work in progress and I plan to show all the projects that I work on right here.
I am an avid crafter at heart and love to try all kinds of projects to see if they will turn out.

I am so glad that I was able to attend this training and can’t wait to see what is to come.
Here is the 1st graduating class of the TJC Instructor Program