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Silhouette Tutorial: Layered Card Design with Brilliant Digital Kit

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

New video out on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel!!
In this video I share step-by-step how I created a layered card design in the Silhouette Studio software using a digital kit by Nitwit Collections.

A colorful greeting card featuring a purple butterfly, a red tulip, and the text 'brightest wishes for you' on a floral background, positioned in front of a cutting machine.

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

This is the first Crafting Creativity project for the month of March that I shared with newsletter subscribers.

Watch this new video tutorial HERE.

A crafting setup showcasing two layered cards adorned with floral and butterfly designs, alongside crafting materials including tape and scissors. The text on the image promotes a step-by-step guide to designing layered cards with a digital kit.

I love the bright colors Knick Knack kit by Nitwit Collections. This kit is exclusive to newsletter subscribers for the month of March and then will be available in their shop for purchase later.

Image showcasing a collection of card designs featuring floral elements, butterflies, and decorative layers. The layout includes a bright and colorful card cluster with the text 'brightest wishes for you', accompanied by matching envelopes and various themed graphics.

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter HERE. It comes straight to your inbox each Friday.

Two decorative greeting cards featuring the text 'brightest wishes for you,' adorned with purple butterflies, red roses, and colorful floral patterns.

This Brilliant Living Knick Knack kit coordinates with the Brilliant Living Collection that can be found on the Nitwit Collections shop.

A colorful collage featuring various decorative elements and phrases related to celebration, joy, and friendship from the NitWit Collections' Brilliant Living Collection.

View this tutorial on creating a layered card in Silhouette Studio on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Two layered greeting cards featuring floral designs and butterflies, with the text 'brightest wishes for you.' A Silhouette cutting machine is visible in the background.

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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Crafting Creativity: 1 Design, 5 Stunning Projects with Flavir Design

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

A decorative floral crown made of paper flowers in warm colors and green leaves, arranged on a simple gold circular base.

A flat lay image featuring two large, colorful paper flowers - one yellow and one orange - with green leaves on a crafting mat. Surrounding the flowers are a hot glue gun, a sponge, a pen, and small squares of paper. Silhouette flower projects

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing a design featuring leaf shapes outlined in orange, with settings for cutting cardstock on the right side of the screen.

A close-up view of two artificial flowers, one yellow and the other orange, adorned with green leaves, placed on a wooden background. Silhouette flower projects
A close-up of vibrant paper flowers in shades of yellow and orange, accompanied by green leaves, with the text 'Behind the Blooms' prominently displayed.

A handmade birthday card featuring a large pink flower, green leaves, and a glittery gold accent band. The card has a watercolor-like pink background and includes the text 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' on a white banner. Silhouette flower projects

A handmade birthday card featuring a large pink flower, a gold glitter strip, and the text 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' on a white banner. The background is a vibrant pink splatter design with green leaves. A crafting workspace with various tools and supplies is visible in the background. Silhouette flower projects

A vibrant pink paper flower with intricate petals sits on a textured card background, accompanied by green leaves and a glittery gold strip. The card features a banner reading 'HAPPY'. Silhouette flower projects

Two decorative paper flowers in teal and pink placed on geometric boxes, with a background featuring pink spray and floral shapes. Silhouette flower projects

A pink cherry flower box design displayed alongside details of its purchase options and features.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying a digital pattern design for a box with a grid background.

A hand holding a sheet of paper with a grid pattern and an abstract shape on it, placed on a cutting mat in front of a cutting machine.

Close-up of a hand holding a piece of paper with a grid pattern, showcasing a cut-out shape on the paper.

Five decorative paper boxes with colorful paper flowers on top, displayed on a wooden surface. Silhouette flower projects

A digital design workspace displayed on a computer screen, featuring various bookmark designs with floral elements and motivational text phrases like 'Just one more page' and 'Your only limit is your mind.' The design software's page setup and customization options are visible on the right side of the screen.

Print preview of bookmark designs featuring motivational quotes and leaf patterns.

Close-up of a crafting machine applying gold foil to a textured surface with a red light indicator and patterned tape.

A close-up of foil packaging with an irregular cutout, revealing a textured silver surface underneath. The surrounding area features pastel colors and decorative elements.

Close-up of a textured background with blue floral designs and the phrase 'Just One More Page' in gold lettering.

A close-up of a decorative fabric featuring blue leaf patterns and the inspirational phrase 'Live Your Dream' in gold lettering.

A collection of five decorative bookmarks with motivational quotes on a wooden surface, accompanied by a craft machine and a pink scraping tool. Silhouette flower projects

Supplies Used:

A close-up view of a textured surface covered in green moss and adorned with pink fabric flowers, featuring a wooden structure in the backdrop. Silhouette flower projects

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing two floral background designs, one with a pink and yellow gradient and the other with a pink bokeh effect.

A digital design workspace showing a pink and yellow flower background with yellow flowers and red heart shapes in the design software Silhouette Studio.

A crafting workspace featuring a cutting machine, pink paper flowers, and heart shapes on a wooden table. Scissors and a crafting tool are also visible.

A collection of small pink flower-shaped embellishments scattered on a black surface, with scissors and other crafting materials in the background. Silhouette flower projects

A vibrant handmade birthday card featuring a large pink flower and the text 'Happy Birthday', surrounded by colorful paper crafts.

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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One Tag Design, 4 Creative Craft Projects

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Creativity doesn’t have to start from scratch—sometimes it begins with one simple design. In this Crafting Creativity feature, I’m sharing how one tag design by Rabea Bilz can be taken far beyond its original purpose. With a single file as the foundation, we’ll explore four creative tag craft projects that spark ideas and show just how versatile a good design can be. From paper crafting to dimensional and decorative projects, this is all about inspiration, creative possibilities, and seeing your designs in a whole new way.

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

Four pink tag designs with dotted outlines, featuring different shapes including rectangular, oval, and triangular tags, presented in a creative layout.

Crafting Creativity with a Layered Tag Design

Don’t feel limited to using a design for just one project. When you start thinking outside the box, a single file can open the door to countless creative possibilities. Try mixing materials, changing sizes, or adapting the design for completely different purposes—you may be surprised by what you can create. I hope this inspires you to stretch your creativity and even expand your supplies in new ways as you discover just how versatile your designs can be.

Project #1 – Layered Tag Design with Print and Cut

A collection of various holiday-themed gift tags featuring illustrations of trees, reindeer, and decorative elements, displayed on a crafting table with tools and materials.

After I had the tags assembled I decided to grab a couple Gelly Roll pens and add a few special touches to the print and cut design.

A workspace scene featuring various gift tags designed with holiday themes, including reindeer and Christmas trees. Nearby, Gelly Roll pens in red, pink, and yellow are placed next to the tags. A cutting machine is visible in the background.

Just a little bit of additional color or shine can really make things stand out on custom projects.

A close-up of a festive gift tag featuring a reindeer design with a decorative border, held by a hand. Several more tags and colorful gel pens are visible in the background.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #2 – Monogrammed Faux Leather Bag Tags

I created these as a custom monogrammed bag tag, but they could also be keychains or even a gift tag that’s reusable, multi-purpose, or part of the gift itself. 

Two layered tag designs featuring the letters 'E' and 'V' adorned with floral illustrations, displayed on a craft mat next to a crafting machine.

These are double sides bag tags. Make sure to mirror the design when creating a double-sided design so that it will match up exactly. For these particular shapes, they are symmetrical, so it’s not a necessity, but it is a good habit to get into, especially if you did not create the design yourself. This way the front and back will line up exactly with each other.

Two metal tags featuring detailed designs: one with flowers and crystals, and the other with a cute calf illustration, both attached to keychains.

I used Siser Easyweed Adhesive HTV in the middle to glue the layers together. Faux leather or leatherette can also be glued with fabric glues, but I’m really loving the ease of use with the Siser Easyweed Adhesive HTV. Cut the HTV the same shape as the tag and then press on the backside of one, remove the carrier sheet and line up the layers and press again. Done!

A workspace featuring a Silhouette cutting machine, various crafting supplies, and tags ready for decorating. The image shows colored materials, a cutting mat, and decorative elements indicating a crafting project.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #3 – Shaker Tags

Have you ever created a shaker card? What about a shaker tag? Or any other “shaker” project. Basically, to create a shaker, you are making a “pocket” where some material such as glitter, sequins, or fake snow can be contained.

I saw these new Gingerbread Cookie designs by Rabea Bilz and knew I had to use them!

Three shaker tags featuring a gingerbread man, a reindeer, and a Christmas tree design on a crafting workspace with various supplies and a cutting machine in the background.

This design is 4 layers. The background is a solid piece of cardstock, then a layer of Kraft cardstock with the Gingerbread design, a layer of clear transparency to hold the snow in, and then a final layer of the Kraft cardstock. Here is a look at my file in the Silhouette Studio software.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying shaker tag design pieces, including a Christmas tree, a reindeer, and a gingerbread character.

Rather than use my machine to cut the transparency, I simply used a scrap piece of cardstock to cut a template for the size I needed and then used scissors to cut the transparency down to size. This saved time finding the right cut settings and saved a blade since cutting plastic can dull it quicker.

Crafting workspace featuring layered tag designs made of cardstock, scissors, adhesive tape, and a cutting machine.

Once the pieces are all cut, it’s time to assemble. I used the Precision Glue Press to adhere the Gingerbread layer to the backing and then set that part aside to dry. Next I used an adhesive tape runner to secure the transparency to the backside of the top layer. Then added double sided foam tape to the edges. Since it’s a shaker project, it has to be completely taped off so the shaker bits are contained.
Then I added in the fake snow. You will have to test how much to add. Too much and it won’t move around easily.
Then carefully remove the backing off the foam tape and secure the back layer over top of the foam tape.

And then the fun part – give it a shake!

A hand holding a layered tag design featuring a gingerbread decoration with fake snow inside, showcasing a DIY crafting project.

I don’t know which one is my favorite.

A hand holding a gingerbread man shaker tag with a transparent layer, set against a crafting workspace featuring scissors and a silhouette machine.

The Moose, Gingerbread Boy, or the Tree?

A hand holding a layered shaker tag featuring a Christmas tree and gingerbread man design, with snow-like material inside.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

Project #4 – Ornaments

For this one, I used the tag design to create ornament designs that could be sent to my Glowforge to cut, but you could also create ornaments with other materials that could be cut with the Silhouette machine such as cardstock, acetate, adhesive vinyl, sketch pens, and more!

Three decorative Christmas tags featuring 'Merry Christmas' text, the year '2025', and a snowflake design on a wooden background.

Check out the video on making the interactive ornament HERE.

An interactive ornament DIY project featuring layered wooden designs, showcasing the year 2025 and decorated snowflakes, with a finger pointing to the ornament.

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

A great big thank you to Rabea Bilz for contributing the free file for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter! If you missed grabbing the free design during the month, grab it HERE and start creating!

Find designs by Rabea Bilz at:

Follow along with Rabea Bilz on Instagram HERE

Each month I offer a free file for Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter subscribers. I love designing in the Silhouette Studio software and have shared some of my creations as well as look forward to collaborating with more artists in the future too!

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.
Unsubscribe at anytime.

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

I hope this inspired you to look at your designs a little differently! It’s amazing how a single file can turn into so many unique projects when you let creativity lead the way. I loved exploring new themes and possibilities while showcasing just how versatile this design can be. If you’re craving even more inspiration, helpful tips, and creative project ideas, be sure to visit the Crafting Creativity section on the Silhouette Secrets+ website — click HERE to explore what’s waiting for you!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

A collection of crafted tags showcased around a cutting machine, featuring festive designs including a tree, an 'E' monogram, and holiday messages, all highlighting creative project possibilities.

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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5 Card Design Ideas from One Template with Quietfire Designs

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Have you ever found a card template so versatile that it instantly becomes a go-to favorite? That’s exactly what happened when I started creating with the Accordion Filled Gatefold – Card Blank by Quietfire Designs. This beautiful, interactive card base is the perfect foundation for endless creativity—and in today’s Crafting Creativity feature, I’m sharing five completely different card designs, all made from this one stunning template.

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

A colorful accordion-filled gatefold card template showcasing floral designs, featuring a mix of light blue and purple colors.

From a spooky Halloween card, to a warm and cheerful hello friends, to a vibrant bouquet of flowers, a playful Open If You Dare theme, and even a classic happy birthday design, this single cut file transformed effortlessly to fit every style. Each project highlights just how easy it is to take one card template and customize it for any season, celebration, or creative idea.

If you love stretching your Silhouette files and want inspiration for making more with what you already have, you’re going to love exploring the versatility of this Quietfire Designs favorite. Suzanne at Quietfire Designs has amazing designs and this is just one. I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can expand your supplies!

Each month in the Crafting Creativity series, I take one design file and explore just how many unique projects it can inspire. I love showing how a single cut file—like this month’s Accordion Filled Gatefold card template—can be transformed into cards for any theme or occasion. These posts are all about stretching your Silhouette skills, sparking fresh ideas, and proving that one thoughtfully designed file can open the door to endless creative possibilities. Whether you’re a longtime Silhouette user or brand new to cardmaking, Crafting Creativity is here to help you imagine, explore, and create with confidence!

Crafting Creativity with Accordion Filled Gatefold Card Blank

Suzanne at Quietfire Designs has amazing designs and this is just one of the card templates available in the Silhouette Design Store or check out the bundle of card templates HERE. Suzanne also has assembly videos on the Quietfire Designs YouTube channel too! It makes it so easy to assemble the card designs – find those HERE.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can expand your supplies!

Project #1 – Halloween Card

I grabbed some Halloween themed paper in my stash and created this themed card.

A purple accordion fold card featuring Halloween-themed paper with a ghost embellishment, positioned next to a crafting machine.

I added a ghost onto the belly band from a file called Ghost Farm – Card in a Box design found HERE.

A Halloween-themed card with a ghost design on a purple belly band, set in front of a cutting machine.

And once I got started, it was hard to stop and I had to create the entire Ghost Farm – Card in a Box too!

A Halloween-themed card box featuring white cut-out ghosts and a bat decoration, with a 'U-Pick Ghost Farm' label, displayed next to a cutting machine.

Supplies Used:

Project #2 – Hello Friends Card

This one I had a lot of fun collecting “friends” to share from different files by Quietfire Designs.

A close-up of two creatively designed cards on a wooden surface. One card features a snowflake design with the text 'hello friend,' while the other card includes playful winter characters, including a penguin, gingerbread cookies, and snowmen, along with the phrase 'MISS YOU.' A cutting machine is visible in the background.

Once I gathered all of the designs I wanted to use, I turned the cut files into a print and cut so I could do it all on one sheet.

Here’s a look at my print and cut design file. I always like to fill up my page when doing print and cut, so I ended up making two card designs using different patterned papers.

A digital design workspace displaying various festive characters including penguins, snowmen, gingerbread figures, and snowflakes, alongside holiday-themed text elements such as 'MISS YOU' and 'hello, friend.'

I did modify the designs a bit in order to use these pieces from the individual designs. Since each one was different, I used different steps including the knife tooledit pointsgrouping and ungroupingreleasing the compound path, and text to path.

Once I had all the designs I wanted for the card sized to fit, I turned them all into a print and cut page. Since these were designed to cut each individual piece, I simply selected them all and on the Send tab chose “Cut Edge”.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #3 – Bouquet of Flowers Card

A colorful accordion-style card featuring a bouquet of flowers, displayed beside a pink belly band adorned with small flowers. The backdrop shows a cutting machine in a crafting workspace.

I used the flowers and greenery design from the Flower Posy Gift Card Box – Design #346522 and cut 9 to layer inside the card. When needed, I would snip off sections of the greenery that didn’t fit well and then glue them in underneath the flowers in other spots to fill it in and make it unique.

The front section has 3 of the flowers and greenery placed together and I enlarged the bow on the design to “wrap” around all 3.

I ended up with an extra set of flowers and added that to the front belly band for the card closure.

Supplies Used:

Project #4 – Open If You Dare Card

This card is another combination of designs by Quitefire Designs.

A Halloween-themed gatefold card featuring the text 'OPEN IF YOU DARE,' with a skull and skeleton graphics, placed on a crafting surface with a cutting machine in the background.

And if you are daring enough to open the card, here is a look at the inside.

A pop-up Halloween card featuring a spooky graveyard theme with bats, gravestones, and skeleton cutouts, alongside an 'Open If You Dare' message.

I started with an idea in my head and then simply cut out the pieces I knew I wanted to use from each of the design files. Then started moving them around and seeing where they would best fit.

Supplies Used:

Project #5 – Happy Birthday Card

A bright, fun card filled with balloons! And… it was all created with scraps. This was another card that was “built” as I went along. It may be a little over the top with balloons, but that’s the best part – you can customize it however you like!

A Silhouette cutting machine on a worktable with a colorful birthday card featuring balloons in the foreground.

I drew the balloon using the Flexishapes tool in Silhouette and then just cut a bunch from different colors. The Happy Birthday is a sentiment from the Dinosaur Birthday Card in a Box by Quietfire Designs. I sized and arranged the words together, then made an Offset around it.

A colorful birthday card with various balloon shapes and colors, featuring the text 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' prominently displayed. The card is positioned in front of a crafting machine and surrounded by crafting supplies.

This was the perfect sentiment for the card as both Happy and Birthday are both welded together, so it was easy to glue using my new Precision Glue Press.

A person holding a black 'HAPPY' cutout while preparing to glue it next to a white 'BIRTHDAY' cutout, with crafting tools visible in the background.

Supplies Used:

Find designs by Quietfire Designs at:

Follow along with Quietfire Designs on FacebookYouTubeInstagram.

A great big thank you to Suzanne at Quietfire Designs for contributing the free file for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter for the month of October! If you missed grabbing the free design in October, grab it HERE and start creating!

This year I started offering a free file each month for Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter subscribers. I love designing in the Silhouette Studio software and have shared some of my creations as well as look forward to collaborating with more artists in the future too!

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.
Unsubscribe at anytime.

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

Did this spark some creative ideas for you? It’s always exciting to see how one card template can lead to so many completely different designs! I had such a great time dreaming up each of these themed creations and showing just how versatile the Accordion Filled Gatefold file can be. 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.

A collage of five card designs made using a single accordion filled gatefold template, featuring themes like Halloween, friendship, flowers, and birthday celebrations.

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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Sparkle and Shine: DIY Custom Jewelry with Silhouette

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Jewelry making just got a whole lot more creative! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to design and create dazzling custom jewelry pieces — perfect for pendants, earrings, bag tags, keychains, and more — using Silhouette with stencil designs and a variety of patterns. From selecting your supplies to following step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to turn simple materials into stunning, personalized accessories that sparkle. Whether you’re making gifts or adding a touch of charm to your own style, this project is a fun way to blend creativity, craftsmanship, and a little bit of shimmer.

Scroll down for the full tutorial, or check out the video version for a closer look! You can also download the printable supply list and step-by-step instructions PDF to craft along at your own pace.

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

A close-up of a hand holding a glittery jewelry piece with a blue and white floral design, surrounded by various colorful jewelry pieces on a crafting table.

DIY Custom Jewelry Supplies

Steps to Create Custom Jewelry with Silhouette

*Tutorial written in Silhouette Studio version 4.5.812
Blog post is photo heavy

Open the Silhouette Studio software and set the page size/media size to Letter or whatever size you are printing on.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software interface displaying a blank design area and various design tools on the left side.

Open the Registration Marks Panel and turn on the registration marks for print and cut. Click the Restore Defaults button to reset the defaults for your most accurate print and cut results.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing the page setup with registration marks, dimensions, and options highlighted.

Save the file using File > Save and select a location on your hard drive to keep your work safe.

Measure the jewelry blanks to know what size to create the design at.

In Silhouette Studio, using the Drawing Tools on the left, select the Draw Ellipse tool, hold down the Shift key and draw a circle. This will create a perfect circle.

Screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software interface demonstrating the 'Draw an Ellipse' tool and page setup options for designing custom jewelry pieces.

Using the Scale Tools, adjust the size of the circle to the size of the jewelry measurement. I adjusted the circle to 1″.

Since I am filling the circle with a pattern and colors, I made an offset to create a manual print bleed. This ensures that exact size I need for the pendant is cut, it will not have white edges on it. I have no issues with print and cut using Silhouette as I follow the same steps every single time. However, it is one of the most common issues we see with troubleshooting with users and it’s usually due to something in the setup.

Silhouette has a 1/16″ off cut that is within the normal range of accuracy with the machines. Adding your own “print bleed” is just another way you can ensure success with your project turning out how you like it. There is also an automatic print bleed option in the Silhouette software, but it doesn’t always yield the look you want.

Open the Offset Panel. Select Offset and adjust the distance of the offset as desired. Set yourself up for success with this keeping in mind that 1/16″ off cut possibility. I used an offset of 0.110″. There is no magic number here and it can vary for all projects.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio interface showing the design area with a circular shape and offset settings for creating custom jewelry designs.

Open the stencil design. I am using a Hand Carved flower stencil by Kassy’s Parlour . The steps taken here may vary depending on the design you choose to work with.

Silhouette Studio software interface displaying a floral stencil design on a black background, with a workspace layout visible.


In order to fill the design with color, the design needs to be a cut file. If using an image file such as a png or jpeg, then you would need to trace the design to get “cut” lines to fill in certain areas with color.

For this design, first change the fill color to transparent. This makes the next steps easier to work with.

  • Right click and choose Release Compound Path.
  • Move the outer line away.
  • Left click and drag across all the remaining pieces to select all, then right click, and choose Make Compound Path.
  • Add a fill color back to the design to see how it looks.

Again, these steps may vary depending on the design you are working with. If you want to follow my exact steps, I’d recommend grabbing the Hand Carved flower stencil by Kassy’s Parlour so you are working with the exact file I’m using.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying a floral stencil design for custom jewelry creation, showcasing the design area and settings.

Copy and paste the stencil file to the print and cut project mat. Using the corner bounding box, scale the design down to fit within the circle offset and position as desired. Right click on the stencil design and choose Send to Back. Select everything and make a copy. Then save the file.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio interface displaying a design for custom jewelry, featuring patterns and shapes prepared for cutting and printing.

I actually made 2 copies and pulled the stencil design away so you could see it on the left side. The copies will come in handy in the next steps.

On the original design, hold the Shift key down and select the circle offset and the stencil design by clicking on them. Open the Modify Panel on the right side and select Crop. Now the design is cropped to the offset circle.

Screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software interface showing a floral design on a circle with crop and modify options highlighted.

Once Crop is selected, it will break all the pieces of the stencil design apart. Make sure to Group the pieces back together. I use Ctrl+G to group as the keyboard shortcut.

Also, when using the Crop tool, the outer offset circle is now gone. This is where the copies come in handy. Make a copy of the offset circle from the left side and move it onto the design mat. Select the new offset circle, the cropped stencil design and the original circle; then use the Align tools to Center it together.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing design workspace with a floral design and circular shape, demonstrating alignment tools.

Make a copy of this completed design and pull it off to the left side. Then save the file.

If the wrong circle was selected when using Crop, simply use the Undo feature and go back to start again.

For this design, since we created our own print bleed, we only need to cut the inside circle and not the offset or the stencil design. Hold the Shift key down and click on the offset circle and stencil design to select them, then click on the Send tab and choose No Cut. This will turn the cut line off for the offset & stencil design. You can do this step at the end of the process too, however, if you remember before you make copies, then it can be a little bit easier.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying a floral stencil design within a circular cut area, highlighting cut settings for crafting custom jewelry.

Now it is ready to start filling it with a pattern and colors. If you want to use different patterns and background colors, make additional copies and space across the page.

I am using patterns from the Silhouette library. These are mostly files I’ve purchased from the Silhouette Design Store over the years and I have quite the collection. You can add your own patterns to the Silhouette library Patterns folder, however, I do caution users on doing so as patterns can be large files and quickly eat up storage space in your Silhouette cloud storage. I typically use the drag and drop method for bringing in patterns from an outside location. More details on Pattern Fill HERE.

Select the stencil design on the first one. Then either open the Library tab or click on the Show/Hide Library icon in the bottom left corner. Show/Hide Library will do a split screen of the Silhouette Library which can sometimes be easier when designing and less flipping back and forth on the screen.

Screenshot of the Silhouette Studio software interface displaying a design with circular shapes filled with a floral pattern. The left panel shows design tools, while the top menu includes options for design, store, and library access.

Select the Patterns Folder in the Silhouette library on the left side and then choose a pattern. This will fill the selected object on the design mat with that pattern.

Screen capture of Silhouette Studio software interface showcasing various design patterns and a project of circular pendants with floral designs.

When working in the split screen, you can adjust the sections on the library if needed. This will depend on the computer screen size you are working on. Move the mouse cursor over the line the arrow points to above and then you will see a slider double arrow cursor to adjust the sections to see more of the pattern fill library. To go back to the full screen Design tab, simply click on the Show/Hide Library icon again and it will close.

Repeat this process for all the additional designs. I used a variety of different patterns for my pendants. Sometimes you really don’t know how it will print out and you may like some better than others once printed.

If you want to adjust the patterns further, open the Fill Color Panel – Tab 3 and you have additional options to Scale, Pan, Rotate, etc.

Screenshot of a computer screen showing the Silhouette Studio software interface with floral pendant designs being edited.

For the backgrounds, I chose to pull a color from each pattern and use that as the background color. Select the offset circle, then open the Fill Color Panel – Tab 1 and using the eyedropper tool, select a color from within the pattern. It may help to zoom in on the design to select the color you want.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing the design interface with a circle shape highlighted, instructional options for grouping elements, and a color fill palette.

If the colored circle covers the design, as shown above, right click and choose Send to Back. This happens because we made a copy of the offset and added it on top of the design and we need to reorder it.

If you don’t like the color, simply repeat the steps and select another color until you find one you like. Repeat these steps for all of the designs.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying three circular pendant designs filled with colorful floral patterns and a color fill panel on the right.

You can also use the Custom Color slider in the bottom of the Fill Color Panel to move the dot around to change the color to different shades of the color palette or even enter a HEX code at the bottom too.

I chose to print 2 copies of each pattern so I could make different projects with each or if I messed one up, I had a spare.

A digital design workspace displaying circular pendant templates with various floral patterns in different colors arranged in two rows.

Continue to fill the page as desired. When the page is full, click File > Print and print the page. I printed onto Epson Presentation Paper – Matte and used the high quality photo matte settings.

Here is a look at one of my design pages before I printed it.

Screenshot of a Silhouette Studio design workspace showing various colorful circular pendant designs alongside design workspace tools.

When doing a print and cut, set yourself up for success! Here are a couple tips that can help eliminate a lot of the issues we see users have with print and cut.

  • Use the default registration marks. This is where the most accurate print and cut results will occur consistently. Adjusting the marks or making them smaller increases the chance of a misread and off cut.
  • Keep the design out of the crosshatched area of the design screen. This is the safety zone for the optical eye to read the registration marks. Any colors or design aspects within that crosshatched area can interfere with an accurate reading.
  • Use a Silhouette cutting mat. The Silhouette machines are calibrated specifically for a Silhouette cutting mat. 3rd party mats are not typically the same page margins around the outer edges of the adhesive area and can cause issues with print and cut.
  • Place the printed page in the top left corner of the adhesive area on the grid exactly as it shows on the Silhouette software screen.
  • Hold the mat level or slightly elevated so the mat remains level as the registration marks are read. If the mat is hanging down in front of the machine it can cause it to bubble up in the middle between the rollers and this can affect how the registration marks are read. You can easily test this by simply loading your cutting mat and let it fall, then lift it up. You should be able to see the mat will flatten out in between the rollers when supported.
  • Have good lighting and not variable lighting or shadows. We have seen users have issues with print and cut simply by the amount of light from morning to afternoon. If your room lighting changes throughout the day, it can affect print and cut results. Avoid harsh shadows as well. Shining a bright light directly at the machine can also interfere with the optical eye reading the marks correctly. Shiny materials such as glossy surfaces or holographic can also interfere with an accurate reading as well as the light bounces off the material.
    Keep in mind that the optical eye is not a high level of intelligence. It is simply a laser eye that turns on and is looking for black registration marks in a very, very specific location on the page.
    The machine creates it’s own light, so technically it should be able to read the marks even with the lid closed.
A Silhouette cutting machine with a printed sheet featuring various colorful circular designs on a cutting mat.

The Epson Presentation Paper – Matte is a lighter weight paper and I love the print quality of images on it. I will use a slightly older cutting mat for this paper and used the Copy Paper settings with a blade depth of 2.

A variety of colorful, patterned circular cutouts placed on a Silhouette cutting mat, ready for crafting.

Once the machine has done it’s magic, then I like to remove the main paper first and I can carefully go back and remove all the circles. To help with any curling on materials, I will flip my mat over and peel the mat away from the material. I have to tell myself to slow down so I don’t tear the designs sometimes too! It’s not the machines fault if I tear it getting it off the cutting mat.

Next, it’s time to add the sparkle with the Mod Podge Sparkle and a foam brush. On a safe surface, give each of the designs a good coating of the Mod Podge Sparkle and let that dry. I use a silicone mat for easy clean up.

A desktop workspace with various colorful circular jewelry pieces, some with floral designs, alongside crafting supplies like glue, a foam brush, and a wooden stick.

The first ones I made, I only used one layer of Mod Podge Sparkle. The second round, I added a second layer and let that dry completely before the next step. The double layer added even more sparkle and I felt it just added a bit more to the pendants. The design on the left has one layer of Mod Podge Sparkle on it versus 2 layers as shown on the right side.

Close-up of two pendant designs featuring colorful floral patterns and glitter, one with a blue background and the other with a transparent resin finish.

Once it’s completely dry, then I applied a thin layer of E6000 to the inside of the jewelry pendant and carefully added the design on top and spun it around a bit. This helps to spread out the adhesive evenly. Make sure all areas are secure and let the E6000 dry completely before the next steps.

A variety of custom jewelry pieces featuring colorful floral designs in circular bezels, arranged on a crafting surface with glue and tools nearby.

Once it’s dry completely, then add a thin layer of E6000 on the top of the design and a thin layer on the backside of the pendant glass. Then apply the glass on top of the design and spin it around to spread the adhesive evenly. Press to secure it completely. If you add too much glue, then it can seep out the edges and blur on the glass globe, but you want enough to have an even thin layer between the globe and design.

A hand holding a round pendant featuring a blue and glittery floral design, with several additional pendants in the background on a work surface.

Let this dry completely before adding jewelry hardware and then admire your projects.

An assortment of DIY custom jewelry pieces including earrings, pendants, and keychains featuring colorful floral designs encased in clear resin.

Here are a couple close up photos of the completed projects.

A set of custom jewelry pieces featuring a pendant, earrings, and charms, with a blue and white leaf design and glitter effects, along with a blue tassel.

Once you get started, it’s hard to stop creating.

A collection of handmade jewelry pieces including pendants, earrings, and keychains, showcasing colorful, glittery designs set in silver bezels against a dark background.

I had so much fun creating this mess… I mean these projects! They turned out fabulous! Sometimes you just need to allow yourself to get started and see where the project will take you.

Additional Resources on the Silhouette Tools Used in this Tutorial:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

A close-up view of custom DIY jewelry featuring blue pendants and matching earrings with glittering effects displayed on a fabric surface.

Enjoy !

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How to Use Digital Stamps in Silhouette Studio | PNG Files, Autotrace & Print and Cut Tutorial

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

If you’ve ever wanted to bring digital stamps into Silhouette Studio, this tutorial is for you! In this video, I’ll walk you through the process of opening PNG files, using Autotrace, and using Print and Cut so you can create beautiful cards, scrapbook pages, and custom projects with ease. Whether you’re brand-new to Silhouette or looking to sharpen your skills, these step-by-step tips will help you get the most out of your digital stamp files and unlock even more creative possibilities.

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

Supplies Used in the Video Tutorial:

Ready to give it a try? Watch the full video tutorial below and see how easy it is to turn digital stamps into cut-ready designs in Silhouette Studio. Don’t forget to pin this post for later inspiration, share it with a crafty friend, and subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a new tutorial. I can’t wait to see what you create with your own digital stamps—be sure to tag me when you share your projects!

A screenshot of Silhouette Studio software displaying a digital workspace with stamped designs, a question about learning to use digital stamps, and UI elements. Using Digital Stamps in Silhouette.

How to Use Digital Stamps in Silhouette | Open PNG Files, Autotrace & Print and Cut Tips Video HERE

Additional Resources:

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Image showcasing a tutorial on using digital stamps in Silhouette Studio, featuring opened PNG files, Autotrace, and Print and Cut techniques. The workspace includes printed images and stamps, along with instructional text. Using Digital Stamps inSilhouette

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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Crafting with Abstract Florals: 5+ Creative Project Ideas Using Clikchic Designs

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Welcome to this edition of Crafting Creativity, featuring the bold and beautiful abstract floral designs by Clikchic Designs! These eye-catching patterns are the centerpiece of a wide range of creative projects that highlight the versatility of digital designs. From a custom shaker card and sketch-style greeting cards to shrink plastic tool charms, bracelet charms, earrings, wine charms, and a personalized chalkboard sign—these florals bring a fresh and modern flair to every creation. You’ll also see them used in card backgrounds and oversized tags, offering endless possibilities for crafters of all kinds. Get ready to be inspired by how one design collection can do so much!

Collage of vibrant floral designs featured in various handmade projects including greeting cards, tags, charms, and bookmarks, showcasing the versatility of digital designs.

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

A great big THANK YOU to Clikchic Designs for being the May contributing artist for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter. These gorgeous abstract floral designs can be found in Clikchic Designs artist store on the Silhouette Design Store site.

A collection of abstract floral designs in various colors, featuring purple, pink, and green blooms, as well as leaves, showcasing the artistry of Clikchic Designs.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE for future free files & project inspiration.

Crafting Creativity with Clikchic Abstract Florals

Project #1 – Custom Shaker Card

A hand holding a Mother's Day card embellished with colorful floral designs, positioned in front of a crafting machine and various crafting tools.

I set this up to print on a 12″ x 12″ sheet of cardstock. The only thing that did not fit on one sheet was the frame. It could easily be cut using letter size cardstock too.

Digital design interface displaying a shaker card layout featuring floral elements and a 'Happy Mother's Day' greeting.

I added a bit of sparkle on top of the flowers with a shimmer pen and love it. The hardest part is getting that to show up well on photos.

Close-up of a hand-decorated card featuring colorful abstract floral designs in shades of pink, red, and blue, adorned with green leaves and sparkly embellishments.

My mom loved it!

Don’t forget to add your shaker bits before you adhere the acetate & frame down. I got excited and forgot, so I had to peel up a corner and add them in. Nothing like making a project harder than it needs to be.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #2 – Sketched Card Backgrounds

Two birthday cards featuring abstract floral designs, one with a pink flower and the other with a blue flower, placed on a wooden table beside a container holding more floral stickers. A black pen and a white gel pen are also visible.

I drew out 2 rectangles and applied different Sketch Effects to them to create the sketched squares, then added a sketch sentiment around the outer edge of the border using a font called Flannel Shirt Sketch.

I then added some foam tape on the back of the Abstract Floral designs and added those to the center of the sketched frame to give it some dimension.

Next, I sketched a couple more with a premade frame called Dot Frame Sketched.

Two handmade greeting cards featuring colorful floral motifs with the text 'just for you' at the top. The cards are displayed on a wooden surface alongside a Gelly Roll marker and a black pen, with additional floral stickers in the background.

I think this one is my favorite of them all, but I think I’m drawn to this pink flower for some reason.

A birthday card featuring a colorful floral design on a white background, surrounded by the text 'happy birthday' repeated around the frame. In the background, a cutting machine is partially visible.

They are all gorgeous when paired with the Abstract Floral designs by Clikchic Designs.

A birthday card featuring a watercolor-style pink flower with dark outlines, positioned centrally within a black frame. The words 'happy birthday' are printed around the frame in a playful font.

I added the random dots around the edge of the square frames by hand after the card was sketched. I could have set it up in the software and had the machine do it perfectly, but it might have also smooshed the tip of my pen. This gives each card a randomness to it as well and makes it unique.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #3 – Shrink Plastic Projects

Have you ever used shrink plastic before?

There are so many things you can create with shrink plastic. From wine charms, bracelet charms, earrings, tumbler charms, tool charms, and more!

A variety of shrink plastic charms and earrings featuring abstract floral designs, displayed on a silver tray. The collection includes two flower-themed earrings, decorative tags, and a bracelet adorned with floral motifs.

Here is a look at my printed page using Silhouette Shrink Plastic Sheets.

A hand holding a printed sheet featuring various colorful abstract floral designs, showcasing purple, pink, and blue flowers alongside the word 'INSPIRE'. The sheet is being prepared for use with a cutting machine in a crafting workspace.

I used the default settings in the Silhouette Studio software to start with. Here is a look at the Send tab when I sent this page to cut.

A digital design workspace in Silhouette Studio, showcasing colorful abstract floral elements with the text 'INSPIRE'. Various floral shapes are arranged for cutting on shrink plastic.

Larger shrink plastic designs can be interesting when they shrink and you just have to keep going to get them to flatten out. Sometimes, they will also not be a uniform shape at the end. I think that adds to their uniqueness and can be fun to see what happens.

Custom tool charms are a great way to mark your scissors either for a specific purpose or to identify them when you go craft with friends. They are also handy to help you locate them on your craft table if they like to hide in a “safe” place often.

A pair of beige scissors with a protective cover sits on a grey surface, alongside a handmade keychain featuring a bookmark that reads 'INSPIRE' decorated with pink flowers and colorful beads.

I love watching it shrink when heat is applied! Check out this quick video on the Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Page, on Instagram, or on my YouTube channel.

Any type of plastic will dull the blade quicker than other materials, so it is not uncommon to have to increase the settings the more you cut.

There are several brands of shrink plastic out there and they can all be a bit different. I cut both Silhouette Shrink Plastic and Grafix Shrink Plastic during this process. I was using an older blade and I think it’s about done for now. It was having a hard time cutting through the Grafix Shrink Plastic in clear.

Test cuts are really the only way to know what is going to work with your blade and materials.

Two “secrets” of mine are:

  1. I’ll take a blade that isn’t cutting other materials such as cardstock or HTV well and move it to my shrink plastic blade. I get a bit more life out of my blades this way.
  2. Do not unload the cutting mat after the cut and check it first. If it did not cut through, you can increase the settings and send it again until it does cut.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #4 – Custom Sign or Chalkboard Sign

I started by measuring out the size of this chalkboard sign and then drew a rectangle the same size in Silhouette Studio. Then I just started adding the abstract floral designs and moving them around to create a floral frame.

A decorative black sign featuring a colorful floral border and the text "Create THE THINGS YOU WISH EXISTED" in white and pastel hues.

Did you know that vinyl goes bad? Yep! I started this project using Silhouette Printable Vinyl, which I love for the print quality. However, it must have been an old package because it would not weed properly and was separating. I ended up using Orajet 1917 that I’ve had in my craft stash for many, many years and it cut beautifully.

There is a shelf life for vinyl and other craft products such as pens, paint, string, inks, tape, etc.

What is the lifespan of vinyl? Well, there really isn’t an exact date or time as you never really know how long it’s sat on a retailers shelf or the manufacturer’s shelf, etc. And other factors play into it as well, such as temperature, humidity, etc. You will see many mention 2 years when stored properly. But, you never really know how it was treated before you bought it. I have some vinyl that I still try to cut even though I know it’s like 7 years old. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

How can you tell if it’s gone bad?

The 2 most obvious signs I have found is that it can separate when you try to weed it and it’s a bugger to work with no matter your troubleshooting or cut settings. These 2 things can present themselves by the adhesive can visibly be separating from the actual vinyl or the vinyl will not easily come off the backing paper.

Usually I try to push through and I always end up kicking myself for working so hard to try to salvage it.

However, the final way I know the vinyl has gone bad is when I get a new good piece and it weeds so smoothly. And that’s when I end up kicking myself.

For this project, I lost a few letters of the text in the middle, so I just ended up cutting the text from a scrap of Oracal 651 in white and adding that on to the project. A great use of scraps!

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #5 – Cards with Unique Backgrounds

When I do a print and cut page, I will fill the page with extra designs and this month I had a good bunch of the florals left over to create with. So I set about brainstorming what I could do with the left overs.

A collection of colorful floral stickers featuring various flower designs in shades of blue, pink, and red, arranged on a light blue background.

I was browsing Pinterest and found an idea where they created custom backgrounds with a stencil and inks. Why not do that with a stencil design & digital patterns?

Here is a look at the first ones I created.

Four handmade birthday cards featuring abstract floral designs in various colors, each with the text 'Happy Birthday' displayed prominently. The designs include a mix of pink, blue, and purple hues, set against a white background.

The next set, I started playing around with the orientation and mixed it up a bit.

I had so much fun playing around and creating backgrounds with different pattern papers.

Here is a close up look at one of the cards.

A birthday card featuring a pink flower with green leaves, against a background of blue and purple leaf patterns, with the text 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' prominently displayed.

You can do this too! Check out the video How to Make Stunning Card Backgrounds with Stencils & Digital Patterns in Silhouette on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

A digital tutorial for creating cards with stencils and patterned designs, featuring a split-screen image of the design process on a computer and finished card samples showcasing floral elements.

I am sharing my process of design creation, mistakes, and explanations of how and why I did things too!

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #6 – Custom Tag Designs

Whether you need a design 2″ or 6″, you can do it with your cutting machine. You can create things whatever size you want.

These tags are 3.5″ wide and 6.125″ tall. I used the Project Wizard in Silhouette Studio to create the basic tag design and cut from 110 lb Neenah cardstock.

Two colorful birthday tags featuring floral designs, one with a blue flower and another with a red flower, both embellished with 'Happy Birthday' labels.

I used up the last 2 flowers and bits of greenery I had printed on cardstock and combined that with a patterned paper I designed and printed when I shared the tutorial on Creating Custom Background Patterns in Silhouette.

A person holding a printed page with an abstract blue and purple design, showcasing swirling patterns. In the background, there is a white printer and part of a calendar visible.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

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

Find more designs by Clikchic Designs at:

Follow Clikchic Designs for more inspiration on her website, Facebook, and Instagram. I love watching the videos of how the designs are created. I love how she takes something that she has physically painted and turns it into a digital file so we can all enjoy and create with her amazing artwork!

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

From handmade cards to custom jewelry and home décor, the possibilities with these abstract floral designs by Clikchic Designs are truly endless. Each project in this Crafting Creativity edition showcases how one digital collection can be transformed into a wide variety of unique creations. Whether you’re crafting with paper, shrink plastic, or chalkboard materials, these versatile florals add a bold, artistic touch to every piece. We hope you’re inspired to explore new techniques and think outside the box with your next project.

Check out the Crafting Creativity series HERE.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

A collage of various handcrafted projects featuring abstract floral designs, including greeting cards, jewelry, and a chalkboard sign, all showcasing the versatility of Clikchic Designs.

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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How to Craft Stunning Mixed Media Projects with Sarah Hurley’s Digital Files

Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Welcome to this edition of Crafting Creativity! In this edition, I am sharing the vibrant world of mixed media digital design with the talented Sarah Hurley! In this post, we’re spotlighting sharing inspiring ways to incorporate Sarah’s digital elements into your own creative projects. Whether you’re crafting cards, journals, or home décor, you’ll find plenty of ideas to spark your next masterpiece. Let’s explore how digital and traditional techniques can come together to make something truly magical!

Last month was the 2025 Creativation by NAMTA event in Seattle and I was able to connect with Sarah Hurley in person. I’ve known Sarah for a couple years now and always enjoy getting together with her to connect and collaborate.

Three women standing in front of a sign for the Sarah Hurley Academy Pavilion at a creative event.

The Sarah Hurley Academy Pavilion was on the trade show floor and I loved hearing her Trend Report during the event. I was madly typing my notes in my phone during her presentation.

It was the perfect month to collaborate again with Sarah’s designs for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter.

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

If you missed these files in the April newsletter, you can find these mixed media files in the Mixed Media Dingbat Font – Volume 2 HERE.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE for future free files & project inspiration.

Let’s Get Creative with Digital Mixed Media

Project #1 – Artist Trading Cards – Mixed Media Background Elements

One of the projects the Creative Professionals did at the 2025 Creativation was create “found art” and place them all over the trade show floor for people to find and keep. I designed it all in Silhouette Studio using a collection of different elements, including the mixed media designs by Sarah Hurley.

Artist Trading Card with Mixed Media Files by Sarah Hurley

I am not sure which one I like the most, but I love that I can create in the software and test things out before I print my projects. I wanted each one to be a bit different and I was able to achieve that easily.

Artist Trading Cards for Creativation with Digital Mixed Media by Sarah Hurley

I also designed these double sided so I could include my information on the backside.

NAMTA Creative Professional Backside of Found Art

The biggest thing about doing a double sided print and cut is your printer. Every printer is different and you have to figure out how the printer prints and how to insert the page back in the printer so everything lines up.

I printed these and then used my paper trimmer to cut to the size I needed. Since it was a simple rectangle I felt it was more efficient for this project. I cut between 60-70 cards to “hide” during the event.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #2 – T-shirt with Siser Metallic Puff HTV & Mixed Media Designs

This may be my new favorite shirt! Not only is the Siser Tiger Lily Metallic Puff HTV gorgeous, but the mixed media background really made this design unique!

A black t-shirt featuring a pink design with the word 'create' in a stylish font, surrounded by a dotted pattern.

I duplicated the mixed media design, scaled it up, and then subtracted an offset of the text from the background.

Here is a closer look at the design.

Close-up of a dark t-shirt featuring the word 'create' in a shiny pink metallic finish, surrounded by a pattern of smaller pink dots.

I just love how the mixed media design puffed up. I’ll definitely be using more mixed media designs for backgrounds!

Specialty materials with shine are always so difficult to photograph and really capture how beautiful it is. I have had great luck with the Siser Metallic Puff HTV living up to it’s puff. Regular puff HTV and I have had a few issues, but the Metallic Putt HTV is so easy to use.

I share how I created this design on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

A black t-shirt featuring a textured 'create' design in pink puff HTV, surrounded by dotted embellishments, with a colorful gradient background for the text.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #3 – Digital & Physical Backgrounds – Cards

I added the mixed media files on top of a patterned background and set it up as a print and cut for a 4.25″ x 5.5″ card background.

Two artist trading cards designed with mixed media elements featuring vibrant backgrounds and the text 'Enjoy Every Moment'. The left card showcases a grid overlay with colorful bubbles, while the right card has a marbled background with a dotted pattern.

On the left side I used a pattern called Purple and Rainbow Bubble Background by Sarah Hurley, then placed the mixed media design on top on the left side. I used the eyedropper tool in the Fill Color panel to pull a color from the pattern and then adjusted it just a bit to make it pop.

On the right side, I used the background pattern created using the Gradient Fills in Silhouette from last month’s YouTube videos. I then added a different mixed media design on top and again pulled color from the pattern and adjusted to make it pop.

Check out more on how I created this background pattern in these videos:

I wanted the sentiment to stand out a bit so added that as a separate piece to the print and cut file so I could pop it up with foam tape.

Here is a look at the print and cut file I created in Silhouette.

A look at the Silhouette Studio software print and cut page with the mixed media card designs.

I used the Enjoy Every Moment by Sarah Hurley sentiment and added an offset around the design. For this design, I first made a larger offset to enclose everything and then made an internal offset to bring it back closer to the design. Once I had the offset as I wanted, I deleted the larger offset as it was not needed.

But I couldn’t stop there! These designs can be used for more than just digital projects too!

I cut these same designs from cardstock using the Silhouette Autoblade with the Cameo 5. Look at those cuts!

Close-up of a cutting machine with a mat displaying mixed media designs cut from cardstock.

Then I added the designs on top of a dark blue card base to make them stand out.

Two handcrafted greeting cards displayed on a wooden surface. One card features a purple polka dot design with the words 'You are' in a circular frame. The other card has a grid pattern in the same purple color with the words 'Best Wishes' arranged around a central circle.

Add a sentiment and you have a quick easy card design.

I did not just want to print and cut 2 designs, so I filled the page and had several options to choose from.

Screenshot of Silhouette Studio software showing a card design layout with circular sentiment designs.

I drew a circle and centered the design inside, then with both the circle and design selected, chose Cut Edge on the Send tab. Once it was cut, I added foam tape to the back of the sentiments to give the card a bit of dimension.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #4 – Stencils

Stencils can be from many different types of materials. I grabbed some scrap cardstock and also cut some plastic stencil material as well.

A Silhouette cutting machine positioned on a wooden surface, next to materials cut for stencils with a mixed media design.

Scrap cardstock is a very economical way to test out a stencil design and it can hold up and work for many projects too. I know I have a lot of scrap cardstock in my stash, so it’s perfect to test with.

I also see many who want to cut plastic stencil materials and I have both 6 mil and 7 mil stencil material on hand. Something to keep in mind with plastic stencil material is that plastics dull a blade differently and often quicker than other materials. All stencil material will vary in the cut settings that will work well with it.

A workspace featuring a white canvas with blue paint splatters, three bottles of DecoArt acrylic paint, a painter's brush, a color palette, and various art tools on a wooden surface.

The one above is 6 mil stencil plastic and I used the Stencil Material setting in the software with a used blade, but increased the passes to 3. I still had to pop the bits out of place, but it actually cut better than some of the smaller areas did on my fibrous cardstock.

And then just have fun! I grabbed some of the ​DecoArt Paints​ and a Dynasty EvoArt paint brush and just started stenciling a background. I don’t know how this will turn out yet, but I’m going to keep adding to it and see what speaks to me.

If you are cutting lots of stencil material, I’d recommend having extra blades on hand and also know that you will need to increase the cut settings as the blade dulls.

I am always looking for sales or bundles to stock up on blades or mats. Check out ​Crafter Cuts for a blade bundle HERE​ and use coupon code SECRETS to save 10% on supplies too!

A painted canvas displays splatter designs in teal, with stencils of mixed media designs.

I love this background pattern so much and still don’t know what I want to do with it. I asked for suggestions from my community and one of them was to scan it and save it as a digital background. YES! I love this idea.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

A great big THANK YOU to Sarah Hurley for collaborating for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter!

Make sure to follow Sarah Hurley and watch for new designs:

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

Bringing mixed media designs by Sarah Hurley into your creative projects is a fantastic way to add personality, depth, and a unique flair to your crafts. Whether you’re layering textures, combining materials, or experimenting with color, these designs offer endless possibilities to explore your creativity. If you’ve enjoyed this project, be sure to check out the full Crafting Creativity series for even more inspiration, step-by-step ideas, and creative ways to make your projects truly stand out. Let your imagination lead the way—there’s always something new to discover! Check out the Crafting Creativity series HERE.

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A collage showcasing various crafting projects featuring Sarah Hurley designs, including a black T-shirt with 'create' in pink, two colorful card designs, sheets with mixed media elements, and crafting supplies like paints and paper.

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!

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**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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Crafting Creativity with Nitwit Collections & Silhouette

Nitwit Collections Digital Kit
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae

Welcome to this edition of Crafting Creativity! This time, we’re diving into the wonderful world of digital kits with an inspiring collection from Nitwit Collections. Their beautifully designed elements and papers make it easy to create stunning projects with Silhouette. From layered cards to custom decor and everything in between, we’ll explore creative ways to bring these digital designs to life. Get ready for a fun and crafty adventure as we showcase projects that highlight the versatility and charm of Nitwit Collections!

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

Nitwit Collections Logo

If you missed these files in the March newsletter, you can find the Warm Embrace Knick Knack kit HERE. There are so many amazing kits available, make sure to check out the full shop HERE.

Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter HERE for future free files & project inspiration.

I have also released a new print and cut class: Master Print and Cut with Silhouette: Step-by Step Class that is available on my Teachable site HERE. The kit is provided in the class so you can use the same files I do and create amazing projects too!

Silhouette Print and Cut Class - Step-by-Step

If you are looking for step-by-step classes to learn more, check out all of the classes that are currently available on my Teachable site HERE.

Crafting Creativity with Nitwit Collections

Project #1 – Creative Card Designs: Make Every Greeting Uniquely Yours

Layered Card Design with Nitwit Collections Warm Embrace Kit

I just started playing around in the software to see what new card idea I could create after I finished the Print and Cut class. I like to make a mock-up in the software of a lot of projects before I actually cut. That means I will add all of the design pieces and play around with placement, elements, colors, and more right in Silhouette Studio.

Here is a look at my design file for this card in Silhouette Studio.

Silhouette Studio Design File of Framed Card

Once I have an idea of the card design layout, I can start cutting and in this case, printing, then cutting all the pieces.

Here is a close up look at the finished card with the 3-D layers.

Layered Card Design with Nitwit Collection Warm Embrace Knick Knack Digital Kit

But, I didn’t stop there! The creative ideas were still flowing and I decided to share how I created this card design in Silhouette with a LIVE tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

Designing in Silhouette Studio with Nitwit Collections Digital Kits

This session covers essential skills and techniques, including drawing tools, scaling tools, pattern fills, the Quick Access toolbar, Flexishapes, Draw Note, and more! Plus, with real-time viewer participation, questions were answered and demonstrated live to help you master these features. Check out the replay HERE on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel.

Don’t forget to Like and Subscribe if you want to be notified when new videos are released or Live tutorials are scheduled.

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #2 – Seagull Card Design: A card to WOW!

I’ve been watching the Nitwit Collections Facebook group and saw that a member, Lisa Shaw, was doing a Live demo and I joined in. I was mesmerized by her demo of a flying seagull card! The moment I saw it, I knew everything else had to wait. I just had to dive in and create this card style as a 5″ x 7″ card!

Seagull Card design with Warm Embrace Knick Knack kit by Nitwit Collections

Immediately following the LIVE demo, I started working out the math to make a prototype of this card. It reminded me how much I love to design and create fun fold and 3-D cards. Now, I can’t say that I got it right the first few times, so there was a few sheets of cardstock that are now in my scraps pile, but I did get there eventually.

Seagull Card Creation Behind the Scenes look

After I made the prototype, I could then bring it all together in the Silhouette Studio software to create a cut file.

Seagull Card Creation Design File Process

And then I printed all the pieces and started assembly to see where the elements should go. Here is another behind the scenes look at creating this card.

Seagull Card Design with Nitwit Collections

Here is a collage of how this card looks finished out from a few different angles.

Seagull Card design with Nitwit Collections Photo Collage

The top photo shows how the card look when completely unfolded. The bottom left shows the card completely closed and then on the right is a top look showing the Seagull Design.

I shared some of the tools I used to create this card file in Silhouette in the LIVE tutorial – Silhouette Studio Secrets: Design Smarter with These Powerful Tools

Silhouette Secrets Tutorial - Design Smarter with These Powerful Tools

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #3 – No Peeking Gift Bag Topper

These are so easy to create and can add a unique look to any gift bag. Plus it hides the contents until you are ready for the recipient to see it.

No Peeking Gift Bag Topper created with Nitwit Collections digital kit

Here is a close up look at these layered designs on the gift bag toppers.

Close Up of Custom Gift Bag Topper Layered Design with Nitwit Collections

Such an easy thing to add to make a gift bag stand out.

Custom Gift Bag Topper with Nitwit Collections Digital Kit

I shared how I created this design in Silhouette Studio in this video – DIY No Peeking Gift Bag Topper in Silhouette Studio on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.

No Peeking Gift Bag Topper YouTube video tutorial

Additional Resources:

Supplies Used:

Project #4 – Custom Sticky Note & Pen Holder

I love using this Sticky Note & Pen Holder file from Lori Whitlock and the Nitwit Collections kits work perfect for creating a custom cover. These make great gifts and work awesome for swaps at events too!

Custom Notepad & Pen holder with Nitwit Collections

Here is a close up look at the design layered on the front of the sticky note holder.

Close Up of Sticky Note & Pen Holder design by Lori Whitlock with Nitwit Collections

Supplies Used:

A great big THANK YOU to Nitwit Collections for collaborating for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter!

Make sure to follow Nitwit Collections for more amazing designs:

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

Unlock endless creative possibilities with a digital kit! In this edition of Crafting Creativity, we showcased a fabulous digital kit from Nitwit Collections and explored how a variety of unique projects. The Crafting Creativity blog series is your ultimate source for fresh ideas, practical tips, and expert techniques to take your crafting to the next level. Whether you’re transforming a go-to design, trying out new materials, or refining your skills, these posts are designed to ignite your creativity and help you bring your ideas to life. Check out the Crafting Creativity series HERE and discover where your imagination can take you!

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Crafting Creativity with Nitwit Collections Digital Kits

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 Tutorial: Designing Beautiful Projects with Digital Kits

Designing in Silhouette with Digital Kits
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae


If you love designing in Silhouette Studio and want to take your projects to the next level, you won’t want to miss this new LIVE tutorial! In this session, we are Creating Stunning Projects with Nitwit Collections Digital Kits and Cut Files. Learn how to combine beautifully designed digital elements with cut files to craft unique, professional-quality designs. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, this tutorial will walk you through step-by-step techniques to make your projects stand out. Plus, with viewer participation, questions were answered and demonstrated in real time, making it an interactive and engaging learning experience. Watch the replay now and get inspired to create!

Silhouette Studio Tutorial: Designing in Silhouette with Digital Kits

Skills & Techniques Covered in This Video:

Watch the New Video HERE on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel

In the video I share how I went about designing these cards with the Warm Embrace Knick Knack kit by Nitwit Collections.

Layered cards created with Warm Embrace digital kit by Nitwit Collections

Here is a closer look at this layered card. With the high quality graphics of the Nitwit Collections digital kits and layering with 3D foam tape, you can create amazing, unique cards and projects.

Close up - Layered cards created with Warm Embrace digital kit by Nitwit Collections

Supplies Used:

Additional Resources:

💡 Don’t forget to subscribe to the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel and turn on notifications so you never miss a new tutorial!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Designing in Silhouette Studio with Digital Kits Pinterest

Want to learn even more about Silhouette? Check out the A to Z resource 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.