I have been troubleshooting with Silhouette users since 2016, and we have answered a lot of questions during the years. One of the most common questions is “What is this?” and “Why did it just appear?” In this blog post, I’m sharing more details on 4 of the tools that are often confused with each other, how they get turned on, how to turn them off, and where to find more information on each of the tools. These 4 tools can be useful when designing in Silhouette Studio, but not all users utilize them or will use them all of the time. That is one of the great things about Silhouette is the choice of having the options to use a tool or feature. This is also one of those cases where if a user doesn’t know what a tool does specifically, they may never know that it can actually be really useful to them in their workflow.
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The 4 tools in Silhouette Studio that are often confused are:
Pressing the letter ‘H’ on the keyboard toggles it on and off.
A file is opened that the designer saved it with crosshairs on.
Typically we see crosshairs appear because a user thinks that they have activated Text Mode and it did not take. So when the letter ‘H’ is pressed on the keyboard, it toggles it on.
Crosshairs can be turned on and off 3 ways:
Press the letter ‘H’ key. If they don’t turn on and off, click on the design mat and then press ‘H’ again.
Open the Page Setup Panel, click on Tab 2, and click the Crosshairs button.
In the top left menu, under View, select Turn on Crosshairs.
Crosshairs are a Designer Edition upgrade feature and those on Basic will not see this available.
Guides can be pulled from the rulers on the top or right side of Silhouette Studio. Guides are a Designer Edition upgrade feature along with Rulers.
These can be accidentally activated if clicking the mouse on top of the rulers or click & pull from the ruler area onto the design mat.
Guides can be deleted by clicking on one to activate it, it will turn dark blue, then press delete. Light blue color means it is not the active Guide selected.
Guide settings can be found under the Page Setup Panel, under Tab 2. Snap to Guides is by default always active, but unless you have a Guide placed on the file, you won’t see it work. Guides can be toggled on and off under this tab too.
Guides can also be found in the top left menu under View, then select the option desired.
This control point appears any time there is editable text activated.
This is the control handle that is used to drag text to a path and have it snap to the path. This feature is always available on editable text and there is no way to turn it off.
The April 2026 member exclusive tutorial for the Creative Community is an in-depth tutorial on Text to Path with advanced techniques too! Check out more details on the Creative Community HERE.
*Creative Community members watch for a cheat sheet on these tools coming soon to April’s forum!
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The Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II is officially in my studio and I’ve been testing it. I am one of the original testers for the Cameo Pro 4 and am happy to share that a lot of the information will carry over to the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II model as well. There are a few updates to the Cameo Pro MK II, but the tips I’ve provided on the previous model can help you be successful as well. In this blog post you’ll find the link to the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II unboxing video as well as still shots below and some additional tips to help users be successful and troubleshoot the Cameo Pro MK II.
Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II Machine Photos and Tips
While unboxing any new machine, make sure to inspect it carefully for any packing materials that secures the device during shipping. It can be hiding around some corners as shown in the photo below. Before plugging the power cord into the machine, make sure to carefully slide the housing to the right side and remove all the packing materials in and around where the housing was located during shipping.
Silhouette machines are shipped worldwide from the manufacturer, so the machine is not set up properly for first use when the box is opened. After removing the packing material, unlock the right roller and slide the roller mechanism to the right side to lock into the correct location according to whether you are using a cutting mat or the width of the vinyl.
There are 5 auxiliary rollers in between the left and right rollers. These rollers can be removed. If removed, make sure to store them in a safe location as they currently do not have replacements of this same style. These auxiliary rollers do not provide any firm pressure like the left and right rollers and do not feed the material into the machine. They all have a spring located on the roller that helps to keep materials from bubbling up in the middle.
The Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II has additional locations that the right roller can be locked in place compared to the previous Cameo 4 Pro model. On the backside of the roller bar there are little sections with notches where the right roller will settle in and can be locked in place.
The roller bar has been redesigned on this model, which allows the rollers to be visible and grip the materials better than the previous Cameo 4 Pro.
In a nutshell, the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II is a Cameo 4 Pro body with the guts and updates of the Cameo 5 model. This includes a redesigned chassis and the new roller bar and roller system. On the older Cameo 4 Pro model, the rollers were located underneath the roller bar and difficult to see. The rollers are approximately 1/4″ in width on all Silhouette machines. On the older Cameo 4 Pro model, the rollers had very, very specific locations that they could be locked into place and even 1/16″ to the left or right could make a big difference in how the material feed through the machine.
Here is a look at everything that is included in the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II box. There is also a 24″ Silhouette cutting mat in the box, that is out of the bounds of this photo.
Inside the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II box you should find: a 24″ Silhouette cutting mat, 2-part power cord, plastic bag with the Silhouette Type B Autoblade, a Silhouette tool, sketch pen adapter, and the parts for the roll feeder and mat support. There are also several pamphlets included in the box too.
Tips for Success with the Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II
Make sure that the leading edge of the material is completely straight. If it is not, it can be difficult to load the vinyl correctly and the material can skew as it is being cut and fed through. The photo below is an example of how much my 24″ roll of adhesive vinyl was off from straight. Once I cut the leading edge it was easier to load in the machine and did not bunch up.
Once the material is inside the machine, use the arrows on the touchscreen to feed the vinyl all through the machine the length of the cut to see how it will feed and if it will stay straight. On the touchscreen, after the vinyl is already loaded the down arrow on the 4 directional arrows is the one that will advance the vinyl through the machine. The arrows on the touchscreen move the actual blade housing left and right as well as down the material and back.
The photo below shows a close up look at the backside of the machine and the crosscutter. If the vinyl is advanced to the backside, it can then be cut off in a straight line. Flip the levers down on both sides of the crosscutter and then slide the blade across to the other side to slice the material.
Make sure to flip the levers back up after the cut is complete and to move the crosscutting blade to the very edge of the crosscutter. If these steps are not taken, it can interfere with the proper feeding of the vinyl on the next cut as it can block the material from advancing through the machine.
The crosscutter is a removable and replaceable part should the blade become dull. If the crosscutter is not installed correctly and secure, you may get an error in the Silhouette software. The photo below shows a look at the crosscutter when removed from the machine.
If the leading edge of the material is curled down, it can catch on the channel of the crosscutter. This can affect the feed and results of the cuts being made. This is often something you can hear first before you see the results of the miscuts or misfeed. Any catching inside the machine can affect the feed and cause miscuts on the design.
Straighten out the edge of the material so it’s not curled down to prevent this. However, if you do use the crosscutter to slice the vinyl after a cut is complete, it can create that curled edge.
Make sure to zoom in on the design being used on the Send tab and check the design before you send a large design to cut. I did not before I made my first cuts and ended up with 24″ of wasted vinyl. This was a design that I purchased and thought it would be a quick cut as my first test and that’s not how it ended up. Several parts of this design were not welded correctly. If you zoom in really close on the Send tab prior to cutting, you can hopefully catch something like this before it happens.
If you do run into issues, start first with looking at the setup and watching the machine. That’s how I find a lot of the issues we troubleshoot is by looking at photos and video of how the machine operates. And I listen to the machine. As I mentioned above, I can often hear something is wrong before I see what the issue is.
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Silhouette IPT is short for Intelligent Path Technology and was first announced to us at the 2023 Silhouette Summit when the Silhouette Cameo 5, Curio 2, and Portrait 4 models were announced.
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In this blog post, I am sharing some of the details of the IPT setup and how it works. Read more details below and then watch the video tutorial with even more tips on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE.
The Silhouette IPT is a patented cutting technology that changes the cut order of a design to “help” it stay in position and complete the cut. Depending on the design you have on the file, when it’s turned on, it will complete the cut of the design in segments versus a continuous cut around the entire design. The photo below shows the standard method of cutting on the left side, that would be from 1 starting point and cut around in one continuous cut back to the starting point on a heart. On the right side, the white dots are points of reference in how the design would be cut in segments, starting on the top right, then moving to the top left and then moving to complete the bottom on each side. This method is designed to “hold” the design in place and not have shifting as it’s being cut.
This new technology was created to help delicate materials such as vellum be more successful when cutting out designs and to cut through multiple layers of materials at once, such as several sheets of vellum stacked on top of the Silhouette Electrostatic Mat.
Here is the video we were shown at Silhouette Summit 2023 to explain the process.
This is a setting you have to set up and turn on in order for it to use the IPT cutting method and is not an automatic setting. It is compatible with the Silhouette Cameo 5, Curio 2, and Portrait 4 models.
Silhouette IPT settings can be found under the advanced settings on a preset setting, or you can turn it on for a custom cut setting. On the Send tab in Silhouette Studio, select the MORE button and you will see a box next to “Intelligent Path Technology”.
Here is a look at Silhouette Studio version 5
Screenshot Silhouette Studio v5.0.402
And a look at the Advanced Settings in Silhouette Studio version 4
Screenshot Silhouette Studio v4.5.815
If IPT is selected on a preset material setting, you will need to Save As to create a new material in order for it to be activated on the cut setting. If you simply check the box and X out of the preset material, it will not activate the IPT setting.
Screenshot Silhouette Studio v4.5.815
How Silhouette IPT (Intelligent Path Technology) Works
Let’s take a real world look at the IPT cut setting and the order that it takes. Keep in mind that the Silhouette software will change this order for every design, and you do not know what the order will be unless you watch and record the machine behavior.
I’ll be using the Silhouette Curio 2 for this demonstration, but it works the same for the Silhouette Portrait 4 and the Silhouette Curio 2. I am using Silhouette Vellum sheets for this test along with a brand new Silhouette Autoblade.
I used the same shape from the video by Silhouette from 2023. I drew the heart using the Flexishapes tool on the left side in Silhouette.
This was completed as a continuous cut, the blade never lifted.
Then I turned the cut lines off for the first heart and turned the cut lines on for the 2nd heart, which is an exact copy of the first one.
My first attempt at this IPT cut, I used the Vellum preset, checked the box, but then X’d out and found out that it did not activate the IPT setting. A new custom setting is required by clicking on Save As after checking the box.
So I made a 3rd copy of the heart and I clicked on the MORE button and checked the box next to Intelligent Path Technology and chose Save As. Then clicked the X in the top right and chose the new material of Vellum (1) as my setting. I then clicked on the MORE button to double check that IPT setting did save with the new material.
The IPT function did work and it cut the heart in 10 different line segments. However, the cut order was a bit different than the video by Silhouette from 2023 and I noticed it started the first cut in the bottom left area of the design. I am using Silhouette Studio version 4.5.815 for this demonstration. The order in which it cuts may vary by software version, which may be why the order is different than what the video shows from 2023.
Here is a diagram of the cut order using IPT with this heart shape
This heart with this specific material cut fine both ways. But, that won’t always be the case.
On a more complex design, such as this flower shape drawn with the Flexishapes and the control point adjusted to make a sharper petal, IPT did make a difference in the cut. Instead of tearing, smooshing, or ruining the corners on the interior of the petals, it was a clean sharp point and the design cut well.
For this flower shape that is approximately 4.3″ tall and 4.2″ wide, it did 51 segmented cuts. I am not going to study the video to diagram all that out, however, it was pretty neat to watch. And it was a success, with no smooshed corners or tears. I did have to “pop” out the flower carefully, but for some designs that extra little bit of care is worth it!
Here is a close up look at the interior cuts on the flower shape. Look at those crisp, cut edges! No tearing or smooshing using the IPT feature in Silhouette.
Vellum is a very delicate material and can be difficult to cut, especially on an intricate cut. Vellum will also curl as you can see in this photo, the flower immediately started to curl. Humidity can also affect the success of cutting vellum, well, really any paper is affected by humidity. For best results, store vellum in a sealed envelope and completely flat. The Silhouette Electrostatic Mat is awesome for cutting vellum designs and I share even more in the Silhouette Curio 2 – Out of the Box class found HERE.
Here are a few more vellum products I’ve tested with:
It is a setting you can turn on for a preset material, then Save As a new material.
It is a setting you can turn on for a custom setting.
It does take longer to cut a design because the blade will lift, move, and cut in a different order.
It will take longer on the Silhouette Curio 2 versus a Silhouette Portrait 4 or Silhouette Cameo 5 model due to the slower movement of the arm on the Silhouette Curio 2. It may only be a few seconds longer, but it will.
Testing is the only way you will know if it will work for a design and material.
The Silhouette software decides the order of IPT based on the shape, size, and design. The user does not see the order or know how many segments a design will be cut out in.
Don’t believe AI answers on what IPT does or in general how to use a Silhouette. AI has no experience using Silhouette machine and will come back with some very bad advice. Experience using a cutting machine will beat AI hands down – literally.
This is NOT the same as Cut Order Sorting options found under the Settings (gear icon) on the Send Tab in Silhouette Studio.
Screenshot from version 5 Silhouette Studio
Here is a look at where to find the Cut Order Sorting options in Silhouette Studio version 4
It did take more time to cut, but I was able to successfully cut out a rolled flower design using the Silhouette Electrostatic Mat and IPT setting. This has been something I have troubleshot with users several times and the intricate design just couldn’t be held in place to complete the cut using the standard cutting methods with the electrostatic mat.
I am thrilled with how this worked out!
Does Silhouette IPT Work?
Yes – but not for every design, material, or project. I thought it worked great with the flower design above as that is one of those highly likely designs to smoosh and tear on the sharp corners.
Personally, I do not typically like the little tabs it left, similar to pop out cutting. However, it might be beneficial for those materials or designs that just will not cut the standard way. The only way to know is to test it and see what happens. If you do use it, I would recommend a sharp pair of detail scissors to snip the little connections and care when separating it from the full sheet.
The second part of IPT method for cutting through multiple layers of materials, proved to be much more finicky with mixed results. I spent hours and hours testing and was never really impressed with the results. The more layers of material, the less desirable the cut results were. It is not something I’ve spent more time testing. Maybe someday I’ll try again.
I hope those tips give you a better idea of how this new cut path technology works. You never know until you try and hopefully that will help your trials go a bit easier.
Next time you have a design that is just giving you fits with a standard, continuous cut setup – you might try out the IPT setting and see if it makes a difference in the success with your material.
Good luck!
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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!
**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.
Have you ever opened Silhouette Studio, started designing with text, and instead of a beautiful font you’re greeted with rectangles, boxes, or missing letters? Font issues in Silhouette Studio are a common frustrations that we see when troubleshooting with users—whether fonts don’t show up at all, won’t display correctly, or refuse to work the way you expect. The good news? These problems usually have simple explanations and easy fixes once you know what to look for.
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I just shared a brand new video on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel that walks you through exactly why font issues happen in Silhouette Studio and how to troubleshoot them. In this tutorial, you’ll learn why fonts show up as rectangles, a glimpse at previewing fonts, why fonts can go missing or seem like they are missing, and how to reinstall fonts correctly—including whether OTF or TTF files work best. If you’ve ever wondered “Why is my font doing that?” this video will help you get back to designing quickly and show how to avoid some of these issues.
If you’re ready to go beyond troubleshooting and really learn how to use fonts to create your own designs in Silhouette Studio, come join us in the Creative Community with EllyMae | Crafting & Troubleshooting site. Our February 2026 exclusive member video covers working with text, fonts, and design techniques so you can move from simply typing words to confidently creating custom designs with fonts. It’s the perfect next step if you want to unlock the creative power of text in Silhouette Studio and design projects that are truly your own. In the 96 minutes step-by-step video tutorial I cover everything from where fonts are stored, font storage, designing with glyphs, offsets, compound paths, combining shapes, and more! Create 10 unique designs in less than 2 hours and then take and use those techniques to create even more!
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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!
**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.
Creating shaped & layered paper flowers is all about the details. In Creating Layered Paper Flowers with a Silhouette Cameo: A Behind-the-Scenes Crafting Process, I’m sharing a closer look at the full creative journey behind my layered paper flower bouquet. This blog post goes hand in hand with the new YouTube video, where I walk through the behind-the-scenes process, helpful cutting tips, shaping techniques, and see the complete supply list below too. You’ll see how flat paper designs can be transformed by adding dimension, shaping each layer, and assembling them together to create full, eye-catching paper flowers using the Silhouette Cameo.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Watch the Video & See the Details!
Head over to the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel to catch the full behind-the-scenes video, then scroll down to explore the finished flower photos and the complete supply list for creating your own layered paper flower bouquet.
I had so much fun creating these layered paper flowers and greenery. Time is the key factor to completing projects like this. Enjoy the creative process!
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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!
**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.
If you love creating interactive cards, this JOY Spinner Card is a must-try holiday project! In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to design and assemble this layered spinner card using Silhouette Studio, along with a complete supply list and helpful tips and additional resources. Watch the full video, grab the supplies below, and let’s create a festive card that’s sure to impress!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This card design was first shared in my Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook group and my admin did a bit of sleuth work and found who we believe is the original designer for this spinner card idea. This card design was inspired by Dress My Craft. Make sure to grab the Dress My Craft spinners linked in the supply list below.
One thing leads to another… down the rabbit hole I went and Dress My Craft has so many neat ideas to create with the spinners.
Create the layered look with the same colors of cardstock or mix it up and do multiple colors. I cut both to see what it would look like, but I think I prefer the white layered on top of each other with the offset. I am so glad I saw my admin (Teresa’s) card ideas and included that into the video tutorial. I think it really makes it stand out.
I love being able to create designs in the Silhouette software, and projects like this JOY Spinner Card truly show how versatile it can be! If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the full video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel for step-by-step instructions and extra tips. I hope this inspires you to create your own interactive card and continue learning even more about what Silhouette can do!
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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!
**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.
If you’ve ever spotted a hidden gem at a thrift store and talked yourself out of it… this project is your reminder to turn back and grab it! That’s exactly how this Etched Tiered Tray came to life. I found a gorgeous three-tiered glass tray tucked behind a stack of dishes, walked away, and then thankfully circled back to bring it home. Today I’m sharing how I transformed that thrifted treasure using custom-designed stencils created in Silhouette Studio and Etchall etching creme. With the right design setup and a few simple steps, you can get beautifully crisp results that make any glass piece look high-end and completely personalized.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you have a cutting machine, you have unlimited possibilities of custom designs at your fingertips.
I started by measuring each level of the tiered tray. This gives me a starting point to draw out a template in Silhouette Studio to design within. If the tiered tray has a curve to it, then you’ll want to make sure to account for that. Adding a stencil onto a curved area can get a bit tricky to lay it straight and flat. I created my stencils so the design would be on the flat area before the curve starts.
Here is a look at my working file in Silhouette Studio.
On the left side are some designs I was playing around with to decide what I wanted to work with. I settled on using the Cherry Blossom Design by Tanya Batrak. On the right you can see the design for each level of the tiered tray. The outer oval is the template from my measurements and then I was able to design within the template for each level.
I knew I wanted something that went all the way around and I designed an oval frame using the same technique that I shared in the video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ channel – Creating a Circle Frame in Silhouette Studio with Basic Tools.
Then I brought in the Cherry Blossom Design and scaled it to the size I wanted and placed it on top of the oval frame.
I modified the design a bit by cutting off the branch on one side and then for the largest tiered tray, I cut off the top 3rd flower and used edit points to make the design smooth. So each layer of this tiered tray is a bit different. Here is a close up look at my final designs.
I then made an offset of the entire design and subtracted the offset from the circle frame to give the design some space and set it apart.
Here is a look at my stencil file on the Send tab in Silhouette. I used the Cut by Line Color tab so I could set up 2 different settings and have it kiss cut around the stencil and then cut the red cut line all the way through on the offset around the entire design. This way the center of the design was cut out for me by the Silhouette machine.
Then I grabbed a color of Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl that has been in my stash for awhile and not used. Scraps or colors that you don’t use often are great for stencils.
Once the designs were cut, then carefully weed out the design. And if you mess up in the weeding or application process, grab another sheet of vinyl and cut another one. I messed up along the way on one decal and ended up cutting another stencil. So glad I have this option with owning a cutting machine!
If your tiered tray comes apart easily, it may be easier to apply the stencils and etch by taking it apart. My husband suggested I do this, but with the rubber rings separating each layer, I didn’t want to mess something up taking it apart or putting it back together, so I worked with it fully assembled.
This meant that I needed to cut the stencil apart for 2 of the layers to wrap it around and apply to the bottom of the tier.
I looked for a good section of the design to slice it apart at that would be easy to line up and get connected again when I was applying.
Find some way to set up so your glass is secure and is as flat as possible for the stencil application and while the etching creme is on the glass.
Since I left my tiered tray assembled, I propped it up using my bulk roll of AT65 Transfer Tape.
This was actually a really sturdy way to hold my tiered tray and it was stable, secure, and level the entire time.
Make sure to clean the area where you’ll be applying the adhesive vinyl with alcohol first to remove any dirt and debris so you get a good adhesion. And then let it dry completely.
The bottom layer was the easiest since it was the most accessible and that is where I started. I applied the Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl stencil and then I applied a bit of heat to help the adhesive vinyl to adhere well. I have some intricate areas and I wanted to give myself the best chance of success and not have any bleed. While this is step is not mandatory for glass etching, I do think whatever you can do to set yourself up for success saves your time and money.
Not all glass etches too! And I wasn’t sure if this would work or not on the tiered tray. Starting with the bottom layer first, this was my test. I heated it a bit and then carefully smoothed down the vinyl edges all along. Be careful as hot glass looks the same as cold glass. I then waited for the glass to cool completely before applying the Etching creme so that the adhesive could set up and less likely to move around on the smooth surface.
The next step isn’t mandatory either, but I do feel it will help you be successful! Tape off the edges around the stencil in case any etching creme gets outside of where you want it to be. It never fails that if the etching creme even touches an area you don’t want it to etch, it will.
Use painter’s tape or in this case, I had lots of excess transfer tape and since it was an oval object on a curved surface, I ended up cutting smaller sections of the AT65 transfer tape and applying it around the outer edge and the inside edge of my stencil.
For flat objects, you can simply make your stencil larger to cover a larger area of the object. However, on a curved object that can be more difficult to lay the adhesive vinyl completely flat, so I chose this method.
Next, I applied the Etchall etching creme around the entire design. And set my timer for 20 minutes.
The next steps are very important! After 20 minutes, carefully remove any excess Etchall etching creme and put it back in the bottle. It can be reused over and over again. Then I take a paper towel and wipe away any excess. And once all the excess has been removed, I will run water in my sink and then washed the entire design and remove the stencil while under running water.
It worked!!! So I dried it off and then repeated the same steps on the other 2 layers of the tiered tray.
As you can see I have 2 different colors of adhesive vinyl as I messed up weeding the top layer stencil. Easily remedied by cutting another stencil with my Silhouette machine.
All the extra steps to secure with heat and taping off the design paid off!
This etched tiered tray project turned out fantastic!!!
The hardest part about glass etching is getting a good photo and in this case, getting a good photo that shows all 3 levels off well.
I love being able to create custom and unique projects. This one was quickly claimed by my youngest, who put it to work immediately. I asked if she could to a “lifestyle” photo for me to use and this is what she did.
It is definitely being put to good use and she loves it.
Check out more information for even more creative ideas and tips to take your crafting to the next level HERE!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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!
**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.
Creating custom card designs in Silhouette Studio is easier than you might think, and today I’m excited to share a step-by-step Tri-Fold Shaped Edge Card tutorial now live on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel! This project is perfect for any occasion, and once you learn the process, you can customize it with your own text, images, and themes. You’ll find the full supply list conveniently located right below the video link, so you can gather everything you need and craft along with me.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Head over to the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel to watch the full step-by-step tutorial. I walk you through each part of creating a Tri-Fold Shaped Edge Card so you can follow along at your own pace and customize it to match any theme or occasion. And while you’re there, I’d love your support—click the Like button, leave a comment to share what design you plan to create, and make sure to subscribe for more Silhouette tips and project inspiration. Don’t forget to tap the bell so you’re notified as soon as new tutorials are released!
Ready to design your own? Once you’ve watched the tutorial and are inspired to start creating, here are the supplies I used for my Tri-Fold Shaped Edge Card. Feel free to follow along with the same materials or customize your project with what you have on hand—either way, you’ll be crafting a unique card in no time!
This is a card design that can be used all year long and for many different situations.
Here are a couple more designs that I created too!
Mix and match different paper patterns with the same designs to create different looks.
This is a great way to use up scraps papers or smaller sheets too!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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!
**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.
Looking for a unique and elegant gift idea? This custom glass etched decanter set is the perfect project to showcase both creativity and craftsmanship! Using Silhouette Studio to design the stencil and cutting it from Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl with the Silhouette Cameo 5, I created crisp, intricate, and detailed stencils that made the etching process a breeze. With a little help from Etchall etching creme, each piece transformed into a beautifully personalized set — perfect for gifting or adding a touch of class to your own home bar. Keep reading for a full supply list, a look at the step-by-step process, and plenty of inspiration photos of the finished project!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The best part about this project is that it came together for less than $20! I found the perfect glassware and decanter set during a quick trip to Goodwill, and I couldn’t pass it up. It was a very successful shopping trip to Goodwill for glassware.
After a good cleaning, the glass pieces were like new and ready for a makeover. My husband had the idea to create our own custom etched decanter set, and it turned out even better than we imagined. It just goes to show — with a little creativity (and a great thrift store find!), you can create something beautiful, personal, and completely unique without spending a fortune.
Ready to make your own custom etched decanter set? Here’s a look at the supplies and tools I used to bring this project to life — from the thrifted glassware to the vinyl stencil and etching cream that made the magic happen!
Now that you’ve got your supplies ready, let’s take a look at how this custom etched decanter set came together! I snapped a few photos along the way to show each step — from creating the stencil in Silhouette Studio to applying the Etchall etching creme and revealing the final design.
I started by using a file I purchased on Etsy and then did some clean up on the file to make it more suitable for the glass etching project. I did not need all of the fine, intricate details of the original design at the size I was creating with. On the left is the original design I purchased, and on the right is the file I used for my stencil.
Creating a clean cutting stencil can take some test cut attempts just to make sure that the details you want will remain and you won’t have any cutting issues. I started with one stencil, adjusted my design a bit after seeing how it cut, and then cut the rest of the stencils I needed.
I used scraps of Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl for this project. Or if you have a color in your stash that isn’t your favorite, this is the perfect project for it!
I applied the stencils using AT65 Transfer Tape and then I highly recommend adding painters tape around the edges of your stencil design, especially on a curved object. Etching cream is awesome and can work super quick, especially if it gets onto a spot of the glassware that you do not want to be etched. It seems like those mistakes always seem to etch the fastest.
The next step I took is optional, but since I knew my stencils were detailed, I thought it was worth the extra step to apply a bit of heat to the adhesive vinyl and make sure it had a really good adhesion. I grabbed my Heat It Gun by Ranger and applied it for a few seconds all around. Be careful as hot glass looks like cold glass. I let it cool completely so the adhesive vinyl would be well stuck.
I really like this Heat Gun by Ranger as it has more of a direct heat towards your project and doesn’t blow the hot air out around as much. I know that sounds odd, but it’s one of those things that you don’t really “get” until you have used the tool. I used it in a class at Creativation 2025 and came home and bought myself one even though I have several embossing guns already in my tool box.
Here is a close up look at the etching cream as it sneaked off my stencil and why I highly recommend using the painters tape. With curved objects, it’s not always easy to simply make the stencil bigger. That can be more difficult to get a smooth application on the glass object, so the painters tape is a great way to help add an additional barrier.
I leave the etching cream on for 20 minutes and then this is IMPORTANT! Scrape off any excess etching cream and put it back in the bottle!!! It can be reused over and over again. I’ve had bottles of Etchall Etching Creme for many years, and it is still good to use, no matter what color it turns into.
Then I take a paper towel and wipe off any excess etching cream before rinsing it thoroughly in the sink.
They turned out FANTASTIC! And I was doing a happy dance. I do believe that taking the extra time to heat the adhesive vinyl and let it cool before applying the etching cream helped to seal the edges of the stencil to prevent any seepage of the etching cream and give it crisp, smooth lines.
The next step – put them to the test & enjoy our new custom decanter set.
For our project, we thought that Buffalo Trace fit it perfectly and filled the decanter well. (*not sponsored or a promotion for Buffalo Trace – please enjoy responsibly)
Whether you’re creating a special gift or adding a custom touch to your own space, glass etching is a simple way to make something truly unforgettable. With your cutting machine, Oracal 651 vinyl, and a little Etchall etching creme, you can personalize glassware, mirrors, and so much more! I hope this project inspires you to give etching a try and see just how easy it is to get professional-looking results at home. Check out more information for even more creative ideas and tips to take your crafting to the next level HERE!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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!
**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.
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.
Sparkle and Shine: DIY Custom Jewelry with Silhouette | Make Custom Pendants, Earrings & Bag Tags Video Tutorial available HERE
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
*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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let this dry completely before adding jewelry hardware and then admire your projects.
Here are a couple close up photos of the completed projects.
Once you get started, it’s hard to stop creating.
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.
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!
**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.
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click the link to buy a coffee. Every little bit helps in the cost of running the site.
