I’ve had so much fun with the Siser Glow HTV! If you missed Part 1 – check it out HERE. Siser Glow HTV can be cut with any cutting machine and I was swapping back and forth in my creations between Silhouette and Siser machines. Sometimes I had both going at the same time.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I had Siser Juliet set up in one room cutting away, while my Silhouette Cameo was cutting next to my computer (shown in Siser Glow HTV Part 1). With the Siser Juliet connected through WIFI, I regularly cut from one room to the next. The Juliet roll holder came in handy for these projects and my rolls of Siser Glow HTV.
One of the most important steps you can do is – test cut, test cut, test cut. It seems like such a basic step, but it can save you!!! Siser machines make it so easy to perform this simple action directly on the touchscreen and it will save you so much in time, materials, and frustration.
I think I found my new favorite shirt for awhile. I’ve been collecting these designs by Sophie Gallo just waiting for the perfect projects. Find this design HERE. Here is a look at the back of the shirt.
I don’t know why I have never really decorated the back of my shirts and I hadn’t ever though about it until I started following MammaBearKay and watching her post her shirts. She runs an awesome business with adult humor shirts.
Here is a look at the Siser Glow HTV in the dark.
And the same shirt under the blacklight.
I’ve already several compliments on it when I have worn it out. Everyone gets a good laugh.
Here is a look at the front. I just took the little guy out of the original design and cut him smaller for the front. If I did this over, I think I’d put him on the other side, but it’s done now and I can always make another.
Let’s light him up!
After dark
And under the blacklight.
But I didn’t stop there…..
My son loves games, so this design from Leonardo Design Studio was perfect!
What kid doesn’t like a glow-in-the-dark shirt? Unless they are playing hide-and-seek or kick the can of course!
I was having so much fun creating. Little green men should glow right?
And I couldn’t leave Siser Romeo out of the fun! As soon as I had the Siser Glow HTV in my hands I had a BIG idea. It was only after I created the design that I realized I didn’t have Siser Glow HTV in the size I needed. So I called in a special request at The Vinyl Spectrum and ordered larger sizes.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
If you missed Part 1 of the Siser Glow HTV – check it out HERE.
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.
I have been having a lot of fun…. maybe too much, but once I get started, it’s hard to stop.
Here is a little behind-the-scenes look at what my studio looked like a few weeks back when I was in the middle of all my creations.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Siser Easy Glow HTV arrived and I went creative crazy! So many ideas came to mind and I just started designing and cutting. I have lots I want to share with you, but I’ll have to split it into 2 parts to share it all. I may have also made myself my new favorite shirt too! (see Siser Glow Part 2)
The first thing to do is test cut! Let me say it again so it sinks in – test cut, test cut, test cut. I started with the recommended settings on the Siser website for Easy Glow and did my test cuts. Your machine, blade life, and many other factors go into what cut settings will work for you in that moment.
For tips more tips that will save you time and frustration check out this post on Test Cuts and also Perfect Cut Settings.
And then I was off and cutting once I knew I wouldn’t waste materials. My kids are getting older and Trick or Treating is still big in our area, no matter their age. But the little cute plastic buckets aren’t doing it anymore.
Check out this awesome video from Siser North America – I love it!
Grab some Siser Glow HTV and see what creative ideas you can come up with! It is currently available in 5 colors. I’ve included my supply list below for these new trick or treat bags.
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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.
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.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
One of the most asked questions we see is about software upgrades and unlocking features in the Silhouette Studio software.
Silhouette Software Upgrades
Software upgrades can be purchased through an authorized Silhouette retailer. Please be careful buying through sites like Etsy, etc. as they can sometime not be the real deal or exactly as advertised. Look for reviews first.
Sales happen often – check each one to see where you might score the best deal!
What is an upgrade?
A software upgrade is a code you purchase that unlocks additional features in the software. It is a one-time fee that can be active on up to 3 computers per code.
I highly recommend at least the Designer Edition upgrade for all of my students. It makes life easier and saves you time and headache. Just being able to open a SVG file and cut is well worth it.
But I LOVE the Business Edition upgrade because it unlocks it ALL and I never have to question if some tool/feature is available to me. Both are well worth the investment!
Don’t let the name “Business” edition fool you though – you do not have to have a business to use it or have it be useful. There are just some features that are helpful to those that run a business such as using multiple machines.
If you have the basic (free) software, you will want to purchase 1 of 3 options depending on what upgrade you want to go to: Option 1 – Silhouette Studio to Designer Edition (highly recommend at least this) Option 2 – Silhouette Studio to Designer Plus (unlocks a few more features – see below) In all honesty, if you are upgrading to Designer Edition Plus, you might as well go all the way and unlock it all Option 3 – Silhouette Studio to Business Edition (unlocks it all)
Now here is the important part, if you already have an upgrade, you only need to purchase the step up to the next level you want.
For instance, if you already have the Designer Edition upgrade but you want to go to Business Edition, you want to buy the Designer Edition to Business Edition upgrade. You do not need to buy the full upgrade. You would purchase the level that you need to go from to the level you want to be at. On the Silhouette website, you simply select the Business Edition upgrade, and it will recognize which upgrade(s) you already have when you are logged in and only show the price for the upgrade you need.
Now, keep in mind, if you purchase the upgrades in steps it is no different than purchasing the upgrade all together.
What does each level of upgrade do?
Here are a few of my favorite features and the ones I find most might use in the software:
Designer Edition unlocks:
Ability to open SVG and pdf file directly in the software
Edition Toggle (this is great for those of us who teach, so we can see exactly what the students see in their version) And more…
Now, the list above is not the extensive list of all the features unlocked with each upgrade. However, it is a list of the features I find the most useful in each upgrade. For the complete comparison chart click HERE to go look at Silhouette America.
I want you to be successful and use your Silhouette software to the fullest!
How to activate the upgrade
It is now easier than ever to activate an upgrade!
I have all the details outlined in this post depending on what software version you are currently using.
Additional Resources on Silhouette Upgrades & Troubleshooting:
If you have question about an upgrade just let me know in the comments below.
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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 any time.
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.
Now through October 3, 2023 all designs are 50% off – check it out HERE or click the photo above.
Clear out those wish lists of the designs or fonts you’ve been eying. Or stock up on things for upcoming projects. During these sales, I go through and try to clear out my wish list. Sometimes I find I may not like the design as much as I did the first time or that I no longer need it for a project. But, most times, I end up collecting it (I mean buying it) anyhow.
After your purchase, if you have any issues getting files to sync up, I’ve got resources that can help too!
If your files do not sync up right away or your library shows Working Offline, check out this step-by-step tutorial on how to get things connected again and syncing properly
Those steps when followed exactly, typically solve most user issues with getting files to sync. However, a few weeks back there was a hiccup with the Silhouette Design Store servers and resulted in a delay for some files.
If you find after completing all of those steps that your files still do not download properly and you want to access for immediate use, I have a short term solution.
If you don’t need the files for immediate use, I would just give it some time and the servers will eventually sort themselves out, then the steps I posted above for Designs Not Downloading should get it all synced back up. Anything you’ve purchased in the Silhouette Design Store can be recovered in one way or another. I know they are working to get the servers back to speaking properly to user’s libraries.
What are you stocking up on? Fonts? Holiday designs? Let us know below in the comments.
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.
Just announced at Silhouette Summit in Hawaii (September 2023)!!! Silhouette will be releasing 3 new machine models! Curio 2, Cameo 5, and a Portrait 4.
All of these models have been redesigned and I’ll be sharing new tutorials and classes for each of them. Make sure to read to the end as I have a couple additional tips as well!
Follow me on social media on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Teachable for lots more information coming out as I get these machines and learn the ins and outs.
Let’s take a quick look at each of these models and I’ll share a bit on some of the new features with each model.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Curio 2
If you have followed me in the past, you’ll know the Curio 1 was amazing and I have quite a few classes where I show how to make fabulous things available on Teachable. All of those classes will still apply to the Curio 1.
The Curio 2 is updated and completely redesigned! Now available at CrafterCuts HERE!
New Curio 2 Features:
Flatbed cutting machine
Material stays stationary instead of rolling through machine
Clearance of thicker materials – up to 20 mm
Autodetection of material thickness
12″ cutting area
12″ Silhouette cutting mats can be used
12″ Embossing mat available
Electrostatic bed and cutting mat – holds material in place without an adhesive mat. Additional accessories needed.
Curio Debris Tray – for use with Power Engraver, cutting mat, or Embossing mat
Tool 1 housing utilizes current Auto detection tools such as Type B Autoblade (see below)
Powered Carriage 2 housing
Carriage 2 has higher cutting force – max 5 kgf
New Tools for Tool 2: Heat Pen, Power engraver, and Leather Punch Tool (cannot be used for genuine leather), Embossing Tool, and Pen Holder
Emergency Stop to quickly stop a job without turning power off or disconnecting
Bluetooth
Things to note:
Limited quantities as it rolls out, but more on the way
Accessories are not yet available at release but are coming!
Compatible Tools for Curio 2 Carriage 1 – Autoblade Type B, Manual blade 1 mm, Manual blade 2 mm, 2 mm Kraft blade, Pen Holder Type B Carriage 2 – Rotary Blade, Punch Tool, 3 mm Kraft blade, Power Engraver, Leather Punch Tool, Heat Pen Set, Embossing Tool Type C, Pen Holder Type C
I am so excited to open the box on this new Curio 2 model! I love the challenge of learning a new machine and this is no different. I think this is going to be great with the ability to accommodate up to 20 mm in material thickness. Now, keep in mind, that does NOT mean a cutting depth of 20 mm. The cutting depth is still going to be only what the blade maximum length is, with test cuts and practice.
As with any new machine model, it will take time to learn! Rome was not built in a day. You will need to take some time to get the feel for any new machine!
Cameo 5
New Cameo 5 features:
New sleek design including sliding lid
Easy Adjust Rollers – can adjust down to utilize 5″ wide materials
Autoblade adjustment area updated for efficiency
Adaptive Sensor – automatically adjusts the sensitivity of scanning sensor to properly scan materials for scanning on shiny or glossy surfaces
Electrostatic 12″ x 12″ mat for use with Electrostatic Protection Sheet
Attachable Roll Holder – included with machine
Auto Crosscutter – on front of machine
Repeat Job available on touchscreen
12″ cutting width
Powered Carriage 2 housing
Carriage 2 has higher cutting force – max 5 kgf
New Tools for Tool 2: Heat Pen, Embossing Tools, and Pen Holder
Can utilize 12″ x 12″ Embossing mat
Emergency Stop to quickly stop a job without turning power off or disconnecting
Also available in Cameo 5 Plus – white – cutting width of 14.6″ like current Cameo 4 Plus
Things to note:
Limited availability as it is released, but more on the way! New releases always take time.
Accessories are not yet available at release but are coming!
Compatible Tools for Cameo 5 Carriage 1 – Autoblade Type B, Manual blade 1 mm, Manual blade 2 mm, 2 mm Kraft blade, Pen Holder Type B Carriage 2 – Rotary Blade, Punch Tool, 3 mm Kraft Blade, Heat Pen Set, Embossing Tool Type C, Pen Holder Type C
Black machines will be the first available Cameo Plus will be available in white Please note the shipping notices and be aware that machines are in transit. This means that there could be delays. We all know that shipping delays are unpredictable, especially the past 3 years. Nothing as changed in that area or can be predicted.
Many of the items that users were asking for on the Cameo 4 are now available on the Cameo 5. This includes the ability to move the rollers easier and in more places, repeat job, additional tools, embossing, cut and sketching ability without swapping tools, and more!
I look forward to testing this out! Watch for more details on the Silhouette Secrets+ social channels I linked at the beginning.
Portrait 4
New Portrait 4 features:
Easy Adjust Rollers – can adjust roller down for smaller widths
Adaptive Sensor – automatically adjusts the sensitivity of scanning sensor to properly scan materials for scanning on shiny or glossy surfaces
Electrostatic mat for use with Electrostatic Protection Sheet
Auto Crosscutter – on front of machine
Repeat Job button
8.5″ cutting width
Powered housing
New Tools: Heat Pen Set
Emergency Stop to quickly stop a job without turning power off or disconnecting
Bluetooth
Things to note:
Limited availability as it is released, but more on the way! New releases always take time.
Accessories are not yet available at release but are coming!
Compatible Tools for Portrait 4 Carriage 1 – Autoblade Type B, Manual blade 1 mm, Manual blade 2 mm, 2 mm Kraft blade, Pen Holder Type B
Search Portrait Please note the shipping notices and be aware that machines are in transit. This means that there could be delays. We all know that shipping delays are unpredictable, especially the past 3 years. Nothing as changed in that area or can be predicted.
The Portrait model is great for those who travel, sticker makers, quick cuts, or those who do not need to cut wider than 8.5″. It is easily portable at 4.41 lbs (2.0 kg). While lightweight and the smallest machine that Silhouette manufacturers, it is a powerful machine that can utilize the Silhouette Studio software offline, just like the larger Silhouette models.
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Whew! That is a lot of information to throw out at you! I am excited! I love to learn new things and to share them!
This news is fresh out of the Silhouette Summit September 2023, which means that things announced are not always available immediately. You will see these new things rolling out over the next few months.
Now, the bigger question is….. Do you need any of these machines?
Only you can answer that! Will you use them? Do you have a need (or want) for the new features on the Curio 2, Cameo 5, or Portrait 4?
If the answer is yes – grab it CrafterCuts HERE or wait and follow along on my journey with the new machines. I will be sharing new things as I unbox and start to test the machines and see what they can really do!
One of the biggest things I can tell you is all new machines take time to learn! It really does not matter your experience level and often we find that “experienced” users have a harder time adjusting to a new machine because they think it should work like the older model. New machine = new cut settings = new ways of doing things = new tools = new learning curve = new possibilities!
The next biggest tip I can give is, if you do get it, GET IT OUT OF THE BOX! If it’s just going to sit in the box, then there is no rush to get a new machine. These are brand new, freshly released machines and will be around for awhile. There is no need to rush into anything.
See, I don’t make a great salesperson. I am not a salesperson at all. I want you to be successful and I want to see you make fabulous things! That is why I share and teach!
I hope you will join me on my journey of learning! Make sure to follow on my social media channels Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Teachable as I share more!
Sign up for the Silhouette Secrets+ Newsletter too! Tips, “secrets”, announcements, tutorials, classes, and more delivered to your inbox each Friday.
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.
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.
Lots of exciting things are happening at Silhouette Secrets+ and I cannot wait to share it all! I will be headed to the Silhouette Summit this week in Hawaii. This is the first one since covid cancelled it in 2020. I cannot wait to share from Summit and connect with others!
This week I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been working on behind-the-scenes to prepare for new events and announcements coming!
Silhouette Secrets+ Website Updates
This summer, right before I lost my external hard drive with 9 months of data, I had just updated the look and flow of the Silhouette Secrets+ website. I had recorded a video tour, but lost it with the hard drive crash and it’s taken me awhile to get back in the swing of things. But, all things happen for a reason and I’ve had lots of updates since then, including new logo updates and more!
With the update to the Silhouette Secrets+ website, I am hoping it is easier to find the resources that will help you best.
On the home page, you will now see a brief introduction to me and if you scroll down the page, you will see buttons to click on for more information on the most searched topics when viewers come to the Silhouette Secrets+ website.
Lots of things have changed over this past year and I continued to get complaints from Facebook followers that they were not seeing content even though I post all the time.
So I set out to find a new way to get information delivered direct to those who want it. I have recently launched the Silhouette Secrets+ weekly newsletter. This newsletter is delivered every Friday directly to your inbox with tips, tutorials, news, announcements, classes, events, and more!
Now, you might be saying – Weekly? Holy cow! That’s a lot! YES – I know – because I have to write the content every single week, so it’s a new thing added to my plate. So there are 2 reasons for this right now.
First, I have Silhouette content dating back to 2016 when I first started as Silhouette Instructor. That’s a lot of information that is still relevant to users today! With a weekly newsletter, I can share tips and tutorials that will help user’s on their journey. Each week will be different topics and if might not be something you need right this minute, but I’m getting lots of great feedback that it is very helpful for most. Or you might find that it helps you help someone else with the information provided.
And the next reason, is frankly, money. This is a service I have to pay for. It is a cost to me and in order to make the most of it, I decided weekly was the way to start.
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.
Once you subscribe, make sure to look for the confirmation email and confirm you want to receive the subscription. I cannot resend this confirmation and the newsletter will not be delivered until you confirm you want to receive it.
We’ve also seen where some email providers are known to block emails – yahoo is the worst, but sometimes gmail does it too. The confirmation email is sent pretty quickly. You can try to search your inbox for “Silhouette Secrets” or “silhouettesecretsplus@silhouette-secrets.com” to see if it will pop up. If you do not see it after a time, please try to subscribe again. I have done everything on my end securities wise to have the best chance to be delivered to you.
If you still do not see it, you can send me an email at silhouettesecretsplus@silhouette-secrets.com and I can see what I can see on my end to try to help it get delivered.
Silhouette Secrets+ Blog Notifications
Since 2016, I have published information on the Silhouette Secrets+ blog. Followers can choose to subscribe to the blog to be notified by email when a new blog post is published. This is completely different than the newsletter and is sent out direct from WordPress when a new blog post goes live.
If you want to have those delivered as soon as they are released, make sure to subscribe above or come back to check out what’s new on the Silhouette Secrets blog HERE.
My goal is 1 new post a week, but sometimes I get excited and cannot hold back my fingers from pushing publish as soon as it’s written.
Silhouette Secrets+ on YouTube
I have also been putting out video content on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel. Some tutorials are easier to show on a video while others written instructions are easier. So it’s a balance, especially when a tutorial is getting photo heavy, a video can be easier to view.
Make sure to like, subscribe, and click the bell for notifications. I am currently on the way to 10,000 subscribers. I appreciate your support and look forward to sharing more!
Silhouette Supplies
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
In 2022 I was connected with a Silhouette retailer by Silhouette America to work with and I wanted to share that. I always recommend keeping extra blades and cutting mats on hand as a good practice. This will save you time, money, and frustration when you are in the flow of creating with your Silhouette.
CraftCuts is my authorized Silhouette retailer that Silhouette America referred me to. Check out their website HERE. They have free shipping with a $35 order and have bundles to help stock up on supplies too! Use code SECRETS to save 10% with my link HERE.
Silhouette America does still sell direct as well, however, they no longer have free shipping and I know that is a big deal to many. Shipping costs can get expensive for both the shipper and the buyer. If you are a Silhouette Club member, you can get free shipping with a $50 order from Silhouette America. Use my code 10OFF to save 10% at Silhouette America with this link HERE.
*note – coupon codes may not apply to deeply discounted products, bundles, or newly released products.
I am looking forward to sharing more content with you soon! Happy crafting!
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.
This post has been sitting on my to-do list for the past year. Yes! An entire year, but I guess all things have their timing. In this case, I made these water bottle decals over a year ago and they are still holding up amazing. So I can share how I did it and share also the longevity of it.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Waterproof Water Bottle Decals with Silhouette
For this project, I used Silhouette Printable Vinyl and Oracal 651 clear adhesive vinyl to create the waterproof decals.
Now, the first thing I want to emphasize is that if you are creating decals to sell, this is probably not the method for you. But, it is a great option for personal use. I’ll explain a bit more as we go through the tutorial.
Check out the video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE or find the written tutorial below.
Since this was a project for my daughter, she helped with the entire process.
First was picking the designs and setting them up to print and cut with Silhouette.
Once the file was set up, we sent it to the printer.
Make sure that the ink is completely dry before touching when you are doing print and cut. You do not want any part of the design, including the registration marks to smear. Smeared registration marks can affect the accuracy of a print and cut with Silhouette.
After printing, we placed it on the cutting mat and sent it through the Silhouette to cut around the design.
Next, it was time to setup the offset with the Oracal 651 clear. I recommend saving this file and then using File > Save As to save a file with the offsets, just in case you want to come back to this project later.
Silhouette makes this so easy with Offset Panel. Adjust the distance as needed for your project and your design.
When creating the offset, keep in mind that it’s designed to keep water out. I’d recommend a good size offset, but you don’t want it larger than necessary. Clear as mud right! Each project & design may vary. You want to make sure that the printed material is well protected so water doesn’t sneak in under it.
I no longer need the graphics or the original cut lines, so I can arrange the offset cut lines to maximize my space on my material and then send this to cut out of Oracal 651 clear.
Clean the surface of the blank with alcohol and allow it to dry. This gets rid of any oils or debris that could interfere with a clean adherence.
Weed the excess away from the Silhouette printable vinyl and the Oracal 651 clear.
Then simply apply the Oracal 651 clear over top of the printed design as centered as possible.
I’m sure you could find many ways to get it lined up exactly perfect, but in reality, I just eyeballed it. If I mess up, I can reprint and recut – So Simple!
It turned out fantastic! Here are the original photos on the day it was created.
That was in August 2022 and it has held up so well. A year later here is what it looks like.
There are a few nicks and dings where she dropped it and some residue from other stickers she thought she could add to it. Those “stickers’ didn’t last through the first wash.
She was headed out the door for her first day of school and we snapped these photos. As you can see it has held up nicely, even with ice water and extended use through an entire year.
Now, a few more tips for success!
Make sure to clean the surface of your blank, so you get the best adhesion with your materials.
After applying the decal, wait 48 – 72 hours prior to use. I’d recommend 72 hours. This allows the adhesive on the material and vinyl to set up or cure.
Then hand wash, no picking, no scrubbing, no dishwasher for best results.
Now, I mentioned at the beginning that if you are a seller, this probably isn’t the best method. Why?
Well, there are few reasons.
The method I used is not UV safe. So it’s not recommended for outdoor use. It has worked great for water bottles used daily, but they aren’t out in the sun.
It may not be efficient for mass production. After applying the Oracal 651 clear layer to the printed material, if it’s left too long it could start to cure to the backing of the printed material. For best results, I would recommend for immediate application. But, you never know until you try.
It has worked great for my daughter’s water bottle that she has used almost daily for an entire year and is still going strong.
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.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are seeing some cooler temperatures here and in a short time the kids will be headed back to school. The summer has gone too fast!
Although I do enjoy Fall and the cooler temperatures, maybe we can hang onto that summer feeling a little bit longer….
The Summer Days of Downloads hosted by Heat Transfer Warehouse
I’m so excited to be participating in this! Heat Transfer Warehouse sent out a request and I’m so glad I answered the call. I love a good challenge and I love learning new things! I’ve been designing in the Silhouette Studio software for over 10 years now and I love to create things!
Grab free designs on the Heat Transfer Warehouse website that are created by other crafters and influencers like me and have fun!
I used Siser EasyColor DTV and print and cut with the Silhouette to create my design, but you can use the SVG file for any materials you want to cut it out of! Adhesive vinyl, HTV, cardstock, and more!
I am sharing it all!!! I ran into some issues and things did not go perfect, but I’m going to share how I made it a successful project in the end. From printer issues to user error, I’ll show you how I fixed both!
I love Siser EasyColor DTV and have been using it for over a year now! My shirts have been through 30+ washes and still look awesome! I wear some of them almost weekly. The biggest thing is to follow the directions for Siser EasyColor DTV exactly! I have several tutorials and updates on my Siser EasyColor DTV results HERE.
Behind-the-Scenes Look
I’ll be sharing a how-to video soon showing the exact steps I took to create this design in the Silhouette Studio software. The hardest part is coming up with the design idea, well…. actually, the hardest part is picking fonts for me. And in this case, I had to use fonts that I knew had a commercial use license and allowed designs to be created and shared. Make sure to read those terms of use for the fonts and designs you get and know exactly what they can be used for!!!
Here is a behind-the-scenes look at my creation process.
I save my work in many steps along the way in case I mess up or change my mind. Now, this is my working file and I started saving as a back up file along the way too! This way if anything happened, I had something to fall back on and I didn’t lose all the hours of work.
It did take time, but I loved it! I love being able to create things and sometimes I lose track of that in all the hustle and bustle!!! I thrive off of being able to create!
Now, let’s zoom in and did you see these color palettes next to my design?
These color palettes helped me to choose colors for my design! So simple!
Check out this tutorial – Create Custom Color Palettes in Silhouette HERE I show you exactly how you can use color palettes in your creations! Want to change up the colors of my SVG file? You can! And you can use color palettes to help too!
Want to create something with this design or simply collect it – grab the file HERE
And stay tuned for a how-to video coming soon! I’ll post the link here when it’s complete!
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.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Did you hear? Glowforge® recently announced the release of a new “craft” laser machine called Aura™. You can find the Glowforge® Aura™ at Michaels or Joann stores currently.
A “craft” laser sounds pretty cool and enticing. I think one thing that’s appealing to most is the price tag. While other models of Glowforge® have increased in price, the Glowforge® Aura™ is coming into the market at $1299 $1199. This is a lot less than a larger Glowforge® model, so I can see how it might be appealing.
But, I think there is more to it than just the price to consider.
I cannot answer that, but I can give you some information about it and some things to think about in your decision making process.
I currently own a Glowforge® Pro and having a laser machine is pretty cool. I love using the Silhouette Studio Business Edition to create designs for use in the laser and I even have class on it too (more on that below).
While having a laser machine is cool, I think there are some things to note about it before diving in. And I would highly recommend doing your own research as well too! I’ll share some resources for more information at the end.
Things to Think About
“Craft” laser machine
What does that mean? Basically, it’s not as powerful as the other models of Glowforge® lasers. If you are looking for a laser machine to produce items to sell, this may not be the machine for you. The Aura™ is not going to be an efficient, high production machine. It is slower than other Glowforge® models, much slower.
The Glowforge® Aura™ is a 6 watt diode laser machine. This is what makes it slower than the other models of Glowforge® that are CO2 machines. To compare, the Glowforge® Pro, which is the model I have, is a 45 watt CO2 laser. From what I’ve seen in comparison watching it all unfold, it is about 4 times slower than the Glowforge® Pro.
Since it is a diode laser at 6 watts, it cannot cut all of the same materials that the CO2 lasers can. So make sure to research that as well to make sure it’s going to cut what you want.
The Glowforge® Aura™ has a bed that is 12″ x 12″. The smaller footprint is also what makes it a “craft” laser and more appealing for a crafter’s space.
Filter or Venting
Just like it’s bigger laser friends, the Glowforge® Aura™ has to be vented or used with a filter. This is something to consider before you purchase any laser.
I have my Glowforge® Pro vented out of a window in my space. I open the window and place the venting prop that my husband built in the window and close it down. It is constructed out of scrap plywood, nothing fancy. We have pets, so leaving the window open while using the machine is not ideal.
He installed a dryer vent on the outside of the window prop, so it opens when the Glowforge® fan turns on.
If you live in an area that has fluctuating temperatures, I would recommend having a system that you can pull the venting back inside when not in use.
Glowforge® did release an air filter that can be used with the Glowforge® Aura™. It is $399 to purchase and is a replaceable filter. However, I have not been able to find any information on how much a replacement filter is. They do not seem to be available yet. The Glowforge website says the filter has a lifetime of 100 hours of printing.
On that note, I have followed several Glowforge® groups in the past 2 years and always see comments about users who cannot get replacement filters as they are always out of stock. It does not seem to be a matter that they sell out quickly, but they have been low inventory the last few years. If you are looking into a Glowforge®, I would highly recommend joining some Facebook groups and watch the posts and comments as part of your research.
Personally, I’d recommend venting it out a window if you are able to do that.
WIFI Connection
In order to use a Glowforge® laser machine, you have to be connected to WIFI at all times when using the software/app and machine. This means you need a good internet connection. And it requires a 2.4 GHz WIFI connection. It does not work off a 5 GHz connection.
Another area you will want to research is materials. Materials used in the Glowforge® or any laser machine need to be laser safe. Not all materials are laser safe and some can be toxic when used with a laser.
I’d highly recommend starting with proof grade materials. This takes the guess work out of the settings and gives you a better chance of success quickly.
What are proof grade materials? These are Glowforge® materials that they know work in the machine. Materials by Glowforge® have a QR code on it and the camera reads it and recognizes the material. This makes getting started easier than a bunch of testing to find out what settings work.
Safety
A laser machine is fire. The machine should never be left unattended or running without supervision.
Another thing I’d highly recommend is laser safety glasses. While the Glowforge® Aura™ is a lower wattage laser, you only get one set of eyeballs. Please be safe in your use with lasers.
Maintenance
One of the biggest things I see that users run into problems with their machines is in the maintenance. Keeping the machine clean and following the cleaning instructions will help to increase the lifespan of your machine and decrease the likelihood of running into issues. A lot of issues can be prevented if the machine is cleaned regularly.
The materials that are used in the Glowforge® will make a difference in how often it needs cleaned. For instance, cutting or engraving wood produces different dust than cutting and engraving acrylic.
Location, Location, Location
Think about where you would put a laser machine. According to the Glowforge® website, the recommended operating temperature is 60 degrees F – 75 degrees F.
A location that is not temperature controlled can affect the lifespan of the equipment. Too hot or too cold of temperatures is not good for laser equipment.
The Glowforge® Aura™ has a 12 month warranty, however, if you are not following the guidelines recommended by Glowforge®, the warranty does not cover that. It is not their fault if you are operating outside of the recommendations.
Glowforge® uses the term “printing” for everything. Even though it’s a laser that cuts and engraves, “print” is the terminology they use. So just keep that in mind when you are researching. It is not a printer like we think of that prints with ink on paper.
That is a lot of information, but I hope that it’s given you a few things to think about in your decision making process.
Resources
Silhouette and Glowforge®
If you do have a laser machine and it uses svg files, you can design in the Silhouette Studio Business Edition software and export it as a svg to use with the laser machine. I love the ability to customize and create my own designs to use with my Glowforge® Pro.
By request I designed a class called Creating SVG files in Silhouette Studio – Great for Laser machine owners or designers! The class shows you how to create a design for use in the laser machine and I show a demonstration with bringing it into the Glowforge® app/software to cut with your machine.
Glowforge® Aura Information
This was not written with the intention of detouring you from getting a Glowforge® Aura™, but to provide information for you to make the best decision for you. As I mentioned above, I would highly recommend doing your own research to make sure that the machine you choose is going to be right for you. If you are an occasional user, it may not be worth the investment in a laser at this time or the Glowforge® Aura™ might be just right for you. If you are a business owner or looking to invest in a machine to get started with selling laser products, you might find that a bigger, faster machine is more efficient and will save you time and money for running a business.
If you are looking at a larger Glowforge model, click HERE to save a bit. With my referral link you could get the equivalent of $500 USD off a Pro, $250 USD off a Plus, and $125 USD off a Basic.
Here are a few additional resources for Glowforge® and the Glowforge® Aura™:
I hope that has helped to give you some thinking points on if a laser is the right equipment to add to your space!
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.
Over the years the Silhouette Studio software has changed. If you’ve been using Silhouette for a while, you may have seen it, but if you are new, you may not have noticed these changes.
I’m sharing an updated tutorial today on the Page Setup Panel in the Silhouette Studio software v4.5+. With new versions, new features are added or moved. This means the panels change and sometimes they can change quickly.
If you are still using an older version of software or yours looks a bit different, that is ok – you do NOT need to update. Check out these older tutorials HERE for more details. This is all dependent on your software version. Again, I DO NOT recommend you update just so it looks like this tutorial, especially if your software is running just fine.
From this screen we can tell what the exact software version is and what level of upgrade the user has. This helps immensely in troubleshooting issues with users as some bugs can be version specific.
Let’s Explore v4 – Page Setup Panel
The Page Setup Panel is found in the top right corner of the Silhouette Studio software and it opens automatically when you open the software.
It is one of the most important panels in the software because it’s where you tell the program, and ultimately your Silhouette machine, exactly what you are doing.
Simply click the top right icon if you need the Page Setup Panel to open again.
Now, let’s take an in-depth look at what is included on this panel. As I mentioned above, it is one of the most important panels in the setup for your projects.
At the top of the Page Setup Panel is the Design Area Setup.
This is where you tell the software and machine exactly what you are using.
#1 – Machine This where you tell the software what machine you will be using.
With the release of v4.4 software, several changes were added and you have more options in the machines selection, even if you do not own that particular model machine.
#2 Feed Type This one you may or may not see. It is completely dependent on what Silhouette model machine you have. This option will show up when the Cameo 4, Cameo Plus, Cameo Pro, or Portrait 3 models are selected. This is only an option for the Silhouette Auto Sheet Feeder.
#3 – Cutting Mat This is where you tell the software & machine what size cutting mat you are using or if you are not using a cutting mat.
When a cutting mat is selected, you will see the cutting mat appear on the screen. Notice the gray border around the cuttable area. The Silhouette software virtual mat is calibrated exactly to a Silhouette cutting mat. This is how the machine knows how far in to pull the cutting mat before it starts the cut.
The black arrow is ALWAYS the top of the cutting mat that is the leading edge going into the machine, no matter what direction it is turned on the screen.
When no mat is selected, you will only see a white page and you are telling the machine to start the cut at the top of the material.
#4 – Media Size This means your page size or your material size. Media = material.
Select from the preset option in the drop down or set your own custom size in the width and height boxes.
Transparency Slide the transparency slider over to reveal the cutting mat below the media page.
At 0.0% it means the media will be white* (*read below for additional information)
As you slide the Transparency up, it reveals the cutting mat below. The media becomes more transparent on the mat. The photo above shows at 65% transparency.
I use this option all the time when making projects. It is how I line up multiple colors of material on one cutting mat and send it through the machine to cut once. Check out this tutorial on Cutting Multiple Colors at Once HERE. It also is how I make my mats last longer and save the adhesive on my cutting mat. Shhhh don’t tell anyone!
Constrain Media to Mat This was introduced in v4.4 and it is often confusing for users. Basically it means with this option checked that the media will not go outside of the cutting mat borders, no matter what the user sets it to.
As as example, if I set the media size to 14″ wide and 11″ height, with the Constrain Media not checked, the page/media will hang off the edge of the cutting mat as shown in the photo.
With the Constrain Media to mat, it will not allow you to set the custom media size to larger than the cutting mat size. It will automatically recalculate that based on the machine selected and cutting mat selected.
Orientation This is in reference to your media size. Portrait Orientation is vertical and Landscape is horizontal. Here is an example of Portrait Orientation.
With the release of v4.4 software versions there was a bug released that we call the “orientation bug”. It is a bit difficult to explain in photos and this tutorial is already photo heavy, so I would recommend checking out the video tutorial HERE for more details on that. At the time I write this, the “orientation bug” has been present since July 2020, so I don’t really see it going away. I explain in the video how it works and why.
Now let’s take a look at the bottom half of the Page Setup Panel.
Media Color This is new and was introduced somewhere around v4.4.8xx.
This was implemented as a user request to make it easier to see what a design might look like on top of a particular color instead of drawing a rectangle behind the design and filling it with color.
It does not print or cut, but simply changes the color of the background of the media set in #4 at the top of the Page Setup Panel.
Rotate View This is a visual reference only! Rotate the cutting mat or material (set to no mat) on the screen for better viewing while you are designing.
No matter what direction you rotate the mat on the screen, the black arrow is ALWAYS the top of the cutting mat or leading edge of the material that gets fed into the machine.
Show Print Border Check this option and a gray box appears around the area that is set by the current printer set up with your computer. I recommend checking this box anytime you are doing a print and cut project or printing from the Silhouette Studio software.
The Print border does NOT affect your cutting ability. It only affects printing and if your design is outside of your print border, it will not print. This is especially important if your registration marks for a print and cut are outside of this area and do not print properly.
Show Cut Border Check this option to see a red border for the maximum cuttable area on the media size you have setup.
If you do not see your Cut Border extended to the edge of the page and you want it to, click the gear icon in the bottom right corner to open the Preferences Panel. Then select the Defaults tab and check the box to Cut to Edge of Page. Click Apply (if available) and OK.
I work with my Cut Border on the majority of the time. It is especially handy when you are cutting without a mat and need to know the space you have to place your design so it will cut.
Look at where the red cut border is adjusted to when cutting without a mat. This is for a very specific reason! The left and right margins and the 1″ on the backside are for the rollers on the machine to securely grip the materials as it’s being cut. If you try to “trick” the machine, you risk the material falling out of the machine when it’s cutting. It’s an easy way to waste a good piece of vinyl.
Whew! Who knew the Page Setup Panel contained so much information! It is one of the most important panels as it’s where you start with the setup of your project!
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.
