Posted on December 18, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 3 Comments

Let’s Explore v4 – Tiling

The Tiling feature is a Business Edition upgrade feature that is found under the Media Setup Panel – Tab 4.

The Media Setup Panel is found on the right side of the Silhouette software at the bottom of the icon toolbar. Depending on the size of your computer monitor you may see all the icons or you may have an arrow for a fly out menu.

Since the Cameo can only cut 12″ wide, the tiling feature can be used to break up a big design into smaller pieces to be placed together after the cut. While the knife feature could also be used, why not let the software work for you and break it up. This feature is available if you have the Business Edition upgrade of the software and is only accessible under the Media Layout Setup Panel and with the Media Layout View active.

In the Media Layout View, the original design stays intact and all changes take place on the side of the Media Layout View. Check out the post from last week on the Media Layout View here.

I am going to use this Scandinavian Snow Princesses by Erin Doran – Design #68466 from the Silhouette Design Store for my example.

First, I’m going to resize this so the silhouette is 5 feet tall. To do that, open the Transform Panel – Scale tab, lock the aspect ratio and change the Height to 60″.
For more information on the Transform Panel – Scale tab click HERE.

Now, I am only going to work with 1 of the princess designs at a time, so I’m going to right click and choose Ungroup and delete the princess on the right side.
In the case of this file, I ended up choosing Release Compound Path to separate the princesses. Then, I selected all the parts of each Princess, right clicked and chose Make Compound Path for each again.
Find out more about Compound Paths HERE.

If you plan to cut both, you can leave it as is or copy and paste the right side to a new design mat to use later.

Now, let’s look at the Tiling feature.

Tiling Active – Check this box to activate the Tiling feature. The Media Layout View will adjust to show you the number of tiles (according to the Page Size set) that it will take to cut the design.You will also see on the left side in the Design View, that it adds a grid over the design with dimensions of each tile, and numbers of tiles. It does not alter the design on the left side, but adds this visual as an overlay of how it would divide the design up.
On the right side, in the Media Layout View, it shows each of the tiles in the order of the numbers shown on the left side.

For this design to cut on a 12″ x 12″ mat, it would take 14 – 12″ x 12″ tiles.
Configure Position and Size – Choose Relative to Job, Relative to Media or User Defined. Each of these options allows you to adjust the design even more.Relative to Job – This option is shown in the photo above and includes the entire design.Relative to Media – This option uses the current Media mat chosen. In this case, a 12″ x 12″ cutting mat is selected, so it uses that Media in how it changes the Tiling.

You can see above, that it only includes the Media mat portion of the design in the Tiling.

User Defined – Choose between the Origin X, Origin Y, Width, Height and Maintain Aspect. Each will change how the design is Tiled.
Panel Margin – Allows you to change the size of the Panel.
I increased the Panel Margin to 1″ and the Panel dimensions on the Design View adjusted.
Configure Regular Grid – Choose between Automatic, Custom or Regular Grid. These options allow you to make changes to the Tile spacing.
Overlap – This feature gives the ability to add a bit of overlap to the cut image and is a great feature for giving yourself some extra space in lining the image up after the cut.
Other Options – Show Dimensions – Allows the dimensions to be toggled off on the Design View.
Tiling – Choose which Tiles you would like to cut – All or selected ones only and choose the separation details between the tiles.
Notice that since Selected Tiles Only is checked and I typed in 1-2, it highlights only 1 and 2 numbered Tiles and then places only the 1 and 2 numbered Tiles on the Media Layout View to cut.

The Tiling option is a great feature if you are cutting large decals and want the software to do the work for you in breaking up the design to cut.
Each design that you are cutting is going to vary in how it looks and how much material it will take to cut the design out to the size you want.

For instance, if I want to cut this Witch Silhouette by Sarah Bailey – Design #153652, you can see that the top of the broom covers the edges of the 12″ x 12″ mat.

That leaves a lot of unused space and each Silhouette user would need to decide if it’s worth cutting a full 12″ x 12″ piece of material for this design.

Here is another example:

If I want to cut a decal of this Beach Bum phrase by Silhouette 48″ long, it breaks it up into 8 panels that fit onto 6 tiles.

I encourage you to just pick a design and play around with the Tiling feature. Every design you choose will react a bit differently in how it looks in the Tiling feature.

Hopefully this explains some of the features of the Tiling feature.
I would love to see what you create on my Facebook group if you do.
Find me here at Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

**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.

Posted on December 11, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 6 Comments

Tips on Silhouette Studio Updates

I see so many questions regarding Silhouette Studio Updates, so let’s discuss some information about a software update.

Update vs Upgrade

First, a Silhouette Studio update is different than a Studio upgrade.

A Silhouette software upgrade is a product you can purchase that unlocks additional features in the Silhouette software. There are 3 levels: Designer Edition, Designer Edition Plus and Business Edition.

Check out this chart by Silhouette America on what features are unlocked with each upgrade. Click on the video camera icon next to each feature to see a short demo video.

A software upgrade can be purchased from a Silhouette retailer such as Swing Design or direct from Silhouette America. The code can be either a digital code or a physical card mailed to you. I would suggest a digital code as it’s much faster and no shipping.

A software upgrade unlocks features that are already in the Silhouette software program. You can purchase the upgrade in steps or go directly to the one you want. For instance, if you have the Basic Software (free), you can go directly from Silhouette Studio to Business (the highest level) by purchasing the correct upgrade option.

A software update is something that makes changes to the actual program. An update is rolled out for many reasons such as adding new features or fixing a bug in a previous software version.

There is a lot of anxiety around a software update. So here are some tips about Silhouette software updates that I’ve picked up through using the software, teaching, and troubleshooting.

Tips for Silhouette Software Updates

Back up your Silhouette library. It is ALWAYS a good time to make a backup. Get in the habit of making a back up of the library monthly or weekly. This is especially important if you store your personal files in the Silhouette library.
I highly recommend storing your personal files to an outside source or at the very least making a backup of the library. Just keep in mind that no place is 100% safe, so having multiple backups is a good idea too.

This is direct from the Silhouette website regarding the Silhouette Cloud library “Silhouette America’s Cloud Storage is a syncing service rather than a backup service. Files deleted locally will be deleted on the cloud. We strongly recommend users save important and/or valuable files to another location outside of the cloud or local library, or to a third-party backup service.”

I see so many users who say they’ve lost their designs and there can be many reasons for this happening.
Another reason I highly recommend making a back up of your library and a back up of your external storage as well.Personally, I store all my files to an external hard drive which I also back up on a regular basis (probably should do it more than I do).

To find out more information about the Silhouette cloud library click HERE to go directly to the Silhouette Cloud Overview.

How do you backup the library in the v4.1 software?

There are 2 sections of the Silhouette library – the Local User (computer specific) and the Cloud (email address & below). You must back these up separately.

Local User

Right click on the Local User section and choose Export. Save this file to a safe location. I like to save mine with the date included.

Cloud (email address and below)

Right click on the email address, choose Export and save this to a safe location. I add the date and ‘Cloud’ to the name of this file, so I can tell the difference in the files.
The “Check for Updates” option under the Help menu does not work. This will give you a message that there are No Updates available.
Download the Silhouette updates direct from the Silhouette website. If you are prompted for an update through the software, I highly recommend that you choose Later and then when you are ready, update directly from the Silhouette website.
You can find the current software updates HERE on the Silhouette America site. Click on the option for MAC or Windows to download it to your computer.
Change how the software checks for updates. Under the Preferences you can change the Check for Updates option to Daily, Weekly, or Never.The Preferences can also be found under the Edit menu in the top left corner or by using the keyboard short cut Ctrl + K.

Personally, I have mine set to “Never”. I can go out to the Silhouette America website and check if there are any software updates that have been released and download it directly.

Once you change the Preference, then click the Apply and the Ok button.

It is a complete personal preference on how you have the updates set to check.

Software updates are not bad.

There are many good reasons for an update. I love that the Silhouette software is such a powerful graphics program and it is amazing all that is included in this software. There are even more great things coming with the Silhouette Studio v4.2 release. It is still in the Beta testing phase and Silhouette is continuing to work to fix software bugs that pop up.

If you ever do get an update that has a bug you cannot live with or perhaps your software program updated to the Beta version, you can simply uninstall the Silhouette software from your Computer operating system and then reinstall the version you would like to roll back to.

Previous software versions can be found on the Silhouette America site under the Legacy section of the Software updates.

Do you have to update?

No.
You do not have to update your Silhouette software unless you want to. If you have the “Check for updates” set to Daily or Weekly, it will ask you when there is a new update if you want to update. If you are not paying attention or happen to share a computer with another person and the Ok gets pushed on the Update, the software will download the update.

If you choose not to update, you may not have access to all of the Silhouette features available to you. Features released are not retro-active, so if you would like access to new released features, you will need to update the software to at least the version where that feature was released.

Can you have multiple versions of the software installed?

Yes.
Something that not many do not know about is that you can have multiple versions of the Silhouette Studio installed on both a PC and a MAC.

I would not suggest this for the average user unless there is a specific reason that you want more than one version installed, such as downloading the Beta version to test it.

On a MAC, it will download another version with no additional steps needed. After the software downloads, you will need to make sure you change which Silhouette application is docked and make sure you are opening the correct version that you want.

On a PC, there are several steps and Kelly Wayment over at Finding Time to Create has a great post on this. You can find her post on “How to Install Multiple Versions of the Silhouette Studio – Windows 10” on her blog HERE.

I love how Kelly explains things. Kelly is also the voice behind many of the Silhouette America videos on Youtube, the writer behind the ebooks from Silhouette and many product videos for Silhouette.
If you have not seen the new Silhouette 101 blog, check it out HERE – there is lots of information on there.

Again, I would not recommend multiple versions for the average user. But, it can come in handy for certain reasons.

How do you have the Check for Updates set? Did you know you could change it?
I would love to hear – comment below or find me on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

Posted on December 5, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 6 Comments

Let’s Explore v4 – Media Layout Setup Panel

Do you have the Business Edition upgrade? If not, there are so many neat features that are unlocked with it.
I have to admit that I have not used this much as all, but after today, that will be changing.

Media Layout Setup Panel

What is it? If you have the Business Edition upgrade this is an additional way to view your design to be cut and make some changes to it, without actually altering the design on the Design View.

So let’s explore the different views.

Design view is the normal view a user sees when the Silhouette software is opened. The drawing tools are located on the left side, the panels are on the right side, and the document tools and Quick Access Tool bar are at the top.

Media view is an option if you have the Business Edition upgrade active on the software. This view shows how things are processed as they appear for a cut job. The Media view does not show color or patterns.

The Media Layout Setup Panel is found on the right side of the Silhouette Studio software, at the very bottom.

If you have a larger computer screen, you may see all the icons displayed on the right side like this.

If you have a smaller computer screen, then you may have a fly out arrow to click on and then more icons will appear like this.

The Media Layout view will open up with a split screen panel and you can choose between either side for which one is active and you are making changes in.

*Believe in the Magic of Christmas by Lori Whitlock – Design #162472

Now, let’s take a more detailed look at the Media Layout Setup Panel.

Show Media Layout Split – Screen – Check the box if you would like the Media layout to split screen with the Design View layout.
Media Layout Setup Tabs – there are 4 tabs to chose from
– Tab 1: Media Size, Cut Border & Orientation
– Tab 2: Copy & Separation
– Tab 3: Nesting
– Tab 4: Tiling
Media Size – Change the Page Size, Width & Height of the Media Layout View
You’ll notice that changes made on the Media Layout Screen do not change the Design View side on the left side. This is a way you can make changes to what will be cut without changing the actual Design mat itself.
Cutting Mat – Change the Cutting mat size of the Media Layout View
Reveal Mat – Slide the arrow over to reveal the cutting mat grid on the Media Layout View
Cut Border – Change the Cut border left, top, right, and bottom dimensions.
As you can see above, on the right side the red cut border line changes as the measurements are changed under the Cut Border section.
You could adjust these to where the material is placed on the mat or place it anywhere on the mat you like and it would only cut there.
This might come in handy if the top left corner is no longer sticky but the middle of the cutting mat still has lots of stick left to it.
Orientation – Rotate Cut Job – this will rotate the design on the cutting mat on the Media layout.
Checking this box, will rotate the design 90 degrees on the cutting mat shown on the left side, but the original design stays in tact on the left side.While those features can be useful, I find the other tabs are even more interesting.

Media Layout Setup – Copy Tab

Next, is Tab 2 – the Copy Tab. Here is where you can tell the software to cut multiple copies of a design without actually adding images to the original Design mat.

Copy rows – Add the number of rows you would like to cut and the Media Layout View will duplicate the design that many rows. It will show this on the right side in the Media Layout View only and leave the original design unchanged.
Copy columns – Add the number of columns you would like to cut and the Media Layout View will duplicate the design that many columns.
Limit to Media – Click this button to limit the design to only the Media area selected, no matter how many columns or rows you enter, the software will change it to fit on only the Page Size and mat you have entered on the first tab.
Horizontal Separation – Increase or decrease the horizontal spacing between the designs on the selected media.
Vertical Separation – Increase or decrease the Vertical spacing between the designs on the selected media.

This is another way you could tell the software to cut multiples of an image without actually having to Replicate the design on the Design view.

Either way will work, but it is another option and one I will be using in the future when cutting multiples of the same design.

Media Layout Setup – Nesting

And to add even more options to the Media Layout, the 3rd tab is the Nesting tab. This has several options in how it will nest the designs together before cutting.

Nesting Active – Check this box to turn the Nesting feature on.
Interlock – The software looks for more paths to move shapes together. This works well for designs that are not square or hexagons.Here the Interlock is off:

In this one, the Interlock has been turned on and you can see it Nests the design a little different.
Maintain Grain – This option allows the design to rotate only 180 or not at all, in order to work with materials that may have a grain to them. So the design stays on the same grain of the material.
For example, if you were cutting an object out of a wood grain paper and you wanted to make sure that the grain of the paper ran the length of a wood piece you were cutting instead of cross ways through it.
Align – When align is on, the software will align the pieces of the design that are at an irregular angle.Here the Align is on:

Notice the leaves are vertical.Here Align is off:

Now the leaves are rotated to a different angle.
Whole Words – Choose whether the software divides the text into a whole word or individual letters to place it for the cut.Here whole words is on:
And here, whole words is off and it rearranges the individual letters:
Maintain Groups – When on, this maintains the items that are grouped together and treats it as one object. When off it will treat each piece as an individual object.Maintain Groups on:

Maintain groups off:

As you can see above, it treats it quite differently depending on what option you choose.
Rotations Parameters – Tells the software how many rotations of an object is allowed when nesting it on the mat.This is 2 Rotations:

This is 4:

You can see above how it changes the spacing a bit when more rotations are allowed.
Padding Parameters – This is the minimum distance between 2 shapes after it’s been nested.Here the padding is 1:
And here the padding is 3:

Once again, it changes how the nesting is done by the software.

This is just another way that shows the possibilities of the Silhouette software. I do learn new things everyday about what it is capable of.

So many projects to create, so little time to do it!

I hope you take advantage of the Media Layout Setup Panel in a future project.

I would love to see it on my Facebook group if you do.
Find me here at Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

Posted on November 3, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 2 Comments

Silhouette Showcase

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

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

Silhouette Showcase

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

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

Posted on October 16, 2018May 2, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 14 Comments

Let’s Explore v4 – Emboss Panel

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

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

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

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

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

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

Concentric

Cross hatched

Spiral

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

Here the deboss is 0.025.

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

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

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

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

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

Silhouette Metal Etching Sheet

Home Sweet Home Montana by Jennifer Wambach Design #148502

Welcome Elk by Sophie Gallo Design #89012

Acrylic

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Posted on September 4, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

Let’s Explore v4 – Advanced Rhinestones

There are so many neat features of the Silhouette Studio software as you move up in the software upgrades. The Advanced Rhinestone Panel is an option if you have the Designer Edition Plus or Business Edition upgrade.

At first glance or if you read the standard description, it may not seem like much of a feature, but let’s take a look at it more in depth.

Rhinestone Library – Contains images of rhinestone designs – 2 sectionsPre-set Images and Sizes – Choose which color and size that you would like to add to your design

User Rhinestones – designs can be added to the Rhinestone library by either drawing a shape or importing a photo
Size – Designates the size of the rhinestone chosen or the size of the rhinestone design you are creating
This will show grayed out if using a pre-set shape & size.

If a shape is added to the rhinestone library, then a size can be designated and it is no longer grayed out.
Add Selected Shape to Rhinestone Library – Add shape designs to the library for creating a new rhinestone option. Shapes can be drawn or imported from a photo
The default measurement can also be changed under the Preferences in the software. It can be set to inches (default), millimeters, centimeters, meters, inches or feet.

And then it will reflect in the panels that use measurements.

If the shape drawn is bigger than what is allowed, a pop up will appear stating this.
Draw Rhinestones – Single vs Multiple – Choose to draw one style of rhinestone designs or a multiple of designs from the library.Single – drawing rhinestone in repeat of 1 shape with a click of the mouse

Multiple – Draw Rhinestone from a chosen list of varied designs pulled from rhinestone library.

By clicking on the multiple option, a new option window expands and you can add or delete the order of the designs in the selection window.

This would come in handy if you are trying to create a rhinestone pattern with different sizes.

Or you can use the pre-set rhinestone designs and create a pattern too.
Angle – Change the angle of how the rhinestone design follows a shape.Standard = Rhinestones upright
Center = Rhinestones point to center
Perpendicular = Rhinestone align to contour
Spacing – Change the spacing between the rhinestones when applied to a shape.
Angle Offset – Choose what angle the rhinestones are placed along a shape.
Rhinestone placement – Choose how the rhinestones are placed – options are: Outer edge, perpendicular, or from center.
Draw Rhinestone – Single Click vs Replace – Add a rhinestone with a single mouse click or replace a rhinestone with a different rhinestone.Single = place 1 rhinestone with each click of the mouse
Replace = Once a rhinestone is placed it can then be swapped out with a different rhinestone for another size or color
Totals (All Shapes) – Gives a count of all the rhinestones on the mat or the image selected.

Now that we have explored the entire panel – what would you use this for?

Here I’ve created what is called a mock up and the design is laid on top of the photo of the tote bag.

Now I may actually have to make the rhinestone decal for real.
Find out more information on creating a rhinestone template in the Let’s Explore v4 – Rhinestones post.

Have you played with the Rhinestone feature yet?
I would love to see your Silhouette projects! Feel free to post on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

Posted on September 1, 2018November 16, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 9 Comments

Leatherette Earrings & Earring Card Projects

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

Who doesn’t love a surprise? And that is just what I received when Silhouette America asked if I wanted to check out their new ~~Mystery box~~.

When I opened the box, look what I saw:

Plus a pack of the Kraft Adhesive paper that arrived on my doorstep, it must have forgotten to jump in the box and was just another bonus to the mystery box.

And now the fun part of playing with these materials.

I grabbed some designs from the Silhouette Design Store and tackled something I’ve had on my project list.

I used the Leatherette package and the sketch pens to create these earrings and earring cards.

First, I started off making the earring holders.
I cut several different styles but I ended up really liking Design #14057 by Loni Stevens.

But, I knew I could add to the earring holder, so I decided to dress them up a bit with the Silhouette sketch pens. I received the Metallic set in my mystery box and after testing several, the silver was my favorite.
I could have told you that before I tested, but I still gave all the colors a chance.

To make the dashed sketch line:
– Make a copy of the outer edge of the earring holder design
– Resize the copy a little smaller – either by the Scale panel or by dragging the corner bounding box
– Use the Line Style Panel and change the style of the line to a dashed line
– Also under the Line Style Panel change the color of the line to black.
– Select the dashed line, click on the Send Tab and then click on the
Action by: Line at the top –
this means the Cameo will perform the actions we tell it to by the Line Color

– Grab the black color option and move it to the top spot –
this action will be performed first
– Change the Tool No. to the blue circle (blue circle = Tool 2)
– Select your Material – Cardstock
– Change the Action to Sketch
– Check & set up the Cut settings for the red line

Now when the design is Sent, it will first sketch the design that has been changed to a black Line color – the dashed line and then after will cut the lines that are red.

Next, I used the Nouradilla Script Font and added my name and Silhouette Secrets to the earring holder as well. Change the line color to black under the Line Style Panel and it will sketch at the same time as the dashed line.

Once I started cutting, it was hard to stop. I do love how this Leatherette cut so smoothly. I started with brand new blade and mat and I believe it made a big difference in how cleanly it cut. In fact, the more I cut and the less sticky my mat became, the cuts weren’t as crisp. A sticky mat makes a big difference.

This was the first set I cut and might be my favorite. It is Leaf Earring design by Lilium Pixel SVG – Design #266977. The only thing I changed on this file was I released the Compound Path and deleted the top circle for the hardware. After I deleted the circle in each, I selected the entire design and then chose Make a Compound Path again.

I then made a copy of the earring design and right clicked and Flipped horizontally. This made a 2nd copy that I could glue together and make the back have a finished look. I used a Xyron Sticker Maker permanent adhesive to do this.

Lined Leaf Earrings by Amanda McGee – Design #275057
Leaves Earrings by Amanda McGee – Design #275058
This design was modified to take out the top circles like the first file and then cut & glued together with the Xyron Permanent Adhesive.

Tear Drop Earrings by Sweet Elsie – Design #273510
– Ungroup the design
– Release the Compound Path and deleted the hardware circle at the top.
– Make a copy and Scale the copy down a little
– Make another copy and Scale it down a little more
– Cut each out of a different color and layer on the earring hardware

You could also use glue and adhere the layers down to each other but I chose to let them hang loose.

Rather than try to get each design to match, I deleted one of the original designs, made my copies and resized how I liked and then make a copy of the entire design before I cut. Then both earrings matched exactly.

Leaf Earrings by Lori Whitlock – Design #268363
I once again ungrouped the design, released the compound path and then deleted the top circle. You might see a pattern here.
It is nothing to do with the Designer’s file, but for the Double J Earwire hardware I had from Craft Chameleon, it was easier to make my own hardware hole.

Drop Earrings by Sweet Elsie – Design #273506
I did the same technique with making copies and resizing as I did with the Tear Drop earrings above.

Layered Feather Earrings by Amanda McGee – Design #275059
This file was cut exactly as it opened.
Again, you could glue the layers down if that is your desired look.

For this set, I took the Tear Drop Earrings by Sweet Elsie – Design #273510 and then added a dingbat from the Valentine Dingbats Font by Lori Whitlock – Design #243211.
– Make a copy of the Tear Drop design
– Add the dingbat shape from the font to one of the designs
– Select both the earring shape and the dingbat shape, then make a compound path
– Cut each shape out of the colors
– Glue the layers together

All of the earrings above were cut from the Silhouette Leatherette using the Leatherette cut settings in the program and it worked beautifully.

Again, I did start with a brand new blade and mat, which I believe was very helpful.

The Silhouette cutting mat is very important and the material sticking to the mat for the entire cut is key to getting crisp, clean cuts for all materials.
If the material moves as the blade is going around, it cannot connect exactly and you end up with crunched corners, cuts not connected, frustration and possibly a mess.

I’d suggest always having an extra Silhouette mat & blade on hand for any projects you are doing.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

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Posted on August 9, 2018April 27, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 1 Comment

Creating a shadow box with Silhouette

Everyone starts out with one material or another, mine was paper. I started with my Silhouette as a paper-crafter and it has grown from there.

A while back I was visiting friends in Kansas and playing with the Silhouette and my friend asked if I could trace a photo for her that a friend took. Now, photo tracing can be tricky. Each photo can yield different results tracing in the Silhouette Studio and you just never know until you try to see what will happen.

In this case, it was a great photo to trace.

Here is how the trace came out. I used Basic Trace panel to achieve this. Check out the Trace Panel HERE.

Then I released the compound path and deleted the water areas and used the point editing and deleting points to clean up edges and take out the skyline.

Now, like I said above, each photo is going to vary in how it traces and this one turned out to be pretty simple with a little time for editing.

Then when I saw this Canoe at Sunrise shadow box in the Silhouette Design Store, I knew it was perfect for a gift that I could incorporate this trace into.

Instead of adding the canoe, I cut and added my traced image of my friend on her kayak. It was perfect!

I am one of those people who has to do a project pretty much exactly like the demo, at least the first time. So I did go to the designer’s website and purchase the file again – yes, sounds crazy – but I wanted the backgrounds for this particular project. However, you can use any background that you want and add it to your project.

What are you creating today? Feel free to post your project photos & questions on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy !

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

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

Posted on July 31, 2018April 27, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

Let’s Explore v 4 Recap

We are half-way through 2018 – can you believe that?

So it’s the perfect time to recap what the “Let’s Explore v4” series has covered so far since January.

Let’s Explore v 4 series

Page Setup Panel – Tab 1 – Page Size & Cutting Mat

Page Setup Panel – Tab 2 – Grid Options & Spacing

Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks – Print & Cut

Fill Color Panel

Line Style Panel

Trace Panel – Tab 1 – Basic Trace

Trace Panel – Tab 2 – Trace By Color (Designer Edition feature)

Trace Panel – Tab 3 – Magnet Trace (Designer Edition feature)

Pixscan Panel

Text Style Panel – Tab 1 – Text Style

Text Style Panel – Glyphs and Spell check

Transform Panel – Tab 1 – Align Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 2 – Scale Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 3 – Rotate Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 4 – Move by Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 5 – Shear (Designer Edition feature)

Replicate Panel – Tab 1 & 2 – Replicate & Number of Copies

Replicate Panel – Tab 3 – Object to Path

Modify Panel – Part 1

Modify Panel – Part 2 – Compound Paths

Offset Panel

Pop Up Panel (Designer Edition feature)

Stipple Panel (Curio option only)

Nesting Panel (Designer Edition feature)

There are so many things that the Silhouette Studio program can do. It is really an amazing program and I hope that you have learned something throughout the series. There is still so much more to explore!

Please let me know what is one thing you have learned that you did not know before by leaving a comment here or on my Facebook group.

Enjoy !

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

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

Posted on July 25, 2018April 27, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 2 Comments

“Tank” top

I created this shirt for my son to wear on vacation. He is all about Army and tanks at 6 years old and picked out this Military Set by Studio Ilustrado – Design #83790 in the Silhouette Design Store.