The
Silhouette is fabulous for making a quick tag or note.
I dropped the ball on getting neighbor gifts done before Christmas. So this year, we went with New Year’s gifts instead.
Simple enough tag, right?
Using the Print and Cut feature of the Silhouette, they really were simple.
Step 1: Create the tag. Open your image. I used the 4-tag set.
Using the
“ungroup selected shapes” button that we learned about yesterday, I edited my image down to the one tag I wanted to use. I also used the rotate button to turn it 90 degrees. If you want to rotate the image a set degree (90, 180, etc.), use the rotate button (the curved arrow). Otherwise, you can click on the green dot by your image and rotate the image to your preference.
I need to resize my image so it’s only about 2 inches wide, right now you can see it’s 3.540 inches wide. So if I click on one of the boxes at the corner of the image, I can drag it until I’m where I want.
Step 2: Add words. Using the Text button (The “A” button in the side toolbar on the left), I typed my message. Then I resized it and centered it so it fit inside the tag.
Right now, my Silhouette would cut those words. I don’t want that, so I click on my “cut style window” button, then select “no cut”.
I do want my words to print on the tag, so using my fill color and line color I fixed it so the words would print black.
After that I’m going to copy and paste my image so I fill up a page. Now I’m ready to print.
Step 3: Print. I need to click on the “Registration Marks Settings” window and select “Show Reg Marks”. Make sure all your images are within the correct area (within red lines and reg marks).
Then go ahead and print using your regular printer. There’s a print button at the top left in the Silhouette toolbar.
Once you’ve printed, place your paper on your cutting mat and we are set to cut.
Step 4: Cut with the Silhouette. When you click on the “Send to Silhouette” button (the button right next to the print button), it will ask you a series of questions.
If you haven’t already printed, it will ask you to print. Since we’ve already printed, click skip printing. Load your mat into the Silhouette and click on “continue”.
Then you’ll see a page similar to below.
Click on “Detect automatically”. The Silhouette will now detect those registration marks that printed so it knows where to cut.
IMPORTANT: You must detect the registration marks EVERY TIME. Even though I’m printing multiple pages of this same thing, I need to detect EVERY TIME so the cut is exactly where I want it.
(Trust me, I’ve learned this from experience).
I have my settings set for Cardstock and was told the recommendations for my blade. Sometimes I use these recommendations and sometimes I tweak them a little.
ALWAYS DO A TEST CUT!!!
The settings given are general guidelines, but I’ve found that every machine is just a smidge different.
If it doesn’t cut through enough, increase the blade number. If it cuts through too much, decrease it. I usually only have to tweak it one number to get it right if it isn’t right already.
Once you’ve got your settings where you want, click “Cut Page”, and let the Silhouette work it’s magic.
Then it just a few seconds, you have your tags cut out!
Tie them up and your tag is done!
Please let me know if you have any questions!!!!
Come back tomorrow. Hint: remember how I told you I *might* be able to help you out with getting that Silhouette CAMEO you wanted for Christmas?
