let's get in the mood!

Wow. Christmas season is literally just around the corner. Thanksgiving is next week. Next week! Can you believe that? And if any of you tell me your Christmas shopping is already done . . . well . . . you just can't talk to me anymore. ;) (That's just the jealousy talking is all. lol)

Well, since I've been designing Christmas items for Silhouette, I've actually been listening to Christmas music since October. And my hubby did find out about it and he still likes me. He refuses to listen or acknowledge anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving. He thinks "Thanksgiving" (he talks like it's a person) is getting short changed more and more these days. But hey, the music helped me get in the mood--for making Christmas stuff (thought I should clarify), so he was okay with that.

Now, Nichol appears to have gotten in the mood with this baby! How cool did this advent calendar ensemble turn out?! She says her hubby "LOVES it." If you can get your man excited about another thing you're making, you must be doing something really right. ;)

Nichol added pop dots under the Print & Cut number images to give it a little more dimension.

Images used: Christmas_calendar_1_2281, Christmas_calendar_2_2282, Christmas_calendar_3_2283, Christmas_calendar_4_2284, Christmas_calendar_5_2285, Christmas_calendar_6_2286, phrase_merry_2291

Supplies: Patterned papers, Rub-ons: (Making Memories) , Gems (KI Memories & Hero Arts), Clear Buttons (CTMH), Other: String & Pop dots

The design measures 16" x 20" but the frame is actually bigger. Each of the squares is 2" x 2".
All the Print & Cuts are printed on Epson luster photo paper.

If you look really close at the 11, you'll see how she added a little rub-ons to take it to the next level. She also added a few buttons and gems to give it that extra "wow" factor.

And did you notice the "merry & bright" title cut in vinyl above the frame. LOVE that too!

Nichol used all 31 days and removed the days of the week from the Print & Cut advent calendar days so she can display this every year.

Very cool.

So, what gets you in the mood--Christmas-ly speaking. ;)

featured artist: HERO ARTS

What was that you thought I said?

Hero Arts?

Why, yes I did!

We're so excited to welcome Hero Arts on board as a contributing artist to the Silhouette program!

Not only can you use their super amazing stamps for your delightful creations, but you can now use their images as a die cut! Better yet? You can use them together to make wonderful coordinating pages and projects.

Check out what Erin Lincoln did here:


She used the Hero Arts "frames and messages" stamp to coordinate with the "frames and messages" digital cut.

Now that's very cool!

(Shapes used: frames_and_messages_20091115194605_23067, phrase_birthday_1544, card_1878)

Hero Arts, thank you so much for joining our little band of fun! We're excited to have you here!

And everyone, be sure to check the Online Store as more Hero Arts shapes are added this week.

FREE download of the week

Today's shape is brought to you by the Silhouette team . . . or more specifically, me. ;) One of my all-time favorite books is "Go Dog Go" by Dr. Seuss. My kids and I often use the line "Do you like my hat?" "I do not." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." (I think we even just said it a few days ago.) As a kid I could get lost in that book forever.

Now, while I didn't make this shape with that book in mind, I can't help but think of it when I see it. How great would this be for a pinewood derby racing picture, a kid 'rounding third and going into home', a child learning to walk or crawl, getting started on a vacation . . . or finally on the road to go home! ;)


You can download this shape (phrase_go_2337) for free all week long, but then it goes back in the store at regular price when the week is over. We'll be introducing a new shape next Tuesday!

To get this shape, simply go into the Online Store through your Robo Master software and "purchase" the shape under the New Releases link on the left. I know it's free, but you still have to "purchase" it for $0 Then it will appear in your My Library.

If you're new to purchasing shapes or haven't downloaded one in a while, you can go here for steps on how to do that.

FYI, the "us" ribbon slot from yesterday has been a freebie all along and will remain as a freebie. So just search for ribbon_slot_us_1986 and you should be able to find it to download.

If you're having problems uploading any images into your My Library--especially if you're using Windows 7, please contact customer support at support@silhouetteamerica.com. There's a couple of amazing guys there that are awesome to work with!

Something new today? From now on, rather than releasing a large set of images from Silhouette every other Thursday, we will be releasing a smaller group of images every Tuesday! So be sure to check those out today!

On another note, did you know we're on Facebook now? To become a fan of Silhouette America, come check us out here.

And be sure to check in tomorrow. We've got some exciting news to share! No, it doesn't have to do with that picture I shared last week. Sorry, that one's still a secret. ;) That one will be revealed soon though, my friends.

the monday cafe: make the most of your silhouette shapes

I love thinking outside the box. I love looking at an embellishment (or shape) and think to myself, "What else can I do with this?" Hmm, this must be a result of scrapbooking the same products for QVC all those years. ;)

So is it any wonder that I do the same thing with my Silhouette shapes? Here's a page I made:

And these are the shapes I used for it:
(border_dot_1484, ribbon_slot_us_1986, phrase_enjoy_1926)

If you'll notice on my page, I have circles cut along the left side so it's all open. I love this look! To do this yourself, place that polka dot shape into a new document, resize it so it's as tall as you need it to be, Ungroup (Edit/Ungroup) the shape, and remove the outside border so it looks like this in Robo Master:

You could also take this one step further and remove a few lines of dots. For example, perhaps you only wanted three columns of dots. With the image Ungrouped, select the area that you want gone and press Delete. Voila!

FYI, you might want to give it a test run before you use up your last piece of cardstock though. ;) While working on another project, I thought for sure it was what I wanted and used my last piece of cardstock in the color I needed--even though I'd already done a test run on another color (the test run is actually the background on this page). Um, yeah. Afterward, I decided I didn't like it after all and had to fudge something else. Whoops.

Okay, so onto the next shape . . . the "us" ribbon tab. I didn't have any chipboard shapes to satisfy my creativity, so I made this shape, cut it out three times and glued them all together to create the illusion of chipboard. It gives it about the same thickness and sturdiness as chipboard. I also used the flat, non-textured side of the cardstock to make it look even more realistic. So really, you can make just about any shape into a "chipboard" piece this way! That's the beauty of Silhouette.

Now to the last shape. The Print & Cut "Living In The Moment" embellishment. Originally this shape had rounded corners, but for this particular page, I wanted straight corners and didn't want to lose any of the image by trimming them off. So once again, I Ungrouped the image and removed the cut line, printed directly from the Robo Master software, and used my trimmer to cut as needed. Can I just say how much I love the Print & Cut feature?! It's like the never-ending embellishment or sticker! Love it!

Oh, and do you want that little "us" ribbon tab shape? Okay then. It's yours . . . for free even! It's available in the Online Store. Woo hoo! I love free stuff!

By the way, this image has been up for free for some time and does not replace the free download that will be available tomorrow. ;)

[This is another article that was shared on the QK blog a few months ago and I'm bringing it over here for our little library.]

gobble gobble

[Image by Samantha Walker]

Hungry for something fun?

Stay tuned for Thanksgiving week for something that's sure to satisfy your appetite.

Also coming soon? Something brand new from Silhouette and it really shines. Here's a peek . . . juuuust a little peek.


What. Did you think I was going to give you a clear shot? And don't be askin' me any questions either because my mouth is shut. ;)

Oh, and be sure to check out what Nichol Magouirk did with her vinyl yesterday. Pretty darn cool, I must say!

getting to know kris

I kind of got sidetracked there for a bit with sharing ideas and such. Silly me. We still have a couple more people to get to know. :)

Who are you?
Kris Morris

What do you do at Silhouette America? (I mean your job.)
Sales Manager

What do you do outside of Silhouette America?
Anything with my family and anything outdoors. I am a HUGE sports fanatic and if I am not playing, I am watching!

How did you get into this business?
Good question..I am STILL not sure how I got here ;-) My background is in Computer Software sales and marketing. I was looking for something new and the IT Director at QuicKutz was a good friend. QK led me to Silhouette, and the rest is history!

Did you grow up here or have you lived anywhere other than Utah?
Technically, I grew up here in Utah. But my family is all in Mississippi, so I consider myself a "country boy." If anyone ever has a craving for some fried okra or chicken and dumplings, just let me know!!

What is your family life like?
Hmmm, let's see.I have 4 kids!! Does that answer the question? ;-) Seriously though, my family is my life and I love every minute I get to spend with them. If we are not at some dance recital, soccer game, or school play, we are usually at home doing "horsey rides", reading books, or playing the Wii.

What is something few people know about you?
Very few people know that I am a musician and that I have produced a CD with music that I wrote and performed. I play the piano, Trumpet, French Horn, Guitar and I love to sing. Keep in mind that I never said I was GOOD at any of these things, but most people don't even know I try!

What are your top five favorite things?
1) My wife and Family (that's ONE, right?), 2) Sports (watching or playing), 3) Music (all varieties EXCEPT rap!), 4) MOVIES!!! I am a huge movie buff and will watch anything ("Chick Flicks" in moderation though), 5) Junk food. I hate to say it, but I love me some candy!!

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
The UK. I don't know what it is, but I LOVE England. My degree is in International Business and I have had many occasions to travel to England and I still can't get enough. I love it there! Is that weird?

What is the last cd or song you bought?
I bought 2 CDs at the same time: Boys Like Girls "Love Drunk", and Lady Antebellum "Lady Antebellum"

What are your plans for the rest of the day?
Spend time with my family and pack for a family vacation!

What makes you laugh?
My kids. They say something hilarious EVERY day and they remind me that laughter is the best medicine. For example, here is a quote from my 3 year old (Brianna) from a couple of days ago: "Mom, I like to drink my bath water... but... we don't do that. Right mom? Because that would make us really sick, huh Mom."

Fill In The Blank
If I hadn't become a Business Major, I might have become a dentist.
If I hadn't learned to laugh at mistakes, I might never have survived this long.
If you knew that I LOVE the TV show MacGyver, you'd think I was stuck in the 80s.
If I could eat skittles for every meal, it would be great for me and BETTER for my Dentist!
If I could be famous for one thing, it would be a my music.
If I had a million dollars, I would have A LOT more time to fill out these kinds of surveys ;-)

I'm not sayin' a word about that "fish kiss."

Cute little family. :)

featured artist: CALI ARROYO

Every day our incredible contributing artists dazzle us with their never-ending talents. So we thought it would be fun to start really showing off these amazing people each month as a special feature in the Online Store and here on the blog with some wonderful examples.

So . . . meet darling Cali Arroyo (and her cute little hubby).

"I am a graphic designer and live west of Salt Lake City, Utah, with my husband, Chris. We moved to this quiet little town and designed and built a home here about two years ago. One of our favorite activities is going just down the street to Empress Theatre to watch their plays.

I first got into graphic design when I was a kid by watching my aunt and wanting to be just like her. Besides designing for Silhouette, I work for the Liahona, an international magazine published in 50 different languages. That helps keep my Spanish fluent and me humble for not knowing the rest of the 48 languages I work with!

My husband and I try to go to Chile as often as possible (which isn't often) to visit his family. Chile is one of my favorite places to visit and an amazingly beautiful place for anyone who loves photography. I'm no professional, but enjoy taking photos, and also enjoy drawing, illustrating, watercolor painting, running and biking. I'm learning to be more domestic - and more self-sufficient. This summer I grew a vegetable garden and learned to preserve a good amount of what I grew or was given to us. We may be having applesauce or apple pie with every meal this winter!

Many of my designs are inspired by the things I love to do. A friend of mine recently called me an "input junkie" - someone who is always learning or discovering something new. I love keeping my imagination going and am constantly thinking of new designs to create. Watch for the greeting and seasonal card designs to be released this week."

And here are a few lovely creations that she made using her own designs--some are new just this week!

image: thank_you_C0262

image: thanks_card_20091110123125_19007

leaf_border_C20091109234132_19007 (she used the negative space on this image)

leaf_border_C20091109234132_19007 (she used the positive space on this image)

And now a little somethin'-somethin' from our design team. Here's one from Erin Lincoln. She used that darling paper airplane image of Cali's with a little bit of pop dots too just for that extra oomph. How cute is that with the stitching for its path?!



Erin made the frame herself in the Silhouette software. She also pop-dotted the photos so it wouldn't look like it was just layered.

Images used:
paper_airplanes_20090810171137_19007 (Cali's) and houndstooth_square_lg_1297

Supplies:
Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Pebbles Inc, Stickers: October Afternoon; Stamps: Papertrey Ink

And now here's a page from Nichol Magouirk. That chubby reindeer is soooo mine! Love it!


Images used:
special_C20091002110843_19007, chubby_deer_C20091021001010_19007, corner_flourish_C20090727111527_19007, Frame_0130 (Silhouette)

Supplies:
Patterned Paper (Imaginisce), Cardstock (American Crafts: white & black; Hobby Lobby: kraft),
Velour Paper (SEI), Sticker Tab (October Afternoon), Rub-ons (MM & American Crafts), Stickles Glitter Glue (Copper for antlers & Black Diamond for nose by Ranger), Gems (Hero Arts), Other: Ribbons, Staples, Buttons

Nichol cut the flourish (both positive & negative), the deer's whites of eyes, inside of ears and nose and "special" from the SEI velour paper. She says, "It is fairly thin and cuts beautifully on the Silhouette. I use it a lot to get "dimension" and "texture" without the bulk." Good to know Nichol! Thanks. :)

And here's a little extra something from Nichol. She had made these little treat bags for her son's friends for his birthday party at nursery school and realized it was another image of Cali's. What a great idea!



Images used: stegosaurus_20090803103055_19007 (Cali's)

Wow! Great stuff! Thanks so much to everyone for playing with us today. And a special thanks to Cali for being such a great artist and making such amazing things for us to play with! :)

Now, to answer a few questions that I've seen.

Lee, your shopping cart/wish list idea is a great idea. I will pass that along.

You also asked about tips on how to cut thicker cardstock, like Bazzill. There is a great set of tips you can read about here. I also just have to add here that I love using American Crafts cardstock with the Silhouette. Cuts just ever-so lovely! Don't get me wrong, I still love Bazzill, but I really love AC cardstock with the Silhouette!

Someone asked about how to determine what the colored images are in the store. All images that aren't marked with a "P" are just your regular diecut images. They are made in color so you can get the full effect of how you should cut the colored cardstock pieces. You would cut each piece in the needed colors and assemble your diecut together. All the Print & Cut shapes are colored "as is", there is no editing and no cutting of it into separate colored cardstock pieces like you would with the regular diecuts. And yes, you'd print and then cut those as noted in this post.

Someone asked how I printed white text on the page in this post. I created a text box in the color I wanted and then chose a white font color and printed the entire thing to use as a "colored cardstock" on my page. I use Adobe Illustrator to do mine, but you could use Photoshop Elements, Microsoft Word, just about anything that allows you to draw and fill a box with color.

And just remember, if you're having a problem using a paritcular feature of Silhouette, such as print and cut, please contact support@silhouetteamerica.com. They are awesome to work with . . . and faster than I can get to any question . ;)