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Proud Owner of a Silhouette Cameo CAD Cutter

For those of you that aren't sure of what a Silhouette Cameo is, I can sum it up in this short sentence; The Ultimate Crafting Tool. Okay, so that may not be very descriptive, but it is pretty accurate ;) The Cameo is a machine has software that you load onto a PC or mac and can then make your own designs, or purchase them direct from the cameo store or online.  You can then use the actual machine to cut out these designs.

Silhouette Cameo




When I told my husband about this nifty tool, he just didn't understand it.  He thought that it was basically for cutting out a bunch of images that could be done with scissors, and although he encouraged me to get it (he's such a sweetie!) he didn't follow why I was so excited.

If you trawl the internet, you will soon see just why many crafters would sell their own Mother for one.  This little baby doesn't just cut out scrap booking shapes. (although that is what a lot of crafters use it for) it also boasts the following craft uses;

  • Glass and Metal Engraving
  • Glass Etching
  • Card Making
  • 3D Model Making
  • Gift Bags and Tags
  • Cake Display Boxes
  • Cake Display Stands
  • Rhinestone application
  • Temporary Tattoo's
  • T-Shirt / Fabric Painting
  • Fabric Cutting
  • Car Decals
  • Vinyl Wall Art
And that my friends, is just the tip of a very huge ice-berg.  At just under £300, this baby isn't cheap (although I was lucky enough to pick up a nearly new one for £250), but its sheer versatility makes it obvious as to why even at this price, it is a much wanted piece of equipment.

Mine arrived this morning, and after dreaming about it (yes I have seriously been dreaming of the crafts I will do with this) I couldn't wait to crack it open.  Luckily my machine, despite being second hand is in mint condition.  I purchased mine from a business that only used it twice before moving onto something industrial and boy am I glad they did.  They even threw in a brand new mat and blade, I am one lucky girl!

There will be a lot of trial and error with this machine.  Because of the wide variety of mediums it cuts, I need to familiarise myself with what each material will need in regards to blade depth, pressure and speed.  There are a lot of handy sites out there which can guide you through this, and the software included does have pre-sets for common materials (paper, card, vinyl, fabric etc) but you still need to make minor adjustments to ensure a clean cut.  

An absolute god send with the Cameo, is that it has a test cut function.  This means that you load on your desired medium and can then test whether you need to adjust the settings further.  The test cut is a minuscule shape in the corner meaning that it doesn't even waste the medium!  Little tweaks can then be made to ensure the cameo is doing what it should.

Within an hour of it arriving, I had read the literature, set it up and made these darling little boxes!




As you can see, not only does the cameo cut, but it also has a perforation setting which makes it perfect for gift bags!  

I have an awesome gift in mind for an upcoming wedding and I am so glad I have the cameo to help me achieve it!  Stay tuned.


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