TIPS AND TRICKS: Split screen view

Have you ever downloaded a cut file from the Silhouette Store and then when you open it in your Drawing Window it is a clear cut file and all the pretty colors the designer used are gone?  Many of us end up clicking back and forth from window to window to know which color papers to use to cut the file on the Silhouette.

Well there is a better way...

The first thing you want to do is click on the Show Library icon (the icon is on the left side of the screen and third from the bottom.

Then click on the Show Window and Draw Area button (the bottom icon).

Then select the file you want to use and click on it to load it into the Draw Area.

Now you can see the image and your drawing area at the same time while you work.

You can also resize each window to suit your needs.

So if you didn't know this, then give it a try!

Welcome to Silhouette Designers Group!

About Us:

The Silhouette Group meets the first Monday of each month at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA from 11am - 1pm. Absolutely Everything is a paper arts, rubber stamp and scrapbook store so meeting here each month is great because we have access to purchase Silhouette as well as other crafting products.

Each meeting consists of:

• 'Sharing' time where members can share things they have created or working on as well as tips and tricks they learned along the way.
• A lesson on a variety of functions of the Silhouette machine. We focus on one or two each meeting so that we are all able to fully learn.
• A challenge using the new technique when time allows so that we can really help us learn more.

Don't let the name of our group fool you because beginners to advanced Silhouette users are welcome. So don't hesitate to drop in and have some fun!

November 5, 2013 - Newsletter

This month's meeting:

We had a lot of fun at our November meeting.  Jackie brought a project to show the group and explained how she took the October lessons we learned from Cathy using the Subtract feature to help her complete her Christmas Advent calendar.

She used it to design a template to cut out the paper to go on each drawer on the calendar.  Something that would have taken hours to produce by hand but once she created the template in Silhouette.  Now she has a template she can use again and again.

Group Lesson:

Cathy saw a card in a popular card magazine and used it to inspire her create a similar card using the Silhouette. She then turned it into a lesson for the group to use the Weld Tool, Replicate and Mirror images functions to create these cute cards.

She walked the group through the steps to create very cute cards and gift tags.  A handout of the step-by-step instructions was distributed to the group for future reference.

It could be used to create someone's initials, other words like 'Love' for Valentine's Day, a son or daughter's name. The possibilities are endless on using this feature to create custom cutout word cards.

Our Next meeting:

Our next meeting will be help on Monday, December 3rd from 11am-1pm and Belinda will teach the group how to import digital papers into Silhouette and ways to use them with shapes and fill pattern in preparation for her Print and Cut lessons. Remember, beginners to advanced Silhouette users are welcome.