Have you ever seen a Silhouette machine? These are amazing machines that do the same function as old fashioned die cut machines, but instead of having to get new dies for each design you want to cut out, you can program them with your computer. It’s like the change from a typewriter to a laser color printer – you don’t have to have the physical shapes to cut out anymore, just like you don’t need the metal letters to make the print on the page. But that’s really only the beginning of what Silhouette machines are capable of. They can cut out shapes in paper, that’s true, but they can also cut out adhesive vinyl, iron-on designs, wall clings, fake tattoos… and if you set one up with a special sketch pen, it will draw designs and THEN cut them out for you.
So, what can you make with a Silhouette? T-shirts, personalized drinking glasses or mugs, wall decor, window signs, bumper stickers, scrapbook materials – if you can imagine it, the Silhouette machines, either the Silhouette Cameo or the Silhouette Portrait, will help you make something amazing.
The Silhouette machines and supplies are offered at many stores, but Swing Design at swingdesign.com offers incredible package deals for the machine, sketch pens, media to cut out, and pre-made design software at excellent prices. They also often run coupon codes, so always check for one before you check out – the Silhouette packages could be yours for less than you thought.
As you become more familiar with your Silhouette, you might start trying out new, interesting designs and new applications. It’s actually perfect if you are a crafty type and you’ve thought of starting a small business selling things at craft shows or online. You can offer personalized items, decorate pillowcases with beautiful or wacky designs – find your market and go for it! I have seen one mom who had a Silhouette, and she loved the old TV show “The Golden Girls”, so she make heat-transfers of each of the actresses faces from the show and put them on throw pillows in her guest bedroom. It was fun, different, and something she could never have found in a store. With the Silhouette from Swing Design, you could make things like that for your own home or to sell – it’s all up to what you want to do!
If all this sounds like fun, but using the machine itself is intimidating, Swing Design also offers classes and written guides on how to get the most out of your Silhouette. The classes go from a beginners class up to handling regular and adhesive vinyl, and the books will explain how to scan your own designs, how to do heat transfers, and they even offer a guide on how to turn your Silhouette into a small business.
Stop by swingdesign.com and take a look – the products are fascinating, the prices are good, and with the coupons the prices get even better. You could have your own gorgeous designs all over your house… and make a profit, besides!