Silhouette Chipboard and Two-Step Cutting Technique

Hello, over on the Silhouette UK Blog this week I've been using the Silhouette Chipboard sheets.  I did have a little problem preventing the card from moving around my mat while is was cutting it, so I've shared the solution, a two-step cut.

The first cut, cuts about half way through the media, and the second follows the first and cuts all the way through. This allows the pressure on the first cut to be lower so movement of the media is less likely, and the second cut ensures that the surface is cut more cleanly. It works for thicker and more difficult to cut materials, and also coated media such as metallic card and specialist printing cardstock.

My project is a set of fairy wings (Lori Whitlock's Butterfly) cut from the Silhouette Chipboard, part of a mixed media project yet to completed.

Custom Cake Toppers

Hiya, Over on the Silhouette UK Blog today I have a set of new Chipboard projects. The Silhouette Chipboard Sheets cut and layer beautifully to make stronger items, and this week I have used them to make a set of co-ordinating cake toppers for a special occasion. The post included details on how to make a dimensional topper for a large cake, a smaller variation for cupcakes, and an economical way of making tabletop confetti.

Materials Used

• Silhouette Chipboard Sheets
• Silhouette Glitter Heat Transfer (copper)
• AC Textured Cardstock
• Beacon 3-in-1 Craft Adhesive
• Silhouette Cameo 3
• Domestic Iron
• Silcone Sheet

Designs Used

• Crown Me Phrase by Lori Whitlock (#215545)
• Princess Wands/Cake Toppers by Lori Whitlock (#63758)
• Peanut Butter & honey Font by ScrapNFonts (#143690)

The layered chipboard can be decorated with all kinds of media: paint, decorative papers, vinyl, and more. I wanted my toppers to be glittery, but I didn’t want to risk getting glitter on the cakes. The perfect solution was to fuse glitter heat transfer vinyl onto the toppers to give a neat, flake-free finish. I used the Silhouette Glitter Heat Transfer in a rich copper. ... read more (at Silhouette UK Blog)

Terrier Pin Cushion using Simply Crafty SVGs Dog Box Set

Hiya, Today I have a wacky 3D project for you using the fantastic Dog Box Set from Simply Crafty SVGs.

The file makes a fabulous lidded box with Chihuahua and Terrier variations. I fell in love with the terrier version, but thought it wouldn't be too difficult to make it look a bit more like my own pet, a feisty Lucas Terrier. Now comes the wacky part - with a few simple design changes I adapted the design to become a pin cushion and needle case with a small storage compartment for sewing accessories.

The file is designed to be cut from cardstock, but I made my box from felt-covered chipboard with some additional felt elements.  I've included details on the adaptations I made, but this is one of those projects that you can truly make your own.  I used my Silhouette Cameo® 3, but of course the SVG files can be used with other desktop die cutting machines (details here).


Materials Used:

Silhouette Chipboard (light-weight grey board)
Coloured Felt/Flannel 12" x 12" Squares in blue (1) & beige (2)
Black felt scraps or Flocked Heat Transfer Material
Heat N Bond Ultra Hold Iron-On Adhesive, or similar
12" x 10mm/0.75" Tartan Ribbon
Snap Fastener
Card Scraps
Toy Stuffing & Wadding
Beacon 3-in-1 Glue
Silhouette Cameo



Select and Cut the Pattern Pieces

Cut all pieces from the Box1 file, and the leg reinforcement pieces from the Box 2 file in Silhouette Chipboard. Cut selected pieces from the Terrier file (I cut the head twice, and one set of those fabulous eyebrows).


Covering the Pieces in Felt

Apply the iron-on adhesive to the back of a beige square of felt using a domestic iron following the manufacturers instructions. Draw around the board pieces shown on the adhesive side of the felt, cut them apart then trim and apply felt to the board pieces. Re trim the more intricate parts.

Ordinarily, I cut the felt on the Silhouette, but because only selected parts of these pieces need to be covered, it is quicker and easier to cut them with scissors using the Silhouette-cut board pieces as guides rather than edit all the pattern pieces in the software.


Strengthening the box

Design and add a leg at each corner to be partially hidden by the leg parts of the original box sides (all the parts are labelled in the PDF Instructions which accompany the file).  Adhere the legs once the box sides and re-enforcing pieces have been assembled. The box bottom needed to be trimmed before fitting. I just did this by eye with scissors.

Terrier Customisation

Cut and apply features from felt/heat transfer, adapting them if you wish.

I changed ear and eye shape, and added a mouth and card eye detail.

I made a 'neck' with a stack of board circles covered in beige felt which sat between the head and the body. The head and neck were adhered at a slight angle as that is how our terrier often stands.

The chest piece is an enlarged snout piece and the tail is an enlarged eyebrow!

The Pin Cushion

Make a sausage of stuffing wrapped in wadding and wrap a piece of blue felt around it. Secure along the length and at the ends with liquid adhesive. Cut a rectangle of board to fit the dog's back and cover in blue felt, securing with glue. (Optional) Trap some thin ribbon to form a handle between rectangle and 'sausage'.

Adhere the 'sausage' to the rectangle leaving it to dry under a heavy weight (I left mine in a cold heat press overnight).

The Needle Holder/Dog Coat

Add a shaped piece of blue felt folded over the side of the box (I used a bracket shaped square). Adhere it to the inside of the box only, leaving the outer part free. Add a smaller beige felt shape folded in half to serve as a needle holder. Adhere only on the folded edge. repeat on the other side.

Adhere ribbon to a narrow strip of felt, cut into two pieces, one longer than the other and attach a snap fastener to each end.

Adhere these straps to the blue squares so that one piece passes under the box so the fastener meets at one side.

The Storage Compartment

Line the compartment with a blue felt scrap, trimmed to fit.

... and that completes the terrier pin cushion.

Have you used your pets for crafty inspiration? I recommend it - it's a lot of fun!




Bye for now,
Janet, DT Member Simply Crafty SVGS

Blog: https://CraftingQuine.blogspot.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftingquine



Simply Crafty SVG Files:
Dog Box Set

School Owl Mini Album

The school year is almost over so I made this mini album with 'Back to School in mind.  It is made using a new SVG release from Sanqunetti Design - School Owl SVG and Silhouette chipboard.

Supplies Used

Silhouette Cameo®
Silhouette Chipboard 12"x 12" sheets
Silhouette Adhesive Cork
AC Textured Cardstock in various colours
Patterned Papers
1"/25mm Binder/Book Rings
Beacon 3-in-1 Adhesive
Dimensional adhesive pads


Aside from resizing the owl to about 5" wide, the owl pieces were cut without adjustment from textured and patterned papers. Some were duplicated to give more dimension. The feathers were subtracted from the owl body prior to cutting it from adhesive cork. 

To make the album pages, I made an offset of the owl base and released the compound path , removing the 'gap' around the glasses. A rounded rectangle with holes was welded on to give space and strength for the binding rings.

The pieces were sized so that four pages could be cut from a 12" x 12" sheet of chipboard. I cut eight in total, doubling up the front and back covers. This gave four pages for photos, journaling and notes, but there is room for at least four more using the 1" rings, and even more if a larger size is used. The same page pieces were cut in various plain and patterned pages adhered to cover the chipboard.

Then it is simply a matter of assembling the owl on the front cover and threading the pages onto the rings. 


The School Owl cutting file is available from the Sanqunetti Design website and at Judy's Etsy store.

I love how easy it is to make uniquely shaped albums based on almost any SVG design in the Silhouette Studio software.  I'm wondering, what album I should make next?

Cutting Chipboard with the Silhouette Cameo - Wall Decor Arrows

This week I've been playing with the Silhouette chipboard and have shared some tips and a quick tutorial with you over on the Silhouette UK Blog.

If you haven't used the silhouette chipboard before you might be surprised! It has a very smooth surface and looks like greyboard but is less fibrous and not as thick. It's very versatile and is fantastic for layering and makes strong and dimensional home decor items.  In the post I show you a quick tutorial on how to make a set of arrows and demonstrate how versatile it is by showing you some alternative finishes.

To make the project I used the Arrows file (#53730) designed by Sweet Afton from the Silhouette Design Store. There are many alternative arrow styles to choose from, visit the store, you'll be spoilt for choice.

The trick to using the Silhouette chipboard is to layer up the identical layers. I adhered six layers with a strong adhesive, Beacon 3-in-1 craft glue.

I finished the front surface with a now discontinued Graphic 45 patterned paper - a tribal pattern that I'd had in my stash for years - perfect for these arrows and gives them an almost wooden carved look. On the reverse I used the Silhouette faux leather for a classy finish  adhered with Beacon Fabri-tac.

Do visit the Silhouette UK Blog. There is a new project or tutorial on the blog EVERY day of the week.

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