Silhouette Cameo Debut

I have a new toy, a Silhouette Cameo Electronic Cutting Tool. I received it for Mother's Day but it sat in the foyer for a few days before I opened it. Dan said, "Why haven't you opened it?" I said, "Because I feel overwhelmed with learning a new thing." I'm not one who likes to read directions.

So I finally opened the box, read the directions and watched the video. The machine came with 51 free shapes but I didn't know how to get the shapes. I called the contact number on the Silhouette America website and customer service helped me get my free shapes.

So I started with making some large pinwheels. It took some practice peeling the cut pieces from the sticky paper. I ruined several shapes and got very frustrated at first. Then I remembered how every new skill takes practice so I decided to add some patience. Eventually I did get the hang of it after starting with these pinwheels. I later read that to help with the initial stickiness on the mat to touch a pillow or something to it before using paper.

I used large brads from my card making supplies to hold them together. I go to my card making stash for so many of my projects! 

They will probably never be held by sticks but I enjoy looking at them anyway. Maybe I'll put them in a basket or something.

The pinwheels and these other shapes came with the machine, all except for the mustaches. A $10 gift card came with the machine so I could choose some shapes I liked. I have wanted mustaches and a few others I will show you below.

I cut out the free shapes to help me get acquainted with the machine. I learned how to remove them intact them from the sticky paper after they were cut. I applied some of the fragile shapes on paper, such as the green swirly one below. 

Tags, yay!!! 

The paisley shape is really cool. It comes in two pieces so you can put another colored paper underneath to jazz it up more. 

It amazed me how the machine cut these fancy pieces and I learned how to get them off the sticky paper intact.

These "thank you" tags are really cute!

This "love you" word bubble came out great as well the buttons and well, everything here...

I purchased the patterns below to hold gift cards for a birthday party for a friend's son and daughter. I have admired the packs of cardstock cake slices I have seen in the bridal department in stores. It's so nice now to be able to choose my colors and sizes (like the blue one below). I can imagine several of them put together to make a whole cake. I have also wanted a pillow box pattern. Each of these patterns were 99 cents and I can make them any size I want.

Since a theme of the party is mustaches, I added one to the owl! I shared in a recent post how I have come to like owls. I hope my little friend likes them too!

So now I feel acquainted with my new Silhouette Cameo and cannot wait to make more stuff! I think there are many new things to make that I can discover. I will learn through the Silhouette blog, YouTube videos and my lovely blog friends.