Here are my answers to the questions in the order of which I deem important–for me anyway. :)

1. Double-cut the image.
2. Use a newer mat.
3. Use a newer blade.

The blade solution doesn’t seem to make as much of a difference as often for me. I find that the mat and the double-cut will always make the difference.

And of course, I love using American Crafts cardstock with Bazzill as my second choice. AC cardstock is the best with Silhouette

But what if you’re doing all those things and it’s still not giving you a clean cut?

This is a question that has plagued me because I haven’t had that problem. I just assumed it was always the product or cardstock being used on the user end.

Well, one of my readers–Miss Stephanie–saw something within a Silhouette user group and found another solution! (I believe that person got the answer from Silhouette.) She shared it with me because she was so gosh darned excited that it worked for her, so of course I HAD to share it with you all!

Go into File (or Silhouette Studio on Mac) and then into Preferences/Advanced.
It’s the Packet Size you want to change.

It’s currently set to 3000 bytes, but try changing it to 500 bytes.
This determines how much information is sent at a time from your computer to your Silhouette.
Stephanie did this and it worked for her!

Oh happy day!

 
Of course, this may not be as big of an issue on the Cameo, because I hear that you don’t even need to double-cut anymore. But if you are using either of the other Silhouette models, this may be the ticket for you! And if it does work? I would love to hear about it!

Once you have all your flowers laid out (let them go over the edge), select them all (Ctrl-A), choose Object/Modify/Weld. For SCAL, choose Object/Merge. For MTC, choose Edit/Shape Magic/Weld.

One note to remember, the GSD files that outside sources make to use with Silhouette cannot be used in the My Library software that comes with Silhouette. The GST files that Silhouette sells are proprietary in that they can only be used with their software–through My Library.

To easily peruse and access GSD files that you have purchased via outside sources (like me ;) ), open a new document in Robomaster and click File/Thumbnail Browser.

Then you’ll see this screen (below). Choose the directory where your GSD files are located and the thumbnails of all the GSD images in the directory will display. I would keep all my GSD files in one directory. However, you could also sort the files by creating additional directories. For example, create directories called Nature, Birthday, Travel, Phrases, etc. (In my example I have them separated the way I need them for what I do with selling them–so don’t go by that.)

Next, click on the needed image and voila! You are good to go!

I hope this helps all you Silhouette fans. :)

Take a look at this page (which I photographed in the early morning sunlight . . . can ya tell?).

If you notice, the heart is white. But in the file I made, the heart is red. I decided I didn’t want a splash of red  with such a monochromatic color scheme. Of course, if you talk to my college daughter, a splash of red is just what any outfit (page) needs. Remember those red pumps she won’t let her sister borrow? ;)

Changing the color is so simple too! All you need to do is open the image, choose the needed color, click on the Paint Bucket tool and “pour” the new color onto the shape. I’m assuming this would apply to Photoshop Elements as well as PS. As for other programs, check your manual or Help screen for info on how to do it.

And apparently I can’t get enough of that ruler from the Educationish kit. ;) Printed it on a transparency and trimmed it. The lace is a shape I made when I first started working for QuicKutz like a year and a half ago (doily_1499). The cardstock, this time, is from Chatterbox. That’s one of those things I can never give up . . . I don’t care how old the paper is, I just love it! And since you can’t really get it anymore, when you make a mistake trimming it down like I did, you just have to go with it. I only wanted to cut a half inch off the width and height. But I first trimmed from 8.5″ to 8″, then went from 11″ to 10″–you know, moving to the even number like I’d just done before. Duh. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t cut hair. ;)

Now on another note, my college daughter just got a job with Borders last night. Yahoo! She loves to read, and while this job is in the cafe, she’s still in a bookstore. She’s wanted this job for a loooong time. She’d applied there this spring, but couldn’t take on the time schedule they needed while she was a high school student. The lady was impressed that she came back.

She’s way excited! She’s been looking at used XTerras too. What? The 1998 green minivan just doesn’t cut it for a college student? We bought that baby brand new and it was the best investment ever. It works great when you want to haul all your friends too. ;)

And I think I’m going to officially discontinue the “What To Use” Wednesday theme because while yes, this is Wednesday and I did get a page up today, it just isn’t jiving with how my blog life is going these days. Okay, so maybe not just “these days” but more like for the past year. lol Of course I will continue to share pages–hopefully at least one a week. That’s my goal anyway. It just may not be a Wednesday.

Okay, I can’t stop using uppercase letters and exclamation points!!! :) And you need to go check out her latest digital cutting class on Two Peas too! Go check it out HERE.

i. love. this. girl.

It got louder….

and louder…

and louder…

Dan gets up and shuts the window and two minutes later . . .

the BIGGEST FLASH-BANG EVER! Scared the blankety-blank out of all of us!

So we watched that for a while. Of course I coudln’t go back to sleep, so I went down to do a little work.

Then I get a text at 8:15 from a dear friend who’s son just got his mission call. He’d run down to the post office to get it this morning!

Then, my missionary son e-mails earlier than I thought because they had transfers today, and he’s finally in a brand-new area–in the Gaithersburg (MD) area. There are only three areas for these Frenchie missionaries, and now, as he put it, “its alot more open and green and nice and open and green and nice.”

Oh, and tonight I’m taking a Web Design class from the local university’s continuing education program. Thrilled about that!

I’m very excited about this!

My goal is to have one kit or grouping each week . . . that’s my goal. Can’t make any promises, so don’t hold me to it. lol

And don’t worry. I am still going to continue offering free shapes, because gosh darn it, I think the word “free” is one of the sweetest sounding words in life. And what better way is there to make your week fabulous than to have something for FREE.

I’m using PayPal, so you should be able to choose from a plethora of payment types.

Enjoy!

However, this morning when I woke up (at 5:30 to get my daughter off to Idaho!), I was feeling less than inspired. I was just going to share the photos themselves because I just couldn’t muster up the creative scrapping energy to do it.

Granted, I am feeling motivated to create, but just not with scrapping.

Finally.

Today. On my way to get my Diet Dr. Pepper/ 1″ Real Dr. Pepper combo with pebbled ice so I can drink/eat it like Dr. Pepper slushy delight. My new favorite thing. Must have been what inspired me.

Yes, it took me most of the day to twiddle through it. My intent was to use stamps with paint because I constantly look at those things that I cannot give away, yet never use. But it had been so long since I’d used my black paint that it was all dried up.

Sad. I know.

Ink didn’t cut it either, so I ended up redoing the page with my Silhouette and a font. It was suppose to be a more “what to use”, but didn’t end up that way. It’s the thought that counts, eh?

Instead, I used my usual, American Crafts cardstock along with a lovely Loni Stevens border design. The file folder is one I created for Silhouette as well. A little 7gypsies photo anchor and my trusty punch label and voila.

And here’s a closeup of those photos. Ya just gotta get the real affect of the middle photo. In case you haven’t read the journaling, Jordan had gotten her wisdom teeth out just three days before. That middle photo is so that she won’t feel so out of place with her chubby swollen cheeks. :)

Sorry my blog has been so neglected. Lots of stuff going on right now. Did you happen to catch the giveaway going on the Silhouette blog that ends Monday morning? Here’s the album I shared for Friday’s post using the brand new printable heat transfer–works great with the Silhouette Print & Cut images!

Uses this free shape that I made for the week (ends tuesday though).