Supplies:

Cookie sheet from the dollar store
Printable Magnet Paper – use the code BIRTHDAY to get 40% off until October 1, 2014
Printer
Silhouette Studio & cutting machine (CAMEO or Portrait)
Vinyl (optional, used for the haunted house)
MTF Sweet Halloween Dings font (free for personal use)

I absolutely fell in love with this font when I saw it on Under A Cherry Tree‘s Facebook feed. It takes an intermediate knowledge of Silhouette Studio to figure out how to release the compound paths of the dingbats and color in each piece. If you have interest in learning how to do that please let me know so I can create a step by step tutorial. Once I got the first one done though I was hooked and they got easier to make.

Once I had all of my characters and monsters colored in the way I wanted I arranged them on an 8.5″x11″ page with the registration marks turned on so that I could use the print and cut function. Then you just put the printable magnet paper in the printer just as if it was a sheet of cardstock. I didn’t have to make any adjustments. Once you’re finished printing your magnet paper let the ink dry for a minute and two and then secure it, magnet side down, to your cutting mat. You want to make sure it’s very secure to the mat so there is no shifting. I cut the printable magnet paper with my blade set to 5.

If you’d like more info on print and cut you can always refer back to this post on Print and Cut 101.

And just to add a little more fun to the storyboard I used some black chalkboard vinyl to cut out this haunted house (design from the Silhouette store) and stuck it onto the cookie sheet.

I had a lot of fun playing with the board before I gave it to my daughter to play with.

She made up a very cute story about trick or treating and monsters that drop from the sky – she went on for 10 minutes or so. Non. Stop.

Using the chalkboard vinyl just added another dimension to her creative play.

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Today I am going to show you how to make the above tumbler using Silhouette Studio and a file I purchased from the online store. Sidenote: I use the Design Edition of Silhouette Studio but it should look very similar to the regular edition, version 2 (I have not updated to V3 and I do NOT recommend the update. There are far too many bugs that people have been reporting).

The first thing I did was purchase this graphic from the online store.

Once it downloaded I double clicked on it and this is how it appeared on my screen (if you need a larger picture, just double click on any of the following photos).

When it comes out of the library all of the shapes will be large and grouped together. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RESIZE ALL THE ITEMS GROUPED TOGETHER. You will never get the design to match if you haven’t resized ALL the pieces together.

This is where having the grid set to 1 inch squares is extremely helpful to me. To size, simply select one of the corners of the grouped design and shrink to a size that will fit your surface.

Then click “Ungroup Selected Shapes” on the bottom left hand corner. After you click the ungroup button you will have to click away from the graphic (anywhere else on the screen) before you can go back and select individual shapes.

Next I go through and color my shapes the approximate same color  as the vinyl I am going to cut them out on. This gives me a visual understanding of how the design will look and will help me select all the shapes I need to cut out of any given color.

I have picked 4 different colors for my pinwheel – light blue, royal blue, white, and red. I then like to line them all up so, once again, I can get a good visual representation of the final layered decal.

Now I am ready to cut. I am going to start with red vinyl so I have moved only my red shapes on to the cutting surface. You can see that I have flipped the pinwheel stick to a horizontal orientation, that is just to make better use of my vinyl and have less scraps.

In the Cut Settings screen I have selected Vinyl as my material. Also, I like to cut my vinyl WITH a cutting mat, I have found it to be 10x’s easier to load that without the mat, but it’s up to you. I always cut regular indoor or outdoor vinyl with the blade set to 2.

Load your vinyl or mat.

Just make sure that you have picked the correct loading selection based on your mat choice.

Repeat this process (you won’t need to reset your blade) for every color vinyl from your design.

Now that your layers of vinyl are cut it’s time to gather your supplies.

You will need a surface to apply your decal to, a weeding tool if your design is complex and includes inner cuts to a shape (like below where I apply my name), scissors, a ruler to measure your surface, and transfer tape. Transfer tape helps you pick up your design and lay it on top of another piece of vinyl or your final surface. My personal preference for transferring vinyl when I am doing a layering project is to use clear (cheap) contact paper. I don’t feel bad using a lot of it and because it is perfectly clear it helps me align my pieces more accurately.

Peel back your contact paper and put the sticky side down on to your first piece of vinyl – the piece that will be at the very bottom of your design. Rub your finger over where the contact paper meets the vinyl and then lift the vinyl off it’s backing.

Place your vinyl onto your surface, rub it down well, and then remove the contact paper. Continue the process until you have applied all your shapes. I like to refer back to my screen to make sure I am applying all the layers correctly.

Now we are ready to add our name/monogram/initial.

The toughest part of adding your name is picking the font! Click on the Text button on the left hand bar of SS and type in the name you want, then use the text style window to the right to select your text. You don’t want to cut out anything too thin, dainty, or complex unless you have patience and Advil close at hand. This is about the thinnest type of font I like to cut out.

 Another tip I have is to (almost) always place your name on an offset, or background, so that it really stands out on your design. Silhouette Studio has made this extremely simple to accomplish.

First, select your name by clicking somewhere on the design, then click the OFFSET button on the top right bar of option. Click Offset and then use the arrows to increase or decrease the area to be offset. This basically outlines your name and creates a personalized background to place your letters on. Once you’ve decided on how large or small you want it, click Apply.

And here is the finished cup! Ready for a whole lot of summer sippin’!

The before, middle, and final phases of my tumbler.

Layering final is a fun way to put almost any design onto any surface. I love giving these tumblers as gift and the options are endless!

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