I mentioned wanting a Silhouette SD a few months ago after reading Melissa’s review of it, and much to my delight the company sent one to me to try out. Well I’ve been having so much fun with mine that I thought you might want one too, so I’m giving one away! Details are at the end of this post, but first let me show you a couple of things that I’ve made with it and tell you about my experience with the machine.
You know the little vinyl stick figure families that mark the back windows of minivans throughout suburbia? Yeah, this is my take on that. More modern, less cutesy.
I used Adobe Illustrator to trace a silhouette of us, basing it on a photo from the shoot by James Julius. Of course, it’s only going to be accurate for another six months and then I’ll have to make a new one for my family of four.
I also framed Eleanor’s silhouette (the same silhouette I drew for her first birthday invitations) against a sheet of patterned paper.
So cute, right? And I could think of a million more things to make too… I especially like the idea of using it to make a stencil for decorating a pan of brownies with powdered sugar, but I think that’s just because I’ve been craving chocolate lately. ;)
My Review of the Silhouette SD
The machine itself is small, sleek, and well-designed. The interface is easy, and I had no problems following the directions to get the machine up and running. The software is not Mac friendly, but there is an Adobe Illustrator plugin for Mac users (and a helpful tutorial here). I like to make my own designs anyway, so the Illustrator compatibility is perfect for me.
I was impressed by the Silhouette SD’s accuracy and ability to cut finely detailed images. I found only two drawbacks: the machine is noisy when cutting, and the sticky cutting mats attract hair and dust particles like crazy. Certainly not deal breakers, but worth mentioning.
I’m pretty excited about all of the things I can make, so I’m really pleased with the machine. There are tons of ideas and tips on the Silhouette SD site, shop, and blog. I’m not sure how the PC software works, but if you use Adobe Illustrator like I do then you can use any font or vector image you like. Nice.
Enter to Win a Silhouette SD
If you would like to win a Silhouette SD of your own, just leave a comment on this post (one entry per person). This giveaway, open to US residents only, includes: A Silhouette Machine (a $299.99 value), software for Windows XP/Vista, power cable and USB cable, two cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media), one cutting blade, $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store. One winner will be chosen randomly on August 31.
And if you just can’t wait to see if you’ve won, I also have an awesome promo for you (good from August 23 through September 1 at midnight). If you buy a Silhouette cutting machine and enter the discount code “lovely“, you’ll get all of the above plus the following for $249.99: $50 off the Silhouette Craft Cutter, fuzzy white vinyl (valued at $7.99), light blue smooth heat transfer (valued at 14.99), yellow flocked heat transfer (valued at $14.99), and a home décor CD (valued at $50). That’s a total savings of $137.97!
You can also use the code “lovely” from September 2 through September 4 for a good discount of $50 off your machine, two cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media), one cutting blade, $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store, plus two free rolls of heat transfer (a total savings of $79.98).
Good luck! I’d love to know what you’d make with your Silhouette SD. And what did you think of my projects? Would you rock a family car decal like mine? Too close to the ubiquitous stick figures? Or do you (gasp) prefer the stick figures?
August 31: Comments (and entries) are now closed. The randomly chosen winner is Renanda (renparks). Congratulations, Renanda!
Suzy.Q.S.
August 26, 2010 at 8:14 amWow! I’m already planning projects that I could do with this handy dandy contraption!!!
Patty Jensen
August 26, 2010 at 8:14 amOh, I would so love to win one. My first project would be to make cupcake wrappers. Thanks!
Beckey
August 26, 2010 at 8:19 amIm sooOOooo excited! (pick Me!) :D
Tiffany
August 26, 2010 at 8:19 amI love this!! I would love to win!! Thanks for the chance!!
XoXo
Tiffany
Kristy
August 26, 2010 at 8:22 amI love your ideas! This machine seems awesome! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
Barbara Gardner
August 26, 2010 at 8:22 amI love to make cards – and the silhouette would sure come in handy for them!!!
Caitlin W.
August 26, 2010 at 8:22 amThis is such a great giveaway! I haven’t been able to afford one of these yet since we’re having a baby, and my mind is going into overdrive thinking of all of the cute ways I could use this to decorate my little one’s room!
Heidi Vognetz
August 26, 2010 at 8:23 amI would LOVE to win this! Please pick me!!!
Heidi
August 26, 2010 at 8:23 amI would love a Silhouette! They look like they do amazing things!
Christy B.
August 26, 2010 at 8:24 amThanks for the chance to win – very exciting!!
jenleahlynn
August 26, 2010 at 8:24 ami love that i can create my own images with this machine!
Julee Anderson
August 26, 2010 at 8:24 amI love all the ideas!!
susie lavender
August 26, 2010 at 8:25 amI love the sticker on the back of the car. I would so like to have the capability to “cut out” lovelies.
Lesley
August 26, 2010 at 8:25 amI just stumbled across your site and SO glad I did! This would be so wonderful to use for cupcake toppers for my son’s 2nd birthday party!!
Di Ryan
August 26, 2010 at 8:25 amMaybe it will be ME!!!! I’ve been trying for MONTHS! Here’s to crossed fingers and UBER excitement!
diryan@gmail.com
Amy
August 26, 2010 at 8:26 amI would LOVE LOVE LOVE a silhouette! I am in awe of all the amazing things that can be one with one of these fantastic machines! I have seen some awesome Christmas ideas and would love to make some for my family and friends this Christmas!
Lisa Bowden
August 26, 2010 at 8:28 amI would love to win one of these!! I want to make some beautiful vinyl for my walls!
Kristin
August 26, 2010 at 8:33 amI would *love* to win this!
Amber
August 26, 2010 at 8:33 amI would LOVE to win this! Thanks so much for the chance! :)
Judy
August 26, 2010 at 8:35 amI have wanted a Silhouette for the longest time. I have my fingers and toes crossed. Hope I win.
Nicole
August 26, 2010 at 8:36 amI love this and would love to win it!! So excited!!!
Suzanne T.
August 26, 2010 at 8:40 amI love the Silhouette and would love to have one. My child care preschool kids would have lots of ideas of things they wanted me to make!
Kitty
August 26, 2010 at 8:41 amI love that I have to learn how to do that I have the cricut but boy i would love the sillhouette that would the best please keep the ideas and give aways coming thanks
michelle
August 26, 2010 at 8:42 ami would LOVE to win this!!! i could make so much
Nicole M.
August 26, 2010 at 8:43 amI’d love to win one of these! Thanks for the chance!
Amber Douma
August 26, 2010 at 8:45 amI keep trying to win this machine! I would LOVE it!
Candy
August 26, 2010 at 8:45 amI would love to own one of these! I hope you don’t have to have a blog to win! I am thinking about opening a business how about a vinyl logo on my van? Too Cute! Glass etching is fab too! Thanks for the give away!
Kerri
August 26, 2010 at 8:46 amWould LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win this. Oh, the things I could do…..crafts, crafts, crafts and temp. tattoos for my girl. FUN!
Kelly
August 26, 2010 at 8:46 amI am so envious of these! I would make vinyl lettering with these for my home and for homemade cards.
sharla
August 26, 2010 at 8:47 amGlad I found your blog…can’t wait to explore it more!
Annabelle
August 26, 2010 at 8:47 amLove to win this beauty, love to give it a try
Ronna E.
August 26, 2010 at 8:48 amI would love to own one of thes machines. I really like that you don’t have to purchase cartridges and can download individual images.
andrea
August 26, 2010 at 8:49 amLove all the fun things you can do with this machine. Fingers crossed
Jackee
August 26, 2010 at 8:50 amI would love to have a silhouette. Thank you for the chance to win. I think your silhouette of your little one is absolutely beautiful. It would be so much fun to be able to make one of my children. Thanks for all of the great ideas.
Susan Pennington
August 26, 2010 at 8:50 amHi! Thanks so much for having this give-away! I have been wanting to win one of these awesome machines for awhile now! I just hope that this will be my lucky day! I would love to get my hands on it and do some scrapbooking, and other projects!
Emily
August 26, 2010 at 8:52 amI absolutely need one of these. The Silhouette would make my crafting life a breeze. I have been spending countless hours creating my own stencils and such by hand and this machine would completely transform my business and my life.
KristenT
August 26, 2010 at 8:55 amLOVE the Silhouette! I have a wall in my bedroom that I just painted and it is just screaming for some vinyl. I adore the car decal you made – definitely more classic and less cutesy!
Crystal
August 26, 2010 at 8:55 amI LOVE your family car silhouette. I would ove to try my hand at vinyl projects and making gifts for people.
Candice
August 26, 2010 at 8:57 amLove it! I’d vinyl everything after I etch all the glass I own!
Wendy Gleaves
August 26, 2010 at 8:57 amYour car decal cracked me up… I really want one of these. i would love to try the glass etching but have also seen some cute ideas with desiging your own shirts.
Julie Ward
August 26, 2010 at 9:01 amoh, i would LOVE to win this awesome little machine!!!! i would for sure wallpaper my home in VINYL… :o)
Ariana
August 26, 2010 at 9:08 amWould love one of these!!! How cute would the vinyl be on windows at Halloween?
Darrah
August 26, 2010 at 9:09 amI NEED a Silhouette!!! I would use it for vinyl decor, the transfers, glass etching…yeah pretty much for everything!
Lisa S
August 26, 2010 at 9:09 amWow. This is one amazing giveaway. Would love to win!!!
Susan Spiers
August 26, 2010 at 9:11 amAmazing giveaway! Every crafter (including myself) would luv one of these wonderful machine!
Susan G.
August 26, 2010 at 9:11 amWould love to have yet another handy craft machine that i can’t very well afford, how better than to win one! I’m also Mac based, but i do believe i’ve got an ancient Dell laptop somewhere with WindowsXP. Would love to give this sucker a whirl and make a TARDIS window sticker for my mini! (bigger inside than outside)
Devony
August 26, 2010 at 9:12 amI’ve been wanting one of these for ages! I’d love it!
Misty Aldridge
August 26, 2010 at 9:13 amI really, really want one of these. I have all sorts of projects saved that I want to do with it! Love your decals!
Diane Conn
August 26, 2010 at 9:15 amI really, really, really want to win this!
Alisha B
August 26, 2010 at 9:15 amThis machine of so many skills ROCKS!! I would love to have one- my hubby won’t be so excited cause then I will be doing more crafts :)
Priscila
August 26, 2010 at 9:15 amI’m really interested in making some glass etching projects.
Mikki
August 26, 2010 at 9:15 amI would love to win one, I love all of the vinyl projects out there in the blogsphere!
Ali Hedrick
August 26, 2010 at 9:16 amWhat an awesome giveaway! The Silhouette looks like an amazing product – I’d love to get my hands on one! :)
Patti P
August 26, 2010 at 9:16 amSo exciting! I want to win one so bad! I really should just go buy one, but I think I would like it better if I won, plus more money for paper!
Anita Shipley
August 26, 2010 at 9:17 amI would love to win this…maybe I can be crafty after all!
Mary Williams
August 26, 2010 at 9:18 amI want to win one of these so very badly!! I want to make some custom window clings!!!!
maryw1981 at yahoo dot com
Maggie Hale
August 26, 2010 at 9:21 amI would love to have one of these! There are some vinyl projects I want to do, and also some shirts.
Stacy R
August 26, 2010 at 9:23 amI would love to win.
Debi
August 26, 2010 at 9:25 amDefinitely put me in for one of these!! It would be a dream come true to win this!!! It’s a must have in every household!
Lena Kubota
August 26, 2010 at 9:25 amThe first thing I would make would be cupcake wrappers for my daughter’s birthday party!
kate
August 26, 2010 at 9:26 amWould love to win one of these. I love the car decal you made much better then stick figures
Jennifer Landes
August 26, 2010 at 9:28 amI just found your blog! I am hoping to win of the amazing Silhouette’s, as it would help me out in so many areas.
Kristen
August 26, 2010 at 9:29 amOh my goodness!! I hope I win!!
Becci Abney
August 26, 2010 at 9:30 amNeed to win the “silhouette”, its a must for me, I am desperate to begin this amazing adventure
MELISSA H
August 26, 2010 at 9:31 amAMAZING! I would use this so often in my classroom and at home. Thanks!
Amy
August 26, 2010 at 9:33 amI am so in love with this cutter! I would have projects going 24/7!
Anne
August 26, 2010 at 9:34 amI am really enjoying fabric printing and clothes customization right now. So I would LOVE to use the Silhouette for similar projects… What a great giveaway!
Megan H.
August 26, 2010 at 9:38 amI looove this! I NEED to win :) *fingers crossed. I need to make my son’s room into a “big boy” room, *tear…where did my baby go… ANYWAY! I would use this to craft, vinyl, and etch the crap out of his room :) and make him some cute new shirts with the heat transfers. love it!
Gina Arkell
August 26, 2010 at 9:39 amThis machine looks awesome!
Gloria McAllister
August 26, 2010 at 9:40 amTrying so hard to sell crafts to save enuff money for my sis and I to go to Italy (a lifelong dream…and we’ve had looooong lives…she’s 70 and I’m 57).
The Silhouette would make this dream so much easier to reach. I particularly LOVE heat transfers!!
Gloria McAllister
Roanoke, Virginia
shan
August 26, 2010 at 9:41 amWhat a great give away. I hope I win!
Kristin
August 26, 2010 at 9:42 amThis is the answer to how to take my computer creativity and make it something purposeful – I think I could do a million things with this!
Katie A
August 26, 2010 at 9:43 amI would LOVE to win this!! I love crafts and have been itching to get one of these but just cant afford it with a one year old and another on the way!! I hope I win!!
Bobbie Mackey
August 26, 2010 at 9:44 amI have been wanting one for so long. I don’t know if I could ever catch up with all of the projects I have in mind for it!
bobbie @ marshallpublib.org
Julie Buckner
August 26, 2010 at 9:46 amI would ABSOLUTELY love this!
laury kay
August 26, 2010 at 9:46 amthis machine is amazing! soooo much fun
Marci Bowen
August 26, 2010 at 9:47 amOh I love these fabulous machines….it would be like heaven on earth if I won! Thanks for the chance!
Lisa S
August 26, 2010 at 9:47 amI’d definitely use the glass etchings first!
Andrea Larsen
August 26, 2010 at 9:48 amI would love to win! I LOVE your take on the window decal! So much classier!
cate s. h.
August 26, 2010 at 9:48 amLove your chic sticker! Great give-a-way.
Seema
August 26, 2010 at 9:49 amI would love to win one of these… love all the vinyl lettering!
Carol
August 26, 2010 at 9:52 amIt would be a dream come true to win a Silhouette machine! I’d have so much fun doing projects with my two little granddaughters! (cute t-shirts, perhaps, for a start) Thanks for the chance to win.
Natalie H.
August 26, 2010 at 9:56 amI am dying to have one of these! Today’s my birthday…maybe I’ll get lucky Ü
Courtney Pack
August 26, 2010 at 9:57 amI would heat transfer every t-shirt and onesie in the house!!
Linda Risher
August 26, 2010 at 9:57 amWhat a fantastic giveaway! The first thing I would like to try would be the vinyl cutouts to make a sign for my laundry and then I would love to try the glass etching.
Emily Hamson
August 26, 2010 at 9:59 amI would soooo love to have one of these machines! I love all the things you’ve done with it! So cool.
Thanks for a chance to win! :)
Shelly L
August 26, 2010 at 9:59 amI would soooo love to win this. I would like to make a clock from vinyl for my wall.
Megan @ Bug Creator
August 26, 2010 at 10:04 amI can’t wait to see who wins! I really hope it’s me!
tisha w
August 26, 2010 at 10:05 amI would looovvveee to win this giveaway i have been wanting this machine for some time now..
Jessica
August 26, 2010 at 10:06 amI have been wanting one forever! I love the glass etching and vinyl the most!
Ashley
August 26, 2010 at 10:06 amOHH please pick me…I am doing everything to try and get my hands on this baby!I would love to win since I am on a budget this fall! LOL…but aren’t we all though :) Thanks for the giveaway!
-Ashley-
Brooke
August 26, 2010 at 10:06 amI would love to win one of these fabulous machines!
Jenn Harrist
August 26, 2010 at 10:09 amI would love to win one of these machines! So many projects racing through my head. Thanks for hosting a giveaway
Elizabeth Hosto
August 26, 2010 at 10:13 amI think the glass etching would be really cool, I also love the vinyl.
Jessica P.
August 26, 2010 at 10:21 amI would LOVE to have this! So many crafty ideas…
Tracy
August 26, 2010 at 10:22 amI NEED one of these! Love em!
simply heidi
August 26, 2010 at 10:23 amNo cartridges and temporary tattoos? No that’s just awesome.
Gabby
August 26, 2010 at 10:25 amI could think of a million things I could do with this wonderful machine.
Becca B
August 26, 2010 at 10:25 amI’m so excited I’m going to win this!
Mary Jane Ricks
August 26, 2010 at 10:28 amI would like to make a vinyl growth chart for my kids…but I need a cutter :) janericks@yahoo.com