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!
Karen Lee
August 26, 2010 at 4:45 pmYour car sticker is CLASSIC!
I would love to win a sillouette!
VickyJ
August 26, 2010 at 4:48 pmThis looks really fun! Thanks for the giveaway!
Cindy
August 26, 2010 at 5:01 pmI love the family decal!
annie
August 26, 2010 at 5:12 pmHi, Thanks for the opportunity. I would use the silhouette to scrapbook my Mom’s wonderful life that was filled with good works. She has Alzheimer’s now and I want to remember her forever. Annie
Peggi
August 26, 2010 at 5:17 pmWow! I love the silhouettes. I work at a preschool and hand cut 28 of these every year. There are 25 other classes that do the same. Our preschool could really use this for all sorts of cute projects with our kids for special gifts for the moms and dads. Thanks for the offer.
Mrs. GG
emily
August 26, 2010 at 5:18 pmI would love to make bulletin boards/crafts for parents (can you tell I am a special education teacher?).
I think that everything is super cute!
Jill Knotwell
August 26, 2010 at 5:19 pmI want one!
adoll
August 26, 2010 at 5:19 pmAfter going to the site I could totally see myself using this machine for everything! If I had to pick on thing to use it for I would make custom cupcake liners for every event known to man! :o)
angela coussirat
August 26, 2010 at 5:22 pmI would kill for one of these. But instead, hopefully you’ll just give me one.
Corrie
August 26, 2010 at 5:24 pmOoh, I want one! With my first child on the way, I have so many projects in mind!
Nikki
August 26, 2010 at 5:25 pmI love the art piece! I would do something similar, but with my kitty. ha!
Renae
August 26, 2010 at 5:32 pmThank you for the give-away!!
Tracy
August 26, 2010 at 5:35 pmI am a first grade school teacher and am dreaming of LOTS of crafty ways to use this in my class room! I hope I win!!!!
Adore your blog!
Ginger
August 26, 2010 at 5:35 pmLooks like so much fun! There are projects in mind already.
Jess
August 26, 2010 at 5:38 pmWHAT?! I lost your blog for a while but recently found it again! I missed ya :) Holy cow I can’t believe it’s already time for you to have another baby! (I’d also love that Silhouette)!
Elissa Dahlgren
August 26, 2010 at 5:42 pmOh gosh how I would LOVE to win this!
MistralDC
August 26, 2010 at 5:43 pmThis is my 1st comment post — but I have been following you for years. Your blog always makes me happy and your talent is very inspiring! Cheers to the Silhouette SD contest to coax me out of lurking!
Michelle
August 26, 2010 at 5:47 pmLove the brownie stencil!!!
Lara
August 26, 2010 at 5:52 pmI would make silhouettes of my doggies and cupcake stencils!
MJ
August 26, 2010 at 5:56 pmI never win anything, fingers crossed!!
Katie
August 26, 2010 at 6:03 pmI’m planning on making a felt board for my daughter for Christmas. This would make cutting the alphabet and numbers SOOOO much easier! I hope I win!
Sommer Wiegert
August 26, 2010 at 6:04 pmI would love to win something like this!
Angie
August 26, 2010 at 6:23 pmI want to make my kids some Tshirts with the iron transfers. The cars pic would be really cute for my boy!
Felicia Eis
August 26, 2010 at 6:25 pmI would LOVE to win this!!! What a blessing this would be for me and some many others around me!!!
Megan
August 26, 2010 at 6:29 pmGreat giveway! This would be great to make custom cut outs on wedding and event invitations. Thanks!
Faith
August 26, 2010 at 6:39 pmI could have so much fun with that!
gnee
August 26, 2010 at 6:42 pmI would love to have one of these!
gnee
August 26, 2010 at 6:43 pmI would make all kinds of wall art for wedding gifts and baby showers and I would use it to make my boutique windows adorable through out the year!
lauren f
August 26, 2010 at 6:50 pmthanks for the great giveaway! I love the idea of using it to make labels for pantry items
Katharina
August 26, 2010 at 6:55 pmOohh, I would love to start going decal-crazy with this baby!
allison
August 26, 2010 at 7:04 pmlove the stencils for the brownies… thinking i’d also love to do framed silhouette portraits of the family: me, hubby, and the cat ;)
Donna
August 26, 2010 at 7:04 pmWould soooo love to win one of these. Thanks!
Linda Long
August 26, 2010 at 7:04 pmI would love to win this! Your projects are great and very inspirational!
Nate
August 26, 2010 at 7:09 pmThat would so cool! I could use it on custom guitar inlay work! N
michaela hoenigman
August 26, 2010 at 7:11 pmI love Silhouette and all the seemingly endless things I could create with this! Thank you Making it Lovely and Silhouette for this great giveaway!
Eilis Byrnes
August 26, 2010 at 7:14 pmI could have oodles of fun with this!
KimberlyH
August 26, 2010 at 7:15 pmSO neat! It opens up a whole new world of crafting activities to me!
Kendra at Savory Saute
August 26, 2010 at 7:19 pmSounds like a fantastic machine! I love the idea of your darling’s silhouette! Priceless!
Thanks for your inspiration!
The Savory Saute
Evie
August 26, 2010 at 7:23 pmmust win giveaway! need stenciled brownies!!!
J.D.
August 26, 2010 at 7:25 pmKnows a wife who would lose her mind for this! Thanks for the drawing!
Bridget
August 26, 2010 at 7:30 pmI have just started doing fabric stenciling and glass etching and have been hand cutting all my stencils. I *neeeed* a Silhouette!
(And I love your Silhouette-cut family silhouette for the car!)
ashley
August 26, 2010 at 7:31 pmi want one sooo bad!
missy
August 26, 2010 at 7:34 pmwhat an awesome machine!! :D sending out positive thoughts…
Nissa Otero
August 26, 2010 at 7:38 pmWould love to win and try out some new projects!
Summer
August 26, 2010 at 7:38 pmoh my goodness. I REALLY want one of these!!!
Anna Dowdy
August 26, 2010 at 7:46 pmI’d love to win this machine. Thanks for the chance.
Lynne Moore
August 26, 2010 at 7:50 pmI would love to win this machine. The first thing I would try is the heat transfers.
Alexa F.
August 26, 2010 at 8:02 pmThis would be awesome. I work with elementary school kids and often draw up coloring book pages on the fly and different shapes to put up around the rooms during holidays/seasons. I’d love to have the kids design something and then put their design up in a little cut out on the windows or something.
Karen B
August 26, 2010 at 8:20 pmOHHH! My house NEEDS this!
Cara
August 26, 2010 at 8:20 pmI would love to win this! I could use this for work – I’m a teacher and for my new baby’s scrapbook!
Adam
August 26, 2010 at 8:22 pmI would use this to make my fiance happy.
Amy
August 26, 2010 at 8:23 pmVinyl, Vinyl, Vinyl! Love it!!
mang
August 26, 2010 at 8:24 pmThis machine is awesome! I would love to win it!
katiedid
August 26, 2010 at 8:25 pmThe chances are slim, but my hope is fat!!! I am thinking of dozens of ways to use this thing!
Linda
August 26, 2010 at 8:28 pmI’ve wanted one of these for a while now. There are so many things I would like to do – heat transfer, vinyl!!! So cool!!
Ashley
August 26, 2010 at 8:34 pmI would definately love to win a silhouette! I have been wnting one for months now. I would love to make heat transfer onsies for my baby girl!
Gabby
August 26, 2010 at 8:35 pmI want one so bad!
Heather
August 26, 2010 at 8:35 pmoh the possibilities !
Naomi
August 26, 2010 at 8:36 pmso many things one can do with it! wouldn’t even know where to begin!!
melvel
August 26, 2010 at 8:39 pmOf all the online contests I’ve ever tried my luck on, this is the one I really really want to win. I want that Silhouette!
Johanna
August 26, 2010 at 8:51 pmlove, love, LOVE this machine….and haven’t even ever seen one in person, LOL! I’ve only seen the MANY creative thing to do with it—-oh how I want one!!!
Renee
August 26, 2010 at 8:53 pmI would LOVE this machine and am trying to convince myself to go ahead and purchase it!
Cheryl Warren
August 26, 2010 at 8:56 pmWhat a great giveaway! The Silhouette looks so awesome – I am looking forward to trying one out!
Aleta
August 26, 2010 at 8:59 pmThis is an amazing machine with lots of possibilities. I love anything with silhouettes on it, such a unique way to capture a moment. The vinyl lettering and glass etching are some of my favorites — but the rhinestones are calling!
taana
August 26, 2010 at 8:59 pmGreat review and even better give-away! I have been wanting one of these for over a year and just purchased my first house. This would be awesome for my new craft room- oh the damage I could do with this for Christmas, Halloween, the house, the car… I’m getting too excited I’m going to stop commenting now. : ) xx crossing fingers
Anna-Marie Sibon
August 26, 2010 at 9:00 pmOh my, what a fantastic machine!!!!
I can’t count the ways I’ve already thought of to use it!!! Cutting fancy cupcake cups is tops on my list along with making a new cansiter set using jars with etched glass labels. The list is endless…………
Becky
August 26, 2010 at 9:02 pmI’d love to win!!
Mable McCrary
August 26, 2010 at 9:11 pmI really thought I was going to win the lottery today but I didn’t. Then, I thought I was going to win the drawing for the chicken coop they were giving away at the local farm store but I didn’t. THEN, I knew I just HAD to win Mrs. Hyde’s pound cake they raffled off for the school glee club…..but, I didn’t. Oh well, hope springs eternal.
Amy
August 26, 2010 at 9:11 pmI want to win!!!
Angie
August 26, 2010 at 9:12 pmI sooooo want to have this machine!!!
Diane
August 26, 2010 at 9:17 pmOh my gosh! It would be awesome to win a Silhouette! Count me in!
Laurie May
August 26, 2010 at 9:21 pmlove it love it love it!
I think I would use it to make cut-out mats of various shapes/silhouettes to lay over patterns I design. Would be super cute all framed up. YAY!
Laura Seymour
August 26, 2010 at 9:21 pmPlease pick me! Thank you!!
kristen duke
August 26, 2010 at 9:29 pmI would LOVE to make t-shirts with this!
Pooh!
August 26, 2010 at 9:30 pmPlease pick me!! Would love to win
Rhonda Hiatt
August 26, 2010 at 9:39 pmI am completly jazzed about this little machine. Technology and craft combined, sweet. The possibilities are endless. With the history of silhouette and all the inspiring media that can mix with the silhouette. I am hoping to get to play with one someday and then enlarge the results and paint them on banners or the wall !
thank you for sharing.
Garilyn
August 26, 2010 at 9:48 pmI’d love to try heat transfer. Though, I’d never thought of the vinyl on car windows. I’d make one for AVON, to tell everyone that I’m a new rep!!
blessed.mama4 at yahoo.com
Cathy
August 26, 2010 at 9:55 pmI would love to create fun gifts for others. Thank you!
Rachael
August 26, 2010 at 9:58 pmVisited their site, and I would totally use this for heat transfer projects and home decor. Love it and all the cute fonts they have!
Katie M.
August 26, 2010 at 10:06 pmWould love love love love a silhouette sd! Very cute brownies, looks fun!
Jessica
August 26, 2010 at 10:13 pmlove the family car decal – too cute!
Amber
August 26, 2010 at 10:14 pmI am dying for one of these! Maybe 1,683 will be my new lucky number!
Kylie
August 26, 2010 at 10:22 pmAh I’d love to win! I’ve had my eye on this for a looong time. Love the decal btw. Definitely a refreshing change from those horrid stick figures.
Yelena
August 26, 2010 at 10:23 pmIf I had this glorious machine, I would use if only for good!
And that’s a promise.
Andrea Rawls
August 26, 2010 at 10:29 pmI think your car decal is adorable! Much more sophisticated than the stick figures! I would love to win this machine to use for creating party decor! Our son will be 1 in March!!
Ashley
August 26, 2010 at 10:30 pmI so would love to win the Silhouette! Every thing on their website was something that I currently do in a long drawn out way or want to do but didn’t know how. I would use this machine for everything it is capable of doing! Pick me and my daughter, nieces and their friends will think they have all died and gone to craft heaven!
Cate H.
August 26, 2010 at 10:33 pmMy heart is going pitter pat! How fab!
allison
August 26, 2010 at 10:36 pmThis is an awesome giveaway!! I would love one. Oh to think of all the fun things I could make.
Rachel
August 26, 2010 at 10:36 pmCan I please win? This machine would brighten my life. And my bare walls :) Plus, I’d be so excited I wouldn’t be able to stand it!!
rachel_musgrove@hotmail.com
Mellissa
August 26, 2010 at 10:37 pmI’m super excited to get to see the Silhouette in action someday! It looks unbelievably versatile! LOVE it and love your silhouettes of your sweet baby and your family!
Christie
August 26, 2010 at 10:37 pmWhat an amazing machine! I don’t think my kids would leave the house without their names or monograms tattoed on something!
Andrea
August 26, 2010 at 10:40 pmOhhh! Please pick meee!!!! I´m expecting a little girl and I would sooo find so much to do with it! from room decor to quilting and sewing! My 10 year old daughter would also love it! she´s all about crafting too! please please please! I´ll make you proud! I swear!
Brandi Webster
August 26, 2010 at 10:44 pmI would LOVE this machine!!! It’s my new dream and hopefully someday my dream will come true of owning it!
Brandi
Monica
August 26, 2010 at 10:44 pmmy mind is spinning with ideas!!!
Amy Knudtson
August 26, 2010 at 11:06 pmI would love to win a silhouette! I can think of a million things I could do with it. I especially love the cupcake liners and all the party decorations!! Thank you for the chance to win!
Bree
August 26, 2010 at 11:22 pmI totally want one – and I loved the family decal!
Vicky
August 26, 2010 at 11:47 pmI would love this and would go crazy with all the fun possibilities for my girl’s first birthday coming up!
Suzie @ cupcake monkey
August 26, 2010 at 11:49 pmOoh! I would love this!!! Awesome giveaway!!
Rachel
August 27, 2010 at 12:01 amThis is a really awesome giveaway. My aunt has one and she has lots of fun with it. I would really love to win this!
Aaron Groesbeck
August 27, 2010 at 12:12 amMy wife and I would love one of these!! So. Many. Possibilities. Thanks for sharing what you’ve done!