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!
Shannon
August 27, 2010 at 12:16 amThis would be a welcome item! I’ve been getting into baking and thinking of opening my own little sweets business. I could make wonderful cupcake wrappers, toppers, banners and the like. Awesome give away!
Shannon
Alexandra Horn
August 27, 2010 at 12:17 amLove the possibilities of this bad guy.
Michelle
August 27, 2010 at 12:27 amLove to win this awesome machine and make vinyl letters and decorate with rhinestones to my hearts content.
Jenn
August 27, 2010 at 12:33 amLove your blog – congrats on baby #2!! <3
Lisa F
August 27, 2010 at 12:52 amWould love to make a gift like the silhouette you did of your daughter. Looks like a very fun project (and machine!)
Katie
August 27, 2010 at 1:31 amThis would be so perfect for me…I can already think of a bunch of things to use it for!
Mandorama
August 27, 2010 at 1:37 amThis would SO come in handy for holiday projects. (Yes! It’s nearly time to start thinking about those! Good grief…where does the time go?!)
Shannon
August 27, 2010 at 1:43 amI love the family decal, so cute!
Shay
August 27, 2010 at 2:13 amwhat does a girl have to do these days to win!? this looks amazing would love love love having one all to myself!
Allie, Dearest
August 27, 2010 at 2:46 amThat machine is the most amazing contraption I’ve ever heard of. There is absolutely no end to what I could do with it!
jenn
August 27, 2010 at 5:01 amWow, what a great machine! I would love to do my daughter´s and growing twins sillhouette!!
Beth S.
August 27, 2010 at 5:47 amWhat a great giveaway! This is an awesome maching! Thanks so much!
Nichole
August 27, 2010 at 6:25 amwould LOVE it…….cannot imagine the crafts I could do!
jocelyn
August 27, 2010 at 7:10 ampick me pick me!!!!!!!!!!!! blueyesjazz@yahoo.com
Kathy
August 27, 2010 at 7:25 amThis is right up my alley. I would love to have one of these.
Erin C.
August 27, 2010 at 8:07 amI. NEED. THIS. MACHINE. PERIOD. I love making unique, personalized, crafty things, and the silhouette would make the possibilities endless! I love that it just connects to your pc and you can use whatever design software you want to create your images! Of course, not having to buy cartridges, etc is a HUGE BONUS!
Kimberley F.
August 27, 2010 at 8:10 amI love the idea for the cake. I love to bake and love to try that. I also love to scrapbook and see so many ideas for scrapbooks, shadowboxes, etc.! I agree this is a GREAT giveaway :)
Katie A.
August 27, 2010 at 8:26 amThis contest is freakin’ great! :)))
Hope all is well with you! All on your site is, indeed, lovely!
Julie K.
August 27, 2010 at 8:31 amLove the family car decal!
LouAnn
August 27, 2010 at 8:37 amOh PLEASE pick me! I could soooo use this! :)
Kim Griffin
August 27, 2010 at 8:46 amWhat a great crafting tool! Where do I start? I would make cards for my kids to give their friends for birthdays, party decorations, seasonal decorations, etc. But the best thing I will make are celebration decorations when we finally complete the adoption of our son from Haiti and have him home!
Sasha
August 27, 2010 at 8:57 am…oh, the wheels are a turnin’! I like yours a lot better than those sad little stick people!
Cathrynn
August 27, 2010 at 9:15 amI would love one of these.
emily
August 27, 2010 at 9:21 amI would love to win a silhouette!!
brandy
August 27, 2010 at 9:27 amI want one of these so very badly!!! scratch that I NEED one of these very badly LOL
Mona Tetter
August 27, 2010 at 9:55 amI must up my craft game, I’m keeping my fingers crossed!!
I would love to win a silhouette!!
I’ll make room in my basement for all the projects I envision. Love your family decal, very cool!!!
Take care & Best Wishes to you & your family.
Mona Tetter
Alicia Andrus
August 27, 2010 at 10:03 amOh I would LOVE one!
Lesley Maurer
August 27, 2010 at 10:05 amSo Cute!! I love silhouettes, and I’ve wanted to make/have someone make, one of my kids for so long. If I win, I could do it myself! Thanks for sharing all your great ideas. ….And congratulations on the new baby!
Cheers,
Lesley
Sandy Andrus
August 27, 2010 at 10:09 amWow! This is an awesome giveaway. I would use the Silhouette to cut vinyl for my home and I would use it for crafts in my Elementary school classroom.
Heather
August 27, 2010 at 10:13 amThese machines are amazing! Thank you for the chance to win one!
Amber
August 27, 2010 at 10:16 amWhat a fun “toy” to win! Love your family silhouette decal.
Colleen
August 27, 2010 at 10:24 amAwesome! Your car decal is adorable and the brownies are genius! Pick me!
Fair
August 27, 2010 at 10:27 amCrossin’ my fingers to win!
Meghan
August 27, 2010 at 10:30 amMy husband is a graphic designer and he would LOVE this! We have a 4 month old girl and her silhouette pressed against crinkled foil in a frame would look fabulous in our home :). Thanks for posting about this!
KatieO
August 27, 2010 at 10:31 amI want that!
Kara
August 27, 2010 at 10:32 amI would love to win a sihouette SD. Can’t wait to see what you make for Better Homes and Garden.
Alicia Harper
August 27, 2010 at 10:33 amI would do so much with this, too many things to list – love all the paper ideas!
Joan
August 27, 2010 at 10:38 amSo cool. Great Giveaway!
Kimberly
August 27, 2010 at 10:40 amWhat a cool gadget; thanks for the chance to win!
Joanne
August 27, 2010 at 10:55 amWow what a fabulous giveaway!!! I could totally use this neat tool for my ever-ending crafty projects. Thanks!
Jordee Lohrey
August 27, 2010 at 10:59 amOh I would love to win. Pick me please!!!!
mindy t
August 27, 2010 at 11:17 amWould love to have this!!
Susan
August 27, 2010 at 11:20 amI already have a list going of what I would make with this awesome little machine!
Bambi
August 27, 2010 at 11:25 amI would love, love, love this! So much fun :)
kimberly
August 27, 2010 at 11:26 amAmazing!! So wonderful for SO many projects, not just baking.
cd
August 27, 2010 at 11:36 amOkay, I’ll try for a win! :)
Joie
August 27, 2010 at 11:39 amI love the idea of being able to make wall decals at home.
And I’m digging your car sticker. Very grown-up, and way modern.
Debra
August 27, 2010 at 11:59 amSweet! I love this! I am so excited!
Leslie
August 27, 2010 at 12:01 pmI love this machine! There are so many neat projects to do, and I would love to try them all! Thanks!!
MIsty
August 27, 2010 at 12:03 pmGosh, do I have ideas for this! I think a silhouette of my son would be first.
Bri
August 27, 2010 at 12:08 pmOh i would love love love to win this!!
Holly
August 27, 2010 at 12:09 pmI am so excited about this giveaway! The possibilities are endless :) I can’t wait to hear who is the lucky winner!
Monica
August 27, 2010 at 12:14 pmWow, this is amazing… I could sure use this and work it till the end :)
Good luck everyone, xo!
Susan Cloer
August 27, 2010 at 12:28 pmI love what you’ve done with the Silhouette machine, very very unique things! I would love to win this machine and try my hand at some of this.
Cassandra
August 27, 2010 at 12:31 pmI would so love to win this and add to my craft room. The heat transfer and the project you mentioned above are all waiting for me to try!
Julene
August 27, 2010 at 12:31 pmWOW!!! The ideas are swirling around – where to start? I would definitley put a vinyl Welcome sign on my door, along with the house number, then onto the kitchen….
Julie
Lu
August 27, 2010 at 12:40 pmOooh, so excited! I love your take on the family sticker, too. Much more my style than those stick figures.
Michelle
August 27, 2010 at 12:44 pmWow, this looks like so much fun!
Kasey
August 27, 2010 at 1:28 pmI would love to own of these awesome machines! Who wouldn’t?
Jill
August 27, 2010 at 1:30 pmI want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa
August 27, 2010 at 1:30 pmThis would be rad.
Nicole
August 27, 2010 at 1:40 pmI have heard many great things about this machine and I would LOVE to have one!!
alana
August 27, 2010 at 1:53 pmI used to be friends with a guy who make in depth pictures using stick figures. Like stick figure battles or stick figures sailing the ocean. It was pretty awesome and made me realize how under-appreciated the lonely stick figure is.
That being said, I still much prefer your silhouette.
Suzonne
August 27, 2010 at 2:09 pmI want, I want, I want!!!!
Judy
August 27, 2010 at 2:12 pmLOVE the possibilities! What a great tool to do so many crafty things!
Jenny
August 27, 2010 at 2:41 pmOh I have such a big blank wall that is calling out for a whole bunch of personally designed paper decorations!!
Abbie
August 27, 2010 at 2:47 pmI want one of these so so bad!! I think that these machines are AMAZING!!!!
michelle
August 27, 2010 at 2:53 pmthis is awesome! i want to make the nom brownies with this and hundreds of other things.
rebecca l.
August 27, 2010 at 2:55 pmI can’t wait to win this! I want to make cool t-shirts for my 4 kiddos -and hubby first- and then the list grows after that :) Thanks
Sarah
August 27, 2010 at 2:58 pmI’m pregnant with my first and we are ready to start turning our extra bedroom into a nursery. I would love to make all the decorations myself and this machine looks like it would be a huge help!
Jessica
August 27, 2010 at 3:00 pmI would definitely rock a decal like yours. I need my own machine so I can make one! I would be in HEAVEN with one of these machines. I am loving the heat transfers they do!
beth
August 27, 2010 at 3:06 pmI want one! Looks fun.
Deanna
August 27, 2010 at 3:10 pmI would really love to win one of these! I’ve been wanting one for a long time.
Michelle
August 27, 2010 at 3:23 pmI totally want one and would go crazy with it!
Jennifer Jacobson
August 27, 2010 at 3:27 pmHow generous of the company to do this! I’d LOVE to start customizing Christmas presents NOW! Might take me that long! ;)
Tiffany Moore
August 27, 2010 at 3:30 pmI have been DYING to get one of these! The possibilities with this machine seem endless and I would love to have one of my own! Hope it’s not too late for the giveaway!
kati
August 27, 2010 at 3:33 pmThis thing looks awesome! Thanks for doing a giveaway!
Becki
August 27, 2010 at 3:33 pmI like the Silhouette because one, there are a ton of things you can do with it to help personalize and make your home unique. Second, you can design your own image to fit your style.
Yen Reed
August 27, 2010 at 3:52 pmAS I would love to win this. I can already imagine all the cool things I can do with it!! *Keeping fingers and toes crossed*
Kat Taylor
August 27, 2010 at 3:57 pmI love this machine.
I would be a busier woman.
Ali Smith
August 27, 2010 at 4:19 pmWe just moved into our house a few months ago and I am dying to start turning it into a HOME! I would start with my little girl’s room. I am thinking a garden theme; flowers, grass, bugs, butterflies…oh the possibilities are endless! Here’s to hoping! I would LOVE to win this. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway! :)
Megan
August 27, 2010 at 4:22 pmI would be in label-making heaven with one of these babies!
Tiffin Clark
August 27, 2010 at 4:30 pmI would LOVE one of these, especially with the holidays coming up! Soooo fun!!
Leia Poskey
August 27, 2010 at 4:48 pmI would use the silhouette in my math classroom. I could make vinyl letters showing them where to put papers, or to lable supplies.
Nicole
August 27, 2010 at 5:04 pmI would LOVE to have one of these. I would be using it every day! So wonderful!
Heather
August 27, 2010 at 5:04 pmThank you for sponsoring the giveaway – I would love the opportunity to go wild with this product – creatively speaking, of course!
Maria
August 27, 2010 at 5:08 pmI would LOVE to be the WINNER of the silhouette! The possibilities are just never ending and by the way – – -I am a LOVE of stick people!! LOL
Thanks for the chance!
Kowanda
August 27, 2010 at 5:09 pmThe silhouette is a crafters dream! I love the car window decal. It’s cute.
Evelynn
August 27, 2010 at 5:11 pmThis looks amazing!!
querencia
August 27, 2010 at 5:20 pmI didn’t know I needed this or that it even existed until I saw it featured on your web site. I like your version of the decal. Trying to figure out if I could fit silhouettes of my entire menagerie in the car window though.
and the decals I could do for the kids rooms windows..
and. and. and.
Sally Gulde
August 27, 2010 at 5:36 pmOh dear, words do not describe how awesome this would be to win. With my addiction to all things graphic and as a mother of 3 (my oldest entering Kindergarten this week). I envision years and years of use and fun. Not to mention, I used to be a fellow Oak Parker who used to by Pink loves Brown cards at the bookstore before PLB was PLB. ;) What’s that you say, random generated winner? Big sigh… Oh well, here’s to seeing how lucky I am! :)
Love your site. Love your ideas. Keep it up and congrats on Baby #2.
Lisa N.
August 27, 2010 at 5:52 pmI want to win one of these so bad!
Sonya
August 27, 2010 at 6:01 pmBring on the Mac mayhem! I can take it if the Silhouette’s a gimme. Thanks for the chance.
Nikka B
August 27, 2010 at 6:05 pmIt’s amazing how many things from your website I find myself NEEDING, not wanting, some serious my life will be lacking without these items….and this one tops it!
Thank you for sharing this with me….now pick me random winner-generator!!! :)
Suzanne
August 27, 2010 at 6:09 pmI would love this machine and use it at least once a week!! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!!
Nicole
August 27, 2010 at 6:11 pmI want this sooooo bad!! What a great give away!!!!!
Nancy
August 27, 2010 at 6:13 pmCar decals?! Didn’t even dawn on me. I would be decorating my ‘burb for every holiday. I will make vinyl pretties for my walls first. Thanks for the chance. Exciting!
shelby rice
August 27, 2010 at 6:13 pmi would LOVE this!
Jill McClure
August 27, 2010 at 6:25 pmI would love to win the Silhouette. Love your people decals as well. Much nicer than the stick figures.
Linda
August 27, 2010 at 6:32 pmHello, What an awesome giveaway. I’d love to win. I think your take on the family car decal is cool. I love how the Silhouette lets you be as creative as possible. The lucky winner will have as much fun as you are trying out all the features. Linda