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!
rashmi
August 24, 2010 at 1:32 amOooooh.. i love the the decal.. its so you nicole!.
Would love to use this in soooo many projects
Ellen
August 24, 2010 at 1:36 amThree cheers for silhouettes!
jill
August 24, 2010 at 1:39 amWhat a great give-away!!!
joan
August 24, 2010 at 1:40 amPick Me! Pick Me!
Brooke
August 24, 2010 at 2:03 amI love to make hand made stencils and I saw this. I wasn’t sure if it would be great, but your ideas look so cute and fun. I would love to add this to my crafts!
AP
August 24, 2010 at 2:53 amSo many ideas just from the comments. I want one now.
Emily
August 24, 2010 at 3:11 amI am swooning-I hope I win!
Carol
August 24, 2010 at 3:22 ami love the family silhouette – that’s something i would to do as well. i have been wanting one of these machines – i so hope i win :-)
Emily
August 24, 2010 at 3:31 amI blogged, you can check it out here: http://kulaventuras.blogspot.com/2010/08/silhouette-machine-come-live-with-me.html
Kelley
August 24, 2010 at 5:57 amLove this! Want this! Will probably mention it on my blog :)
Can’t wait to see what else you come up with!
Brandi
August 24, 2010 at 6:06 amI think your car decal would be so lovely and unique framed against patterned paper like you did with Eleanor’s silhouette.
CarrieO
August 24, 2010 at 6:06 amI would have SO much fun with one of these – first I would make a cool vinyl decal for our new study room!
Casey
August 24, 2010 at 6:11 amI would love to make greeting cards with this machine to give to my family and friends. I really like your decal idea and I would probably make my own version if I win. =)
Sandy
August 24, 2010 at 6:29 amI have been drooling over them for a while! Here goes nothing!
Rebecca
August 24, 2010 at 6:42 amHow neat! I would love one!
Ann
August 24, 2010 at 6:46 amMaybe I’ll get lucky! That machine looks amazing!
Caro
August 24, 2010 at 7:01 amThat machine is so neat, I would love to have one for myself!! Thanks for showing us your projects, too!
Danielle
August 24, 2010 at 7:04 amWould love to win one! :crossing fingers and toes:
Elizabeth Connick
August 24, 2010 at 7:12 amOh how FABULOUS!! I love the idea of being able to do soooooo many things!
Richelle
August 24, 2010 at 7:20 amHow did I miss this the first time? Amazing! I definitely need one of these in my life… although I’m sad it’s not so Mac-friendly.
Jane
August 24, 2010 at 7:21 amIt’s such a great machine, I’d love to have it and create many of my ideas!
Lisa
August 24, 2010 at 7:27 amVery cool
Roslyne
August 24, 2010 at 7:28 amWow – I would love one of these. I could see myself using it for decorating around the house and making art for my friends and family!
Janet
August 24, 2010 at 7:28 amWhat an amazing machine! I love silhouette’s but it seemed so hard to make them. This would be great!
Nicole C
August 24, 2010 at 7:30 amI was wondering awhile ago, why no one had evented a product like this! It is pure genius. I would love to have one of my own!
Corinna
August 24, 2010 at 7:39 amI love this product! The detail is so incredible in comparison to the cricut!!!!
Clara
August 24, 2010 at 7:46 amOh my!! I would really really love to win that!! I would decorate my beige walls with lots of colors!
\o/
Jessica Fielhauer
August 24, 2010 at 7:49 amI would love to win the Silhouette!! I can think of so many little projects to use it for. *crosses fingers and wishes hard*
Donna
August 24, 2010 at 7:52 amLove the ideas! I am so NOT creative or crafty in any sense of the word, but after following your blog for months now, you inspire me to jump head first into some projects thinking…I can do this! My house need not look like a catalog. Thanks to you, my daughter’s nursery IS the perfect pink.
Angela
August 24, 2010 at 7:59 amThat machine is awesome. I love the framed silhouette of Eleanor.
Rachael
August 24, 2010 at 8:00 amLooks like fun!
Tracey
August 24, 2010 at 8:06 amI’ve been waiting on baited breath for a review of the Silhouette by a Mac user. It makes me just giddy to think of all the amazing things I could make with such a fun tool, especially with two little girls! The possibilities are endless! Thanks for the opportunity!
Tina
August 24, 2010 at 8:07 amI would love to win one of these! I have had one in my “shopping cart” so many times and keep chickening out because of the cost. I have so many ideas on what to make.
Your projects are so fab.
Karen
August 24, 2010 at 8:08 amIt is such a wonderful machine!!! Thanks for the giveaway!!!!!
Joanna
August 24, 2010 at 8:09 amDoesn’t matter to me if it’s noisy! I’ll use it anyway! Would love love LOVE to win this!
Shellee
August 24, 2010 at 8:11 amThis thing looks awesome! Thanks for the giveaway!
Laura
August 24, 2010 at 8:16 amLove this, such a good idea!
Amanda H.
August 24, 2010 at 8:20 amOh the things I could create with that!
Kristin Cronkright
August 24, 2010 at 8:20 amOh wow, I’m surprised I haven’t heard about this littel gadget yet! This could come in very handy at my house! We’re trying to get ourselves organized around the house, so this would be fun and functional! :)
I can just picture myself creating some pretty groovy decals for mail, brown sugar or even diapers!
Danielle
August 24, 2010 at 8:21 amWould love to win this! I’m guessing I’d go the crafty route, altho I do think your decal is darling. :)
jenhense
August 24, 2010 at 8:21 amLove the framed silhouette of Eleanor! While I think the car decals are cute, your modern take is adorable! What a great little machine, it seems to have an endless list of possibilities!
Alison
August 24, 2010 at 8:21 amI have been dying to try the new Silhoette! What a great giveaway.
Michelle
August 24, 2010 at 8:21 amI have been eyeing one of these for awhile. I keep thinking how easy it would be to make the complicated freezer paper stencils I seem to always be making… Fingers crossed!
Carrie
August 24, 2010 at 8:22 amI have been eyeing the Silhouette for months now. would love to win – what a great giveaway! Thanks!
Joy
August 24, 2010 at 8:29 amI would love to win this, it would definitely be used for scrapbooking purposes! I would do your sticker on the car any day, the stick figures….not so much!
Kelly S
August 24, 2010 at 8:32 amI’d use it for silhouette’s, wall decals & monograms. I’ve never seen this before and it looks like fun!
Marissa
August 24, 2010 at 8:33 amSuch a cool machine! And I love the silhouette of the little one. Great project!
Cassie
August 24, 2010 at 8:34 amHow cool! I’d love to win this!
13cls13 at gmail dot com
Amanda B.
August 24, 2010 at 8:35 amWhoohoo… I so want one of these.
LizzieBeth
August 24, 2010 at 8:42 amI looove your car decal! Such a great idea!
Shannon C
August 24, 2010 at 8:42 amI make a ton of silhouettes and this would make things so much easier!
Kate
August 24, 2010 at 8:44 amThis looks like so much fun. I could definitely waste entire days with this. And I LOVE the little family on the back of your car. The stick figure ones aren’t my taste, but your more modern version is awesome.
Abigail
August 24, 2010 at 8:49 amI’ve had my eye on one of these for a while, but have held back because of the cost. I would love to play around with this for wall decals and fun cut-out cards and invitations. The family silhouette is adorable!
Krystle
August 24, 2010 at 8:49 amThere are so many things I could do with this machine…
Rachel Whitcomb
August 24, 2010 at 8:49 amI love your silhouette family! I never thought I needed a Silhouette of my own, but lately, I’ve had several projects where it would have come in so handy!
Samantha
August 24, 2010 at 9:00 amI love your take on the family car decal! And I just saw a project using cut out letters on painted canvas that would be so fun with the Silhouette!
Sara
August 24, 2010 at 9:04 amI can not believe how good they turned out! Really, the family one on your (or Brandon’s) car looks spot on to the photographs (which also turned out beautifully). Congrats on the new baby! I am so excited to /read about and see the transformation on your home and of course, the pictures!
Danielle Bauer
August 24, 2010 at 9:05 amI need one of these it’s so awesome!
Jill
August 24, 2010 at 9:07 amI am so so excited about this giveaway I’ve been wanting one for a while!!!
Kristin
August 24, 2010 at 9:08 amHow cool is this machine? I love your car decal :)
D
August 24, 2010 at 9:08 amCrossing my fingers and hoping I win this one after looking around on their website there are so many things I want to do now!!!
Emily
August 24, 2010 at 9:09 amI didn’t even know I needed one of these, but your post demonstrates that I do! I would love to make a family silhouette!
Lisa
August 24, 2010 at 9:12 amI would love it!
Nina Interlandi Bell
August 24, 2010 at 9:18 amI am a small, eco-friendly letterpress printer in Chicago and I would love to use the Silhouette to cut out pieces for wedding invitations or birth announcements.
Kerri
August 24, 2010 at 9:19 ami’d love this machine!
Charlene E
August 24, 2010 at 9:19 amI would LOVE to win this machine! With Fall and Winter around the corner meaning more “inside” time, I’m getting my crafting bug back!
Tiffany
August 24, 2010 at 9:20 amWow! I’m so jealous. Looks awesome and irresistibly cute.
annie
August 24, 2010 at 9:21 amThat is a great little gadget. I like the car decal — what an idea!
Diane P
August 24, 2010 at 9:24 amThis would be awesome!
Kimmie S
August 24, 2010 at 9:26 amI would love this machine! Our house would be covered in sayings :)
Karen
August 24, 2010 at 9:26 amI’ve been wanting one of these BADLY for a long time! So many things to do with one that I can’t list them all!
Katie
August 24, 2010 at 9:31 amI can’t even tell you how much I would LOVE this machine!!!!!! Pick Me!!! Pick Me!!!!
(and I LOVE the one on your car! WAY too cute!)
Jamie McCormick
August 24, 2010 at 9:31 amWho wouldn’t want one of these? I think it would be perfect for the fast approaching holiday season!
Lisa Dudley
August 24, 2010 at 9:36 amI SO want one of these. I love making hand-cut paper illustrations with an exacto knife and this would speed things up considerably since I already design everything in Illustrator! Glad to see that it would work with my Mac!
Thanks for your review!
angela
August 24, 2010 at 9:36 amooh! i want! i especially love the idea of the car stickers! very clever and cute! :D
Deb
August 24, 2010 at 9:40 amWould love to win this!
tara
August 24, 2010 at 9:40 amWow! That’s amazing. I’d love one of these. My mom has an extensive silhouette collection. She would be amazed to add one’s of all her grandbabies!
Amanda Major
August 24, 2010 at 9:41 amThis is so cool! I want one!
Kelly Edwards
August 24, 2010 at 9:43 amMy mind is spinning with ideas on what I could make! I need one!!!
Maureen
August 24, 2010 at 9:50 amI adore your silhouette family. Those stick figure families are just so tiresome. I would love to use the Silhouette SD for my own family cut out as well as many, many other projects.
Valerie
August 24, 2010 at 9:51 amNicole … what a neat little machine! I’d love to make vinyl letters with it! I wish I was as adept with the computer as you are! :-) Thanks for the great give-away!
Diane V
August 24, 2010 at 9:51 amLoved your car decal.
I think that I would use the machine for art projects at an afterschool elementary program that I volunteer at — 99% of the kids are minorities and 95% are below the poverty level — they love doing art projects and this would definitely be something new and fun.
Kristina
August 24, 2010 at 9:56 amI suppose it’s hella nosy but I’m dying to know whether you’re having a boy or a girl! I don’t remember now if you knew ahead of time whether Eleanor was a girl, or if you let your readers know, but…yeah. I am too excited for you guys.
Either way, I’d make silhouettes for my sister, who gave birth to my adorable nephew last November. I’ve gotten into papercutting, so I’ve been giving those away as gifts, but I think this would make the perfect 1st birthday present. For her, anyway.
Kim
August 24, 2010 at 10:01 amLove this, oh the possibilities!
Lani
August 24, 2010 at 10:02 amI’ve been seeing more and more about the Silouette SD machine and every time I see it I want it more and more!! Love the little family on the car, and totally stealing the idea for the pic frame…I always comment that my son has a good profile…
Christi
August 24, 2010 at 10:04 amYour silhouettes are SO much cuter and fun than the stick figures!
What a terrific giveaway…..
Elizabeth
August 24, 2010 at 10:05 amWow! I didn’t even know a machine like this existed. I’ve been in love with silhouettes lately and would love to make my own.
Kendall
August 24, 2010 at 10:07 amThat car sticker is so cute. What a great giveaway!
Mary
August 24, 2010 at 10:13 amI heart your blog! I love all things lovely. Your car decal is so cute. I would use the machine to make stencils for glass etching – my new favorite craft!
kat
August 24, 2010 at 10:15 amMy five-month-old is the first granddaughter on both sides of the family. I think her framed silhouette would be a perfect Christmas present for some doting grandmothers.
Allen
August 24, 2010 at 10:16 amMaking it Lovely – not just for girls. What a great machine. I want one.
Elizabeth C.
August 24, 2010 at 10:16 amThis looks like a ton of fun! This had been on my want list since it came out.
Jennifer
August 24, 2010 at 10:17 amlots of fun! great idea.
Irene
August 24, 2010 at 10:18 amI am surprised just how much I love the decal on the back of your car! nice job!
Megan
August 24, 2010 at 10:25 amI’m a long time fan of the Silhouette!! I would love to be able to learn how to design like you do.
Taya Chiniquy
August 24, 2010 at 10:25 amI am dieing to have one of these it is the perfect addition to any crafters set of tools.
Katie
August 24, 2010 at 10:27 ampick me!
Lisa
August 24, 2010 at 10:28 amI love the family silhouette! So many things you could do with this!
Mary B
August 24, 2010 at 10:35 amLOVE all that you do – would love this machine. FABULOUS (Of course, you make it look so easy :))!
Brenda
August 24, 2010 at 10:39 amI love the family you created! This machine can do so many things, would love to try it out myself!