Introducing the Silhouette Mint™ Stamp Maker

Hello, Janet here with a look at the Silhouette Mint™. What a thrill to get the opportunity to try out this super little crafting tool!

The Silhouette Mint™ is a custom stamp-maker with the kind of versatility we've come to expect with the Silhouette machines. This little lovely machine has its own software with enough similarities to the Silhouette Studio® software that you soon feel at home with it and are designing your own custom stamps in no time.


GETTING STARTED:

Just a few simple steps are required to get going:

• install the software, either from the accompanying CD, or direct from Silhouette America
• connect the Mint to the power supply, 
• connect the USB to your computer, 
• switch on the Mint,
• open the dedicated Mint software, 
• select Design,
• choose the stamp size corresponding with your blank slide and 
• start designing! 

DESIGN OPTIONS:

You've many options for selecting and editing design elements.

TEXT
The Mint accesses the fonts already installed on your computer just like the other Silhouette Machines. This includes fonts you've purchased from the Silhouette Design Store.

There are the usual text options, but also a Curved Text Window with lots of fun variations!

BASIC SHAPES & BASIC FRAMES:

There are a number of basic shapes and 12 different fames, all accessible from the Drawing Options. You can also use lines to make shapes or even use the Freehand drawing tool.

Additionally there are erase options as well as new crop shapes accessed through the Crop Window.

SHAPES FROM THE DESIGN STORE:

Click the My Library button to access the 50 designs that come FREE with the software. A new Mint also includes a trial subscription card to the Silhouette Design Store so that you can download even more! Thousands more designs are also available to purchase from the store. You can add designs already purchased from the store, but I chose to save files from Studio and then open individually in the Mint software (choose File > Open, navigate to a suitable image on your computer in .studio3 format and click 'choose'). N.B. Once you save files in the Mint software they are saved in .mint format by default.

COLOURS and FILTERS: 

You can preview what your design will look like when stamped by using the colour palette at the bottom of the screen corresponding with the range of inks available for the Mint. When you've finished the basic design you can also apply one of 11 different filters to your text, shape or design to further customise your stamping design.

MINT PROJECT - SUNSHINE GIFT TAGS

MATERIALS USED:
Mint Machine
Mint Inks - Yellow, Pink & Teal
Mint Stamp Kit - 45mm x 45mm
Glossy Photo Paper
Plaid Patterned Paper
Co-ordinating Plain cardstock
Baker's Twine
Cotton Buds (if you're messy like me)!


STEP 1: PREPARE THE DESIGN

I chose a You are my Sunshine Phrase from the store designed by Emily Dyer and downloaded it into the Mint software. It works in just the same way as with Silhouette Studio®. and will display in the Library in the Recent Downloads folder.

Double click the image and it will open in Design View.
Open the Stamp Settings Window and select the size of stamp you want to use.

Centre your design and re-size as you wish. I wanted to make maximum use of the stamping area, so made it as large as would fit.  I followed these steps:

1. Select the image, 
2. Ensure Lock aspect is ticked,  
3. Open the Scale Window and 
4. Click Fit to Stamp.

Click the stamp filter window and try out some alternative colours for your stamp. You can also try out the stamp filters, although I left my image set to standard.

STEP 2: SEND DESIGN TO MINT

When you are happy with the design open the Send to Mint window. Now the screen display changes to show how the stamp will look on the slide (it reverts to black and white and the design is automatically reversed) and the Send to Mint Window is displayed.

Follow the steps in your instruction booklet, but ensure the Mint is switched on (button on the top glows blue). Click Start Mint. This prepares the Mint for the slide. Insert the slide in the slot (the word Mint will be upside down), with the arrow on the slide facing into the machine. Gently push the slide in and you will hear the machine start up. Then allow the slide to feed through at its own speed. In a few moments the printed slide with appear out of the opposite slot.



STEP 3: PREPARING YOUR SLIDE

Slide the plastic stamp mount into the stamp base until it clicks into place. Remove the paper liner from the stamp mount, exposing a sticky pad.  Carefully tear the slide open and remove the slide (take off the plastic film if it has remained on the stamp) then align the printed stamp onto the sticky pad with the design uppermost.

STEP 4: INKING THE STAMP

Apply ink to the stamp. Keep a tissue to hand and wipe off excess ink from the tip of the bottle. Apply the ink one colour at a time and allow adjacent colours to absorb into the stamp before moving on to the next. I would advise using a little less ink than I did - I was a little heavy-handed with the yellow and the teal as you can see. You can lift excess ink carefully with a cotton bud. Leave the whole stamp to sit to at least 10 minutes before testing it out. I stamped the image four or five times on scrap paper to get rid of excess ink and then stamped the sticker, which I stuck onto the lid (not the wooden block, because you'll use that for other stamps).

STEP 5: PREPARING TAGS

I chose a set of tags from the store designed by Sweet Afton and used just the re-enforcing ring from Sarah Hurley's plain luggage tag. The tag bodies were cut from glossy photo paper, the decorative tops from plaid patterned paper, and the rings from plain co-ordinating cardstock (having re-sized them all to fit the stamp).

STEP 6: STAMPING THE TAGS

I stamped the tags before assembly. The stamp is very easy to use. Just remove the lid and stamp on scrap paper first before stamping on to the tag bodies cut from photo paper. My photo paper takes a while to dry, so give the tags some time absorb the ink, or it may smudge (ask me how I know?).


STEP 7: FINISHING THE TAGS

Finally, assemble the tags and thread Baker's twine or similar through the hole and your project is complete, ready to attach to a gift.

I did enjoy putting this little machine through it's paces and can't wait to try the stamp out on other surfaces and materials. Have you experimented with the Mint? What unusual materials have you stamped? Do share in the comments below.

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DESIGNS USED:

PRODUCTS USED: