Welcome to the second episode of my trials and tribulations of getting to grips with my awesome new Silhouette Cameo machine. I'm taking pigeon steps at the moment but if there is anything you fellow newbies would like me to give a go, I'll try my best to fit it into my blog post at some point in the future!
So this weeks instalment is about peeling paper off of your mat and it not looking like this, even after a week of sitting in-between something :'( :'(
I don't know about you, but I wasn't new to cut files when I received my machine. I was very lucky to have some friends who would generously give me designs with beautiful shapes to decorate or add lettering to my scrapbooking pages. All of which would be lovely, flat pieces of paper.
So I knew that once I had set up my machine to cut a reasonably simple card for my besties birthday it would peel off like a dream and I would have a fine-looking card ready to back in some equally lovely paper, add a few sequins, a few splotches of water colour and "Hey Presto" a magnificent home made card for one's bestie. Sadly this did not happen as planned - hmpfff!
Obviously, if I was being hyper organised I would have been making this a week before her birthday. As I like to live my life dangerously and as I was almost practically a pro with this machine (hahahahahahahahahahaha) I decided that there would be no problems running this off the morning of her special day. I mean, it was only going to take me half an hour to do it all (hahahahahahahahaha) it would be fine!!! How wrong could I be!!
So, with the words of Will Smith, me and my lovely baby sat down to work...."Just the two of us....we can make it if we try..." I used the Soul Sisters cut file that I had bought from the Silhouette Store, resized it slightly and moved it where I wanted to on the page and then sent it to the Silhouette to cut it which it did with no problems what so ever....I knew this would be dead easy. I was dead wrong!!
As I was peeling back the card stock it didn't matter how gentle I was being the paper was curling. Grrrrr. I had come across this problem before but as I had previously used the smaller solid pieces of paper with the use of foam pads and glue the cut file had stuck down with no problems. As this time I wanted to use the negative it was a little bit of a problem. Unfortunately due to time constraints that I had imposed on myself I didn't have the luxury of cutting it again tomorrow I needed it now (ish!) I used the solid middle shapes and was delighted with the results as was my bestie Kelly!
Whilst making this little card I used quite a few sequins and beads. I found the Pick Me Up implement and fell head over heals in love with this little beauty! I'm not totally sure that was designed for picking up single beads and sequins, but it works a treat! If you haven't got one - buy one and if you have you will know it has a small pen like end with a sticky substance in it (like poster tack) that can be "sharpened" by removing the in-tacky tack and twisting the plastic casing near the point. It was awesome and saved me a whole load of effort being able to pick individual tiny beads up with no problem and dropping them straight onto the glue!
Right now back to the problem in hand. A few days later I had read a few things and they suggested desensitising the mat which sounded serious and might involve therapy after!?! Believe me though, it's quite safe and harmless to all. All it involves is your lovely, new, very sticky mat, a clean cotton pillow case and a desk or a table to work from.
I made sure that my desk was free of dogs hair (I promise my dogs are not allowed up on my desk :/ but their hairs get like everywhere even if this is a "Puppy free zone" which is what I tell them when I find them yet again lounging at the top of my stairs ignoring me completely! Anyway I laid the pillow case onto my desk, removed the protective backing from my mat and laid it on top (sticky side to pillow....I know it's obvious but I work with five-year-olds so I am used to over explaining - sorry :\) gave it a good rub and peeled it off. I done the same thing once more for good measure and then tested it out.
I picked the Family Background once again from the Silhouette Design Store (I wanted to use something a bit fiddly as I didn't want to cheat myself thinking all was well on something nice and bold. I sent it from my design page to the machine and it flawlessly cut the design, as I was learning to expect. Once it had finished the fun was going to begin......
I had also been advised instead of peeling the paper from the mat. Peel the mat from the paper and it only blinkin' worked! I peeled a whole fiddly design (approximately 11' x 11') successfully away from the mat with very little curl at all!
Whoop whoop success is sweet! Now I haven't included this on a layout as of yet as after much messing about I have ran out of time. As soon as I do I will add it to my next available blog and if I'm feeling really clever* I'll add a link to this page.
*When I say this type of thing, what I actually mean is I will ask Mr Squires or one of the fabulous ladies on the Silhouette Design team how to do this!
Signing off for now with a wish from me that may your paper stay flawlessly flat, your mat retain just enough tack and your lettering peel without so much as a small wrinkle.
Steph x
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