Vinyl Cutting

So, I finally bit the bullet and I decided to buy a new electronic cutting machine.  I had one of the original Cricut machines, you know, the small one that cut 6" across and only used cartridges.  And although I love using it, buying cartridges just to get new fonts or designs can get pretty spendy.  So I decided on Thanksgiving weekend to drive over to Hobby Lobby and purchase one with a gift card I had received from my sister's boyfriend.  And boy, do I wish I had bought one sooner.  After going to a class this past year given by Applique Corner at my local quilting store, I decided on buying a Silhouette Cameo machine.  They showed us in class how to use the machine to cut pieces from your applique designs so you don't have to cut them after tacking them down to your project. I know that I can't use my Cricut cartridges with this machine, so at some point I'll probably buy the new Cricut.  

I brought the machine home, and pretty much sat on it for a week.  I tend to do that with new things because I get intimidated by them.  I just think it's too hard, that I won't get it. etc.  But after watching videos of how to run the machine and the software, and my nephew asking me to cut some copy for their ranch, I decided that I had to get it over with and just cut some vinyl.  OMG, I haven't stopped since.  I started out with the text for the things he needed for the ranch:

 Then I decided that my friend's granddaughter needed a personalized Christmas gift, so I bought this really cool glass jewelry box and put her name on the lid.

 Then I decided it would be cool to give the sales staff at work personalized pint glasses.  So I made them glasses of their favorite things.  The marketing guy is really into VW's so he got a VW pint glass.

One of the salesmen is from Detroit, so he got a Lions Glass.  I'm not a Lions fan, but this glass came out so very cool!

 One of our salesmen has his own brand, I think it combines his and his wife's initials.  He had our company make him a big metal "brand" to hang up on his wall.  So I had our art department send me the file so I could make his own glass.

 At Christmas my niece gave to us her graduation photo.  So of course I had to fix it up a bit.  This was the first version I did before I decided it needed her school's name on it too.

 

 Then my step-son plays on a Rugby team in Colorado, so I just finished digitizing their logo to put on a glass and to make some car stickers.

I'm also going to etch a belt buckle case for our niece.  Hopefully it will come out really cool!  Will update the photos once it is done.

I'm learning more and more about vinyl, and now I want a sandblaster to do more glass and metal etching.  LOL  This is going to be so much fun!  And when I figure out how to send the files that I create from this program to my embroidery machine, things will be that much more cool!