Giveaway: Silhouette digital cutting tool | How About Orange

October 01, 2010

Giveaway: Silhouette digital cutting tool

I've never been terribly excited about owning a digital cutter, thinking my trusty fingers and low tech X-acto knife can handle most jobs. But recently I received a Silhouette digital cutter to test and review. I'm afraid my poor old X-acto knives are going to feel neglected, because this thing is great. And you can win your own! Read on.

The Silhouette is a cute little number that's smaller than a printer, with a power cord and a USB cable that connects to your Mac or PC. After some confusion, I finally realized the accompanying instruction book is for old Windows software that doesn't look anything like the new Mac Silhouette Studio software I downloaded. Once I ignored the instruction book and referred to the Users Manual in the Help section of the new software, I was off and running. It's actually really easy to use, despite my first impression.

Now that I've got the hang of it, I'm super excited. The machine comes with 50 free shapes to cut, or you can choose from hundreds of other options available for 99 cents: boxes, cupcake wrappers, doilies, and more. Shapes are scalable and easy to modify. Or create your own shapes with the software, which works like a pared-down version of Adobe Illustrator. Or actually create your shapes in Illustrator and send them to the Silhouette. It will cut text-weight paper, card stock, adhesive vinyl, magnet or tattoo paper, and heat transfer material.

My first project was a little box. I pushed a button and the entire template was cut out in less than 30 seconds while I stood by and drank coffee. And of course it's perfect.

Then I forced it to cut something tiny and delicate from self-adhesive vinyl, just to see if it would explode. Also perfect. Dang. I'm not doing that with my X-acto knife.

For lots of project ideas, see here. As I try other things, I'll let you know how it goes.

The Giveaway: October 1 –11, 2010 (Now closed)
Want to win your own cutter? One lucky commenter will win a Silhouette machine (a $299.99 value) with everything you'll need to make it go: Software for Windows XP/Vista or Mac, a power cable, USB cable, 2 cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media), one cutting blade, and a $10 gift card to the Silhouette online store.

To enter the random drawing:
Leave a comment on this post by Monday, October 11 at midnight CDT. Open to US residents only; sorry! The company doesn't ship internationally. Silhouette winners from other giveaways are not eligible. Be sure to include a link or other way to contact you. The winner will be contacted and announced in this post on October 12.

Update: Giveaway is now closed. Commenter 1469, Kel O., was randomly selected and has been given the good news!

4543 comments:

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CindyLee said...

It's a Mac and it's a craft! What more can you want!

The Coons Family said...

I would put off so much housework if I had one of these to craft with!!!
jennifer.coons@yahoo.com

prutsels said...

That would be fun!

Cat said...

OooOOooo ... Please pick me!

Mary T-Allen said...

Wow! I'd never heard of this before today and now I'm in love. Throwing my hat in....good luck to all!

Christi Harrison said...

I know my chances are slim but I have to try. Thank you for giving me a chance to win!

Amy said...

Wow! This looks completely amazing. Oh, the things I could do...

laura said...

i wanna! i wanna! i wanna! mememememe!

Cortney @ Box & Bay said...

Oh, now that looks like fun! Thanks for the great giveaway!

BB said...

Sounds like lots of fun. I'd love to have one of these...

Ann YeAh said...

Imagine if I owned one of these machines and was the lucky winner out of more than 4000 commenters.

Unknown said...

Looks awesome! Would love to try it out!

melina bee said...

thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Well here's playing the Silhouette lottery! Thanks!!
lori

Anonymous said...

What a great invention, thank you for the chance to win one :)

Anonymous said...

Enter me! I love the way you used it for iron-ons! My favorite projects!

MTiesinga said...

would love to win!!!!
mtiesinga at comcast dot net

lizzalizzA said...

I havent been able to stop thinking about this machine since I first saw it on your site! I'm purchasing my first home and constantly daydream about all the ways I can use it!

Kelsey said...

A cute gift box while I drink a cup of coffee? Sign me up please!! The possibilities are endless!

matanic said...

I would love a Silhouette!!!

Unknown said...

drool! so many projects...so much time not spent cutting!

Catherine said...

Wow! I'd love this!

Shauna Maness said...

mercy me. this thing is fantastic.

Unknown said...

I'd love one!

Catherine said...

Wow! I'd love this!

Rebecca said...

Did I post and beg for the cutting tool?? If not I am now ---- please. please. If I did, I am sorry, but please-e-e-e-e.

Erika said...

This machine looks SO fun!!
would love to have one!

Morgan said...

I have always wanted one of these!!

KD said...

I think one of these would love to live in my craft room. I'm so jealous of all the great things you've already created with it!
katrinaedunn@hotmail.com

Brad and Katrina said...

I'm hoping to win for my wife!

Anonymous said...

Already dreaming of the possibilities ...
--hienmade (at) gmail (dot) com

Tina said...

Oh please let the random picker go for the "late bird"! It's about time I do something with the box of craft "stuff" I've owned for a while.
(auntietina21 AT hotmail.com)

Candace Dallas said...

wow, i see a few others want this cutter! well, throw my name in the hat too, please.

Quinn said...

Wow, that's the coolest thing since sliced bread. I wonder if it could slice bread. Just kidding.

Ben and Katie's Mommy said...

I would love it!

Katie said...

I want it! Pick me!

Shonnabella said...

I TOTALLY want this...it'd be perfect for all of my wedding planning!

Alyse and Bob said...

I'd love one!!!

Emma said...

oh, i would love this and promise to make good use of it!

Unknown said...

Would love to win this and try it out for cake decorating! Awesome that it has a link to accept Illustrator files.
www.cakesbymj.com

Nancy said...

I would love to have a cutter that works with a Mac!!!

Mrs. Alldred said...

Pick me!!

Karen Meyers said...

I would love to win this!

Mandy said...

Ooo, I would love one!

Shannon said...

Wow, this looks really cool. I'd love to play with one of these!

sarahlynn said...

I would REALLY love to win this! How fun!
sarahlbanks@yahoo.com

Jen said...

ooooh! Fun!

Linda Ruel Flynn said...

If you could see me you would see me crossing my fingers and hoping. Thanks for the opportunity.

Accept.inc said...

i hope i win!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh the projects I could do.... I'd love to have one of these!

pupton said...

I would love to win this give away! Pick me!

Heather said...

I think my sister would love this and her birthday is this month.

Brittany said...

this is a fantastic giveaway!! the box turned out great!

Janelle said...

Love It!!! So many fun & exciting projects come to mind!

Anonymous said...

I cannot imagine how many beautiful memories I can create with this toy:) Sumeyye Sazak

Unknown said...

So cool! I'd love one of these.

sprout said...

I could get oh so crafty with one of these. Pick me! pick me!

Amy said...

I would love to have my very own silhouette! We have one at my work and I love using it!

Andrea said...

Interesting! Sounds fun. :)

Emily said...

would love to win this... what an adorable onesie!! LOVE your blog!!

eireann said...

okay. initially i was ridiculously skeptical. like, why *I* ever need something like that? and the more i see of this cutter, the more i am convinced that i need it. i am so in lust.

Anonymous said...

ohh, i would love to win that!

Aggie said...

Oh, the possibilities!

rilojane said...

Me, please! Thanks for the chance to win! I feel luck enough to just be nominated.

Laura said...

Oh, that would be so amazing! I can think of millions of things to create!
shaneandlauramourtgos@gmail.com

Unknown said...

me me me me me!!!! :D

Maria said...

I can think of a million fun things that I'd make with this! I hope that I win!!!
one smart chicken at gmail dot com

Sarah said...

that would be very cool

Ashley Downey said...

Umm Hello over 4,000 comments! My friend just told me about your page...love it.

Lexie said...

I would love to own this machine! Such amazing projects!

Jess said...

Please enter me in the contest. Contact info: allgirlcouture@gmail.com

Crystal said...

Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! Pick Meeeeeee!

Megan said...

My sister in law would love if I won this for her!

ninfa said...

Awesome, I think I barely made it.

Nina said...

I would LOVE to win a Silhouette! Thanks for the chance!!!
Nina
prettylittleprojects.com
prettylittleprojects@yahoo.com

tracey said...

plz pick me, pick me!
traceybryan at bendbroadband dot com

Kellie said...

Oh please oh please oh please!

Maje said...

LOVE this!

Suzanne said...

I have used other tyes of die cutters and this one is so cool. :-)

rose said...

Here's hoping my Vegas roots bring me luck for winning this contest!!

leila said...

ooh... ooh. it's not quite midnight on the west coast. please please?!

Susanne Krogh-Hansen said...

I am utterly and deeply in love with this thing, I visualise so many beautiful things I could make with it. Cross my fingers, bite my lips, and hope to win!!!

Hadar said...

This is so cool! The possibilities!!

Hel6 said...

Just lovely :)

Debbie said...

I would love one of those!

Unknown said...

Ohhh!!!! I love it.

Ann said...

I'd love to win this!

jazibe said...

awesome!!! please pick me random number picker thingie!

Jane said...

Most awesome. :D No flat piece of paper would be safe!

Anne said...

oooh, neat.

annehoekman at gmail dot com

anne.made said...

Love it. slim chances at the end of the line won't deter me!! thanks for such an amazing giveaway!

Stef H. said...

4512 comments, but maybe there's a chance!

erins said...

wow. we are getting closer and closer to a real life 3-d printer. enter me please

Jill said...

This looks so fun! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!

Amy in SC said...

This is amazingly cool!! I would love it!

dsb said...

Would love one of these! I so often get cramps using my olfa and x-acto blades!

Angela said...

I would love to win a Silhouette! Thanks for the chance.

Elizabeth said...

I'm loving all the posts about how to use the cutter. I've seen the machines around, but never took the time to really explore what they can do until now. Looks amazing!

Hannah said...

ya never know, and this would be a doozy of a prize, for sure! :D

Unknown said...

I would love to have this. It would save me so much time!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm not going to lie, I would LOVE to have this, and I think that winning it would inspire me to get my you-know-what together in my craft room and finally clean-a-roo. :)

kim said...

I have been wanting one of these for so long but never took the plunge to buy one!

Unknown said...

This tool looks awesome!

diego y sara said...

Wow, really nice, I would love to have one!

*m said...

fabric cutting? vinyl cutouts? yes!!

Kim said...

What a neat tool! I would love to own one of those.

Josh said...

Count me in!

Unknown said...

Yes, please! I can't stand all the fun I would have with it!

Unknown said...

Presto! Suddenly all the 2010 handmade holiday gifts have an applique and silhouette theme!

Nicole said...

This thing looks so cool. I was sold when I saw you could cut fabric!

Nikicandit said...

Hi I did my review on this product and Ill love to get one, I have my Cousin baby shower Ill love to make cupcake holders and do some decoration.

Shayna said...

Too cool! I need one of those!

TheHappyNeills said...

cool!

chelsey said...

please pick me!!! i would love love LOOOOOOVE this!

Unknown said...

Oooh, is it too late? I would LOVE one!

smartypants said...

The possibilities are ENDLESS! My crafty mind is swimming with all this things I could do with this little gadget!

Anonymous said...

I have been looking at diecuts wondering which one to get. A free one pretty much trumps any others.

klorelei said...

I have been looking at diecuts wondering which one to get. A free one pretty much trumps any others.

Nandini said...

I want one too :)

Nadja said...

I have so many ideas how I could use this great machine. I wish I would be the lucky winner :)

Andrea said...

This would be awesome too bad I have no lucky at these types of things!

Kim said...

Would love to win this cute little toy, oh so many things I do with this!!

Kim @
devriesmail@gmail.com

Allie said...

Wow-looks like so much fun!

Amanda @ www.kiddio.org said...

As entrant 4544 (or thereabouts) I don't see success in my future, but a girl can hope!! What a fun giveaway :)

Megan said...

I would LOVE to win a silhouette! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I would LOVE to win this!! Thank you!

Sneaky said...

Oh, man! Dangerously cool.

Sara said...

Love this product. Would love to win.

Elena said...

This is great! I would love to own one!

fresh said...

wow...tons of entries and I'm getting in at the last minute. fingers crossed!! :)

Lisa Sanderson said...

This so cool, endless possibilities!

ooshela said...

Would love to win this!

Kate said...

Amazing!

Anonymous said...

Wow. It's my birthday tomorrow(13th)! That would be the best gift!

SG

Anonymous said...

I'd use this to make so many doilies!

Emerald said...

*covet*
:D

MB said...

would love to win this.
fingers crossed,
Melissa B.
mbabecka@gmail.com

Sweet T said...

Please count me in! I would find a zillion ways to use this thing!

K Hiskey said...

HOpe I am not too late! Sounds like so much fun!

K Hiskey said...

HOpe I am not too late! Sounds like so much fun!

Lisa W. said...

Oh, wow! What a wonderful machine! I'm planning to do some glass etching for Christmas gifts this year and this would make beautiful vinyl stencils for me to wow my sisters with! Hope I win!!!!

Anonymous said...

This would be perfect for the crafts I was planning to attempt with just an exacto knife.

Unknown said...

Just what I needed LOVE IT!

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