I’ve never truly been a fan of paper crafts. I’m not a scrap booker and never will be. I also got tired of hurting my hand with the x-acto knife that was a constant tool in my employ throughout college. So needless to say, I was skeptical about the Silhouette, a paper cutting machine.

Would this just be another worthless craft tool to clutter up my already too full supply closet? Or would there be actual uses for both hobbyist and pro-crafter alike?

The Silhouette, itself, is a machine cutter that you use software to create designs to cut into paper of various thicknesses. No x-acto knife needed! It comes with a limited number of preset designs you can “print” out plus software you can use to create your own with.

To test the machine out, I decided to make labels for terrarium kits Hello Craft will have during Crafty Bastards on Saturday. These kits contain little bags filled with all the necessary ingredients for a small terrarium and while each ingredient looks self explanatory, I thought it would be best to have each one labeled.

Set up for the Silhouette isn’t all that complicated, but it does require some reading of instructions to get everything set and for an understanding of how the thing actually works. I’m on a Mac and so the instruction book that the machine came with is pure rubbish and many steps you just need to skip over (I did end up finding a users manual to download from the software that was a little more Mac friendly) but the steps for physical installation are not to be missed.

The Silhouette itself is a slick looking desktop printer like thing. It is smallish, but needs a good portion of room on a flat surface to “print.” It sucks a cutting mat and paper into itself and then cuts out the design, which is pretty cool.

The software it comes with is unfortunately clunky and many of the commands an average computer designer (like me) might be used to, are not so readily prevalent. I miss the automatic and select grouping of objects (there is only the option of grouping all or none) and a rotate option on select (there is a general rotate option, but it isn’t as precise and there are more buttons to push to get you there). As well as not having the option to change the size of the eraser tool (it feels like you’re going in as a bull in a china shop if you want to get at some detailed works), the software needs work.

You can design your cut outs in another program then import them into the Silhouette software, but you then have to trace over the design in the Silhouette program, again running into the same problems. There is a footnote in the user manuel saying that auto-trace should be introduced in November 2010 as a feature/upgrade, making the usability of the product shoot up dramatically.

For now your best bet is to use the pre-loaded designs and manipulate them to best suit your needs. You can download other designs right in the software for around $0.99 a pop as well as get ideas and a free weekly download from the Silhouette blog.

For the labels for the terrarium kits, I wanted to see about printing the names, then cutting out the labels on a full sheet of sticky paper. My thought was to first set up my cut label pattern like a standard Avery label. I measured the address labels in Word and then modified a pre-loaded label tag in the Silhouette software and set about duplicating the label on the page.

Once it looked ok, I printed on my ink jet printer, then attached the paper to the self adhesive cutting mat and loaded it into the machine. I pressed “cut” and the machine proceeded to suck up the paper in a very loud manner and do its thing.

I quickly learned that I had the cut setting too deep. When the cutting process was done, there were groves in the reusable cutting mat. Opps. Also the cuts and the printed names, were no where near each other. Only a couple of names were in the appropriate place.

I tried a couple more times to measure and create printed, then cut labels to no avail. Either my math was off (there is no ruler in the software) or I just wasn’t reading how to do it properly, so I gave up that tactic and moved onto another one involving cutting out the lettering on the labels themselves!

I increased the size of the labels and printed out a sheet at a time with cut lettering in the center of each label. It was a tedious process picking off each label and I didn’t have the time or patience to attach the inside of O’s and A’s, but over all the result is pretty nifty.

Contest!

We’ll have an actual tutorial for you soon, but for now you can enter to win one of these machines. All’s you have to do is:

• Leave us a comment on this here blog post
• Follow us on Twitter and mention this contest in a mention with @hellocraft
• Friend us on Facebook and leave a comment about the contest for us there
• Stop by the Hello Craft booth at Crafty Bastards and join our email list for a chance to win.

That’s right! You have four chances to win! So hop to and good luck. The winner will be announced right here next week!
Only U.S. residents and only one winner per household

Here’s what your playing for:

• A Silhouette machine (a $299.99 value)
• Software for Windows XP/Vista, Mac
• Power cable, USB cable
• Two Cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media)
• One cutting blade
• $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store

If you decide to purchase a machine before September 30, use the discount code: WORLD to receive:

• $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)
• Home Décor CD (Valued at $50)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store (Comes in the box)
• Cutting Blade (Comes in the box)
• Two Cutting Mats (Comes in the box)

All for $249.99 (A savings of $137.97)

After September 30 through Oct 4, use the discount code WORLD when purchasing a Silhouette and receive:

• $50 off (receive for $249.99)
• Two rolls of Heat transfer ($29.89 value)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store(Comes in the Box)
• Cutting Blade (Comes in the Box)
• Two Cutting Mats(Comes in the Box)

All for $249.99 (A savings of $79.98)

UPDATE: Congrats to shellcoates! We will be contacting you soon for your information.

In this Talk Shop, Beth Salvini, co-owner of Greenwich Letterpress in NYC, shares her thoughts on owning a letterpress studio and shop with her sister, selling her parents’ merch, and turning business mistakes into gold.

Beth, and her sister/business partner Amy, come from a family of printers. Although their art backgrounds are slightly different, they turned their shared love and knowledge of letterpress art into a full time business in NYC.  In their Greenwich Letterpress shop you’ll find the sisters’ own designs on a bevy of print goods, all made on their family’s 75-year-old(!) Heidelberg letterpresses. They also help to promote this craft by selling printed paper goods from other talented small presses, and way-cute items from independent artists and designers.

Letterpress is truly a unique form of crafting. For those who choose to indulge in this highly rewarding, but not very well understood craft, it requires patience, attention to detail, and a natural gift for understanding design. Greenwich Letterpress sells and showcases this impressive art-form, and gets respect for mixing traditional techniques with progressive design.

Greenwich Letterpress is a super cool store filled to the brim with intricate prints, unique cards, and lots of humorous finds from the indie craft community. Whether you’re a graphic designer, or just someone who knows the value of making someone laugh out loud from a greeting card, this shop was made for you.

Tell us what Greenwich Letterpress is all about:
Greenwich Letterpress is a letterpress and stationery shop that my sister Amy and I opened in 2006. The concept was to have a retail space that showcased handmade goods both paper and other and to offer custom letterpress printing. Anything from wedding invitations to business cards and beyond.

Do you have any sort of background in crafting or the arts?
Yes. My focus in school was always fine art and I got my degree in painting. Amy started as an English major, but after school she focused on graphic design. We were able to bring the two worlds together when we opened this shop. Both of our parents are also creative, our Mom makes a lot of things we sell in the shop.

How does your business support independent artists and crafters and/or the handmade community?
We were lucky to open the shop while the indie craft movement was kicking into full swing. That meant there were craft fairs, websites, and blogs to scout for great stuff to sell in the shop. Sometimes we get lucky and amazing talent knocks on our door. Those are always great days!

Who are your favorite local designers?
Enormous Champion, My Imaginary Boyfriend, Foxy and Winston

How can local designers and crafters get involved with Greenwich Letterpress?
We encourage people to write us or send samples to show us what they got! I’m always eager to see new and awesome stuff. I have also been toying with the idea of having workshops in our space. If anyone has any ideas, I’m open to it. Getting people in the door to just look around at what we sell, items that they wont see other places in the city is very important. I think its inspiring, it definitely gives me ideas everyday.

What’s the most unusual item(s) for sale in your shop?
Felt “Meat Pillows” by Natalie Wright. We’ve had them from the start, she rules!

Any advice for those interested in opening up their own boutique?
Research. We would have done some things differently had we spent a little more time sorting out the concept in the beginning, but luckily we made mistakes along the way we were quick to remedy. Making mistakes is a big part of business, if you can deal with them and move on you’re gold!

Where do you shop, besides your Greenwich Letterpress, of course.
Kiosk in Soho is amazing. One of the most unique shops I’ve ever been to.

There’s a street fight between a seamstress and a screen printer… who would win?
Well, the seamstress could get cut in the fight and then stitch themselves back up, so they might have the upper hand.

Any exciting upcoming events or sales going on at Greenwich Letterpress?
Valentines Day and lots of new goodies for the spring!

Greenwich Letterpress is located at 39 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014.

Check out Greenwich Letterpress online at greenwichletterpress.com.
Buy one of their yummy designs right now in their Etsy Shop!

If you own a boutique, gallery or other place of business that supports the indie craft community, and want it featured in Talk Shop, email hellocraftinfo@gmail.com with Talk Shop in the subject line.