Playing around w/DIY Stamps & Stencils

Oooo, me me me! I've been wanting to try cutting stencils with my Silhouette but I didn't have any stencil material and all the online reviews of different brands were very mixed. I decided to google it and came across a post from Silhouette School where she shared her idea...basically, take a laminating pouch and run it through the (hot) laminator with nothing in it, then cut it in your Silhouette to make a stencil! I did it and they turned out GREAT! Not quite as thick as a traditional stencil you'd buy, but not flimsy either. I cut some really detailed designs too and had no problems with them.

Can I ask which Silhouette you have? I have the original Silhouette Cameo so I'm wondering if I'm able to cut the 1mm foam. I know the newer machines have that capability but I've been scared to try it on my older machine because I don't want to mess it up.

Ranger Yuppo “paper” (meant for alcohol ink) makes great stencil material and cuts well with the Silhouette.

I cut stencil blanks from the craft store without any problem using my Cameo 1.

I got a Cameo 3 a little over a year ago. I recently tried cutting the 2mm foam. You need to use the maximum setting with a deep cut blade, but it will work. I also cut the clear report covers with it. Those two materials are needed for creating shakers for cards. It takes two layers of the craft foam to make a shaker that is about the same depth of the Queen & Co. foam. You have to glue the layers together, but it does work. Or you can use just one layer and thinner shaker fillers, such as microbeads (of which I have a ton).

I also found that if you want to cut fabric, you really need the fabric blade. Just in case anyone wants to try cutting fabric.

I use my Cricut Explore Air 2 to cut soft leather, but supposedly the Cameo will cut it, too. The suede side has to be down, so it makes a mess of your mat. You’ll need to wash the mat after.

Ha ha, this is the rationale I used to almost talk myself into buying a glow forge laser cutter one night during pandemic insomnia at 2am. Thankfully I was too lazy to get out of bed to get my CC number and in the morning cooler thoughts prevailed. I did this not once but twice. I kept telling myself it would be nice to make cutting boards with my sisters hand written recipe on it for everyone. LOL

AND I revisited the issue a third time when DD came home and was carving blocks for print making but she nipped that in the bud telling me she prefers to hand cut her blocks.

I now have a rule, I can’t spend more that $25 until I actually sleep and wake up & still want/need the item. Things can seem like a ‘need’ during end of the world insomnia that the pandemic has brought on. I get a random dry throat then can’t sleep because I ‘have covid’ and then at 2 or 3 am I start trying to figure out if glowforge can deliver before I die of covid That’s how my mind works

hop2, the next time you are tempted to buy the glowforge, I can put you in contact with my son, who has one. I had really wanted one once upon a time, but not after seeing what is required to run it. I don’t have anywhere that I could set it up and not have it be a fire hazard. Since he has a glowforge, I can have him make me whatever I want.

If anyone here wants his info, just let me know. His prices are reasonable, and I’m sure he would be happy to do custom work. 

I bought some 7.5mil mylar sheets to try cutting my own stencils but haven't yet. I haven't been in a design/cutting mood, but I will get to it eventually.

I sent you a PM with his email and cell phone. His glowforge is just a small side business that he does.

Thanks!

Yes - it's actually a plastic, even though they all seem to call it "Yupo Paper". When you're messing with alcohol inks and you don't like what you've done, you can erase it with alcohol and start over again and it stands up fine to that.

I've been using opaque Binding Report Covers (specifically the ones meant for the back side) for my hand-made stencils, and they work very well. Thicker than an overhead, and perfectly flat. Cut easily with a craft knife so I'd imagine a plotter-cutter would have no trouble either.

Edit: Forgot to specify; plastic report covers, because they also come in pressboard, which wouldn't be good for stenciling.

My friend just sent me a tik tok video that someone made. They cut a dinosaur shape out of a flour tortilla using their Cricut. Then made a dinosaur shaped quesadilla. I was cracking up.

I am thinking flour and dough inside the machine... ...  Maybe that person was using a Cricut "Maker" or whatever that was marketed to cut fondant icing and such?  I am assuming that one had more to protect its inards?