Finally Got to Meet Jamie!!!

To kick off this summer, I got a chance to go to Hawaii and attend the Silhouette Summit in May.

I know...twist my arm...right?

Lush green mountains...huge hibiscus flowers, tropical fruit and the sounds sights and smells of the ocean...

It doesn't get better than that...or does it?

Silhouette chose Hawaii as the place to introduce a huge line-up of new products which are releasing right now... including their new Curio machine (crafty versatility galore) and Mint stamp maker (so cute!) You can read more about the Curio in this review I wrote here.

Of course it was exciting to go to Hawaii and see the new product line-up, but surprisingly...it wasn't the part of the trip I was looking forward to the most. 

What had me bouncing like crazy...was the fact that my long-time assistant, Jamie Cripps, was invited too! I was thrilled that I would finally have the opportunity to meet her, as we had been "virtually" working together for more than 3 years, and never had actually met face to face. 

If you'd told me that we'd meet someday in Hawaii, for the first time, I probably wouldn't have believed you!

You have to understand that Jamie is like an extension of my own brain some days. Sometimes she is the brain who helps me stay on track for deadlines and keeps me on schedule. She's been a god-send to me and my ability to do more creative "stuff." She's been wonderful at directing my creative team, answering e-mails, and Facebook questions.

Jamie is one amazing lady who has been blessed with organization (it's no wonder...she was a former hospital administrator) and she bleeds creativity (obviously it was naturally born within her) and bubbly personality who is never a downer.

I have never regretted taking a leap of faith and hiring someone whom I had never met face to face. I had good vibes from her then...and I still have them now, because it has worked out beautifully.

I knew Jamie by her avatar mostly...I'm sure that's how many of you know her too...she's very sneaky in not posting many pictures of herself on her FB page...I've seen a ton of picts of her kiddos, and feel like I've virtually gotten to know them too.

Love that avatar! Cute, friendly, perky...looks like someone who could be a friend...right?

Well, we hadn't officially arranged where we would meet at the summit, but we knew we'd be bumping into each other at some point. We both arrived a day early, and stayed in a different hotel than the summit that first night. Her family happened to choose the same hotel...without us knowing. My husband and I went down to breakfast...and low and behold... a few tables over, I saw this cute family of 4 blondes sitting there all smiles and enjoying a nice breakfast. I wondered..."Could that be Jamie and her family?" When I was positive that it was...I snuck up on them--I think it took Jamie a little bit off guard. If it could even be possible...Jamie was even more bubbly in person, than the many phone conversations and 1000's of e-mails we had exchanged over the years. Meeting for the first time was like a sweet reunion!

Silhouette treated us so well. We stayed at the Sheraton on Waikiki beach.

We had ocean-view rooms overlooking Waikiki.

The picture above is a view from Jamie's balcony down to the infinity pool below. It's kind of a warped perspective.

You could literally see turtles and sting-rays in the water from our balcony! These were a few that Jamie's family captured on camera.

I didn't bring a camera. I know...the irony is huge. Scrapbooker without a camera...oh my!

I had my phone camera...not quite the same.

Silhouette demoed all of their new products at the conference.

We got to see the Curio in action!

It can cut, emboss, stipple, sketch, etch, and more! It has two tool holders--allowing you to use more than one tool at a time. Cool, huh!

Silhouette has several new media types for that new machine including metal stippling sheets, metal etching sheets, and score/emboss paper. You can check them out here.

We got to see the cute little Mint in action too!

It's an adorable little stamp making machine that's the perfect size for a stocking stuffer. You can make stamps with it, then add ink to the stamp that makes it self-inking.

Above is a picture of the Silhouette Curio in action. It's a promo photo from their website...I was excited to see that their photo featured one of my designs: Bird in a Maple Tree Spring Scene, it's available from the Silhouette store in .STUDIO format here: http://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/?page=view-shape&id=78524

Anyway...Hawaii was a blast. I got to hang with Jamie's family a good portion of the time...but it still seemed too short. Perhaps we'll get the chance to do it again someday.

New Silhouette Product Review: Meet The New Curio

Let's just say I'm really giddy right now! Squeal!

I just got the new Silhouette Curio! This machine is a compact crafting work-horse!

It's a very different product than Silhouette's previous machine, the Cameo; so it is hard to compare the two machines. It's like apples to oranges. So it's not necessarily an either or comparison...you may find that you need both.

The Curio boasts of a variety of new functions that utilize several new tools--allowing you to create with gusto. These new tools easily make the Curio the most versatile machine in the craft market to date!
It also has a very attractive retail price of $249.99

Let me go through all the things it can do...

Curio Capabilities:
It can cut
It can stipple (Metal and Foil--think pie safes!)
It can etch (scratches designs into the surface of metal)
It can emboss
It can score (using fine emboss tool)
It can sketch

Then to make things even more exciting...
it can do a combination of any of the above!!!

That's because their is a double tool holder on this machine--allowing you to put two tools in at a time.

Combo Capabilities:
print then emboss (think letterpress)
cut and emboss
cut and stipple
cut and score (blade and fine emboss)
cut and sketch
and a bajillion other combinations...I'm sure there's a math formula that can calculate the exact number of combinations...All I know that it's enough combos to keep my crafty heart a flutter!

Media compatability...
So in addition to cutting paper and fabric, you can cut thicker media with a special blade. You can also cut vinyl, heat transfer, and all the other fun fancy media (rhinestone templates) that you could cut with the Cameo...but the machine will take a few new forms of media too...like leather (for embossing,) metal (for stippling and etching,) and more!

I even saw them put in a block of wood at the Silhouette Summit, but that wasn't to cut it...it was so they could use the sketch feature to draw a design on it that they could burn into it.

Truth be told...people are going to start inventing their own uses for these tools and as crafters use the machine, they will be showing us what it is capable of and what to do with it!

What Comes in the Standard Curio box: 

A 8.5x6 inch base set which includes:

The plastic base to which all platforms or mats are attached. This base gives a solid foundation for a variety of projects that are passed through the machine.

There is a 8.5x6 inch sticky cutting mat.

A sticky embossing mat (it's padded for deeper emboss.)

There is one type 1 platform and two type 2 platforms--your Silhouette Studio software will tell you which you need for your project in the cutting settings. It will either tell you 1, 2, or3. 3 is a combination of using platforms 1 and 2 together.

All platforms snap easily onto the base via the snap posts which correspond with the holes in the mats or the platforms.

Additional box contents:
The Curio also comes with a Free 1-month Trial in the Silhouette store. You'll want to be a member of their download store eventually for unbeatable prices on designs.
The new Silhouette Studio Software (Version 3.4, updates are free to download online!)
You also get an instruction book

What is available separately:

An 8.5x12 inch platform set for those who enjoy larger projects.

That doubles the size of the cutting platform that it comes with!

There are also replacement mats and platforms.

There is also a Designer Edition of the Silhouette Studio Software available for those who want to be able to cut SVG designs.

There are also felt tipped pens designed for use with the Curio. (Also work in the Cameo and Portrait.) They are designed with a tip that works well with the Curio's stipple feature.

Things that I like...
I love the variety of things this machine can do. My brain is spinning with possibilities of different designs that I can create specifically for this machine. I want to utilize all of it's functions and I'll enjoy designing for it.

I really like how the crafting platform holds the cutting mats, and the variety that the different bases offer--such as the embossing base. It seems that the new base/platform system really does a great job in holding projects steady in the cutter.

Love that you can put really thick product in here...yes...I saw wood in the machine (not for cutting...but to be sketched on) Quoting from the Silhouette website:

"More clearance means more options. 

The Curio’s 5mm clearance allows you to etch, sketch, or cut on new project palettes. Think wood, foil, leather, foam, and even metal."

Disappointments...
Not many, really...but I cannot deny that I am disappointed that this machine only comes with an 8.5x6 inch base. However, I think that I can be quite happy with the 8.5x12 inch base when it comes out (Mid August.) I have to remember that the Curio is a different crafting machine altogether. It's a workhorse capable of many things--cutting is just one of the things it does. The other things that it does, don't necessarily need the use of a large 12x12 area. That's where I'll still get some good use out of my Cameo. I'll start designing my 3D projects with the 8.5x12 max area in mind.

Tell me what do you think of the new machine!

#HappyCurioDay
#NationalCurioWeek
#SilhouetteCurio