jotting jennifer

It didn’t take me very long to take my Silhouette out of the box. I had been waiting for a machine like this for years so I couldn’t wait a minute longer. The machine runs through a computer so I needed to install some software and get things all set up before I could make my first official cut. Luckily, setup didn’t take long and I was cutting fun shapes in a matter of minutes!

I just wanted to keep cutting things! // Personal photos

After some playing, it was time to get down to business. When I was first contemplating the value of purchasing the Silhouette, I immediately thought of our invitations and the different pieces I could make using the Silhouette. Mr. PB and I both like pocketfold invitations but I couldn’t believe the cost of just the pocketfold. Most places sell pocketfolds from about $0.70 to $0.90 each. If I could cut a pocketfold with the Silhouette, that means I could just purchase packs of charcoal gray 12″x12″ paper and use that. A pack of 25 sheets of paper runs about $9, which equals out to about $0.36 per pocketfold – just about half price! The only problem with this idea – I would need to create the template in the Silhouette software for the pocketfold. It was definitely a learning process and took me a couple hours. (Note: pay no attention to the paper colors; they were just what I had on hand.)

The first attempt failed thanks to a tiny flap, the second version fixed the flap but the inside wasn’t right and finally, the third time was a charm! // Personal photos

I used scrap paper as a visual to figure out how things would fit and a sample invitation I received in the mail as a placeholder. // Personal photo; Invitation: Wedding Paper Divas

After getting the template figured out, I figured I needed to jazz things up a little. If I have a machine that can cut intricate designs, why not use it to the fullest advantage?

I thought about adding our date into the flap, along with some roses (which will probably appear in the invites)… // Personal photo

Or maybe our initials and an ampersand would work better… (Belle was jumping for joy at this one) // Personal photo

Or maybe a belly band with the detail would be nice (don’t mind the wonky flowers – I didn’t have it on the right setting) // Personal photo

Or maybe sticking with just our initials and an ampersand in the belly band. // Personal photo

So what do you think? Are you feeling the cutouts in the flap of the pocketfold or is the belly band the way to go? Am I crazy for taking DIY to another level by cutting my own pocketfolds?

I had some unfortunate luck with my junior prom and senior ball dresses in high school and promised myself I would find and LOVE my wedding dress one day. I was okay with spending $1,000 on a dress and actually budgeted for $1,200 just to be sure I would get something I loved. Well, I was able to find a dress I love for $200 and my budget breathed a big sigh of relief. That didn’t last too long as I figured out new ways to spend wedding dollars.

I love scrapbooking and crafting. I have had my eyes on a Cricut for as long as I can remember – a papercrafting machine that cuts intricate designs and text at the push of a few buttons. It costs a couple hundred dollars plus the cost of the cartridges with the designs. I’ve never felt okay with taking the leap in purchasing one.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago when I found one of my favorite blogs, I Heart Organizing. Jen Jones is a great writer, has amazing organization ideas and does great things with something called a Silhouette Cameo. I had no idea what this machine was until I started reading her blog religiously but I immediately began to swoon over it. It’s similar to the Cricut but you can purchase images based on what you need and at a much lower cost than a Cricut cartridge. Plus, you can use fonts already on your computer and there is a computer program the entire thing runs off of. The more projects of Jen’s that I saw, the more I pined for a Silhouette.

The design on the tray and the cute fish on the container are vinyl cutouts made with the Silhouette. // Source: I Heart Organizing

Jen transformed plain vases into amazing home decor using vinyl from the Silhouette and some glass frosting spray. // Source: I Heart Organizing

Even though the Silhouette had its perks over the Cricut, I still couldn’t bite the $300 bullet and purchase one. Well, that was until my wedding dress savings created wiggle room in my budget and splurged on one! I found a great bundle deal on Amazon and a couple of days later, the Silhouette was at my door!

Just a girl and her Silhouette Cameo (and a Christmas valance that needed to be taken down) // Personal photo

One of the main reasons I could justify the purchase of the machine was the amount of things I can use the Silhouette for. I’ve been playing around with it and have come up with a couple of great ideas already including pocketfolds and belly bands for the invitations. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have purchased the machine due to cost but so far I love it! Once I get the hang of things, I’ll be sure to share some of the awesome ways I have found to use it.

Did anyone else splurge a little when they saved money on a wedding-related expense? Any brides out there have a Silhouette and care to share projects they completed with it?