Silhouette Portrait 3 Electronic Cutting Tool,White

This machine is AMAZING!!!!! VERY easy to learn/use-I showed my 11-yr old son how to use it in less than 5 minutes! It easily connected to my home PC and has a built in library with maybe 20 or so designs, an intuitive (but powerful) built in design studio. PLUS this machine can recognize any font already installed on your PC and use most basic graphic formats as designs (as in .jpg, .png. and others). It also comes with a $10 gift card to their online store-might not seem like much, but most designs are only .99 cents, plus they give away a free design each week!!My first project: FAIL! I'd tried to simply type my son's name in the hope of making a little sign for his room (using normal scrapbooking paper). The paper curled and ripped, the mat was WAY too sticky. Second, just as bad (having buyer's remorse for sure). By the third, piece of cake, a very intricate 3d mini lantern, pillow boxes and a mini-stationary set came out PERFECTLY, every minuscule detail PERFECT!! Unfortunately, I'd already cut my mat to shreds-clean through in some areas.1) Although the instructions very clearly show you how to create a design, load the media, set the blade, and cut, it was only once I started "futzing" with the media thickness setting AND using the "test cut" (it will cut a little triangle in the upper far corner of your selected media to see if it cuts properly-duh?) going from cutting through my mat to not cutting at all in areas that I understood how to compensate for the different media instead of thinking I was stuck only choosing between "printer paper", "cardstock", "heavy cardstock" (hint: I shredded my mat using the "cardstock" setting, which is what the paper is labelled as, instead of choosing that setting, but lowering the media thickness-once I figured out how to adjust this, do a test cut-it was a breeze-just too bad it wasn't BEFORE I'd shredded the mat!!).2) **Evidently EVERY mat is 'too sticky' the first use/requires some 'breaking in' (not just this brand). I've read many tips about sticking a t-shirt to the surface at first to let the fibers reduce some of the "stickiness" before using paper, (particularly THIN, regular scrapbooking paper as I had for my first few projects). OR, use a MUCH thicker cardstock for the first few projects.3) USES YOUR OWN INSTALLED FONTS/GRAPHICS!! Plus, you can purchase individual designs at their online store which literally has something like 38,000+ designs-very searchable, and they give away a free design every week. I've seen some of the $50+ cartridges for Cricut, and while there may be 4 or 5 fonts/designs I'd actually REALLY want and use ($4 or $5 worth?) the other $45 could easily be used buying more paper and consumables. This machine allows for that. Plus, it seems to be an "open source" type of library system where individuals can constantly create and upload new designs of their own.What I particularly liked about this is the "3D projects". I downloaded a fairly intricate 4-sided mini-lantern design. With the included "studio", which came out perfectly and was very easy to put together. I can easily break apart this design (keeping the foundation shape/perforations and cuts) and continue to customize it however I chose!!4) Has "print & cut" functionality. You can create a design with a printed pattern. Send it to your normal printer, which will add in registration marks to the design, so that you can properly place and cut out the design on the Silhouette! To me, that kind of removes the whole concept of additional "sketch pen" functionality....??5). One HUGE shocker was that the replacement mat for this is almost double what the Cricut is!? I think the idea was to gain revenue, BUT, I see this FAR surpassing Cricut and other brands both for the versatility AND being more cost effective to own-gaining money on uploaded/contributed designs of their library. The replacement mat (I almost immediately needed) is like $9 for one, and they're VERY "flimsy" compared to the Cricut, of which you can buy two new mini-mats for around $11. With some research, I've discovered that you can use the slightly larger (1/2" overall) Cricut mat, you simply need to apply tape over the outer 1/4" adhesive on each edge so that the Silhouette's rollers don't get sticky (place it over the top of your Silhouette mat with the green protective sheet in place for proper application). You also need to adjust for a slightly thicker media, since the mats are thicker (thus less likely for "cut-through"). I've also seen many "mat refurbishing kits" that consist of adhesive remover (nail polish remover/acetone) and spray cans of repositionable adhesive. You mask off the non-sticky area of your 'naked' mat so that the adhesive only gets applied to the right area.6) I didn't purchase the additional tool kit. Have used an old credit card as a squeegee, have tweezers, pins, etc. and have been able to utilize other objects. I'm a bit disappointed the tool kit (or even a cheap version) isn't included since it would definitely help, particularly when trying to create projects using normal printer and scrapbooking paper due to the amount of curl.Overall, I am constantly seeing new possibilities for developing another new "hobby/craft" and this machine makes it so much easier and more affordable!!

After hearing about the Silhouette Cameo for a while and seeing what it could do, I was very intrigued but not wanting to spend a couple hundred dollars. I am not a hardcore crafter, but do enjoy the occasional craft every now and then. I wanted to start making my own stationary and realized that it would be handy to have one of these machines. After talking to many friends who own both the Cameo and the popular Cricut, the verdict was clear: Silhouette wins.When I saw that the Silhouette had come out with a smaller, cheaper version that did the same things as the Cameo, I knew I wanted it. It arrived very quickly and the install was easy. I was pleased to see a simple machine that sat perfectly on top of my desktop computer (it's so petite!). I plugged it in and got started with what I had on hand. The software is very user-friendly and reminds me of working in Microsoft Publisher.I found it interesting that the Portrait sounds like an old fax machine as it works. It's not loud, but not necessarily quiet. Either way, it quickly did its job and I was satisfied with my first successful attempt at an intricate design.I can't wait to try the sketching feature and cutting out fabric (for cute hair bows!). I love that you can completely make your own designs, but that Silhouette provides a bunch of great ones as well. They have free designs that are actually useful and a bunch of great videos online.All in all, I think that this machine is perfect for the random crafter who makes things on a smaller scale. The software is much easier to use and navigate than what I had originally heard, so I am very pleased about that. Again, I also love that the actual machine is very compact and unobtrusive. I highly recommend this to anyone wondering if they should take the dive or not.

I LOVE this machine! I'm a lifelong crafter (thanks, Mom!) and after reading about this Silhouette for quite sometime my mom sent me a giftcard to get on myself and I have used it so much!Pros:1. Sleek design - it's so small you can store it anywhere, SUCH a big plus after having a Cricut machine that weighs a ton and takes up an enormous amount of room2. Versatility - there are SO many things you can use this machine for ranging from cards to stickers, vinyl etc3. The Silhouette image library - the image library is WONDERFUL. You can find an image of nearly anything you could ever dream of and subscriptions are incredibly reasonable. Also, there are so many online resources for images and projects that the possibilities are endlessCons:1. Software Learning curve - I've very, very computer savvy so I picked up the software relatively quickly, but I will say it is not very intuitive for those that are not familiar with other design software. It sometimes behaves similarly to Photoshop, but for the most part the software is its own breed and you'll need to either experiment (my preferred method usually) or watch a lot of online tutorials before you feel comfortable with it2. Slight unpredictability ability - sometimes my Silhouette has a mind of its own - it will start cutting and everything will be going fine, and then suddenly it will go rogue. This can be incredibly frustrating; the Silhouette requires what seems to be an endless amount of patience, but in the end is totally worth it.3. Blade Settings - these are also trial and error. The settings that Silhouette suggests are not accurate - it takes some research and a lot of experimentation to find the proper blade setting for your projects, but after a couple of years I have it pretty down pat.Overall, I absolutely love my Silhouette! It's a great little machine and has brought me hours of crafting joy.