Let’s Get Crafty!

7 Tips I Wish I Knew Before I Started

Hey there, friend!

I am so excited you’re here. Opening up a brand-new cutting machine is a total rush, but if I’m being honest? It can also be a little intimidating. When I first brought home my Silhouette Cameo 4, I thought I’d be churning out professional-grade cards in minutes.

Spoiler alert: I mostly just turned expensive paper into confetti.

I’ve made all the "rookie" mistakes so you don’t have to! To help you go from "What does this button do?" to a total pro, I’ve put together the seven most important things I’ve learned on my journey. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea!), and let's dive in.

1. Don’t Settle for "Cheap" Paper

When I started, I bought the cheapest cardstock I could find, thinking I was being thrifty. Big mistake! It ripped constantly and the edges looked like they’d been chewed by a lawnmower.

The Lesson: Aim for a solid 65lb to 80lb weight. Good quality cardstock has longer fibers that hold together under the blade, giving you those crisp, clean edges we all crave.
Bonus Tip: Check out my article on the Ultimate Guide To Cardstock for more.

2. Keep a Close Eye on Your Blade

I used to be the queen of using my blades for way too long. I’d keep trying to "make it work" until my machine was basically just dragging a dull knife across my projects.

The Lesson: Now, I keep a log for both my Silhouette Cameo 4 and my Cricut Maker 3. I write down exactly when I swap in a new blade. Trust me, staying on top of this makes a world of difference in how precisely your machine cuts!
For me, with how often I use my machines (usually daily, OK, I’m an addict!) I have to change my Cricut blade at least once a month and for my Silhouette, it is more like every 3 weeks.

3. Love Your Mats (And They’ll Love You Back)

In the beginning, I’ll admit I was a bit... well, let’s just say relaxed about cleaning my mats! I’d leave those tiny little paper scraps behind, which created tiny bumps that led to uneven cuts. But the real headache? If I left a finished project on the mat for too long, it would practically fuse to the surface, making it a total nightmare to scrape off. It took me quite a few "oops" projects to realize that my dirty, tired mats were the secret culprits behind my crafting frustrations.

The Lesson: Now, I clean my mats immediately after every use. It keeps the "sticky" just right and ensures the paper stays flat.
When to say goodbye: You’ll see plenty of "hacks" online claiming you can wash an old mat with soap and water to bring the stickiness back to life. Honestly? I’ve tried them all, and in my experience, they just don't work. Once a mat loses its grip and the paper won't stick completely anymore, it’s time to let it go. Trying to save an old mat usually just leads to ruined paper and a lot of frustration. When in doubt, start fresh!

4. Master the "Flip and Peel"

When I first started, I’d pull the paper off the mat and end up with a card that curled like a pigtail. It was so frustrating!

The Lesson: Instead of pulling the paper off the mat, flip the mat face-down and peel the mat away from the paper. This keeps your cardstock perfectly flat and professional-looking every single time. Some mats, especially Cricut mats are more stiff and harder to bend without breaking, but practice and find a technique that works for you.
Bonus Tip: I like to put the mat cover (the plastic or stick-free cover that comes with a mat) on my work surface and lay the mat face-down onto it, while pulling it away from the paper, so the mat doesn’t pick up any tiny scraps of paper that might be on my table. This is especially important when your sheet of paper is smaller than the mat.

5. Give it a Good Roll

I used to think my hands were enough to press the paper down, but air bubbles are sneaky! I could swear that cardstock, especially heavier weights, have a mind of their own!

The Lesson: Get yourself a brayer (a little rubber roller). Giving your paper a quick roll across the mat ensures every inch is stuck down tight, so the blade doesn't "drag" or snag the paper mid-cut.
Bonus Tip: Sometimes your brayer can pick up glue and/or paper scraps while you’re rolling. To keep the cardstock extra clean, I sometimes put a piece of wax paper or paper towel between the paper and brayer. Especially if you think the glue is going to “squish” out a piece of paper towel can mop that up while you’re rolling. My craft room is always stocked with a roll of wax paper and paper towel from the Dollar Store.

6. The "Test Cut" Saves Lives (and Paper!)

I can’t tell you how many sheets of gorgeous glitter cardstock I ruined because I didn't check my settings first.

The Lesson: Always, always do a tiny test cut (like a 1-inch circle) in the corner of your paper first. It takes ten seconds and saves you so much heartache.

7. Start Simple to Build Your Skills

We all want to jump into the super-intricate lace designs or complex pop-up cards on day one. But those can be tough to handle when you're still learning your machine's "personality."

The Lesson: Start with designs that have fewer or no score lines and fewer tiny pieces. As we work together, I’ll show you exactly how to level up to those delicate, "wow-factor" projects.