Let me start by saying, I’m currently obsessed with all things foil and all things Silhouette Cameo. I’ve been rocking with my Cameo 2 for a while now, but the lovely folks at Silhouette of America sent me the Cameo 3 and I’m ready to put this baby to work! If you don’t know what a Silhouette Cameo is, it is an amazing craft cutting machine that can be used for hobby or money making purposes. (Check out this video for more info.) I use it for both!
The first thing I want to show you using my new Cameo is how to make your own DIY foiled stickers using Silhouette and a laminator. If you’re more of a visual person, feel free to scroll to the bottom for the video. So without further ado, let’s get to it.
*THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PAY FOR MY COFFEE AND I WAS PROVIDED COMPLIMENTARY CRAFT SUPPLIES BY SILHOUETTE OF AMERICA. SEE FULL DISCLOSURE HERE*. All opinions are my own.
For this project, you will need the following supplies:
I know that Avery clear sticker paper is readily available in most places, but honestly, don’t be tempted to buy it. I’ve used it for this process before, but it was not truly clear. It had more of a matte finish that created an opaque appearance. Because of this, I decided to switch to the Silhouette brand sticker paper. Best decision. It is much clearer and almost undetectable.
STEP ONE. Open Design in Silhouette Software and Print
If you don’t have any designs, Silhouette Design Store has tons to choose from, plus they’re already Silhouette ready and really affordable for personal use. But for those of you who are looking for commercial options, this website has plenty of design bundles for up to 90% off.
Open your design in Silhouette Studio. Add cut marks as an offset. You’re going to use Silhouette’s print and cut function. But, we’re going to add an additional step before cutting. Make sure registration marks are on, ensure design is black for best results, and print using a laser printer. Once you’ve printed, do not move any parts of the design in Silhouette Studio. If you do not have a laser printer, you can convert your silhouette file with registration marks to PDF and get it printed at a local office print shop, then you can complete the foiling and cutting at home. If you don’t know how to convert a Silhouette file to PDF, just let me know in the comments below and I’ll create a video to show you how.
STEP 2: Place Foil Over Design and Heat with Laminator
Once your design is printed, take your foil and cut it down to size. Place it over the images you want foiled, shiny side up. Ensure you do not cover the registration marks. If needed, cut small squares to cover them up before placing the foil on top. Using a laminator on hot setting, you can place your sticker paper and foil in a carrier or between two regular sheets of computer paper. Once it runs through, wait about 5-7 seconds before carefully removing the foil. I would start in the top left corner and pull down diagonally. You now have a full page of beautifully foiled designs!
STEP 3: Cut Using Your Silhouette Cameo 3
Now you’re ready to cut. Place your sticker paper on your mat and load into the machine. The initial settings I used were the default settings for clear sticker paper, which cut all the way through. The settings I previously used with my Cameo 2, which had a dull blade that I never switched out was blade, speed and force all set to 3. However I had to create a user defined setting to get a kiss cut which is below:
Silhouette Cameo 3 Settings for Kiss cut using Clear Sticker Paper
- BLADE: 3
- SPEED: 4
- FORCE: 20
- PASSES: 1
I hope you’ll find this video helpful if you want to make your own DIY foil stickers using the Cameo. What I love most about this project is that you can truly utilize your foiled stickers for so many things. You can create return address labels like I did, wedding envelope seals, product labeling, name tags, planner stickers and so much more!
IS IT PIN-WORTHY? PIN IT USING THE IMAGE BELOW!
How cool is this and I bet you can save a ton when you create your own. Appreciate the video too as that makes it easy to understand.
Thanks. And yes, it is a money saver.
This is so cool This would be perfect for the coming holidays.
Definitely. My son is gifting chocolate covered Oreos to family for Christmas and we’ll be using this technique for labels to make it fancy.
That sounds like lots of fun! I’ve never been thinking of making my own foil stickers, but maybe I’ll use your tips to create something on my own. 🙂
Great!
what a great idea! i’m going to do this to my pantry and label everything!
Awesome! You just reminded me about my own pantry I have to tackle.
Such a cool craft. I’ll definitely have to try this.
You should. I’m foiling a pair of lips as wall art to hang in my bathroom using this technique.
This is so fun!! It seems so doable too.
It really is!
Those stickers are so fun and they seem really easy to make!
Such a fun craft, especially for holidays!
I’m hoping to get myself a Silhouette soon, just for making my own stickers etc for my planner and such, and I’m just curious, why does it need to be a laser printer? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Karen,
When the toner heats up, the foil adheres to it. Ink does not have that same effect. I just got a foil quill for my silhouette, which would eliminate the need for laser printing and laminating. I’ll do a tutorial with that soon!