“Oh, I can make that!” was something my Mom often said and it’s become my mantra as well. A hand-made gift says, “I care enough about you to spend time making you a one-of-a-kind present.” My name is Cindy Eckhoff and my goal is to teach and encourage others to have the confidence to create unique works of art as well. As an owner of Silhouette machines since 2008, I have experienced the fun and frustration of using them. As a former Customer Support Rep for Silhouette America, I have extensive troubleshooting experience as well as expert knowledge of the software and a wide range of materials. As a public, private and home school teacher for 25+ years, I know how to help you learn it too. As a speaker at the All Things Silhouette conferences, I keep up to date with happenings in the Silhouette world.
On this site you will find 3 areas–
Free Content — Silhouette Projects
This is mostly projects I make with my machines. I include skill levels, materials list and basic instructions. This is also where you can learn about new products, software updates, resources & more.
Basic Membership — Beginner Silhouette Tutorials
The tutorials in this area are for beginners. The information here is helpful when you are just starting out or when you want to learn something new in the software or with the machine. Some lessons include videos. A sample of this basic type of tutorial is here.
Deluxe Membership — Intermediate and Advanced Silhouette Tutorials
The tutorials in this area are for intermediate and advanced users. If you have a Deluxe membership, you also have access all tutorials in the Basic Membership. There are more videos in the Deluxe membership lessons, along with techniques that widen your knowledge of all Silhouettey things. A sample advanced tutorial is here.
Sometimes people ask me why I charge for these tutorials. Simply put — this is my full-time job. If you want the best education, it’s wise to be willing to pay your teacher. Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” I feel you will actually save time, frustration and money in the long run by learning from a pro. I’ve designed the numbered lessons (such as the Software Basics series) as a well-thought out, sequential set of tutorials to walk you through learning all about your Silhouette. This also means you won’t have ads popping up that make it hard to find the actual content.
On a more personal note, I was a life-long Texan until just a few years ago but now reside in Utah with my husband & 2 dogs. My 4 kids are scattered in various places & I’m very much looking forward to the grandparenting phase of life. Family is super important to me, but Jesus Christ is above all else. I love my Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers & Dallas Mavericks. In my free time, I am equally likely to be watching football or reading a Jane Austen book. My alma mater is the University of North Texas where I studied Music Education.
I hope you learn something on this site & would love to hear your comments. Craft on! (P.S. None of my projects are perfect, so I give you permission to be wonderfully imperfect too.)