Happy New Year, folks! Were you able to get a Silhouette CAMEO® machine during the holiday season? Today we are discussing the first impressions on the new Silhouette CAMEO® 3 and how it differs from the old Silhouette CAMEO® machines, as well as an easy idea for your first ever project with your new machine.

Are you excited to learn what new features are on the new machine? Or are you deciding whether or not to upgrade? Read on to see the shiny new features of the Silhouette CAMEO® 3 and why I believe you should upgrade!

First off, after unboxing and setting up, make sure your Silhouette CAMEO® 3 is upgraded to the latest firmware. To do this, go to https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/firmware, and download the file for the Silhouette CAMEO® 3 that is compatible with your computer. Follow the instructions on the website on how to update the firmware to make sure your machine is running flawlessly.

Design and Touchscreen Improvements

The new Silhouette CAMEO® 3 is noticeably larger but sleeker looking compared to the old Silhouette CAMEO® design, and though it has a larger footprint, your touchscreen is completely covered and protected from any elements and it has a a slew of new features inside that make up for it. It also looks better – nay I say, cleaner – on any desktop setup.

The touchscreen itself is improved with the addition of sound alerts whenever you press a button on the touchscreen. You can disable the sound alert as well in the settings of the machine.

My Favorite New Features

There are a number of new features that the Silhouette CAMEO® 3 has – like the Autoblade, Dual carriage, the ability to use the deep cut blade because of the higher clearance, Bluetooth capability – but my favorite ones are:

Extra storage! I love that it has a pull out drawer to store my weeding tools as well as the cross cutter. It also has a side compartment for two blades. With someone like me who loses a lot of her tools due to a cluttered workspace, the extra storage in the machine is a blessing.

The Media Guides are a life saver when you’re constantly cutting from materials longer than 12″. I usually cut using my 12″ x 24″ cutting mat and the media guides definitely help with holding the mat in the same horizontal level as the cutter. They are ergonomically designed in such a way that they fold up and store neatly in the pull-out storage when not in use.

And finally, the Autoblade. Gone are the days when I forget to adjust a blade and waste material – just tell your Silhouette CAMEO® what you are cutting and it will adjust the blade for you. Just make sure to set it to Autoblade and not Ratchet Blade when you are cutting.

My First Project

For my first project with the Silhouette CAMEO® 3, I wanted to keep it simple so I create a fun and easy two-toned inspirational mug with one of my favorite shapes from the Silhouette store (Design ID #123239).

Interested in creating your own? It’s so easy! Check out this tutorial to learn how easy it is to personalize your own mug with a design from the Silhouette Store or something you have created on your own.

What are your thoughts on the new Silhouette CAMEO® 3? What was your first project? Let us know in the comments and of course, happy crafting!