Custom String-lights With Silhouette Portrait

The Silhouette Portrait makes it easy to add custom pierced lanterns to string lights.

Step 1: Design Your Lights

There are lots of templates for the Silhouette - free and for a small charge. I picked a pyramid box from http://www.birdscards.com/pyramid-box/ You can download the template directly into your Silhouette library. Be sure to add a hole at the top where the light can be inserted. I also used a shape from the free image library that comes with the software install. I'm not giving much instruction about using the software because I'm not very smooth with it. The software is somewhat intuitive and there are many tutorials available online if you get stuck.

Step 2: Cut

As you begin to cut, the first thing I'd recommend is finding something else to do while the machine is working. With a design this intricate and a project requiring so many boxes, you'll need something to read or something else to do while it's running. Cardstock is a great weight of paper for this project. When you're left with lots of little pieces on the cutting mat, just run it under cool water. The adhesive releases, the mat comes clean and when it dries the adhesive becomes tacky again.

Step 3: Clean

Once all of your boxes are cut, clean the holes.

Step 4: Assemble

The template has tabs that can be glued to construct the box. Then you just pop them on the lights. I made one for every other light because I like the look better. The boxes would need to be a bit smaller in order to fit one on each light.