Die-cutting, punches and other stuff

[Lizzy257]

I'm getting tired of trying to cut shapes by hand (plus, I suck at it), so I've been looking at different machines, punches, etc, and I'm more confused now .

Anyone have a die-cut machine that you'd recommend? I'm not quite sure whether it would be worth the investment or if a few punches would work just as well. As far as hybrid goes for me, I mainly make cards - occasionally other projects, but mostly cards. And right now I think I'm mostly interested in basic shapes like circles, scalloped circles/squares, etc (although if I did end up getting a machine, that may change, lol).

What would you recommend? Thanks ladies

[ColleenSwerb]

I used to buy punches for that sort of thing, but I got a Sizzix Big Shot express for Christmas and am investing in Spellbinders dies instead. $25 for a set of dies in various sizes. The large punches cost $25 and that's just 1 size! Joann's has started carrying the spellbinders in stores, which is DANGEROUS for me, lol.

Spellbinders
Big Shot Express

Ad the funny thing for me, is that I still like to use digi elements and cut them out myself over using the dies and stuff, lol. I'm a glutton for punishment I suppose.

There are also machines out there that will cut out shapes that you specify too. I'm sure someone else will chime in with those.

[pkstew2]

I agree with Colleen - the Spellbinders nestabilities dies are the best. I did start with a few punches but I really wanted to layer them and that meant buying more punches. I love the Spellbinders Nestabilities because they come in packs of nesting sizes and you can also emboss them - they are really beautiful and easy to use. I bought a Cricut Expression several years ago when it first came out and sadly I haven't used it as much as I thought I would. Mostly because it's a space hog and I'm lazy! But now folks are making really great cutting files so you can get the same shapes as the Nestabilities and resize them to what you want on the Cricut using the SCAL or something else software? Again I'm just too lazy to figure something else out so I highly recommend the Nestabilities.

Our Joanns doesn't have them in the store, but our Hobby Lobby keeps a good selection and they are either on sale, or I can use a 40% off coupon there. Rumor has it Michaels is getting them too. The best place I've found online is http://www.ucutathome.com/. They offer monthly coupons of 40% off. You can also use these dies in a Cuttlebug machine.

[Yvette]

I have the Big Kick (same as the Big Shot but sold at Micheals, can use a coupon!). The Nestabilities are fabulous and Papertrey Ink has a great selection of new dies as well.

[ColleenSwerb]

Oh don't get me started on Papertrey stuff Yvette, lol. I put together a MILE LONG wishlist of stamps and papers and dies etc that I want from them. I just adore that store.

[Joana1n]

i third the recommendation for spellbinders nestabilities. they are awesome! i have the original sizzix press machine, they don't even sell it any more! but you can often find one from craigslist for $30-40. i use it, and the system converter http://www.sizzix.com/product/188 and a small square quilting ruler for my nestabilities. and overstock has a bunch of sets for good prices as well as the other places listed.

another way cool tool for die cut machines are embossing folders. they are great for adding texture to you paper for cards.


the white strip was done with an embossing folder. i love them!

eta the decorative edge was done with a border punch.

eta again...just saw you are in ireland so craigslist may not be an option for you.

[Yvette]

LOL, I just rec'd my first set of dies from Papertrey, they are fabulous! Love embossing folders too! Tim Holtz had a fabulous new line of dies and folders for sizzix (if you like the grungy look).

[ColleenSwerb]

Since we got married and joined bank accounts, I can't buy as many goodies as I used to, lol. I love the decorative edge ones that Tim came out with.

Oh and def check out overstock. I bought 3 sets from them a few months ago for a GREAT deal. 1 of them was Labels 1, which is darn near impossible to find most places.

[Lizzy257]

Thanks for all the help girls. Lots to think about now . Joana, that card is gorgeous!! Really makes me want to be able to emboss too, lol!!

[letumom]

I bought a little Cricut before I knew about the big one (something I sometimes regret). And a couple of years later I bought a Cuttlebug - but just to use for the embossing aspect.

Love them both. I have the Cricut attached to my computer so that I can adjust the fonts and shapes using the Design Studio. I know that I could probably do more if I used Sure-Cuts-Alot, but I'm more of a traditionalist, and going outside the box with Digi Scrapping is enough for me right now.

I make lots of cards for an organization called Operation Write Home so having these machines helps me get more done faster.

[chez]

I have several machines. a Cricut & a Slice. I don't recommend either unless you are going to be a serious paper scrapper. I really do not love my Slice. I have had issues with it from the get go.

I also have an Epic 6 and a Creatopia. Since I got the Creatopia (which does more than die cutting) I will be ditching my Epic 6, since it does all the same stuff. I haven't bought any Spellbinders dies. It can be an expensive habit for sure!

My favorite die set is the Quickutz Santas workshop mini album set. I use it a ton!

[Andrea Gourley]

I'm another one who has the big shot and loves the spellbinders nesties as well as the Papertrey dies

I've had a Cricut Expression and stacks of cartridges which I sold because I never used it and a Craft Robo that I think is called a wishblade in the US? Never use that either as I prefer to use scissors to cut out my elements.

I love my big shot and use it all the time

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by chez

I have several machines. a Cricut & a Slice. I don't recommend either unless you are going to be a serious paper scrapper. I really do not love my Slice. I have had issues with it from the get go.

Ditto. I don't think it's the best choice out there.

[chez]

yah it has some serious issues.

I personally would go big gun........like a wishblade if I really was into diecutting. Plus I am sure you could cut out some of your digi elements? anyone tried?

[Joana1n]

Originally Posted by Lizzy257

Thanks for all the help girls. Lots to think about now . Joana, that card is gorgeous!! Really makes me want to be able to emboss too, lol!!

aww, thanks! it's one of my favorites. i love embossing folders and they aren't terribly pricey.

i also have the original small cricut and i rarely use it. i pulled it out in december to cut paper cupcakes for dd's b-day party favor bags. haven't used it since. however, i did see that you can cut vinyl with it so i may use it again for some custom wall words in the near future.

[scrapperjade]

I recently bought Col's Cricut, and then bought SCAL with it. I haven't really used it that much, but I don't regret buying it. I just need to expand my stash of files to cut, lol.

I really love the look of the Nestabilities and the Papertrey dies. Maybe in a year or 2 I will upgrade, but right now my DH would be seriously hard to win over after I went on and on and on about how I wanted & NEEDED a Cricut, lol!!

[Yvette]

Thank goodness for separate bank accounts LOL!

[chez]

Originally Posted by Yvette

Thank goodness for separate bank accounts LOL!

No joke!! my husband hasn't a clue what I spend. Although for a long time I got so much free I just kept saying I DIDNT PAY FOR IT I SWEAR!

[ColleenSwerb]

I really wish I had a separate account, or at least had an "allowance" of sorts. It gets so old justifying every single craft purchase, lol. Although I did get to buy a bunch of stuff for "free" with the money Jae gave me for my Cricut, lol.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by ColleenSwerb

I really wish I had a separate account, or at least had an "allowance" of sorts. It gets so old justifying every single craft purchase, lol. Although I did get to buy a bunch of stuff for "free" with the money Jae gave me for my Cricut, lol.

I may not be married, but from the experience of others and giving it some thought myself (I'm great at analysing pointless things, right? :-) I'm sure it's better to have separate accounts. Men don't get why women buy things, and what kind of things they buy, and I think as long as they don't know the cost of things, they don't mind. And they even believe that you got things for free as mentioned above. ;-)

On a side note - Colleen, that's one superb avatar!!!

[Lizzy257]

Lol girls. DH and I have a joint account, but he never looks at it so he wouldn't know what I spend

[Yvette]

Oh, we have a joint account too, that's where DH's money goes! haha!

[scrapperjade]

We have a joint account too. But I told DH that since we were both working, we should keep seperate accounts for "fun money" too, one for me and one for him. On paydays, we deposit our cheques into the joint acct, then transfer $50 each into our respective accounts. That way if we want to make a purchase we don't have to ask for permission from each other.

[Joana1n]

Originally Posted by ColleenSwerb

I really wish I had a separate account, or at least had an "allowance" of sorts. It gets so old justifying every single craft purchase, lol. Although I did get to buy a bunch of stuff for "free" with the money Jae gave me for my Cricut, lol.

One of the best things we did was to budget a certain amount every week for me as fun money. I can spend it on whatever, and DH never says anything. A little goes into Paypal for SSD & other online stuff, the rest is cash. It's awesome for us - I don't feel like I have to justify every little thing and he's not always wanting to know what such-and-so random debit charge was for on the account (not to check up on me, just for category purposes in QuickBooks).

[julifish]

Do the Spellbinder dies work in the old Sizzix crank machine (it's red, with a black handle, kind of narrow opening?) I wasn't sure if they'd fit or not and what I'd need to make them work. I've had my eye on them at JoAnn's and with some good coupons coming up I'd like to get a set...but only if I can use them.

[ColleenSwerb]

Juli, I'm not sure, but I bet you could find it if you googled around. Search for something like spellbinders compatability, there are tons of posts out there about making their dies work in other machines.

Thanks Helen

The thing is, I'm AWFUL with money. Absolutely horrible. I'm a spender. Jordan is a saver. Thank goodness one of us saves, otherwise we'd be in serious trouble. We paid off all my debt at the end of last year, and it's been wonderful to not have that hanging over our heads. We didn't touch any of the money we got from the wedding so we have a great savings if anything happens in the future. Jordan doesn't want me to have any money on my own because as my own history has shown, I don't deserve it. Granted, I can't get in much trouble with only $100 a month (which is what I suggested a few months ago), but still. I set a bad premise for myself, and I have to deal with that for a while. Eventually I'm going to demand that I get $100 a month in "fun money" to with what I please. We're just not there yet. We have a lot of big ticket things that we want to save for in the coming years, so me buying craft stuff is ridiculously far down on the priority list that Jordan keeps in his head, lol. In fact, I doubt it's on there at all.

[Joana1n]

Juli, are you talking about this one (except it's red, not pink)?

If yes, technically you *can*, but because of its small size, most of the Nestabilities in a package won't fit. They're pretty big. Spellbinders does make some fonts and other things that do fit, and the smallest of the Nestabilities dies would fit, but you'd be pretty limited.

You can pick up an old original Sizzix press-type die cut machine off Craigslist for around $30 or so, and that's what I use to cut mine.

They're really way awesome to use once you decide to take the plunge. I resisted for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time.