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A die-cutting machine, a bind it all (or some sort of binding tool), punches, a black ink pad (like really what crafter doesn't own a black ink pad?!?), pop-dots/glue dots and an ATG!!
There are so many things on my crafty wishlist!! It's been stressing me out something serious. I've been spending the past week looking up Christmas crafts and things like that and I keep having to tell myself 'nope, can't do that because you don't have the materials'.
I really love the craft but I hate spending my money. I know it'll all be worth it in the end. I think I'm going to send this wishlist to my mom so that she can get me a few items for Christmas.
So anyway, enough of me ranting about being cheap lol, what are some things on ya'lls Crafty Wishlist??
As far as the binding machine, just make what you want and take it to Office Max or any Office supply store and they will punch the holes and spiral bind it for a couple of dollars. Much cheaper than buying a binding machine and the wires.
I have very little on my wish list and none are things the kids can buy for me for Christmas. I want a few more Copic colors and refills and that is about it. I have what I need and am satisfied with what I have.
I may want to try the Sizzix Ink Its letter press plates "IF" I can find them on sale.
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I'd agree that a BIA isn't really necessary unless you plan on making a LOT of bound projects like albums, journals and calendars. As well as getting things bound commercially book rings are another option.
Try not to get stressed by what you don't have and enjoy what you do. For example, everyone is buying dies for rolled flowers and the "lollipop" ones. Well, look up the Fan Fold Flower tutorial in Resources and there's your lollipop. I didn't even have a scoreboard the first time I made one, I just used my ruler and a blunt darning needle on my craft mat. And there's a tutorial in there for Rolled Roses, too - all you need is a circle to start, and it doesn't even need to be an exact perfect circle.
There are some great fancy folds that don't need any special equipment and have a real wow factor - check out things like the tri-shutter, slider cards and suspension card.
I'm not knocking die-cut machines, I was thrilled when somebody gave me their old Wizard about three years ago, but you can still make beautiful things without one.
As to your question about our own crafty wish-lists...in a dream world I'd love to upgrade my Wizard to a Big Shot Pro but that's not going to happen. There are maybe a few stamps I'd like as a gift but wouldn't buy, and I'd like the Memory Box snowflake border die for next Christmas but there's very little on my wishlist right now. I tend to be a frugal buyer and don't feel the need for all the latest must-haves.
You can make all your items without needing all those supplies. Think outside the box. The paper crafting industry loves to suck you in with their trends. It's a mulit-billion dollar industry. Most of us have been sucked into it. I swear this industry reminds me of MaryAnn on True Blood.
Die cutting machine- All die cutting girls need to learn how to hand cut so you will understand your machines better. Fussy cutting is really important in the paper crafting arts. If you want to emboss then you do need an embossing machine. You can use Cuttlebug folders in a Pasta machine. There are several threads over here how to do that.
ATG: Mine went in the garage for framing. I know how to use it. I didn't like it. I like my double sided tape. One of my friends showed me one of her creations this week using Gold ATG Tape and it was yellow with age and coming apart. We were both mad about it. She got her gun years ago in the eighties or early nineties when she worked in framing.
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I have to tell ya that it took me at least two, maybe three years to build up my stamping supplies enough so I could make what I wanted. My budget was tight and I only spent about $20.00 per month. It took forever! So I feel your pain!!! The posters about gave you some great tips.
I recently got an ATG 1/2 price @ Michael's. I think I may be the only one who is not in love with it. I kept thinking why hasn't someone come out with a smaller version??? I don't like how big it is. Now I've have seen one on K Werner's blog. I use it but I don't love it. It does stick well. I still love my Ad-Tech snail from Hobby Lobby.
I've been stamping 6 years now and finally have all I need to create easily. I still don't have copics. They're next on my list.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Hi Tee..Hope you are finding time to stamp. Don't worry about the supplies..believe me, they multiply a lot over night it seems. I would get the black ink and pop dots.. I don't have a bind it all (stamping over 10 years..) as I don't do that kind of work. I find journals that have the rings on them already and use them (usually in the dollar section at Michaels...)
As for my wishlist: I have a few dies for my die cut machine and embossing folders. I pretty much buy my own supplies..Hubby don't feel comfortable buying my craft stuff as he is afraid to get it "wrong". This weekend I plan to get the new holiday colors of distress inks for my christmas cards..
The reason why I want a bind-it-all is because I know I'll really use it. This school year I wanted to make my own planner but after getting all of the pages done, realized it was very thick and that it would cost a lot to bind at Staples or somewhere. Plus I'm big on journals- I love them, and to be able to make my own with just different scraps of "pretty" paper I have lying around the house would make me so happy!
The die-cutting machine - well I've been drooling over one of those since I first started posting on this forum (huge debate over the cuttlebug or the Big Shot lol).
On my last project I did a lot of fussy cutting, and I actually did pretty good for someone with a steady hand. This new project I'm working on for Christmas would be a lot easier if I had a circle punch.
@Barbara- Copics were something I wanted really bad at one point but I realized that it's a lot of learning with a lot of money involved, I figure I need to learn the basics first before I jump into anything else.
@Sabrina- I totally understand what you mean by using what I have. It's just that I'll have great ideas in my head and it'll seem so pretty but I realize that I don't have all of the materials to do what I want to do. I wanted to do some circle tags for gifts but I know I can't cut a perfect round circle, I finally settled on some printable tags I found online (great idea)! Oh the snowflake border die is gorgeous!!
@DeeAnn- Haha! Crafting is like MaryAnn, I try to stay way from the stores because I know I'll be hypnotized and buy thing I don't need lol. Thanks for all of the links, I'll be sure to check them out when I get out of class. Yes, I do need a black ink, like what was I thinking not getting one lol.
@Allistamps123- Yes my supplies are slowly building. I always feel guilty when I buy new craft supplies (my guilty pleasure is paper and I have a ton, I really need to stop buying paper and us what I have). I had a coupon for the ATG and got so busy with school and I totally forgot about it. I figured bulkiness would be my problem but I just really need a way to stop spending so much money on adhesive, it's driving me insane how quick I run out of adhesive. If you're talking about the blue one K Werner uses, it is the Xyron one? That one does seem a bit smaller/easier to use.
@Winnie- Hey, I am finding time to stamp- not as much time as I'd like since my professors are trying to kill me with projects lol, but I am finding some time. I think I am going to get a black ink and the pop dots, I think they'll really come in handy for me. The new holiday distress inks are wonderful- I really like evergreen bough
How do you all improve on fussy cutting? Is there an easy way to cut circles with scissors?
Thanks for the replies ladies and I hope you all have a great day!
Over here you can buy a very inexpensive circle cutter just like a school compass only with a blade instead of a pencil. Downside is that you have a pierced hole in the centre which you don't always want, but I made do with that for starters, and then I got a Fiskars shape cutter which I still use from time to time. If you're good at cutting, a circle isn't too hard to hand-cut; you can draw it lightly with pencil on the back of your card using a compass or a suitable sized template like a saucer or whatever. A scalloped circle is a different story - I tried once but waited till I got Nestabilities to really get into scallops. The only way to improve cutting is the same as everything else - practice .
I think I'll be practicing for a while. I'm hoping that I'll be able to set aside a small budget and then head over the Buy/Sell forum and check out a few things over there. I just don't have the money for anything right now, with Christmas coming up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cook22
Over here you can buy a very inexpensive circle cutter just like a school compass only with a blade instead of a pencil. Downside is that you have a pierced hole in the centre which you don't always want, but I made do with that for starters, and then I got a Fiskars shape cutter which I still use from time to time. If you're good at cutting, a circle isn't too hard to hand-cut; you can draw it lightly with pencil on the back of your card using a compass or a suitable sized template like a saucer or whatever. A scalloped circle is a different story - I tried once but waited till I got Nestabilities to really get into scallops. The only way to improve cutting is the same as everything else - practice .
The only thing I really need is time. Lots and lots of time. When is SU! gonna start sellling packages/bottles of time? I seem to be more a collector of stamping/scrapping supplies than someone who actually does anything!
On my wish list is the Fancy Flower punch from SU...That's the last one I need before buying the Triple Treat Flower stamp that I just love. I have shaky hands and hard as I try, I just can't seem to cut around a shape! Also, I think they are called Aqua Markers? I saw a card done with those and I liked it a lot. Oh, and the extra large tag punch. Yep, I think that's it for my crafty wishes
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I'm not a big fan of fussy cutting when it's a standard shape my big shot will cut faster and cleaner than I will. I will manually cut images if the card calls for it. I am not going to sit there for hours cutting out circles or squares or whatever even if it is a cheaper way to go. My time is more valuable to me and I don't find it enjoyable. For those that do, I am thrilled for them, it's just not me.
If you have an LSS nearby that has a diecut machine, you can often use their machine if you buy the paper there.
I love my Bigshot and all the tools that can be used with it.
Often LSS's have yardsales where customers bring in the things they no longer use to sell for a pretty good price. It can be a very inexpensive way to try out a tool before you invest alot in it.
__________________ Denise
"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron.�
― Spider Robinson
I have a Bind-It-All and I've used it exactly three times. One of those was at a class where I learned how to use it. One of these days I plan to get it out and play with it again, but (for me) there's a bit of a learning curve. So I've got to practice a bit before actually using it on a project.
I recently got a Big Shot. It was my last (for a long time) big scrapbook purchase. My interest in the Big Shot is not so much die cutting as it is embossing. If I really wanted to take the time, I could emboss by hand, using a stylus. I did that years ago using brass stencils and a light box, but quickly learned that technique was not for me.
I love my ATG and am really glad I got it. Buying the gun isn't cheap (unless you use a coupon) and refills are really costly (unless you buy bulk), but in the long run I think it's a money saver.
As mentioned, a black ink pad is a must, and I'd be lost without my Color Box Cats Eye chestnut brown Fluid Chalk ink pad for edging my cards, scrapbook pages and embellishments. Speaking of edges, I like edge punches. I only have three, but often wish I had a couple more for variety.
I have hand cut shapes, but I can't cut a decent circle for the life of me! For circles, I have the EK Success Circle cutter and glass mat. It's sort of a hassle getting it out and finding room to set it up, but for me it's the only way to get a decent circle or ring.
I love my Copics. Looking back, they were a frivolous purchase that I could have done without, but I can't see me doing much stamping without them. I haven't an artistic bone in my body and I'm terrible at coloring with basic markers, chalks, watercolor, etc. But I can almost pull off a nicely colored stamped image with Copics.
There isn't much that I'm currently drooling over (thank goodness, since I have no money!) but things on my "To Buy One Day" list include a Ranger heat embossing gun; some sort of banner die/punch (PTI or SU?); "Happy Birthday" and "Merry Christmas" stamps; DCWV Couture Ladies paper pad and a couple Tim Holtz dies. I know, everyone is tired of the bird cage thing, but I haven't done it yet and I want one! LOL
@duranfan- haha, I think we could all use a little bit of time. Not only for crafting but for every day life as well!
@CraftyMel2- I too am asking for a lot of punches. I just want to get things down that I know I'll use. The things that are on my wishlist are things that I KNOW I will use. Aqua Markers sounds cool, I need to google them and find out what they are.
@Denise- I agree I think the die-cutting machine is a great time saver. Plus fussy cutting is very time consuming, I usually only fussy cut images, not basic shapes. The thing about it is that we don't have any LSS, I wish we did but I guess it's just not that big of an industry down here (I find that hard to believe though). I always hear about this huge warehouse sales or awesome LSS with great deals but I can't even experience any of it because they are never in my town.
@Melissa- I can see myself using everything. I already have projects in mind for the Bind-it-All, Die Cutting Machine and of course the ATG. I think I'm going to go and get a black ink pad tomorrow, I can't believe I've been crafting this long without it. I thought about getting a circle cutter but I wasn't sure if I'd rather have that than a punch. I know punches are hard to store and I don't have much space. I think Copics add a nice touch to a card, but I just can't fit them into my budget right now- I actually haven't even tried to color an image at all with anything lol. I have the DCWV paper pad and I loved it. I used lots of pages from it for a project that I recently did. I found it on clearance at Michael's for 7.99!! I love the whole birdcage/vintage look thing - that is my style (hence the love for the Lady Couture paper pad lol)
Trick to fussy cutting is to move your paper and not your scissors. For those hard to cut little pieces I take a thumbtack or needle and make tiny holes around the edges and then when I cut around with my scissors that area just "pops" off and no mistakes. If any of that makes sense, lol. I also use an Xacto knife a lot. I have several scissors for fussy cutting. I have a pair of Micro Tip scissors. I use the Cutter Bee brand. I use cuticle scissors, Xacto knife, full size paper scissors. My paper scissors came from the Dollar Tree. They have never failed me.
I have a dedicated circle cutter. I love fussy cutting so much but shapes like circle I am nit picky and I want to see perfection. So, I use a circle cutter. I love my EK Success cutter. It was frugal with a coupon and replacements blades are cheap.
I have seen the Compass cutter with a blade. WalMart actually sells them in the craft department in the Xacto/Elmer section. It has a rubber stop where it won't pierce your paper. You can also find them in your art department at your local craft store. They are usually carried in the drafting supplies.
You may want to keep an eye out for all the black friday deals. Last year I got a BIgShot Pro for a significant discount at Joanns online store. The deal was for Thanksgiving DAY only (not the actual black friday day). I have a wish list of the new sizzix vitaj dies that were just released and hope I can pick some up on that weekend.
I use my BIA and love it!! And in addition to the BIg Shot Pro I also have a cuttlebug - I use both often and do not regret at all buying them.
My copics - which number about 170, are used almost every time I stamp!
@DeeAnn- I think that is the trick. My mom (who has no interest in crafting at all) is great at fussy cutting, and I noticed that she moves the paper a lot. Thanks for the little trick on punching holes around it- I never thought to do that. I've also seen the compass cutters at Wal-Mart before, it's funny how you see something and never see how it can benefit you lol.
@Nancy-I am so ready for Black Friday! I always go out with my dad and this time I'm dragging him into Michaels lol. I feel like I'll love the Bind it All because I love making mixed media journals! Wow that's an awesome copic collection!
Coupons! I love coupons for big ticket items also! If you have a Michaels sign up for their rewards card and their emails. You can print the coupons before you go. I usually print for me and one for DH to use(for me).
Joanns online has great sales at times, I also bought the Big Shot pro at a really good price online. If you watch for 40 or 50% off sales then just check for free shipping coupons. They do have very slow shipping though!
__________________ Denise
"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron.�
― Spider Robinson
I need to sign up for a Michael's reward card! How do I do that? I've bought so much stuff at Michael's- I need this card. I didn't even know they had one.
I thought about buying online but I hate paying shipping.
I need to sign up for a Michael's reward card! How do I do that? I've bought so much stuff at Michael's- I need this card. I didn't even know they had one.
I thought about buying online but I hate paying shipping.
I did it at the store.
__________________ Denise
"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron.�
― Spider Robinson
Do you have a Tuesday Morning store near you. At one time they had Bind-it-Alls fir a fairly good price.
If you need go make a booklet, Martha Stewart has a bookmakers screw punch that might be useful for you. You can get it with a coupon. It makes various size hole then you use those binder rings to hold the book together. Just an interim suggestion.
I use the foam tape from the hardware section instead of pop up foam dots. You can cut the foam tape to size. I make mostly cards so don't think about acid free.
Good luck and as the OP said, think outside the box and repurpose items. Need to throw out all the cute containers that I have been saving to make... I am embarrassed to leave my spare room door open when someone cakes for a visit.
Rewards card you can sign up online: https://michaelsrewardsmembers.com/ or you can sign up at the store. I am already a Gold Member. I won't even tell you how long it took me to get the Gold card (cough, cough, six weeks lol) It was my DH's fault. He's an artist and crafter too. He was the one that hit us at that Gold status buying oil paints. I blame him. ;)
Michael's does not sell the BIA. Hobby Lobby carries all the binding machines. No, Black Friday sales for HL so you will need to snag a coupon and grab it if that is on your Wish List. Troll Ebay too.
I use the Martha Stewart drill punch for bookbinding.
I did have the above tutorial to make your own pop dots. I have a tool junkie hubby so I have really strong foam tape I use. I actually did do a comparison and my foam tape came out the same price as homemade foam dots. DH was able to get a great price on it. The tape will last me a lifetime. Making foam dots is great if you want your foam to match your item your using to give dimension. Use black foam dots on a black cat for example.
@Denise- Thanks so much for letting me know. I'm going over there today and signing up for one.
@Crafter 4 Life- I do have a Tuesday Morning. I went over there recently but they didn't have anything spectacular, other than the crop a dile. It's really messy in there and a lot of things look as if they've been opened by customers. I saw the MS Screw Punch before and didn't realize that it could be used that way. Thanks for letting me know!
@DeeAnn-I could have probably been a Gold member if I had of known that they had a rewards card. It's weird that whenever I checked out, nobody ever mentioned it to me. I used to live near a Hobby Lobby but now I only have JoAnn's, A.C. Moore and Michael's nearby (which is great, but I'm an HL fanatic)! I think I'm going to go check out Ebay for supplies.
@Allistamps123- I wonder if it's as good as the ATG and what the price is. I need to look into that one because it seems like the same idea just a smaller version. I heard that the ATG refills can be pricey so thanks for the tip about the 40% off coupon.
@Allistamps123- It's called the Xyron Mega Runner and it comes with 100 ft. of adhesive. It's only 22.00 on Amazon but you can buy that and a refill for 28 and some change. I think I might have to get this one instead. It's a bit more affordable.
I have to say that reading everyone's posts have been interesting. Here are my contributions to the conversation.
ATG - I refuse to pay even the prices Michaels has for the ATG tape with a coupon. I've had my gun for several years and have purchased from The Tape Depot...less than $2.00 a roll. When I purchase, I buy enough to get free shipping and split it with my cousin.
Pop-up dots...I go to the 99 cent store and buy foam mounting tape in a roll 3/4 in x 16 ft made by Super Glue Company marketed as Front Porch Treasures. It comes in a turquoise/lavendar/yellow package SKU - 73754 16015 3. This is an acid free product. I have a pair of teflon coated honey bee scissors that I purchased at Michaels with a coupon that I use to cut the mounting tape to the size I need. BTW...this is sometimes hard to find so when I buy it, I buy about 4 rolls.
As for a circle cutter, I started with the Coluzzle, then Fiskars, and now I have a Big Shot with Nesties. Unfortunately, this is an area that would be hard to substitute since cutting things out by hand can be hard. I went to the Big Shot because even the Fiskars was hard for me...I have Carpel Tunnel and found that some of the angles were hard on my wrist.
LOL! I have a lot of stuff and have spent a lot of money on this hobby...thank goodness I really like it!
smiles and best wishes in collecting the tools that will help you enjoy papercrafting more! Also, I don't know if you have already but if you are a teacher, then sign up for Joann's as well. You get 15% discount on your purchases.
Pam
__________________ ...I'm just meandering through life; trying to have some fun along the way!!!
Thanks for the website link Pam. I could really use that. I don't have a lot of stuff yet but I see myself headed in that direction lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by pammers
I have to say that reading everyone's posts have been interesting. Here are my contributions to the conversation.
ATG - I refuse to pay even the prices Michaels has for the ATG tape with a coupon. I've had my gun for several years and have purchased from The Tape Depot...less than $2.00 a roll. When I purchase, I buy enough to get free shipping and split it with my cousin.
Pop-up dots...I go to the 99 cent store and buy foam mounting tape in a roll 3/4 in x 16 ft made by Super Glue Company marketed as Front Porch Treasures. It comes in a turquoise/lavendar/yellow package SKU - 73754 16015 3. This is an acid free product. I have a pair of teflon coated honey bee scissors that I purchased at Michaels with a coupon that I use to cut the mounting tape to the size I need. BTW...this is sometimes hard to find so when I buy it, I buy about 4 rolls.
As for a circle cutter, I started with the Coluzzle, then Fiskars, and now I have a Big Shot with Nesties. Unfortunately, this is an area that would be hard to substitute since cutting things out by hand can be hard. I went to the Big Shot because even the Fiskars was hard for me...I have Carpel Tunnel and found that some of the angles were hard on my wrist.
LOL! I have a lot of stuff and have spent a lot of money on this hobby...thank goodness I really like it!
smiles and best wishes in collecting the tools that will help you enjoy papercrafting more! Also, I don't know if you have already but if you are a teacher, then sign up for Joann's as well. You get 15% discount on your purchases.
I got the ATG yesterday! My dad bought it for me after I realized that I needed some more adhesive for a Christmas project I was doing. We used a 50% off coupon. I like the ATG it's not as big as I thought it was.
The girl in Michael's said that the reward card was nothing but getting e-mails sent to me?? But it didn't sound like it from this post. I think I'll just sign up online.
I love my ATG! I actually got it really cheap because it was 20 dollars and I had a 50% off coupon. So I got it for 10! Like pammers, I purchase the tape for The tape Depot on ebay. They're inexpensive and work just as well as the brand of atg. Also their warehouse is really close to my house so it takes about a day to get to me once it ships!
I have a Cinch and I do like it and I also got it cheap, it was 50 dollars with about 20 wires and the wire cutters. So although I don't use it as much as I would like to, I like having it for the stuff I do make.
A black ink pad is a must. I really like the Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
I do have the cuttlebug but I use it more for embossing than die cutting.
But I think if you're trying to save money you should just get the pop dots and black ink pad.
I got the ATG yesterday! My dad bought it for me after I realized that I needed some more adhesive for a Christmas project I was doing. We used a 50% off coupon. I like the ATG it's not as big as I thought it was.
The girl in Michael's said that the reward card was nothing but getting e-mails sent to me?? But it didn't sound like it from this post. I think I'll just sign up online.
Hurray! Glad you got an ATG! It is so worth it!
__________________ ...I'm just meandering through life; trying to have some fun along the way!!!
I got the ATG yesterday! My dad bought it for me after I realized that I needed some more adhesive for a Christmas project I was doing. We used a 50% off coupon. I like the ATG it's not as big as I thought it was.
The girl in Michael's said that the reward card was nothing but getting e-mails sent to me?? But it didn't sound like it from this post. I think I'll just sign up online.
Well she didn't tell you the whole truth. Yes, you get e-mails sent to you with the Rewards cards. You also get discounts too. I always have a special discount on my card for something. One week it could be adhesive, the next week it could be for beading. I received discounts because it was my B-day. During X-mas you get even bigger discounts. Yes, it's worth signing up for.
DeeAnn- I looked it up online and realized that the reward card is only issued in certain stores - which is probably why she said that she probably didn't even know about the card. I can sign up online (I think) and I could use it in any state but our state doesn't allow you to sign up for them in store.
On a Sensible List I'd put a Stampamajig, a good variety of duplicate acrylic blocks so you can stamp multiples, a glitter/embossing tray, a really good cleaning kit like the one from Close To My Heart, black memento ink, some nice markers, and some chalks.
On a not-so-sensible list, I'd put a totally huge room to stamp in, and several of those enormous tool things from the hardware store, the kind on wheels that are taller than I am, to fill with stamps!
Here's the basic list I wish someone would have told me about before I bought duplicates not knowing they were essentially the same except from different companies.
Stamps and inks, of course, but start with what you love and grow---slowly! I started with leaves, trees, ferns, snowflakes and shells. (Can you tell I like nature?) I had enough variety to stamp cards for all occasions and both male and female. I added a few balloons and gifts as I had lots of kids on my list and the gifts also doubled for Christmas. I slowly added some holiday themes. You do not need every company's inks. I like dye inks for general stamping and have given away most of my Adirondack colors (even though they are beautiful as I really like the matchyness of SU and CTMH). I like the solid core paper of SU, so have mostly those inks and papers now. I like regular Scotch double tape and foam mounting tape and tiny glue dots for embellishments. Liquid glue is now the green Tombow. I have no Copics and don't plan on it---they are expensive and I can do the coloring I want with watercolor crayons or chalks. A good pair of scissors is a must (I love to cut) and my big splurge is my Cuttlebug and folders, although I have far fewer than most and am very happy. I do like my Nesties for circles, ovals, and a few basic labels. I'm not a big punch fan, so have some oldies, but goodies that I make do for most everything. I love my brayer, sponges, stamp positioner and my plastic grid and large needle for piercing. I have SU markers and reinkers for coloring and other techniques that I substitute for other things. I love heat embossing, so have a heat gun and embossing powders. For unusual colors, I use some pigment ink pads and clear embossing powder. You would be amazed at how many unused things I've given away to new stampers with the warning to use them extensively before investing in much more at first. I really like making do---another whole thread!
If you are short on space I would rcommend the Cuttlebug as a die-cutting/embossing machine..it has a very small footprint compared to the rest of the other die-cutting machines. I use mine with the various embossing folders that are available and the most common shapes of Nestibilities from Spellbinders.
The SU Big shot is my only wish list thing (except for a Kobo!) but I was wondering, does it take any other dies, embossing pads and so on?
The Big Shot will cut most other dies. There are some dies for the Big Shot Pro that are too big. there maybe some of the Spellbinders that don't fit it, but I haven't run across them. It will cut Nesties and all the flat dies from other companies as long as they will fit through it's width. It is mainly a task of getting the right "sandwich" for the die.
__________________ Denise
"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron.�
― Spider Robinson
thanks guys! I think my mom is getting me the Bind it all for my birthday- she's keeps asking me about it and where it's at and what it does lol. I guess I'll find out on Friday!
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