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My family wants to know what I want for Mother's Day and I want a new scrapbooking tool. Trouble is... I don't know the difference between all of these! What would you get? Which is the most useful?
I love my 'Bug! It is just flat-out fun to use, and who wouldn't love that perky green color! I am running all sorts of things through it and am having a blast! Plus, the dies and embossing folders are incredibly reasonable.
I hope you love whatever you choose! Hooray for getting a wonderful new gift!
I would definitely say the Cuttlebug! If you can get it at Michaels like I did mine with the 40% off coupon it is very economical.
Plus, I love all the different choices of embossing folders. And it works with other die cuts as well, so very versatile.
I also like that you can pass through the machine with just a crank of the handle. With the sizzix, you have to keep pushing the mat through and pushing down, which I think is more akward.
Does anyone know anything about the wizard? Since it's not in the poll, I take it it's not a popular choice?!?! I'm trying to decide which one to buy....
I'd like to suggest the Big Kick by Sizzix. It does everything the Cuttlebug does except fold up for storage. Because it doesn't fold, it seems sturdier to me than the Cuttlebug. It's a spiffy red and white, which I personally prefer to the green 'Bug, and it is lighter weight and easier to use than the original Sizzix machine.
The Big Kick comes with two Sizzlits dies, a Sizzix Bigz die, and a Sizzix embossing folder. Also included is a multi-purpose platform which allows you to use the different manufacturers' dies, embossing folders, etc. The instructions are printed right on the platform, so you don't have to try to remember the correct "sandwich" of cutting pads, dies, cardstock, etc. for all the different uses.
The Big Kick is available at costco.com for a few dollars less than the suggested retail price of the Cuttlebug, and shipping is free.
The only other thing I have to say about it is that I love mine!
I would ask for a cuttlebug since I have a cricket. I got mine for Christmas and have only played with it, but this site has definately inspired me to use it more. I have spent about 4 hours today"playing".;) I would like to emboss more. I just love the way that looks.
__________________ I'm Misti, and I've approved this message! MYGALLERY "Brace for Impact"-Capt. Sully "Brace for Impact"--Congress to America Proud mom of 2 soldiers-
I would have to vote for the "BUG". My mom has the cricut and she is as much of an enabler as I am, yet she has talked me outta the cricut. It all depends on what you use the "tool" for. I am NOT a scrapbooker so the cricut is just not for me.
the BUG cuts thru chipboard and that is what sold me on it! :mrgreen:
I have the Cricut and the Cuddlebug and love them both. There is so much you can do with them. I use them both for cards and scrapebook layouts. And with the Cuddlebug you can use other dies from other machine with it. Like sizzix, quickutz and others.
I've tried the Sizzex, Big Shot & Cuttlebug... go for the bug for sure!!! Sooooo much easier to use and store! You won't regret it!
As for Cricut I don't know much about it other than it's better for scrapbooking that cardmaking.... I don't scrapbook so I don't have any desire to get that one. Seems like too much money to spend on a machine even if I did.... even on sale it's 160 and the cartriges are always 90... way to much for me, I'd rather have more stamps!
Does anyone know anything about the wizard? Since it's not in the poll, I take it it's not a popular choice?!?! I'm trying to decide which one to buy....
-Laurel
I had the Wizard and really liked it. Why did I switch to the CB? Well, that's a darn good question. Actually, the CB seems to take up much less room on my desk than the Wizard. The good thing about the Wizard is that it is virtually unbreakable (all metal). There's a good Yahoo Group specifically for the Wizard here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Spellbinders-Wizard/
Once you are a member, you can browse the files sections to get all sorts of information (like "sandwiches of the week", etc.).
Kimberly
__________________ "There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness." -- Dave Barry
If it's for scrapbooking and they REALLY want to get you a great gift ask for the Craft Robo. It's just like the wishblade, but less expensive. You don't have to buy any cartridges and can cut more sizes than the Cricut. You can also weld words together so if you want a letters connected you are not limited by why the cartridge in it.
It hooks up to your computer and it's amazing! I have a Sizzix so I can cut chipboard but hope to get the craft robo for Mother's Day.
I got "da bug" and I really like it. It's not complicated and it gets the job done. I love the embossing folders and it is just super easy. I find it very sturdy and the fact that it is smaller and folds up is a nice feature. Plus, as others have mentioned, you can easily buy different sets at a reasonable price but different online stores have them on sale and you can use your coupons (at Michaels or AC Moore) for the different sets also.
Love my Bug (that may be restating the obvious:p ). I love its small footprint. I love its versatility. I love its price. I love the options for dies and embossing.
Does anyone know anything about the wizard? Since it's not in the poll, I take it it's not a popular choice?!?! I'm trying to decide which one to buy....
-Laurel
I got a sizzix and then DH got me a wizard. I love my wizard! My DH got this machine because he felt it was better built than some of the others that are out there....not sure if that is correct or not, but I am happy with his choice!!
I just got the Quickutz Silhouette, which is pretty much the same as the craft robo and the wishblade and I love it! The software is really easy to use, you can change the size of the files to cut what you want at any size plus you can design your own templates and cut those too! It will cut any TT font on your computer so it's great for monograms of all sorts. I do like the Cuttlebug, but I think the only thing I'd use it for would be the embossing and I could do that with the folders and a rolling pin so I'll stick with my Silhouette!
Thanks for all your feedback : ) Someone just told me that there's a 50% off coupon so I'm going to go find it and heck... I might just buy it for myself, hehehehehe! I can always ask for more accessories later!
I just got the Quickutz Silhouette, which is pretty much the same as the craft robo and the wishblade and I love it! The software is really easy to use, you can change the size of the files to cut what you want at any size plus you can design your own templates and cut those too! It will cut any TT font on your computer so it's great for monograms of all sorts. I do like the Cuttlebug, but I think the only thing I'd use it for would be the embossing and I could do that with the folders and a rolling pin so I'll stick with my Silhouette!
Can you cut more than cardstock with the Silhouette? I guess the drawback for me with the electronic cutters is that you can only cut CS. I like having the ability to cut other media like chipboard, etc. Although I guess I don't think I would put the electronic diecut machines in the same category as the manual diecut machines mainly because of the differences each does. The ability of some of the electric machines to use TT fonts from the computers is what appeals to me, although I don't think I could justify spending the $$ for the few times I'd probably use it. (If I were a scrapbooker, I bet I'd use it way more.)
Kimberly
__________________ "There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness." -- Dave Barry
I voted for the Sizzix because they make the Big Shot and the Big Kick. I think that they are the best home based die cut machines on the market. I have tried the Cuttlebug and like my Big Shot so much more! Just MHO!
Can you cut more than cardstock with the Silhouette? I guess the drawback for me with the electronic cutters is that you can only cut CS. I like having the ability to cut other media like chipboard, etc. Although I guess I don't think I would put the electronic diecut machines in the same category as the manual diecut machines mainly because of the differences each does. The ability of some of the electric machines to use TT fonts from the computers is what appeals to me, although I don't think I could justify spending the $$ for the few times I'd probably use it. (If I were a scrapbooker, I bet I'd use it way more.)
Kimberly
It will not cut thick chipboard, but it will cut vinyl, magnet sheets, cuts the SU cardstock with no problem. It might cut the lightweight chipboard, but I don't have any to try it out on. It has lots of options to change the speed and paper thickness so I haven't had any problems cutting anything I've tried.
Another vote for the Big kick/ Big Shot! Everything works with them & they're VERY sturdy. I love not having to suction my machine to the table when I want to use it. It's very stable with no wobble at all.
I had the Wizard and really liked it. Why did I switch to the CB? Well, that's a darn good question. Actually, the CB seems to take up much less room on my desk than the Wizard. The good thing about the Wizard is that it is virtually unbreakable (all metal). There's a good Yahoo Group specifically for the Wizard here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Spellbinders-Wizard/
Once you are a member, you can browse the files sections to get all sorts of information (like "sandwiches of the week", etc.).
Kimberly
My friend "won" a wizard at a stamp convention. She used it once and the handle broke. Her father, who is a tool and die guy by profession, took a look at it said it was a piece of crap (the handle that is). Needless to say, it was a really bad first impression for her. She found a ratcheting socket wrench that worked better than the handle so at least she can use it. The demo at the convention was quite impressive. However, after my friend's experience I'm just not that sold on the wizard.
I have the old sizzix and like it alot. I'm considering getting a BigShot/BigKick because I like the new larger dies that won't fit in the old Sizzix.
Love my Sizzix and also thinking about upgrade to BigKick. My SIL sold hers, then used mine (Simple Impressions) at my stamp-a-stack last weekend and now she's mad at herself for selling all her dies & etc.
I've had it 4 or 5 years, and still use it A LOT. I have 4 towers of the original dies, several Sizzlets alphabets and lots of embossing folders.
I want more - wah wah wah! Fun poll, thanks for sharing.
__________________ Do or do not - there is no try! (Yoda) / SCS Featured Stamper FS730 / Dirty Dozen Alumni
Cuttlebug? Cricut? Sizzix?
