Paper Crafting, Rubber Stamping, Scrapbooking, and more
Query about embossing folders and die cutting.
Hi everyone.
I arrived in San Antonio TX, usa a couple of days ago, and i am here for sometime and one of my sole objectives over here is to purchase a whole lot of craft equipment i would normally not find in my home country. i will also be going to Tucson Arizona after a while.
I havent even been around much yet, but i know 'Micheals' is a famous art and craft store, but before i venture out and go crazy i wanted to know exactly where i could get the best stuff with the best bargains.
I am for the most part interested in 1) embossing without heating,i.e, the press system which requires embossing folders.... and my first question is that if i purchase a couple of designs, then do i need a machine for them to work with? or would they work individually like punches? secondly, what are the prospective stores that i can go to? i realize that shelf prices vary on items a whole lot from place to place....
and 2) secondly, i want to know if the 'cricut design', or somethign of the sort is the answer to all die cutting design needs. i am under the impression that i can link it to adobe photoshop, give it the command and it will cut on any paper any shape that i have drawn? is that true? does it replace the need to buy manual punches for every new shape?
please let me know about the brands, items and stores in these two places, i will be much obliged! thankyou!
EDIT:
thanks for all your input, everyone! your advice will be helpful!
i did some more browsing online and decided that the silhouette SD is more my type than the cricut. and i'm definitely getting the cuttlebug with embossing folders!
the silhouette sd is currently about 25%off on the site and costs 219$ and comes with three heat transfer material rolls. but my husband thinks the price will probably go down further for the 4th of july sales so i should wai until then... :| i'm not sure if i should or not! :|
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jackie Schachter on -
Hi I may be able to help with one of your questions. I bought a
cuttlebug machine as I was interested in embossing, although I
now use it also with Nestabilities to cut out patterns. You can use
embossing folders without an embossing machine, but you
will need a rolling pin! And this does work. Buy just one
embossing folder and try it out. My Cuttlebug was bought
at a large Department store, but I can't remember which one.
I ordered it on the internet and it was picked up at the store.
I do know it cost $64. You just need to look around.
Michael's and AC Moore are good places for crafting goods
and both have good discount coupons. AC Moore sells the
Cricut machine for $503.99.
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Permalink Reply by Alycia Hill on -
By all means, use the weekly coupons to purchase all supplies that the stores allow. Coupons are usually not applicable on the cricut machine. If you are here until November, Walmart usually deeply discounts the cricut machines on Black Friday. You may be able to purchase it for around $200.00 on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgivig), watch JoAnn's Fabric store for sales on the cricut also. The new upcoming Cricut Craft Room still requires you to own the cartridges that you want to cut from. It appears that the only benifit to using that online source is to substitute for the gypsy and/or the cricut design studio.
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Permalink Reply by Elayne on -
If I only had purchase to make, it would be the cuttlebug, it cuts die and embosses. the folders are inexpensive enough to buy many, especially if you have coupons. I can use my sizzix dies and nestabilities in it as well. the possibilities are endless.
Dopn't hesitate to visit discount stores, like Tuesday Morning and Big Lots stores, they carry a lot of discontinued craft papers, die cuts, ribbons..stickers and embellisments.
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Permalink Reply by embee arqam on -
Hello again!
thanks for all your input, Jackie, alycia, elaine! your advice will be helpful!
i did some more browsing online and decided that the silhouette SD is more my type than the cricut. and i'm definitely getting the cuttlebug with embossing folders!
the silhouette sd is currently about 25%off on the site and costs 219$ and comes with three heat transfer material rolls. but my husband thinks the price will probably go down further for the 4th of july sales so i should wai until then... :| i'm not sure if i should or not! :|
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Permalink Reply by Lia Stampz on -
I have a Sizzix Big Shot and I bought it after a lot of research. Apparently it's more stable than the Cuttlebug... the only downside is that it doesn't fold like the Cuttlebug but I have a place for it so that doesn't bother me.
I buy my stuff from Joann.com, Franticstamper.com or Ohmycrafts.com
Ohmycrafts has regular deals on dies and die cuts and you can use coupons also.
I was thinking of buying a CRAFT Robo for plugging into computer and cutting...but you have to keep replacing blades and cutting mats... so not in my budget right now. I'd rather invest in other crafty stuff...
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Permalink Reply by Linda Van Dyne on
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Hi: I got my Silhouette on line at O My Crafts out of Utah. They had a good deal plus an additional 10-20% coupon and free shipping. I think I paid about $178 and it came with vinyl and a $10 gift card for the downloads. I agree with the consensus that the Cuddlebug is about the best of the machines. I own nearly all of them and still go back to the Cuttlebug all the time. I really like the plastic embossing folders versus the bigger ones that need to have the rubber mat from Sizzix. Cuttlebug, Sizzix, and Quickutz put out really nice folders. Joanns on line and in the stores have these on sale for 40% off all the time. Michaels does also. If you are going to Tucson, they have two really first rate Scrapbook stores. My folks live there and I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I visited one of them. They also had really nice scrapbooking rooms that you could use all their tools and dies. Good way to try before buying. You should be able to get a cuttlebug at Michaels for at least 40% off or sometimes 50%. I think I ended up paying around $37 for it. Also Crop Chocolate often has a Slice machine for the unheard of price of $39 often. You have to keep checking it on line. They have two deals a day and I see it about once a week.
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Permalink Reply by Jackie Schachter on
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Hi Linda,
"If you are going to Tucson, they have two really first rate Scrapbook stores.
My folks live there and I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I visited
one of them." I love how you expressed yourself here! Do you know if either of
these shops have branches in the Washington area? I make it to the craft shops
when I visit the US each year (have an American BF), and certainly get to Michaels.
I am NOT thinking of getting any new machines as I just love my Cuttlebug, but I am
curious to know if the Cricut really is a ' user friendly' machine. Well, you never know.
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Permalink Reply by Linda Van Dyne on
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No, these are family owned and not shops that would be branching out over the U.S. You are right, the Cuttlebug is definitely the best. I like the Cricut. I find it is user friendly. I had the original version that only cut to 6" wide, and now have the version that cuts up to 12" wide. This newer version has many features that are easier than the original version. I purchased mine during the Black Friday sale at Walmart. I got the machine in a beautiful turquoise color and it came with two cartridges for $179. I understand from friends that if you order from Walmart.com, it is still on sale. I really like my Slice for portability and price. Funny enough, I first saw the machine demonstrated in one of the scrapbook shops in Tucson. Are you talking Washington the state or Washington D.C., the capital.
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Permalink Reply by embee arqam on
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Wow, Linda, if you could give me the names or addresses of those two shops, i'd love to check them out!
I'm happy to announce that i snagged a cuutlebug at 45$ from Michaels with the 50%off coupon! and i'm very happy...
i've seen the silhouette up on online stores for around 170$ in some places and then at 249-299USD at others, including the original site, so i'm really tempted to buy it off at the cheaper price, but feel paraoid that i might be compromising on product quality... something?
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