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I have a Pazzles Vue cutter and a Cuddlebug for embossing. I use the Pazzles practically every day, I have learned the software, I'm not in the "computer" world. I can cut so many things with my Pazzles and emboss, engrave, pierce, use any pen. The software for the new machine is wonderful, developed by the Pazzles folks, with free upgrades. They have live online customer service. I do all my designing of cards, home dec projects etc in that software. I can draw or use any of the thousands of designs in the Pazzles craft room, once you download your allotment every 3 days, they are on your computer and you can use forever. It takes up just a certain amount of space on my desk, no need for extra dies. I purchase paper and coloring items, a few stamps.I can create my own embellishments, do print and cut. I can even create my own stamps using Pazzles rubber stamp material. I've owned a Pazzles for 10 years and it is truly a most versatile crafting machine.
I've never posted anything before and avidly read all the trials, tribulations and advice. One thing I notice that no one has covered is that , I also have a Silhouette and don't always like the way cuts are made on intricate or word dies, especially if you want them made smaller. (I'm partial to Quietfire Design calligraphic files.) I adjust the files so that I can print them on a laser (not inkjet or laserjet) printer on cardstock, using the printer's most intense black printing options. These printouts take foil through a laminator beautifully.
I have original cricut and cricut imagine. The imagine was a waste of money since they no longer make cartridges for it. I also,have a cuttlebug and a big shot. I go for the big shot all the time because it is quick and easy.
I guess everyone has what works best for them. I love my Cricut Explore Air. I owned previous Cricuts and had a bunch of cartridges. They are all uploaded to Design Space. I haven't used my Big Kick at all since I got the Cricut. I really didn't want to keep buying and storing dies. Now I can make a background shape for my stamps. I can upload jpegs, pngs and svgs from the internet. There is print and cut or just cutting. The CTMH cartridges are really great. I can make cards, embellishments and scrapbook pages. Designing a project is half the fun. Just my experience.
Lots of people are referring to using software for creating and editing images.Is there a place besides Youtube where you can actually take a class to use software for different cutters?I bought SCAL which everyone says is so easy, but is it all trial and error for learning? I want to be taught.
Youtube videos are great but not everyone is good at teaching. They often use lingo that I guess you are already supposed to know ... or they click the buttons too fast and you miss what you were supposed to do ... or they say things like "oops.. actually i prefer to do (some other thing I don't understand) ...!!
I totally understand what you're dealing with! What machine did you buy SCAL for? Just wondering what machine/s you have or are considering for the future.
It doesn't take long to understand the different words once you see them used in an application. But, as you pointed out, not everyone is a teacher and going thru videos on YouTube can be very frustrating.
I have found classes at Local Scrapbook Stores for the Cricuts and Silhouette brands. Most manufacturers have a person that leads the learning at shows and some teach online like at Craftsy.
I'd need to know which machine you have in order to offer more direct suggestions for help.
Lots of people are referring to using software for creating and editing images.Is there a place besides Youtube where you can actually take a class to use software for different cutters?I bought SCAL which everyone says is so easy, but is it all trial and error for learning?
Diane, not sure if you have checked out the SCAL tutorials here on YouTube. I suggest you join the SCAL Education & Support Group on FaceBook. I think Karen does a good job with her tutorials. I think I saw that the company behind SCAL was also offering classes on their website but I don't know about their quality.
If there were a realistic way to 'copy' the Cricut designs I love, the Cricut would not have a place on my table. I almost wish I hadn't bought the Explore because I use my Cameo All the time....that and the BigShot. Totally agree with you, Silhouette does have the best images of all out there!I cut out the images for Cricut Teddy Bear Parade in black card stock, scanned them with my scanner and imported them into the Silhouette Cameo. I now can cut a whole 12 x 12" sheet of teddy bear bodies with the Cameo. And use the 8 1/2 x 11" papers for the muzzles, etc.
I totally understand what you're dealing with! What machine did you buy SCAL for? Just wondering what machine/s you have or are considering for the future.
It doesn't take long to understand the different words once you see them used in an application. But, as you pointed out, not everyone is a teacher and going thru videos on YouTube can be very frustrating.
I have found classes at Local Scrapbook Stores for the Cricuts and Silhouette brands. Most manufacturers have a person that leads the learning at shows and some teach online like at Craftsy.
I'd need to know which machine you have in order to offer more direct suggestions for help.
I have a first generation Scan N Cut which I bought SCAL for.
(also have a Cricut but it is one of the ones you can't use SCAL with)
Thanks!
My first machine was from Spellbinders.. and I hated it.... always had problems with it. Even snapped a plate in two. They were awesome about replacing it but I just never seemed to ever get good cuts or embossing from the machine so I literally gave the machine away after I bought the Big Kick (this is when Jo-Ann would still let us use coupons on die cutting stuff) ... anyway, I still have my Sizzix machine. It is use extensively and gets dragged to all the crops I go to.
I also have a grand caliber - yes from spellbinders - because I found it on sale - really cheap ... and so far so good. Much better than the first machine I owned
BUT ...
I have been eyeing the S-n-C for quite sometime. Had a hard time justifying the cost. So I have been saving my pennies waiting for them to come down to a more reasonable price. Lucky me ... found on Amazon so just ordered the S-n-C2 and am now anxiously awaiting it's arrival!
I have a big kick and a Silhouette SD and I did have a Cameo. I just bought the ScanNCut 2 650 and sold my Cameo and accessories. I will keep the SD, it can doe almost everything my Cameo could. I hated that it would take so long to set up my Cameo and so many mistakes in cutting. I went through so many blades consideringhow little I used it. I wonder if I had gotten a lemon I didn't have that problem with the SD and hoping that the ScanNCut will not be a hassle. It was so bad I stopped crafting because of wasted time and supplies. I wanted a cutter to make my own chipboard things. Now I want mostly to not have to fussy cut and not drag out the kick and dies. I have not picked up my ScanNcut yet (after work today). I am hoping to get a chance to play and enjoy crafting again soon.
__________________ 2 cats short of the Crazy Cat Lady (5 Ragdolls RIP Katie DSH, RIP little Merlot Flame Ragdoll & Sunna Torbie Ragdoll- we miss you! Damn FIP) http://rebecca-rebeccasemptynest.blogspot.com/
I have been eyeing the S-n-C for quite sometime. Had a hard time justifying the cost. So I have been saving my pennies waiting for them to come down to a more reasonable price. Lucky me ... found on Amazon so just ordered the S-n-C2 and am now anxiously awaiting it's arrival!
What are your thoughts on the SNC2?
I made Silhouette files for ALL of my Julie Nutting Doll stamps and clothes. There were repeated inconsistencies that would make the stamping 'off' and I found it irritating and time consuming to continue using the Cameo to cut out my dolls. I finally just made the plunge and bought SNC2 as well. UPS is taking their sweet time, its been on the truck for delivery since 4am but we've had delivery well into the night before.
I don't want to design on it or for it to cut anything but my stamped images. From what I have seen it will do an excellent job. I hope to know by tomorrow afternoon if it does what I want it to. It is the 350 wireless...seemed like the most and the least I needed.
I have a big kick and a Silhouette SD and I did have a Cameo. I just bought the ScanNCut 2 650 and sold my Cameo and accessories. I will keep the SD, it can doe almost everything my Cameo could. I hated that it would take so long to set up my Cameo and so many mistakes in cutting. I went through so many blades consideringhow little I used it. I wonder if I had gotten a lemon I didn't have that problem with the SD and hoping that the ScanNCut will not be a hassle. It was so bad I stopped crafting because of wasted time and supplies. I wanted a cutter to make my own chipboard things. Now I want mostly to not have to fussy cut and not drag out the kick and dies. I have not picked up my ScanNcut yet (after work today). I am hoping to get a chance to play and enjoy crafting again soon.
Wow, I think you DID get a lemon! I think you will be happy with your SD, I have the Silhouette Original and it is a work horse! You did well to keep it and let the Cameo go. I have enjoyed the Cameo but it wasn't a lemon, thankfully.
I bought a Pazzles Inspiration to make chipboard things, it was a nightmare as it didn't cut well, sounds like the Cameo you had.
The Sil Original would cut almost all the way thru those plastic cutting mats at Dollar Tree so I made stronger KiwiLane templates with that Little Ole Silhouette. I never regretted buying it.
Can't wait to hear what you think about your new SNC2! Be sure to post and I will do the same if UPS will just delver it. grr!
Like you, I don't like lifting that heavy Kick and where to put it and all the dies. I am not planning on buying any more dies except the VERY intricate ones...and right now, I think there are enough for an project.
Last edited by CottageBliss; 09-27-2016 at 02:50 PM..
I have played with my SNC2 for a few days now and I am IMPRESSED!!
I will probably never use my dies again. I use zero margin around my stamped images and it cuts right to the line but leaves the outline of the stamped image.
I bought it thru HSN, 3 payments (love that!), seriously could have saved some $$ if I'd bought it sooner!
Have at least scanned through all of the posts so far, and thoroughly read most. I must be the only one who only uses dies, and even then not that much. I have nearly 100% geometric shape dies that I use in my trusty old CuttleBug. I am not much for cutting out images for the image sake. If I do want a stamped image cut out, I fussy cut it, which I love to do anyway. I have never had the desire, or seen the need for an electronic cutter. I can cut and emboss with my Cuttlebug to my heart's content. Guess I am just really old and therefore old school.
I love my Cameo! There's a couple things that have not been mentioned yet that a manual machine can't do.
I create card layouts and keep them so next time I can open the file and start to cut once I figured out my papers. This saves me so much time. There's a little extra time upfront creating the layout but I have done it so many times that it takes no time at all. This process allows me to see what the card will look like before cutting it out. I also add all the dimensions to the square-ish pieces (since I manually cut them with my paper trimmer). I add photo's of the cards after they are made for easy reference. If I have the stamps scanned, I can import them and get a visual before I cut anything.
If I get lazy, I create my own print/cut images to use on cards. I can choose colors that match my papers. I can decide whether to cut out the images or use a shape around the image. I just love being able to use the software as a design space. I even created a file of the SU colors by RGB code for easy reference. There are several free PNG files that I can import and use for main images, or creating a custom background paper. There are several possibilities for PNG or SVG files.
If I scan stamped images, I can create shapes to go around them and it will look just as it does on screen (no trial and error trying to find the right size of die). Or create a cut line for my stamped image and then use the MISTI for stamping the image. I really like this so I can line the image perfectly every time.
There are a few cons. My biggest issue is that I like the stitching or embossing that you can get with dies. You don't get the same look with the electronic machines. My other issue is that type of paper I can use. I have not had luck with foiled or glitter papers. The machine just does not go through these areas very well.
I do have a big shot that I use for embossing. I haven't used a die in over a year and I'll probably work on selling my dies.
Up until a year-and-a-half ago, I had no cutter at all; I had convinced myself that I could do with fussy-cutting and that I should focus all my energies on supplies I already had (and yes, like most of us, I have a LOT!). Then I bought a Sizzix Big Kick used, and started to invest in some lovely dies. Well, what a game changer! There are such beautiful effects that you can get with die-cuts, and embossing (with embossing folders and a nifty thing called "No More Shims") also opened up amazing new possibilities.
I guess the Sizzix was a gateway drug, since I ended up getting a Silhouette Cameo this past summer. My main motivation was to make my own stencils and masks to use with my gelli plate. What a great investment! I discovered some wonderful products that work well with the Cameo, such as Oramask (it can create a 100% dependable resist that works even for fluid media like alcohol inks or watercolors). The Silhouette can also do sketching, which is great when you want to add light highlights with an acrylic marker on top of darker gelli prints or other mixed media pieces (if you do intricate and somewhat large repeat patterns, as I do, this can save you a lot of time). One can also use the sketch function for foiling, if you use a glue pen. Finally, the Silhouette will allow me to do cut-outs of all of my stamps--glad I never bought a die cut for that purpose. It's opened up a whole new world for me now that I am trying to transition into mixed media wall art and not just card-making. I got the Silhouette Studio designer edition, which gives me a lot of flexibility in moving from my graphic design program (Corel Draw) to my cutter.
While I adore the Silhouette, I just bought a batch of new stuff from Sizzix on Black Friday. Why? The Silhouette has limits on what it can cut (heavy things like chipboard or shrink plastic don't work that well, whereas the Sizzix steel-rule dies, and even some thinner dies, work fine). Also, I think the Sizzix can cut more intricate pieces--just got an amazing Time Holtz snowflake that I doubt my Cameo could hack. Finally, Sizzix carries some amazing dies, as does Spellbinders. They have incredibly talented designers whose work I yearn to incorporate into my cards and artwork. And I guess, at my age, I get what I want!
So enough rambling. I love both machines, use them a lot, and have absolutely no regrets at having invested in either. They make me very happy .
Imo,
When making this very imporant decision as to invest your hard earned money into a manual or digital die cutter, you really need to ask yourself a few questions:-
1) What will I mainly be using the cutter for?
2) How often I plan on using it?
3) How much storage space do I have?
4) Am I design oriented or would need to purchase cut files/ dies?
5) What is my budget?
6) Is this an investment for business prospects or is it a hobby?
Pros and Cons come after you've addressed those questions.
I use both a knkusa max air and a cuttlebug.
I think my dream machine would be a digital cutter that can emboss with great detail like a manual machine.
Digital cutters are more suited for people who are into creating their own designs. However, bear in mind, you will not get that embossed "finished" edge in your cuts that you will get from a manual machine.
I have found that waste paper is minimised with a manual cutter but cut size is limited
subscribing to come back and read....I have been thinking about if I really want one and weighing the pros and cons. Right now I am scrapbooking my 3 little granddaughters and think having an electronic cutter would be nice for cutting fonts/words....do any of you use it in this manner a lot? I have some word dies but it seems like I have a hard time getting them in the "Right" size ...that's where the electronic would be nice, at least in my thinking...
That's precisely the reason I first bought one. Back in the day, the Red Sizzix machine was the thing, and alphabet dies were hugely expensive, being the Steel Rule type. It seemed to me I could get a Silhouette machine and be able to cut from any font on my PC for the cost pretty much of a single Alpha set. The ability to resize to fit my project exactly, rather than 'close enough' was a big selling point.
You say you are a scrapbooker, but if you mainly want it for cutting words/sentiments etc, you really wouldn't need the Cameo 12" x12". The Silhouette Portrait, which cuts up to A4 size would be more than adequate for that.
I recently bought one of those, to replace my original Silhouette which was probably close on 15 years old. Still worked, but was slow, noisy and couldn't run many of the features of the software available now.
The price point for it is very good. I had looked at the Brother Scan'n'Cut, but felt it way too expensive for my needs. The Portrait also has a feature where you can scan in images and then cut them out anyway.
I'd also add that you can purchase image files from the Silhouette store, but there are also many, many free files available online for images. You can also use 'dingbat' fonts, that is, fonts that are little pictures rather than letters, and they themselves can be very useful. A look at a site like Dingbat Depot will give you an idea of what is available, and the vast majority are free files. The same goes for lettering fonts, you can get some beautiful fonts which cut very well.
Well....just my luck!!! broke my cuttlebug yesterday! I tried to force a too thick of a sandwich through and now the handle can't turn making the rollers lock up. I opened it upmyself...saw that I know nothing about fixing it...so its on a shelf waiting on hubby to check...im so depressed about it...i have a project to finish too.
subscribing to come back and read....I have been thinking about if I really want one and weighing the pros and cons. Right now I am scrapbooking my 3 little granddaughters and think having an electronic cutter would be nice for cutting fonts/words....do any of you use it in this manner a lot? I have some word dies but it seems like I have a hard time getting them in the "Right" size ...that's where the electronic would be nice, at least in my thinking...
I cut out lettering with a Silhouette now and then, I use the piece the letters came out of as a template to stick them down them straight and well-spaced. Mostly around one inch high. You can do smaller cuts, of course, but not as small as some letter stickers you buy. You might find one that can draw useful, as you can do coloured lettering with a gel pen or marker and cut around it like a label. Also there are a lot of kid's crafts you could do with any of the cutting machines, it seems to me.
Last edited by AussieJenny; 03-27-2019 at 06:38 AM..
Reason: add more info
I cut out lettering with a Silhouette now and then, I use the piece the letters came out of as a template to stick them down them straight and well-spaced. Mostly around one inch high. You can do smaller cuts, of course, but not as small as some letter stickers you buy. You might find one that can draw useful, as you can do coloured lettering with a gel pen or marker and cut around it like a label. Also there are a lot of kid's crafts you could do with any of the cutting machines, it seems to me.
I also make cards and do many different crafts/projects...so the lettering/words was just one area I thought would be nice. That new Brother Scan n Cut really has my eye....I like the idea of scanning in an image and getting it to cut it out....Right now my husband and I have our final four pick and I said I was playing for a Brother Scan n Cut! He thought that was kind of big;) Right now I am one point behind him! We just have fun as we don't keep up with college bb- hubby played in high school.
Fun to go back and read when the thread was first started and to know that there is still interest in machines.
I have my original Silhouette, getting close if not 15 years old.
I scrap and make very few cards now days so I use my Silhouette for 90% of my scrap pages. If not the title work then for embellishments... I also have a Big Kick with a sizable collection of dies. I also have quite a few images in my library for the Silhouette. The main reason I like my Silhouette is for title work (like I said) and I can resize my images to fit my needs for embellishments. Now if I was mainly a card maker then the Silhouette would probably not be used near as much!!
Over the years I have learned how my machine works best so I am able to avoid a lot of the troubles associated with electronic machines and wasted time or paper.
One disadvantage (old machine) I do have to have internet!
