Best Buy in 2013

[Dips]

So, as we start to see all the lovely new goodies being launched for 2014, I was wondering what new items that made it into your craft room in 2013 do you love the most? For me, it would have to be my Tonic Studios Domed Window Die, Mannequin Tag Die and Verdent Vines Flourish Dies, what about for you?

[Jacksmissis]

Mornin Dips and everyone else in the "PJ" club!

My Canon Pixma MG5350 is mine, for the first time in crafting I can print onto cardstock without making a mess or performing acrobatics with the my Epsons (had two of those, good printers etc but useless for card weights)

[Craftysusan]

Hi everyone. Thanks Dips for posting this question. I am sure you will get many interesting and varied answers. Jacksmissis I too bought a Canon printer - an MP230 to print on to card stock. My Epson also used to drive me mad as sometimes it would print on to card but mostly it wouldn't cooperate. I also bought the House Mouse CDRoms and have used these a lot as you can always find an image to suit. My last best buy was probably the Crafters Companion Christmas card kit as I made so many quick cards that I had made all my Christmas cards by November (unheard of!) and the images were really nice too.

[pyjama princess]

Mine has to be my second hand Big Shot. I previously had a Big Shot Express (electric) but broke it on Christmas Day 2012. I'd bought the Spellbinders D-Lites set and was happily running them through when smoke started coming out of the machine! I'd burnt the motor out as I hadn't realised that you were supposed to rest the machine every so often.
I couldn't afford a new die cutting machine so bought a second hand one from eBay. The previous owner had hardly used it but had mislaid the cutting plates - that didn't bother me as I still had the ones from the Express. Since being on the design team for Lothian Crafts I've gone die cut crazy and the poor Big Shot is constantly in use.
My second best buy would be a collapsible table that hubby bought me so the Big Shot could be out ready to use and not take up all the space on my desk top. It's now my die cutting 'station' LOL! And was being used to yesterday to cut my freebie Tonic Dies out - I love them Dips!

[Dax]

My best buy in 2013 has to be the eBosser. I loved my Grand Calibur, but now it has been put away as using the eBosser does not hurt my neck. It's a little work horse. I am keeping my G.C. just in case I have a probem with the eBosser and need it.

I also like my new Canon MG5350 but have a problem with it not printing colours correctly in some software programes, especially the Ultimate Verse Insert Designer. Turquoise comes out plain blue. I have tried all the different settings in preferences, but nothing works. Always perfect colours with my H.P. printer but it stopped printing black. I think my computer is sulking as it's a H.P. one and my screen is too.

[wonky doodle]

my best buy is a Silhouette Portrait, after foolishly selling my Cameo as it was hardly used, the size meant it was not out for ready use so mainly stuck in the box. after Mr W. bought me the ebosser, decided to sell the Cameo, big mistake perhaps, but much happier with the portrait, and this is used far more often as out ready for use. my other cant live without is the ebosser, love these two. x

[jube]

I have bought very little craft stuff this year but after looking for so long finally got elegant edges for my cricut gets my vote. I have used it on 90% of my cards. I have decided that I am not going to buy any more cartridges as I have spent so much money on them I could have bought the machine 3 or 4 times over, plus I have a gypsy which after it had to be synced before it would work and now stops mid cut. I do love my cricut and will carry on with it.

[Dips]

Isn't interesting that so far, most of our Best Buys 2013 haven't been the "latest thing" in crafting? I'm most envious of those how have bought a Canon printer. I absolutely hate my Epson with avengance as it won't print card and only lets me choose Epson branded paper for print options, however, it is in full working order and I just cannot justify buying another printer when that's the case. What's the betting this turns out to be one of the longest lasting printers I ever purchased!

I have to confess that obviously my choices were given to me by Tonic as part of my DT, but really, the only things I've bought in 2013 is some patterned paper pads, a selection of stamps, some embossing folders and consumables such a jewels, ribbon, glue etc. I went back and looked at all the cards/projects that I made last year (which was easy as I have an index on my blog), and it was quite clear that the three die sets I listed were used time and again.

[Chalet School Fan]

My best buy has been ink dusters. I use them all the time for creating backgrounds for my cards. I'm not very artistic, but a hand coloured background with either a black stamp or die cut looks stylish and the people who buy my cards seem to like them. I could never get such good effects with foam blending pads.

[Jacksmissis]

I was the same with my Epson Dips, I was guilt ridden but so very frustrated because I couldn't do any "ready cards", I passed it on to my daughter and son-in-law so not quite so bad! Haven't had any probs with the colours on mine Dax, wonder if its the 'finish' on your card the ink doesn't like? I have only used two of my cd's to print from so far, will try one of Nikki's tomorrow and see if there's a difference for me and let you know.

[Shoequeen]

My best buy was the Silhouette Cameo. I had it for my birthday in September and I think I've used it on every card I've made since! I still have my Cricuts but they haven't seen the light of day since the Cameo arrived.

[Summer]

Most of my buys this year have been spellbinders, some bigz dies and clarity stamps, but I am now feeling I have enough so am definitely looking for something a bit different. My most used have been elegant labels 4 (5 x7), grand labels 1, reindeer flight (christmas) and the small ornaments for gift tags all year round. I still haven't got round to buying the cameo yet as my little robo is still working well for me.

[Tazzie]

I've had a canon pixma sonething for ages and it's been great, it produces fantastic quality images and great pictures too. My best buy in 2013 was the Big Shot, I love it, it is so much better than my little Cuttlebug (which served me well) and also the wonderful Crafters Companion Christmas kit. I bought quite a lot of dies last year, but I keep going back to plain shapes, circles or squares but the little dies that were included in the Big Shot starter kit have been very useful too. I've come to the conclusion that I like straightforward shapes better, I bought a couple of sets of lacy/doilly type dies last year and just don't like them. My best stamp buy was a couple of sets from Jenny Mayes a christmas set with a reindeer, log, little log etc and a really useful Christmas sentiment set.

[Deefersmum]

My fav buy of the year has been my Joy Trouvaille (I still love my Big Shot too).

[Craftysusan]

I bought my Canon in Staples and it cost £30 so wasn't massively expensive. Worth every penny to end the hours of frustration though.

[debo]

Hmmm......well the most used would have to be my Big Shot but ! didn't buy that in 2013. I used dies and/or embossing folders in practically every card I made but I can't remember which I used the most. If I could only keep ONE embossing folder it would have to be my Swiss Dots or the Sizzix snowy dots (not sure of actual name but did buy it in 2013!!).

[northern crafter]

Husband brought me the happy cut machine for Mother's Day as I have bad shoulder it's been in use all the time this has been my best buy, I did buy the ebosser when it was on special offer at the range the machine is heavy to move around.

I also brought so many tonic dies which I love best of all the dies l brought last year.

[Deefersmum]

Changing topic slightly but involving the Big Shot, I hope we are going to see Pete and Sizzix in the New Year - he hasn't been on for ages.

[Waterlily]

I think my best buy was the GC but I also bought a new Canon Printer which I love but it was to replace another Canon. I couldn't believe that the first one cost over £200 and the new one around the £30 mark lol.

[Jacksmissis]

My Canon cost £70 on offer! mind you, it does use separate inks 5 of 'em so should work out quite efficient. The other Canons I saw seem to use the all-in-one cartridge system which I didn't want.

[Waterlily]

Hi Jacksmissis

I made that mistake with the one I've got, it uses 2 cartridges one black and one colour. The one before was separate cartridges. For some reason I thought all Canons were separate cartridges so didn't check lol.

[Gabbyaggy]

It would have to be my tattered lace dies, they cut brilliantly

[juzzab]

I've recently started concentrating more on making jewellery, so apart from all the lushy lushness of gemstones, I would have to say Papermania storage ~ the itty bitty case for gemstones & findings & the spotted die & stamp storage. Finally getting organised is very satisfaction making :mysmilie_852: