Which machine should I get?

[Chess]

If I remember correctly, the pink machine is the new model - takes bigger dies etc. I suspect the blue one is discontinued. Found this for the new one

http://www.craftydevilspapercraft.co...x-machines.asp

By the way, I love my wizard and it takes the Fiskars plates!

[Jeanette]

This 'old colour' BS looks a great buy. It includes an alphabet and a texturz starter kit as well as lots of other goodies

http://cuttingedgecrafts.co.uk/cart....ategory_id=262

[Phree]

Maybe at this point I should say the Cuttlebug is not an unreliable machine. It's very easy to use, compact to store - the problem seems to be that this Kars mat is out there being sold as suitable for the machine which of course means people buy it thinking "great, now I can emboss my brass stencils through my cuttlbug". No doubt these same people have never heard the annecdotal evidence that seems to indicate that, while the mat is being sold as specifically for the 'bug, it actually can damage the it. So of course they buy it, and when they feel the machine resist it does not occur to them that there is actually a problem, they probably continue to wind the handle thinking it's just a bit harder to wind the sandwich thru the machine when doing that kind of embossing. So the bottom line is - if ANY diecutting machine seems to be harder than normal to wind stuff thru, you should probably wind in reverse to get what ever it is back out and then do some checking to make sure you have set up the correct sandwich of plates etc.

[LoobyLou]

I love my bug and most everything goes through it.

LL

[Marie]

well me I want them all to play with........!! They all look like good fun! he he!

[CaramelBunny]

You know, Jeanette, that Big Shot kit is exactly the one I have been looking at! It is a fantastic deal, but I know deep down that Marie is right... I'd always be using it wishing that I had the pink & black one instead! Seeing as it is a gift I might just ask for the pink bundle that Cutting Edge do instead, but ask for one of the texture starter kits as well... Unless I can find a better deal that is!

By the way, thanks Phree for reminding me that the CB isn't that fragile! I was more disrespecting my own limitless clumsiness than the machine itself!

[Phree]

No worries CB, I have a Cuttlebug and am very happy with my little machine - I also was one of the stupid ones who bought a Kars mat, but thankfully for me I read something about the risks with that and have never used it - instead I bought the mat from Oyster Crafts when I was at the NEC last weekend - will be trying some brass stencil embossing with that soon.

[Jeanette]

You know, Jeanette, that Big Shot kit is exactly the one I have been looking at! It is a fantastic deal, but I know deep down that Marie is right... I'd always be using it wishing that I had the pink & black one instead! Seeing as it is a gift I might just ask for the pink bundle that Cutting Edge do instead, but ask for one of the texture starter kits as well... Unless I can find a better deal that is!

It is an amazing deal isn't it? I have the old blue one. It stays out all the time as there isn't a card I make that I don't use it for. I'm not sure how I ever coped without my BS, embossing folders/plates and nesties. I did notice that CEC now have a couple of different starter kit options for the texturz which is good.

Is it just the colour that makes you want the pink and black one? It is snazzy isn't it;)

[Marie]

well as you all know from my posts elsewhere i spent my birthday money (and some of my Christmas money really....) on the pretty Anna Griffin bags, even though i could have purchased much cheaper and possibly more practical storage boxes and bags! But I love my AG ones and I know I'd have probably ended up getting them anyway and spending more in the longer run!
So actually, I saved money! lol, that's a woman's logic if ever I heard!

[Phree]

Actually Marie, your logic is pretty sound. My friend Jess, who bless her heart is one of the most sensible people I know (and I don't mean sensible in a boring way, she makes me laugh all the time too) Anyhow Jess once remarked to me, maybe about 6 months after she had started crafting, that in her opinion you should buy the storage first BEFORE you buy the stash. Her reason was if you don't have somewhere to put away new purchases you end up with a very untidy "stash mountain" and can never find stuff.

She is right too - Jess has a very organised stash and can always lay her hands on the stamp she wants, or the right colour of card, whereas I do tend to waste a lot of time wondering where I put something and hunting for stuff I have stuffed somewhere in my ever growing piles but can't quite recall where!