i have just ordered the grand callibur but now need to start buying dies which makes of dies can you use with the grand callibur and which do you advise to be the best value for money and the cheapest place to buy them from my friend is going to florida soon are they cheaper from there
I've only got a Cuttlebug but the best dies i've got are Spellbinders. Try Country View Crafts for the best prices and fast delivery. Don't know about prices in US but my son went to NY last year and couldn't find any spellbinder shops (so he said!!!!!!)
I agree Spellbinders are the best to use, Icon UK are very reasonable. There is a distributor from USA who sells on eBay and her prices are very competitive. When I went to New York, I ordered a few things I needed from a US shop and they (very efficiently) delivered them to my hotel on the day I arrived. That might be an option if you can find a supplier.
Maddylisa sells lots of good dies at very good prices. Memory box dies, Poppystamp dies and Lifestyle dies are very good (I have a Bigshot not a GC, but they will work in a GC). Cards of distinction also have good prices and quick delivery.
I have a grand calibur and use spellbinders, lifestyle crafts, marianne, joycrafts and go kreate dies. I get my spellbinders from iconuk and countryview crafts, my lifestyle dies from maddylisa and go kreate from cutting edge crafts. If you want shaoled larger dies Go Kreate do their A4 ones in half sets so you can buy either the larger three - which I buy for cutting fancy large card blanks - of a full set.
The lifestyle craft nesting dies are really good value for money - I have started with the lacey sets and the sizes are larger than the spellbinders and you get more dies in the set. Their basic nesting shapes such as square, circle etc also go up to larger sizes and you get so many more than spellbinders. You cut and emboss them using exactly the same sandwiches and they have little foam bits on them to help the waste bits pop out easier so if you get some dont pick the foam off. The only reason I havent got more is of course lack of cash lol.
Whatever you decide on have fun and be warned, it is very addictive lol.
There are loads to choose from and it could work out very expensive if you just buy lots of dies because you like them.
Think about the size of card you make and the shapes you use most then decide whether you want to cut mats and layers or do apertures with them, decorative borders or elements to embellish your cards.
I started with ovals and circles because they are hard to cut accurately by hand and added some swirls and a few border dies............. but it's grown to include lots of spellbinder labels, nesting shapes, tags, ribbon banners etc. I don't go for themed sets like the sewing shapes, nautical bits etc if I'm only ever going to make one card I get those bits from Ebay (not expensive) but cheaper than buying the dies.
Be warned - You can get addicted to dies anf embossing folders
C&C for all their faults often do great spellbinder POTD;s and POTW's if you havent got any, otherwise, buying when they are 6 months to a 1yr old, they drop dramatically in price, some online retailers do 4 for £59 and even 4 for £55, countryviewcrafts and icon are also great, and pondskipper and craftsuperstore are doing soem great deals at the moment.