One of scrapbookers favourite ways to embellish a scrapbook page is by adding creative titles and images. Since the invention of scrapbooking die cutting machines, scrapbook pages have taken on a new dimensions as die cuts can be now made from various forms of material and in an endless supply of wonderful designs.

Two types of die cut machines exist on the market today. They compose of the electronic group of die cutting machines, such as the Provo Craft Cricut range, Making Memories Slice, Pazzles Inspiration Cutter and the Xyron Wishblade. The other market is for what are known as manual die cutting machines such as the Sizzix Big Shot or BigKick, Provo Crafts Cuttlebug and the Spellbinder Wizard

The advantages of a manual die cutting machine, is that they are no where near the price of electronic die cutters, they are also more portable and more robust. Their biggest advantage though is the types of materials they will cut. They can cut much thicker materials compared to electronic cutters, like fabric, think sheet metal, cork etc, which is only a dream for owners of an electronic cutter.

Owning a manual machine does have two slight disadvantages though compared to the electronic machines. Firstly they are manual, hence need your full attention to operate and can not be left to cut by themselves. Secondly, the size and shape of the dies can not be changed or adjusted. So what you see is what you get.

So you may be thinking an electronic die cut machine does sound good, but a manual machine also has confirmed its place in todays competitive market for scrapbooking die cutting machines because of its ability to cut through thick materials. Sizzixs Big Shot or also known as the BigKick, is certainly the leader in the manual machines market. This new bigger stronger better machine has improved so much since the first Original Sizzix Machine let the market quite some years ago.

The Sizzix BigKick and Big Shot machines operate with a platform on which the die and paper is laid and when pressure is applied, the die with its sharp, pre cast design, cuts out paper or other types of materials. The new platform and various adaptors that are available, means that any die on the market can be used with the BigKick. This includes other brands, as well as the smaller Sidekick Sizzlits dies. All of the Sizzix range of dies ever made, can be used in this machine.

Compared to the original Sizzix Machine, the Big Shot has a much larger base, so you can now cut multiple smaller dies at once, or use the red dies sideways to be cut in one action. A new set of larger dies, which make great backgrounds, has also been developed just for the Big Shot. And since it has a larger base, larger pieces of paper can also be put in which makes life easier.

Doing away with the press handle and implementing the roller style cutting action, though is probably the single best improvement the BigShot has over the original machine. Many dies on the old machine had to be cut in two parts, which often meant slippages or dies that werent completely cut all over. With the roller handle, you can now cut a series of smaller dies, or a larger die easily as it rolls through the platform, applying even pressure for a perfect cut. And no more aching arms from all the pressing.

The Big Shot can also cut the same thicker cardstock and materials that the original sizzix cuts, like cork, cardstock, multiple paper sheets, fabric, felt etc. So with the new wider base and rolling handle, it means you can churn out great letters, titles and images from an amazing range of materials which no electronic die cutter can do. So if you like texture and variety on your scrapbook pages, the Sizzix BigKick or Big Shot are the best in the market.

You could also be creative and use a lot of the amazing images in this collection to make your own wedding invitations or thankyou cards as well. There is no limit to the fun you can have with this set.

Included in the Sweethearts set is also a set of tags, cards, envelopes, shadows, layers and blackout creative features, so you will never be left short of inspiring ideas for all those pages you have been wanting to create. you might want to scrapbook a page on your children's boyfriends and girlfriends, or how you and your husband met, or the photos from your courtship that bring back wonderful memories.

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Sweethearts Cricut Cartridge, Weddings, Romance, Love, Bride, Groom, 291043    US $40.99 Ends in 21h

Cricut Cartridge SWEETHEARTS use in expression and imagine    US $30.00 Ends in 2d 4h 48m

SWEETHEARTS Die Cut Cricut Cartridge Wedding Anniversary Bridal Shower Engaged    US $39.95 Ends in 3d 21h 14m

Cricut Cartridge Sweethearts    US $63.99 Ends in 6d 11h 27m

Cricut Cartridge Sweethearts perfect for Weddings, Valentines, Love, Brand New!    US $46.95 Ends in 6d 23h 32m

CRICUT BEST 2009 cartridge retired NEW in pkg OLD WEST SWEETHEARTS JUBILEE    US $28.50 Ends in 7d 1h 3m

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Provo Craft Sweethearts Cricut Cartridge    US $39.99 Ends in 15d 2h 4m

SWEETHEARTS New Cricut Expression Create Personal Cutter Machine Cartridge    US $49.84 Ends in 15d 16h 49m

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This cricut cartridge set is great not only for creating scrapbook pages, but it can easily be used on cardmaking projects as well with all the extra images include.

Using the storybook cricut cartridge is a perfect base for any pages related to children and babies, or even of pages that you are creating for your childhood. Just think of all the nursery rhymes, fairytales and fables that you loved in the past and your page will come alive.

Also included in this Cricut Cartridge set is a list of common fairytale phrases like "Happily Ever After" and others, so a real fairytale theme is conveyed on all your pages.

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Cricut Jukebox

New in the Cricut range is the awesome Cricut Jukebox. No it doesn't belt out your favourite tunes while scrapbooking, it is a wonderful invention that lets you connect up to 6 different Cricut Cartridges to any Cricut Machine (thats right the Crictu Expression, Cricut Create and the Cricut Personal) at a time,. So no more swapping cartridges. Just select the one you want at the push of a button.

And what is more amazing, is that you can connect jukeboxes to jukeboxes, so you can access your whole collection of Cricut Cartridges (if you were so included to spend that much money for the convenience that is).

If you would like to buy a cheap or discounted Cricut Jukebox, then eBay is your best option.

Cricut Expression

However the machine is so much larger, it is certainly not easily portable and is meant to be kept in a permanent place in the home, or as they are now targeting... the school place!

The Cricut Expression Machine has all the same great features of the original Cricut like no computer required, lots of cartridges available (same catridges are used across the whole Cricut range) and the ability to cut shapes in varying sizes automatically without having to babysit the machine too much.

Given that the Expression has the same basic design and functionality as the original, it also has its annoying sticky mat. However after having reviewed some of the other die cutting machines, like the Making Memories SLICE, I see that this is a slight advantage, as the Making Memories SLICE has to be babysit while cutting, as it doesn't have this sticky sheet. Hopefully one day they will come up with a better way to be able to cut sheets without holding the paper and without having to use the sticky mat, because it is a real pain, especially if you want to cut shapes from delicate paper.

The Cricut Expression is also the most expensive machine currently on the market at around US$500.00 RRP, however just looking around on the internet, you can easily buy it from various places for US$300 plus shipping.

So if you are a die hard scrapper with money to burn!!! or you have just been frugle with your scrapbooking so you could save up for the Expression (well done!) then it is truely one of the best on the market at the moment.

The 5 main categories of Cricut Cartridges include:

• The font collection.  A wonderful collection of fonts from calligraphy to script, to licensed characters like Sesame Street, Hello Kity, Disney and much more
• Shape Cartridges. Shapes for every scrapbooking page you can image. Includes a wide range of licensed shapes like Disney.
• Licensed Cartridges. A whole range of well known brands everyone will recognise including Hello Kity, Disney, Sesame Street and more
• Classroom/Classmate Cartridges. Not just for teachers, but for anyone who wants to add some educational die cuts to your scrapbook pages.
• Solutions Cartridges. Cartridges for any problem! Home decor, street signs, christmas and much more

Making Memories Slice

Now anyone who is into scrapbooking, especially with embellishments, would be very familiar with the company Making Memories. They also make a wonderfully extensive range of some amazing scrapbooking tools like the tag maker, eyelet setter, stamping die sets and much more.

But the question here is, with the massive competition in the market from the two big brands of Die Cutting Machines... the Cricut and the Sizzix, can Making Memories make a Die Cutting Machine that is comparable with these two big brand names?

Making Memories entrance into the Die Cutting Machine market, has only come recently with its Making Memories SLICE machine.  The SLICE retails for around US$150.00, so it is half the price of the Cricut, but slightly more expensive than the Sizzix.

The SLICE is marketed as the first die cutting machine that doesn't need a power cord. So it is really competing with the Cricut as an electronic die cutter and not competing with the Sizzix range of manual cutters. Imagine being able to take it anywhere and show off what it does, without having to plug it in! It has similar features to the other electronic die cutters like being able to plug in cartridges and cutting shapes and letters at varying sizes.

It does however try to do something the Cricut Personal machine doesn' t and that is to cut slightly thicker types of material. The Cricut can only cut cardstock, the Sizzix cuts pretty much anything, and the SLICE will cut up to 0.5mm thick.

Given that the SLICE is competiting with the Cricut and other electronic cutters, it is very well priced. It also takes up a lot less room than the other electronic cutters.

One of the SLICE's disadvantages though over the Cricut, is that you have to hold the card while it is cutting. This makes it a little time consuming, compared to the Cricut which you can set and forget.

See our great range of discounted Making Memories Slice Machines, Making Memories Slice Design Cards and other Making Memories Slice Tools all available on auction or buy it now on eBay.

The Cuttlebug Die Cutting Machine

Now isn't this little machine just so adorable.

It is full of features, that you just can't go past. No it isn't electronic, like the Cricut Machines, but it is no where near the price either!

The Provo Craft Cuttlebug is a wonderful portable die cutting machine. It only weighs 7 pounds (about 3.2kg) and the base and handles fold in, so it is easy to take to your friends house to share around.

The best part is, it accepts all the die cutters that you already own, from all major brands.

You can use the Cuttlebug for cardmaking, scrapbooking and many other home crafts. The great little machine even enables you to emboss the images that you have cut out adding a wonderful, original dimension to any scrapbooking project.

Also, it accepts a wide range of materials that many other machines don't. You can feed it foam, vinyl, chipboard, light metals and much more for that added texture to your projects.

It also features an easy crank handle, so no more back breaking pressing down to get a die to cut the shape and the great suction base means no slip ups either.

And would you believe the dies that are made for the Cuttlebug are soooo cheap!

Wow die cutting machines really have come a long way!

You can now buy discounted Cuttlebug Machines, Cuttlebug Dies and Cuttlebug Accessories from eBay.

Cricut Personal Cutting Machine

I waited a while though before buying a Cricut, as I had to convince myself it was worth it. I went back to a number of workshops and was eventually won over by its versatility. With just one catridge, I can create the same font in different sizes. This was always the disadvantage of the fixed sized Sizzix dies.

However, the Cricut also has a disadvanted in that it can only cut thin cardstock, where as the Sizzix can cut through thicker pieces of fabric like denim, thick cardstock, multiple pieces of paper and lots of other textured material.

So in my house, I am afraid to say, that I have both as both do things the other doesn't.

Provocraft have since introduced two more Cricut cutting machines, the Cricut Create and the Cricut Expression, which I will discuss in another post.

They also have a wide range of cartridges available in many font styles, branded character sets like Sesame Street, shapes and the usual set of themed cartridges for every possible scrapbooking page like baby, christmas, beach, camping. You name it, they have it!

Welcome to my first blog post on my new website. I am a die hard scrapbooker and just love die cutting machines. Today I am going to be talking about my my first true love. The original sizzix die cutting machine.

The Original Sizzix Die Cutting Machine

The Original Sizzix Die Cutting Machine. Wow, when I bought my first Sizzix machine.. what was it now… 5 odd years ago, my scrapbooking life changed forever! I use to use stickers and die cuts from packs that would run out all too soon and then I laid eyes on the Sizzix machine one day in a scrapbooking class and Wham Oh, I was IN LOVE.

You mean I can create multiple die cuts from lots of different materials? Sign me up!!! Die cutting became an instant addiction with my sizzix machine. It added so much dimension to my scrapbooking pages and even made card making easier.

But not just scrapbooking. I used my Sizzix machine and the dies that I use to save up to buy every few weeks, to make name tags for birthday party, baby showers, labels for jars. You name it, I cut it. I also used the sizzix, and still do today, to cut all sorts of different materials like thick card, leather, denim and much more.

I think I own something like 85 different die cutting shapes and alphabet sets. Hmm… maybe I should start renting it out to use! Now there is an idea.

In my years of owning the sizzix machine, I have had no problems at all with it. I have gone through numerous cutting pads though! I also have the Sizzlits adaptor and many of the cute sizzlit sets and a few embossing sets too.

The original sizzix machine is still a staple scrapbooking tool in any scrappers household. I have now also bought a Cricut machine, which I will discuss later, which is also just amazing, but you know, I still love the sizzix machine for being able to cut through tough layers of materials to create super die cuts.

One my favourite die cuts are the mini envelope maker. I just love how cute it is and love adding little envelopes to my pages with little messages inside.

Ok, that is it for today. I will write some more informative blogs on the difference and advantages and disadvantages of many of the die cutting machines out there that I have tried.

You can still purchase the Original Sizzix Die Cutting machine, at great discounted prices now at eBay, as well as Sizzix Original Dies and Sizzix accessories like the adaptors, cutting pads, storage and totes. ]]> http://die-cutting-machines.com/original-sizzix-machine/feed 3