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.

I guess marketing has a big part to play in the success (or lack thereof) of the Pazzles inspiration cutter. It does a wonderful job and has been compared by many as being far superior to the famous Cricut. I guess the makers of Pazzles though just aren't doing a good enough job at marketing it...or could it be perhaps because Pazzles is rumoured to be made by the same makers of Cricut, however the Cricut brings in more money as it has so many add on parts and cartridges to buy, compared to the Pazzles which is a once of purchase with little ongoing costs. We can only speculate!

Pazzles Creative Cutter

However, don't be deterred from buying a Pazzles Inspiration Electronic Cutter. It can cut, emboss, pierce, engrave and distress various types of materials... but wait... no cartridges required! You get the software that enables you to create and design your OWN images, from sources like scanners and photos, or you can also use stock images that you can download from the net. Super!

As with the Wishblade, you can use any true type font to create anything you can dream of. Make titles, overlays and much more. It has some awesome features like automated image tracing, and to take the work out of the design, it also does automated welding.

Don't just limit the use of a Pazzles machine to scrapbooking. You can also make cards, iron on transfers with your own design, make your own personalized stamps and any other home project you can dream of. Oh it is all too good to be true.

So lets look at Pazzles compared to other machines. It is certainly a touch more costly than the Wishblade, but it has the advantage of doing die cuts in one pass, as opposed to the Wishblade that sometimes requires multiple passes. It also lets you join your own fonts together, rather than having to use another software program to creat this affect when using the Wishblade. The biggest advantage though over the Cricut is NO catridges!!
Okay, sometimes cartridges are super though, as you can get licensed images already designed in fancy shapes and fonts, that would otherwise be hard to source freely on the net.

But honestly, I am starting to wonder why I have a Cricut now that the Pazzles does so much more? All the hype and marketing and the cute name and logo I guess with the Cricut won me over, like it has for so many others!

Okay, to be honest there is one disadvantage: just like the Wishblade,  it relies on being hooked up to a computer,  so it isn't as portable as the Cricut. If only they could let you save your favourite designs inside the Pazzles, then it would be portable and truely competitive with the Cricut. Hmmm... anyone out there listening?

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

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.

The Sizzix BIGkick Machine

I don't personally own one, but a friend, who I am extremely jealous of, has one that I use every time I get a chance.
Now what I love about the BIGkick:

Ok, lets face it, the BIGkick is just wonderful and I wish I owned one. However, at this stage I am not going to trade in my original machine for the new one (not since I can borrow my friends).

But I do wonder how much I could get for my original sizzix if I sold it on eBay! Could I then afford to buy the new BIGkick?!!

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