The hobby or craft known as Scrapbooking, is a process of gathering all of your memories, whether that be photographs, memorabilia and stories and presenting them on a page in an album, for others to see and for you to remember events of the past. Some would say that the art of scrapbooking is very therapeutic. What once use to be simple pages, have know turned into artwork, with scrapbookers putting more and more effort into creating a wonderful page.

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.

Isn't the Sizzix BIGkick (or Sizzix Big Shot) just fabulous. I want one!!!

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:

The rolling mechanism. OMG, this is absolutely the best feature, no more having to slide the large dies through the original sizzix to get the shape cut out. No slippages, or having part of the die cut but part not, due to not enough pressure. And I just love the crunching sound it makes as it cuts!

The larger base. This means you can put the larger dies in sideways to make cuts quicker, fit in larger sheets of paper and basically cut more out at once.

The multi purpose platform which is used for all the different die cutter shapes Sizzix have and you can also use other brands with it.

Compatibility. The BIGkick is compatible with the whole Sizzix die cutter range. YEAH

You can cut out multiple smaller sizzix die cuts at once. Oh, I really should just trade in my original and get the new one!

The BIGkick can also cut the same thicker cardstock and materials that the original sizzix cuts, like cork, cardstock, multiple paper sheets, fabric, felt etc.

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?!!