STAMPtember

I know.  That's why I refuse to get sucked into the whole Stamptember frenzy.  Not only do I have enough fall/winter stamps and dies, but those prices are crazy.  I guess they have to pay all the influencers and guest designers.

Even better comparison ( for those who won't buy from Ali because their low prices are possible because they steal the designs): Gina Marie Designs sells her own designs, and has them manufactured in China. She is able to sell nesting sets and full backgrounds for $10 each ( I think she might have some alphabet & full size slimline sets that are more expensive). And hers come cut apart already! That greetings set is way overpriced. Most stamps & dies are overpriced, really, considering that they are absolutely luxury items, but the Stamptember stuff I've seen so far goes beyond just "kind of" expensive.

I got a ScanNCut a few years ago for the same reason. I wasn’t getting good or consistent results with the Cameo stamping/scanning mat process. I agonized over buying another cutter, but I stamp so much that the ScanNCut has paid for itself, and it can cut closer than I usually get with matching dies. I like close cuts.

I loved the Halloween cards that Nicole Spohr made with stamps and stencils, but I have a lot of Halloween stamps already in my stash, and I can make my own similar stencils with my Cameo.

I still buy dies sometimes, but I’ve learned to recognize what stamped images cut well with the ScanNCut, and which don’t, and I also have a work around for using my Cameo for the ones that don’t (it just takes longer and requires more effort). I make some of my own print and cut images with my stamps and my Cameo these days.

For those who feel that electronic cutters are just too expensive, the cost of matching dies can add up really fast. The machines really can pay for themselves, and definitely have in my case.

Watched a live video this weekend from the women at FSC, and Nancy (who has tons of videos about toner foiling and hot foiling, and really knows her stuff about it!) had a terrible time getting that slimline leaf foil plate to work. It's too big for the Glimmer machine, and doesn't fit on the Gemini machine except at an angle (which, if your diecutting machine is the Gemini Jr instead of the full-size, will crinkle the paper you're trying to foil onto). You can put it thru with part hanging off, but then you would have to turn it around and put it thru again, and that just sounds like way too much work for me. I wouldn't have a huge problem with paying $30 for a foiling plate that was really versatile and unique, and that I could see using over and over, but that one definitely does not fit the bill.