gb2015
Full Member
Posts: 159
May 5, 2020 13:29:23 GMT
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Post by gb2015 on Jul 9, 2024 2:46:16 GMT
What scrapbooking tool/product/etc did you originally view as "extra" (excessive, ridiculous, unnecessary, etc.) but when you acquired one, it totally rocked your crafting world? I thought of this today as I was using my reverse tweezers to place a diecut. Totally thought they were bonkers before I tried them. Now that I have a pair? I'm in love! Excited to hear from everyone! (and maybe get some future purchasing ideas?  ) |
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christinec68
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Posts: 5,388 
Location: New York, NY
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Post by christinec68 on Jul 9, 2024 3:02:06 GMT
My Epson PM400! Before I got mine, I was never really interested in printing pictures at home other than a one off once in a while. After reading so many great reviews I decided to try it (my husband got it for me for Christmas one year). I was surprised at how easy it was to set up and the amazing print quality. Being able to print on demand was a complete game changer - I like being able to print the pictures I want to scrap in the size I want to scrap them without sending them out for printing.
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gb2015
Full Member
Posts: 159
May 5, 2020 13:29:23 GMT
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Post by gb2015 on Jul 9, 2024 3:22:22 GMT
My Epson PM400! Before I got mine, I was never really interested in printing pictures at home other than a one off once in a while. After reading so many great reviews I decided to try it (my husband got it for me for Christmas one year). I was surprised at how easy it was to set up and the amazing print quality. Being able to print on demand was a complete game changer - I like being able to print the pictures I want to scrap in the size I want to scrap them without sending them out for printing. This has been on my wishlist for ages! I already print at home, but just use my standard HP printer and roll with it. The Epson PM400 is a wishlist item for sure, I just haven’t pulled the trigger to actually go for it!!! Maybe I should keep it in mind for the next holiday, myself! |
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breetheflea
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Posts: 6,381
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Jul 9, 2024 3:27:43 GMT
Die cut machines. When I started scrapbooking I didn't have a lot of money and used to use these orange plastic template things and some tool with a blade to cut shapes and letters. Not having to try to get that thing to work, AND being able to resize things was a game changer.
My ATG is also up there. I bought it after discovering everything I glued with a Zig glue pen was falling off the pages in my albums...
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scrapnnana
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Posts: 6,345
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 9, 2024 6:32:13 GMT
It was the Wishblade, which was an early personal electronic cutter. I was tired of buying alphabet dies and bought the Wishblade so that I could stop buying dies and cut titles from a variety of fonts. After buying it, I realized that I could do so much more with it than I had known when I bought it. It was truly a game changer for me. That was a long time ago. Now I use a Silhouette Cameo 4, and I’ve been downloading fun Etsy print and cut designs for making my own ephemera and decorative page elements, so my current electronic cutter is still a game changer for me. My 13x19 color printer is another. I print and cut 12x12 digital papers now. I don’t have any LSS near me, so this has been a great option.
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Shakti
Pearl Clutcher
I'm not inclined to resign to maturity....
Posts: 3,068
Oct 30, 2022 23:42:30 GMT
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Post by Shakti on Jul 9, 2024 9:53:46 GMT
Die cut machines. When I started scrapbooking I didn't have a lot of money and used to use these orange plastic template things and some tool with a blade to cut shapes and letters. Not having to try to get that thing to work, AND being able to resize things was a game changer. My ATG is also up there. I bought it after discovering everything I glued with a Zig glue pen was falling off the pages in my albums... Coluzzle by ProvoCraft? I think I still have mine somewhere…. |
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alleyscrap
Junior Member
Posts: 93
Apr 4, 2022 18:43:23 GMT
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Post by alleyscrap on Jul 9, 2024 12:35:47 GMT
My ATG! I thought they were so large and a bit overkill before I found one at a thrift store and decided to try it out. I love that thing so much! Yesterday I ran out of tape and wanted to finish what I was doing before replacing it so I grabbed my nearby double sided tape roll. As I was fighting with it I literally thought to myself “wow, I used to individually tear off pieces of tape and put them down and then take the backing off?!? For every little die cut?!?! How did I do that for so long?!”
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Post by kmage on Jul 9, 2024 13:31:53 GMT
I had an ancient cuttlebug and I thought that was just fine for my die cutting I was doing, but when faced with making 200 wedding invitations for my child I did some research and ended up buying a Mini-Empress machine. OMG. Total game changer. My hands thank me so much. I am so happy with that thing. Completely worth the 129.00 I paid to HSN.
ETA one more thing. If I can splurge to get the dies with a stamp set I will. My enjoyment of the stamp set is quadrupled at least by having matching dies. Extra? Yes. Super fun? Heck yes!
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 9, 2024 13:34:12 GMT
I'm another ATG convert. I thought they looked stupid, since they are huge.
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,924
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Post by pinklady on Jul 9, 2024 14:23:01 GMT
Most definitely my Silhouette Cameo. I got the original version and wow, being able to download pretty much any image I ever imagined from the store was amazing. However, figuring out how to "copy" any image I found on the internet was mind blowing! Everybody I know got something etched. I remember I was the cool boss who etched names on beer mugs for my team. I haven't used my Cameo in years but man that thing was genius. |
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breetheflea
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Posts: 6,381
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Jul 9, 2024 14:56:21 GMT
Die cut machines. When I started scrapbooking I didn't have a lot of money and used to use these orange plastic template things and some tool with a blade to cut shapes and letters. Not having to try to get that thing to work, AND being able to resize things was a game changer. My ATG is also up there. I bought it after discovering everything I glued with a Zig glue pen was falling off the pages in my albums... Coluzzle by ProvoCraft? I think I still have mine somewhere…. I think whatever I had was made by Fiskars. |
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Shakti
Pearl Clutcher
I'm not inclined to resign to maturity....
Posts: 3,068
Oct 30, 2022 23:42:30 GMT
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Post by Shakti on Jul 9, 2024 15:00:26 GMT
ETA one more thing. If I can splurge to get the dies with a stamp set I will. My enjoyment of the stamp set is quadrupled at least by having matching dies. Extra? Yes. Super fun? Heck yes! Heck, yeah, indeed! I definitely use the ones that have dies far, far more often, to the point where I really, really have to consider carefully whether to even bother getting stamps with no dies! Which is particularly funny when you consider that in early to mid-2022, when I returned to paper crafting, I thought a die cutter WAS that thing I thought was ridiculous and excessive and swore I didn't need...caved within about six months! But I'm holding the line on foiling, Better Press and electronic cutting machines! |
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Post by mbanda on Jul 9, 2024 15:19:56 GMT
My Gemini - I have the full size original one.
Years ago, I had been considering it and watching the presentations on HSN but I already had a Cuttlebug and Big Shot so I really couldn't justify getting it. Then my husband and son bought one for me for Mother's Day years ago and I love it so much!! I love the large size and that it is electronic. I've since added a Mini Empress last Christmas and I love that one as well.
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Post by papersilly on Jul 9, 2024 21:01:51 GMT
-electronic cutting machine
-self sharpening paper trimmer
-thin, steel dies (especially after i ran out of room to store the old Sizzix dies)
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FurryP
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Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on Jul 9, 2024 22:36:13 GMT
I'm another ATG convert. I thought they looked stupid, since they are huge. I recently spray painted my ATG. After years of it being red. Because who cares, the color does not matter, right? I totally love it now! I get happy just picking it up from it's holder. (my dad made it) So maybe the color rocks my world? It is supposed to be aqua, but it's more bluish than aqua, but I still love it. |
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PaperAngel
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Jul 10, 2024 2:27:46 GMT
About 12 years ago, I had only a Quickutz Squeeze tool, two alpha die sets, & a handful of versatile 2x2 shape dies that I used on occasion. The Big Kick, which I purchased on deep-discount at a big box store, could accommodate larger, nesting, border, etc. dies. My manual die collection has expanded by leaps & bounds, & I use it constantly!
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Post by grammadee on Jul 10, 2024 13:40:41 GMT
It was the Wishblade, which was an early personal electronic cutter. I was tired of buying alphabet dies and bought the Wishblade so that I could stop buying dies and cut titles from a variety of fonts. After buying it, I realized that I could do so much more with it than I had known when I bought it. It was truly a game changer for me. I remember my Wishblade, fondly. Remember downloading tons of "true type (?)" fonts that were actually images that could be cut any size and used anywhere. Sadly, technology changed and my WB became unusable. I have since used a Cricut and a Silhouette, but never as happily as I used that first marvelous little machine. My sticker addiction was never quashed, though and still, today, they are the basis for my titles. |
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Post by refugeepea on Jul 10, 2024 23:43:48 GMT
Adding double sided tape to the back of pattern paper, putting the metal die on top, and running it through the machine. Game changer. I use a paper piercer to remove the backing and it's an instant sticker. No messing with liquid glue especially when it's something tiny.
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Post by refugeepea on Jul 10, 2024 23:46:00 GMT
I had an ancient cuttlebug and I thought that was just fine for my die cutting I was doing, but when faced with making 200 wedding invitations for my child I did some research and ended up buying a Mini-Empress machine. OMG. Total game changer. My hands thank me so much. I am so happy with that thing. Completely worth the 129.00 I paid to HSN. I really want to get a machine like this but it supports bigger dies. My Zip e' Mate does a decent job, but I have arthritis in my hands.
I know there's one from Sizzix and I think Spellbinders has one.
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Elsabelle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,677
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Post by Elsabelle on Jul 11, 2024 3:43:01 GMT
My Silhouette Cameo and atg. I’ve had the OG cameo for about 12 years and I use it often. I love being able to make my own titles and embellishments.
I’ve had my atg for a little longer than that. Recently I’ve been hearing that they’re harder to find so I’m babying it now.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 20:26:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2024 4:16:10 GMT
I had an ancient cuttlebug and I thought that was just fine for my die cutting I was doing, but when faced with making 200 wedding invitations for my child I did some research and ended up buying a Mini-Empress machine. OMG. Total game changer. My hands thank me so much. I am so happy with that thing. Completely worth the 129.00 I paid to HSN. ETA one more thing. If I can splurge to get the dies with a stamp set I will. My enjoyment of the stamp set is quadrupled at least by having matching dies. Extra? Yes. Super fun? Heck yes! I recently received an empress from my mom as a birthday gift and I feel the same way! I wasn’t completely on board at first because I felt bad about her spending that much on a machine when I already have a Cricut. I’ve since changed my mind. My hands are so happy and it works really well! I purchased a few concentric dies in basic shapes and it’s so nice to easily mat photos or make tags by running it through the machine. It also saves paper. Total game changer that doesn’t require I type on the computer or the iPad when my hands are acting up. Super grateful! |
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Post by Linda on Jul 11, 2024 13:48:43 GMT
I really want to get a machine like this but it supports bigger dies. My Zip e' Mate does a decent job, but I have arthritis in my hands.
I know there's one from Sizzix and I think Spellbinders has one. maybe look at the Gemini or Gemini Jr depending on how much bigger dies - I have the Jr |
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Post by infochick on Jul 11, 2024 15:51:05 GMT
I have a full set of EK success circle punches. I owned a couple and then just went ahead and filled in all the gaps. I love circles, and I just find the punches so much quicker than dies. I use them constantly.
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Post by kiwikate on Jul 11, 2024 20:32:01 GMT
My Big Shot Switch. Total game changer as I now die cut every time I craft as it is set up ready to go and SO easy. Love that machine so much I have considered buying a back up……
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basketdiva
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Post by basketdiva on Jul 11, 2024 22:16:10 GMT
Electric die cutters. I got the original BI Shit that was electric and when that died, I got the the Vagabond. Without these machines my crafting would have severally limited due to RA.
Sb Big Shot🤦♂️🤦♂️
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,924
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Post by pinklady on Jul 11, 2024 22:37:31 GMT
Electric die cutters. I got the original BI Shit that was electric and when that died, I got the the Vagabond. Without these machines my crafting would have severally limited due to RA. OK "BI Shit" made me laugh. I'm guessing this is Big Shot. If not, I missed out on the best electric machine! |
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Post by joblackford on Jul 12, 2024 1:29:57 GMT
The first thing was probably the tape runner (I like the pink Tombow dotted one). I mostly use glue now that I make tons of cards but the tape runner was what got me started. I feel bad for people (non-crafters) who have never discovered how easy it makes sticking stuff to other stuff.
For a long time I didn't think I really needed a die cutting machine but now I can’t imagine making cards without one. I would give up all of my stamps before I gave up dies and a die cutter.
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basketdiva
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Post by basketdiva on Jul 12, 2024 3:28:56 GMT
Electric die cutters. I got the original BI Shit that was electric and when that died, I got the the Vagabond. Without these machines my crafting would have severally limited due to RA. OK "BI Shit" made me laugh. I'm guessing this is Big Shot. If not, I missed out on the best electric machine! Oops!! Yes it’s a Big Shot |
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Post by mayceesgranny on Jul 12, 2024 14:07:37 GMT
Definitely the Epson PM400 - a total gamechanger to be able to print the photos in the smaller sizes.
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 14, 2024 12:49:55 GMT
I have a full set of EK success circle punches. I owned a couple and then just went ahead and filled in all the gaps. I love circles, and I just find the punches so much quicker than dies. I use them constantly. Me, too! I wish they made a 3.25" circle. I used them to cut circles for journaling and to cut out elements from patterned cardstock, especially those papers with 2x2 squares of various icons or sayings. |
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