Scrapbooking Supplies

I am working on a project for which I need to cut out several hundred copies of (fairly simple) paper doll pattern for a children’s craft table. I am wondering if I can save time for myself and my volunteers by getting some kind of cutting machine. I have never done any scrapbooking. I will be using some sort of cardstock or lightweight posterboard. If I buy a cutting machine, can I make my own die for the pattern? (I have access to a metal shop that might be able to do it.) I have looked at cutting machines online, but don’t quite understand how they all work. Also, many don’t list the maximum size of a sheet they can handle. Any thoughts would be most appreciated! Thanks!

Just getting into scrapbooking can anyone recommend a good inexpensive die cut machine not sure which one to buy?

If you haven’t had one before you should start out with a manual die cut machine and go from there. There are several to choose from both the Cuttlebug Machine V2 and the Sizzix 655268 Big Shot are great for beginners plus their both less than a hundred dollars.

Have fun with your venture into the scrapbooking world, hope this helps;)

Hi!
I’m brand new to card making and scrapbooking and am trying to decide what machine to buy. I really want to be able to do embossing, so the Sizzix would make sense. However, I wonder if I should have a machine that does die-cutting as well OR if I can just purchase die cuts. Is it cost effective to buy a die cutting machine, knowing that for variety’s sake I’ll have to buy different templates. Or, should I just buy pre cut dies as I need them?
Any advice/ insight is appreciated!

GET the Sizzix. The machine is so much better than the Cuttlebug. I would buy the Big Shot. You can use any company’s dies or embossing folders with it.

pre cut dies just are not around much anymore.
Using your coupons and watching sales, you can build up your die cuts and embossing folders.

go to the Sizzix web site. All their old dies are very cheap. the Big Kick is $60

Big Shot, Big Kick really the same thing.

you can look on Ebay for the Original red sizzix die cut machine, It should be very cheap and it will do the embossing folders and most of the die cuts- it can’t do the larger sized die cuts.

I am contemplating buying a die-cut machine. I would use it for school projects, scrapbooking and cardmaking. Which would be the better machine for that job??
Thanks!

Both are outdated now.
They work on having to buy a new die for every shape you want to make.
The new computerized machines like Cricut and Slice are a much better deal for your money.
You can get hundreds of dies in various sizes on each cartridge, so if you want letters in size 2" and then the first letter in Upper case in a 2 1/2" you can do it with the same cartridge.
With a die cut machine, you’d need different dies. A set of one alphabet font can cost you over a hundred dollars and that’s for only one size.
Personally I prefer the SLice from Making Memories, it’s smaller, you can use it cordless, and the design cards are SD cards so they’re easy to store. The whole thing fits in a lunch box.
And it doesn’t use as much consumables, like sticky mats, as the cricut. And the blades are a lot cheaper and a lot easier to change. The whole machine is a lot less complicated. But you can do only one item at a time.
With the Cricut you can type in a sentence and walk away, and it will cut it out.
Just my opinion.

I am selling specialty paper for scrapbooking, particularly for Cricut and other die cut machines. What do you thik about these 2 options and which do you prefer?

Option1- individual sheets displayed just like regular paper where there are like 25 racks per shelf. That way you can get just what you want and nothing more. Item would sell for $2.00 each if individually packaged.

Option 2- packages of 6 contained in a poly bag like other color scheme papers. I would have schemes like Gold, silver and bronze…or… red, yellow and blue….or… black, grey and white. Item would sell for $9.99 per package which would be $1.66 ea.

Thanks for your help.

Mix of option 1 and option 2

as a shopper I like to have the option to buy specific colors, but sometimes its nice to get a pre-selected scheme.

I tend to buy single papers for a specific project and packs for general use, stocking up, possible future projects.

random note: I don’t know what kind of paper you are selling but $2 per sheet is quite pricey. I generally wont pay over $1 per sheet for the super fancy stuff.

I am quite new in the scrapbooking game. I am looking to expand my scrapbooking tools and have started looking at die cutting machines. I am running into a few problems though. My biggest problem is that i have no idea where to begin. The second problem I have run into is that I am not sure of the differences between all of the different options.

What I am looking for is maybe some short descriptions on some of the big die cutting machines and also any suggestions on any of them.

Thank you for the help.

Look into Sizzix. this is not a computerized die cut machine. It can cut through almost anything-thick cardstock, chip board, basal wood. It is the best die cut machine. You can use spellbinders. cuttlebug, quickutz on it. all embossing folders and larger dies will fit.

for a computerized machine-Cricut. It goes on sale, you can find cartridges for it almost any where now.
There are die cut machines that hook up to you computer and you can do your own designs, but are very expensive and I would not recommend getting them as a beginner to scrapbooking.

IF you can. go to Archiver’s for a demo. Or if you can find a crop group or friends who has any die cut machine-try to demo them yourself.

I don’t understand how I can apply the acetate designs to my scrapbook pages. I’ve looked everywhere online and nothing seems to explain it at all. Do I just glue them on? One site said I needed ink, the other said I needed to stamp them on. I’m really confused. The packet came with no directions what so ever.

Acetate is very versatile for making scrapbook or card elements. Here are some links to show you how it can be used:

http://passion84paperart.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-make-acetate-embellishments.html

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/alcohol-ink-card.html

You can stamp on acetate with a permanent oil based ink then colour it with alcohol inks. Try stamping a black butterfly outline for example and colour it with alcohol inks. Then cut the butterfly out and fold up its wings to make it look ‘real’. Apply adhesive to the body to attach it to a card or a scrapbook page.

You can stamp a border around a square piece of acetate and use it to cover and frame up a photo on a page.

Adhere the acetate with little pieces of double sided tape, put in places where you won’t see the adhesive (under a stamped or coloured bit for example). You can also use glue dots:

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/double-sided-adhesive-tape.html

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/removable-glue-dots.html

I hope these ideas help you get started using your acetate.

The card stock die cuts can be used to enhance your pages too. You can leave them as they are, or ink the edges, or adhere some designer paper to them, or paint on them, or stamp on them, or use them as journaling spots, or draw on them. You could attach beads or sequins to them, or add brads. You could dry emboss them or heat emboss them.

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/dry-embossing.html

http://www.papercraftcentral.com/embossing.html

The whole idea of using any embellishments in scrapbooking is to make pages that you love, so go ahead and let your imagination lead you!

I hope you can enjoy making some special pages with your new goodies now

I found a scrapbooking kit from LTD by Debbie Mumm’s Paper Boutique. It’s called Scrapbooking Simple 1-2-3.

The kits include 16 printed pages, stickers, and die-cuts.

I can’t find these any longer. Does anyone know how I can get these (I looked on the Internet, but obviously not in the right place….) or something like it? I really love these because the pages are already decorated, and you only need to add the pictures.

I’d appreciate it if anyone can help me find these or something similar. I love to scrapbook, but these kits/pre-made pages really help me!

Thank you so much.

I’m not sure if the site below has exactly what you are looking for but maybe it’s close:o)

DCWV – die cuts with a view. these are patterned paper/cardstock ideal for scrapbooking. the scrapbooking papers i see in national bookstore all nice but too thin…

http://www.diecutswithaview.com/

national bookstore would be a nice place to look at. i know there several stores and i have been to whose owners are into scrapbooking. they have tons of papers as well as the accents – nice to look at… why not inquire from the scapbook club – i will get back to you the names of the stores but they do have website where you can order and they deliver.

Need to know as I love scrapbooking and dont always have time to browse to find these companies! I am looking for companies that sell stickers, to paper to vellum paper to die-cuts etc..

michaels.com is a good source
another thing that you can do is go to the site for your favorite supply manufacturer. I don’t scrap but I use the stuff for a lot of other projects
Alot of the web sites also offer a lot of hints and how to’s..