Once Upon a Scrapbook: Is a Cutting System for You?

In my blog post today for the Little Scrap Shop, I compare and contrast cutting systems such as the Cricut, Silhouette, etc. Here's a taste of the article, but to see the whole thing, you've gotta go to the source!
http://www.thelittlescrapshop.com/blog/?p=175
And while you're there, check out the new November challenges! You won't want to miss out on those cool prizes! And there's ONLY a few days left if you want in on the Fall Sweepstakes! Hundreds of dollars worth of scrapbooking prizes await you and it's free and easy to enter!

Is A Cutting System for You?

by Amy Hadley

These days, most scrappers utilize some sort of cutting system in their layouts. In fact, I’ve been seeing more brand new scrappers splurging on a system within a month or two of picking up the hobby. Some buy machines before they even understand what they do or that there are fundamental differences between them. It’s difficult to buy a machine and be happy with it if you don’t match it up to your personal needs as a scrapbooker, and the more you know about the different kinds of machines, the more informed and accurate your decision will be.

There are two general kinds of systems available, the manual and the electronic. Manual machines are those that you manipulate yourself and do not use electricity such as the Sizzix, Cuttlebug, Quickutz Squeeze, Quickutz Revolution, etc. You have to buy dies for them, and you are limited to the size of the die. The Cuttlebug is one of the newest manual die cutting machines. The Cuttlebug also features embossing folders that you can create embossed paper with and the Cuttlebug is compatible with die sets from most of the major brand scrapbook die cutters on the market. You can also cut chipboard, foam and felt easily with the Sizzix and Cuttlebug, and they can be taken to crops if you wish. The Sizzix is one of the oldest die cutting machines and is based on the “old school” industrial die cutters you see in teacher supply centers and colleges. If you’re a no frills scrapper and don’t plan on using more than one or two fonts, this machine could be a good fit for you economically. As electronic cutters take over the modern market, the older manual machines go down in price. However, some stores have stopped carrying them as well, so check into your local market...