So I know a major scrapbooker who has a cricut for cutting paper.
As amazing as that would be I definitely can’t afford it.
So I was wondering if there was a cheaper version in a similar product?
Thanks!

Several people are selling their perfectly good (almost new) cricut machines all the time at really cheap prices on eBay, Craigslist, thrifties section in your local newspaper and even on the http://www.cricut.com message board (and several other message boards too). I know even that amount of a markdown can still be too much for some of us to spend right now.

Many scrapbook stores now have the Cricut in the store for customers to use…and some even let you rent the cartridges to take home (if you or a friend have a machine, but not the extra $ to buy another cartridge).

The Slice (put out by Making Memories) is a smaller, more portable electronic cutting system, but similar in price. Many people like it because it is even smaller than the Cricut and easier to pack to crops.

The Cuttlebug seems to be one of the most popular for single size dies and those wonderful embossing folders. Although, you can use the Cuttlebug dies and embossing folders in other die cutting machines like the Sizzix Big Kick, the Ellison Big Shot, the Accucut Zip e’ mate, the Quickutz Revolution and the Spellbinders Wizard. All of those machines can cut several steel rule dies as well as the thin "wafer" dies and the embossing folders. Check out your local Michaels, Joanns, AC Moore or other craft stores online or local. All are available for super special deals at some time or another if you watch for them.

Personally, I keep going back to my Coluzzle. It is easy to use, works every time, inexpensive and portable. I love the clear templates that I can line up over the top of photos and images to get just the part I want to keep. I have several die cutting machines and the 3 that I personally use over and over are:

the Pazzles (lets me design ANYTHING I want to cut via the computer and I never have to buy a single artridge or die),

the Big Shot (for ALL steel rule and wafer thin dies, including the FABULOUS new Sizzix Bigs XL dies that are REALLY LONG)

and the Coluzzle (nested templates for everything from circles/ovals to envelopes/boxes and even pop-ups and various flowers). They work for what *I* need and they are all easy to use.

That is the key…buy something that fits into *YOUR* lifestyle needs… not just what is popular at the time. What will you be making? How big will your die cuts need to be? DO you need something lightweight and portable or more stationary?

For more great in depth answers to your questions… try a Yahoo group like the Die Cuts All Yahoo Group found here… http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DieCutsAll/

Hope that helps…I didn’t want to keep going on and on and on… but if you have more questions about die cutting machines, just ask

ok so i was on wal-mart.com and wanted to buy a cricket machine for my scrapbooking and there were 2 except one was cheaper than the other so what is the difference between these 2 :

$253.54
Cricut Expression Personal Electronic Cutting Machine (Includes 2 Cartridges)

http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Cricut-Create-Personal-Electronic-Cutter/10983293

and…

$149.00
The Cricut Create Personal Electronic Cutter

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cricut-Expression-Personal-Electronic-Cutting-Machine-Includes-2-Cartridges/8000344

The Cricut Expression machine is much larger than the Cricut Create or the Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter. Cricut Expression is the largest die cut machine in the Cricut family of paper cutters. It uses the same cartridges, blade housings, and blades, as the portable cutters, but it’s meant to stay on a worktable.

Cricut personal cutter is smaller and more portable, ideal for greeting cards, scrapbooks, and other paper crafts, the machine uses a cartridge based system for cutting thousands of beautiful letters, shapes, or phrases in a variety of sizes and styles with just the touch of a button. Simply attach the material to be cut to the included self-adhesive cutting mat, load it into the machine, insert the cartridge, make a cutting selection, and press cut.

the site mentioned had better prices than you quoted, you may want to check them out. happy crafting!

So I’m 13, and I’m starting to plan my quinceanera. Its like a sweet 16 but for 15. Its a spanish tradition. (Im puerto rican) I dont want it to be like a "normal" alice in wonderland party. I want it to be reallly trippy. With a lot of rainbow ballons, funky lighting, a funky topsy turvey cake. Like this one:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/399510193_ed439905ed.jpg

just different colors and designs. My court will all be dressed up as characters from AIW, and im going to be "Alice" and my mom is going to be the "queen of hearts" I want to have a desk at one side of the room with a rvaen on it, pieces of paper, and a pen so guest can leave me notes to put in the ravens cage. (The raven is going to be a stuffed one from a crafts store.) And i want to put up on the wall right near the desk the saying of Why is a raven like a writing desk. I want white rabbit foot prints all over the floors. And i want my mom to sit in a high thone like looking chair since she is the queen. And i want to have a siting place for me on a mushroom. (not a real one ) I want the entrace to have fake little trees with with white and red roses. And the entrance to have these like silver streamers and the door frame outlined in gold to look like a mirror. And a sign saying enter wonderland through the looking glass. I want the halls to look real trippy, with designs on the wall in way weird colors. I want the courts table to be like this extra long table, with all sorts fo tea pots and plates and things like in the movie, in the part of the mad tea party. All the toher guests tables with have tea cups and plates, and little bottles saying drink me and cupcakes and cookies saying eat me in the midle of the table.I want a chess game somewhere, and a croquet game too. And flamingos in some places as well. The table wear the cake will be at will have cookies and cupcakes saying eat me too. And the food table with have more little bottles, a punch bowl, and different things to eat. I want have a funky dress. And i want white and red roses at different part of the room, with silver paint cans that have a red brish here and there to amke it seem like the roses where painted. I want to have a hookah on a clear table some where. And i want to have funky shiney shoes.And ive been thinking of putting my cats in a certain room, and have that room be the pet the cheshire cats room. I also want to have a stage so a band can go up there if i do get a band. And i also would like one wall to say Happy Merry Un-birthday to Genesis or somthing. I also would like random purple grins and eyes around the room to be the cheshire cat. Id also like to have funky fabric in some places. i really dont know why. I also want to have a mirror for guest to sign but i dont know about that…..
And i want my entrance to be the song Brick by Boring Brick by PAramore to be plaing, and durin the instrumental part at the begginging The white rabbit comes out of this area and into the room of the party saying "Im late im late im late!" and i follow him saying mr rabbit wait! and then all the toehr characters come out, and ending with my mom saying "Off with their heads!"

What do you think about that? And do you have any other ideas? Also how much do you think this will cost? Most of the decoratiosn will be paper, liek the rabits feel and cat grins and stuff. My mom can make those with her scrapbooking machine the cricut.

And i want to have the party at a hotel ballroom, maybe so i can have enough room.OR a theatre lobby. And the dress i chose will be pretty cheap. $220 while most others are $600.

Thanks in advanced(:

ALICE IN WONDERLAND IS SOOOOOOO AMAZING!!!!!! If you had a party like that and I was invited, I would be your friend forever…

was wondering what people would think of me selling die cuts from my cricut machine? My kids like to use it too and I thought we could make some scrapbook stuff and sell it cheap at the sale instead of doing their typical lemonade stand. They love to make their own money and I think it is good for them, but what do you think about the cricut die cuts at a yard sale? If you think its a good idea, how much would you charge? I was thinking of doing individual letters that way people could spell out their own words or just buy 1 letter if thats all they needed. What do you think is reasonable? We are going to make other things too, but I have no idea what price range to use…Thanks for your opinions!

I think you have a excellent idea. As both an avid yard saler and scrapbooker, it would be a perfect combination. I would suggest having a create-your-own-packages, so that people can pick and choose what they like. Maybe something like 4 pieces for $1, or 10 letters for $1.

I am looking to get a very cheap plan, and with the price wars currently going on there is no better time. What i need to know is which one should i get. The three im considering are Boost Mobile, Metro PCS or Tracfone…..If you have another plan that is around $50 and under that will be helpful, but please no Cricket or whatever it is. I will mainly use this in Mass and NJ, and Cricut doesnt work where I live in Mass.
The things im looking for is :
Cheap!!
good coverage (thats why I’m leaning towards Tracfone if they have verizon network)
Unlimited plan (talk text and web, but web is the least important)
Thanks!

wal-mart sell’s one for 45 for unlimited talk text and the net
the company called Straight Talk

First of all, I am 13 yrs old. I really would like a Die Cutting Machine, but I have never used one and I need some help. I am looking at:
The Cricut Orginal
The Silhoette SD
And the Cuddlebug
Can anyone give me pros and cons of each, or any others that you would recommend? I want it to be pretty small, and around $200. Also, is the Cuddlebug manuel??? I know that the Cricut Orginal is cartridge based, can anyone give me a website to find cheap ones? Thanks so much!
Also, the Making memories slice cut machine

Ok im going to try

The silhoette SD: COST: $299.99
PROS: blades last a long time, hooks up to computer, able to use fonts from your computer, cards scrapbooks viynl decor and custom apparel.
CONS: Replacement blades and cutting mats are kind of expensive, you can only use their software,and the software is only compatiable with vista and not Macs.

The cricut original: COST: 179.99

PROS: Small, light weight, cheaper than the newer one , Can be used for anything paper
CONS: Only cuts small size papers, cant use it to cut deeper things such as chipboard, not that many cartriges and they are expensive!!

CuddleBug: COST: 89.99 Walmart: 67.95
Pros: can emboss and make die cuts, accepts dies that you already have, neat storage, and lets you emboss and cut almost any type of craft material you want, also easy transport.
CONS: Mats and spacers are pretty expensive, and the dies and embossing plates are also expensive.

For the cricut original try checking to see if there is a big lots in your area and if so check there. Also check at craft stores such as jo anns, hobby lobby, and micheals. Do the same for the other ones also.Hope this helped and the best of luck to you!

ever since i saw the infomercial for the cricut die cut machine, i’ve began to desperately want one. i would like the cricut expression but its not cheap.its about $285 right no at walmart. the personal cricut is $185.if i get the personal one- which isnt as nice as the expression- i will be happy but then wish i wouldve waited and got the expression. i will definately use them, so it wouldnt be a waste of money. but, which would you choose? and explain why.

I currently own the Original Cricut ($185) was given to me as a gift when it first came out and was $300!!! I am wanting the Expression but their not cheap. So, I’ll wait off on it. I have one for now so thats good enough.

Now, why would you want something so big? What are your main usage for it? Making HUGE posters, letters etc? Because the Expression cuts up to 23 1/2 inches!!!!! Its heavier, & its better kept in the same place.

Unlike the Expression, the Cricut is light weight, fairly portable. They both do the samething. But one is more "modern" than the other.

When considering whether you should buy one of the 2, think of the following:

*Whats your budget?
*What are you main usages for?
*Do you have space for it?
*Can you afford the accessories? (Mats-bigger mats mean more $$)
——(you need the Cartridges & their a bit expensive. When not on sale $89.99 or $59.99 at Wm)
——You need the tool kit (mainly the spatula-sold separately)
——You need the tote to store it & keep it safe
——You need the blades

BTW, the Cricut Create is a combination of both machines together.
Good luck on your decision.

I’m thinking of buying the Opposites Attract cartridge and i like the features, especially cursive. But, i was wondering if i cut out "birthday", for example, if the word would be cut out whole, or single letters. Oh, before i forget, do you know anywhere i can buy a cartridge for cheaper than $60? Besides eBay, Amazon, or any similar sites.
Are there any cartridges that can cut personalized words as one piece, preferably cursive?
I was disappointed to find out that Opposites Attract doesn’t do that, but thank you drip, you helped me out!
what font is the cursive in Opposites Attract?

I have opposites attract and yes if you want the together you have to have the software to weld them. I have both design from cricut and sure cuts a lot. With sure cuts a lot you can down load all type of different fonts off the internet for free and use them, and weld them together too. I have 31 carts right now and most of them on e-by from 26 to 38. But check out ohmycrafts.com they have good sales too.

I haven’t decided if I want to get a personal or expression. I know one has more options but the older one is cheaper. So what I am wondering is if I can use all cricut cartridges on either one. Thanks!!

Yes, the cartridges ("carts") work on all of the cricut machines. Even Cricut Cake cartridges work on all of the machines. The bottom line on the choice of machines is the options available (e.g., working with cake fondant; using machine as printer [Imagine]). I have an Expression and have generally only used 12"x12" size but it is nice to know I can make banners if I need/want to.