A lovely problem

[bobble21]

I've got up to £250 to spend on something cafty but I don't know what to get.
I've got a Silhouette Robo die cutting machine so I don't need one of them.
what would you buy? I need some inspiration.
I don't know if I want to get loads of stuff or one big thing.
What would you get, I want something I'm really going to use that will make a difference to my cards.
thanks for any help you can give me.

[BathBelle]

Do you have a Big Shot for embossing?

[bobble21]

I've got one of those little embossers, um, it's blue and looks like a sappy handbag.

[cheekymole]

Two things I couldn't do without are my corner chomper and Tape Gun

[SilverTiger2]

I think I would be rummaging in the Spellbinders catalogue !

[Hysteri-CAL]

I couldn't survive without :-

Big Shot
Score Board
Trimmer
Distressing tools/paper piercer etc...

[Linz]

How about an Ebosser - and you'd have money left to spend on other items too

[Miss Lemon]

It depends what you've already got. My most-loved and most-used cardmaking things are my Cuttlebug and Grand Calibur + spellbinders dies + embossing folders/masks, ATG tape gun and my scoring/enveloper boards.

[bobble21]

Great suggestions, but as I have a cutter that I can cut any shape with I'm covered on that one. But something about a manual one does appeal to me for embossing and those really detailed dies. It's the price of the dies that puts me off to be honest. If I made cards to sell I would definately have one though but I'm a family and friends crafter really. Although my family does have a little traditional sweet shop that I could sell my cards in it could tie in quite nicely with that.
I'm trying to justify the expense aren't I.

[bobble21]

If I went for it which one do you like best.
I'd especially want to use it to cut those extra intracate dies and embossing folders.
any tips you can help me with would be great.

[cheekymole]

I had a cuttlebug and changed to a big shot, more bulky to store but better in my opinion

[Miss Lemon]

Great suggestions, but as I have a cutter that I can cut any shape with I'm covered on that one. But something about a manual one does appeal to me for embossing and those really detailed dies. It's the price of the dies that puts me off to be honest. If I made cards to sell I would definately have one though but I'm a family and friends crafter really. Although my family does have a little traditional sweet shop that I could sell my cards in it could tie in quite nicely with that.
I'm trying to justify the expense aren't I.

But if you have £250 to spend all on crafty stuff...

I love using embossing folders. Such a simple thing turns a plain bit of cardstock into gorgeous, luxurious, textured loveliness!

And gosh, selling handmade cards in a traditional sweet shop sounds absolutely perfect!

[bobble21]

I'm going to go for it and get a big shot.
Can you reccomend any usefull things I should get to go with it. Does it cut other makes of dies?
And is their anything I should know that experience has taught you about the machine.
thanks for all your input.

[cheekymole]

I haven't found a die yet that doesn't work in the big shot, the different thickness of plates make it easy use any die.
Tip, make sure you keep one plate for cutting and one for embossing, you'll understand when you see it I.e. make sure the cutting part of the die faces onto the same plate all the time otherwise you'll "wreck" two plates.
Enjoy your new toy when you get it and I hope our recommendation was for you x

[bobble21]

Right I've done it and got my big shot this morning.
I've got some dies to start me off.
I've seen on tv that they use a squishy rubber mat, for embossing, do I need one of those?
I'm a bit confused, does it cut and emboss at the same time? or do you run it through again?
Sorry I'm a bit dim.