Sizzix Help

[Kat the Cobbler]

Mu mum and dad have kindly offered to by me a sizzix machine for christmas/birthday. They are giving me around £80 to spend on machine and dies. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for in dies and whether to get a sidekick as well.

[cw18]

you only need the Sidekick as well if you're likely to want to take it out-and-about, but bear in mind the Sidekick will only cut the flat Sizzlets or (with an adapter) the Quickutz dies.

If you get 2 adapters for the Sizzix, it will then cut the original Sizzix, and the Sizzlets and the QK. So my advice would be to start off with the Sizzix and adapters.

As for which dies to get -- the original alphabets are HUGE! The Sizzlet ones are better (in my opinion), but even they vary -- and all the alphabets can get expensive.

Look for dies you can use for lots of different themes. Santa is only Christmas, but a dove could be Christmas, wedding etc.... but be warned, once you start buying them it's hard to stop

[~*~sparkle~*~]

lucky you!!!
personally i would suggest that you look through sizzix site and see what you are most likely to use most of...even though you can use sizzlits with the machine most people go for the sidekick for them as they are much easier and quicker to cut. i use both, the main machine for dies...and the sidekick for sizzlits.
as for which dies, then again tahts something personal to you cos only you know which ones you'd use! most people go for hearts, flowers, baby cuts, letters and stuff.
im not a sponsor on the site yet but if you want any prices..and deals please pm me and i'll send you more information.

debs

[GeordieGirl]

Depends what you want to do with them I wouldn't personally recommend the sidekick but I love my big sizzix, have had it a couple of years and couldn't be without it. I sold all of my shape dies to finance the alphabet dies and the scrapbooking dies - tags, slide mounts, book plates etc. I love to cut mountboard in it which you can't in the sidekick. I've got a sizzlets alphabet and shapes too which I never use - they may be going the distance next!!

these LOs and cards have all been made with cardstock or chipboard and my big sizzix:

http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696
http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/photopo...00&ppuser=7696

Can you tell that I would really reccomend an alphabet??

Have fun with whatever you get

Love Andrea x

[Waynesgirl]

IMHO, you wont need a Sidekick as well as a Sizzix if you buy the convertor for the Sizzix to enable it to cut the Sizzlits dies. However, a Sidekick is more portable than a Sizzix if you want to take it to crops and the like, but it won't cut your Sizzix dies.
What to look for in a die? Look for what you like, then think about how often you will use that die. If you think it might only be a "one off" use then its not worth the expense. Alphabets and tags usually get a lot of use so will be a great buy. The pidgeon toed alphabars are a great alphabet as you have the option of attaching them with brads or eyelets or fibre through the ring at the top or cutting that ring off and just using adhesive. Look to see if you might be able to alter the die-cut somehow to make it more versatile. I have turned the picket fence die-cut into a cot with a little bit of trimming, and I love cutting the rose from green c/s, then just the rose bud from another colour and placing that over the green rose bud to give me the colour of roses that I require. There are some Sizzix Idea books that can help also.
Hope this helps,
Alison
in New Zealand

[soojay]

I have a sizzix but no side kick..use a converter for the thin dies..LOVE it theres lots of new dies out at the moment..just look and see what you fancy. I do use my tag dies a lot and alphabets.

[tinasue]

I was about to ask for one for Christmas when I saw their new Big Shot, now I'm going to wait for that to be available it looks even better than the original Sizzix and will take the sixxix dies.

http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/boards/...ad.php?t=81657

[~*~sparkle~*~]

the only downside to a sizzix is that the sizzlits are a tad tougher to cut 1st time compared to the sidekick...100% cut 100% of the time.
plus ellison inform me, as a retailer who had to send two machines back, that occasionally the machines spring loosens which makes it tougher for the sizzlits. even with the black adapter it can be known to stretch it a little too much so it becomes problematic with the dies then....thats one of the reasons behind the sidekick.
just passing on info!

[Kat the Cobbler]

I'm still undecided. I may just get the sizzix and a few dies to see how I get on and then buy the sidekick or converter in the future. I did notice on ebay that people sell their die cuts and wondered if anyone had done this and if people actually buy them. If you can sell them I suppose it's a good way of funding the cost for new dies.

[missbounce]

I must admit, I have a Sizzix and a Sidekick. The sizzix I keep at home and use that for pretty much all my die-cutting stuff cos it's so heavy-duty. The sidekick is great for crops as it's only wee, but doesn't cope with anything over paper/lightweight card very well. One advantage it does have over the normal Sizzix machine is that you can buy the long 12" border dies which come in a few cool designs (I have the swirls and movie reel dies at the moment, although there are more on the market).

[__TJ__]

check out the marketplace ( not shamelessly advertising my sizzix die sale, most of mine have gone) and ebay. you can get a real bargain. i have seen the machine for £30 here.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SIZZIX-MACHINE...QQcmdZViewItem