I just got the Grand Calibur this week with my birthday money!

I'm JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

Oh, and HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Thank you!

love my bug.... does anyone know of a way to make homemade embossing???

I made handmade embossing plates,,,,

I took white board or chipboard the proper size to fit through my BS and cut several thicknesses of cs for the image I wanted,,,,,

then glued them one on top of the other onto the chipboard,,,,,

you use the a bit differently than folders,,,,

I take a piece of cs that I want to emboss and spray it lightly with water (I use a mini mister, but you could use anything that sprays a fine mist of water),,,

then I lay it over top of the embossing plate,,,,,

then place a rubber embossing mat over top of the paper,,,,,,,,

another cutting plate,,,,,,and send it through.,

it works quite well! I got nicely embossed paper.

thanks i will give it a shot

Doesn't the big shot pro take everything?

Congrats on you Grand! Sometimes I get so caught up in what the newest and greatest products do, that I forget about everything the machine(s) I already own can do. It is so tempting to upgrade when you go to an event or demonstration that has the very latest contraption. Remember how thrilled you were when you got that first cutter, trimmer, etc? Try to go back in time and recall all that excitement. It certainly saves you a lot of money.

the big shot pro does take everything,,,,for now until someone comes out with something BIGGER AND BETTER,,,,,,,,which is always happening,,,

but it's like 300 bucks,,,,,,might as well buy a cricut and a bunch of carts for that!

I have the big shot regular the grand and the expression and use them all! they are all good for separate things if I hadn't already had my big shot I would have went for the pro and not got the calibur.

I don't really like the Calibur dies. I had a bad experience with one set that had matching stamps, but what I hate most is that everyones cards are starting to look the same. Really sad...

I just bought the sizzix texture boutique and I LOVE it! I have a cricut already so I don't need to die cut anything. Also, it's a lot ceaper than the other machines. It uses cuttlebug folders, sizzix folders, and paper studio folders so far. I haven't tried anything else. My one complaint is that it only does A2 size folders so the bigger cuttle bug folders won't fit in the slot. Also, I have some fiskars texure plates that I used to use with hand embossing (which sucked!) and I had hoped to use them in the machine but they are too wide. So that's a bummer, but I'm still happy with my purchase. I bought mine at hobby lobby with a 40% off coupon and it came out to be about 17.50! You can't beat that! Also, I get all of my embossing folders at joanns or hobby lobby with a 40% off coupon.

Try your large folders on the kitchen table. Just put the embossing mat on top of the folder and go over it a few times with the rolling pin.

I like the rolling pin idea... aren't we clever... figuring out new ways to use tools, appliances, etc.

• Sharon64 Said:

I disagree.

And I'm wondering why almost every comment you make (even in the gallery) is so negative toward Spellbinders? You don't like them, we get it.

Everyone's cards looking the same? Whaaaaaaaa?

I totally respect everyone's opinion, but I've spent hours looking through the gallery here this week (gotta keep looking busy at work, ya know!) and I just kept seeing one great and cooler thing after the next! I don't agree. There's too manh different and exciting things going on to say everyone's cards are looking the same.

K

Looking the same as in perfectly perforated and doily in style. If I want to state I don't like Spellbinders, I will. We have free speech where I live.

Not sure why you couldn't get the Spellbinders dies to work with the coordinating stamps...my 10 year old does it all the time with ease.

If you don't like the style of cards that are popular, Sharon, then don't look at them. Obviously most people DO like the style or they wouldn't make them. It's not like they're making these cards because the Spellbinders overlords are controlling their minds and zapping their creativity.

Honestly it just sounds to me from your numerous posts about how you can't figure out how to use Spellbinders correctly that you have sour grapes. You can't do it, so you berate those who can. And that, IMO is what is sad.
Just puttin' that "free speech" to work.

Thanks for the sarcasm. Do you go with the forum bully?

I've been crafting and using die-cut machines for years, I know how to use them very well thank you.

The only place on this site I've complained about spellbinders is on this actual thread THREE TIMES and ONCE on a Sizzix posting of their new range where I wrote "If I see another spellbinder card I'll scream". Now, if you don't mind, I am entitled to my opinion, I like Tim Holtz, Sizzix, Claudia Helmuth, Graphic 45, Bo Bunny etc. If you don't like those things feel free to say so. I promise I won't attack you for it.

BTW...I'm not so easy to bully.