Best Dies (and cheapest!) for Cuttlebug

[africalass]

Hi everyone!

This is a great site and I've enjoyed looking at your cards.

I've just been told a cuttlebug is coming my way for my birthday as I'm just starting up with cardmaking and have been yabbering on about it at home. I'm so pleased, but I don't think my OH realises that it will need dies to be useful - and cash flow is a little slow right now.

I've been reading through a number of old threads on here about cuttlebugs/sizzix etc. (which has been helpful) but would really appreciate it if some fellow credit crunch victim could advise me which brand of dies are normally cheapest (in stores/online) or which ones to look out for on ebay etc.. Is there a list of compatible brands? Are any brands that are listed as compatible ones that don't really work?? What are brass stencils that someone mentioned? Can I make my own?

I would particularly like a full alphabet/numbers and some basic shapes like circles.

Sorry to ask so many questions - this just really seemed the best place to do it!

Thanks for any thoughts.

[mcvictorial]

hi
I managed to get a fantastic deal on alphabets from oh my crafts website - although american, they did a deal on free postage (sign up to newsletter - they hae a different offer each day!) and with the exchange rate being so good it worked out cheaper than anywhere else I could find. I also bought a sizzix alphabet for about seven pounds - it is one long strip and not very large letters and you have to be a little creative to get the letter you want cut out but very credit crunch worthy!
I also try to buy things out of season in the sale (e.g. christmas stuff now!).
I like Hippy chick as an alphabet (although girly only) as it has hearts and flowers included which are useful.
HTH!
Victoria

[mcvictorial]

Just looked on oh my crafts for you.... they had sale finished today for free shipping but typewriter alphabet (not most glam but good place to start?) for 12 dollars!!!
Victoria

[silverst170]

Go to Ellisondesign.co.uk all their dies are up to 75% off

[catsnratties]

Ellisons sale is now 90% off and they have a couple of alphas (RRP £90) for £10!!!

[krafty1]

hi
I managed to get a fantastic deal on alphabets from oh my crafts website - although american, they did a deal on free postage (sign up to newsletter - they hae a different offer each day!) and with the exchange rate being so good it worked out cheaper than anywhere else I could find.

I'm a bit confused, can someone please explain this to me, I thought the rate of exchange was terriblefor the £ against all currencies right now?

[Fluffy Squirrel]

I'm a bit confused, can someone please explain this to me, I thought the rate of exchange was terriblefor the £ against all currencies right now?

Hmm... I thought that too... just been on the Reuters currency converter and £1 gbp is equivalent to $1.45 which from what I've seen before now is a pretty appalling rate unless I'm mistaken

[mizgeorge]

And the reality of that is about $1.35 at paypal rates.

The ellison sale is pretty spectacular though - full alphas reduced to a tenner or less and loads of other dies at between 75p and £1.50. If I could be bothered to plough through all of them I'd probably buy some!

[Fluffy Squirrel]

I've just been shopping on the Ellison Design website... can't wait for my order to arrive

[krafty1]

I've just been shopping on the Ellison Design website... can't wait for my order to arrive

I did another order at the weekend too, this has to STOP!

[Fluffy Squirrel]

I did another order at the weekend too, this has to STOP!

Why??? The prices are just too good to pass up though!!!

But... I have a confession to make... I was on the phone to my dad last night and mentioned the 90% off sale and he said "oh is that the expensive bits you look at in Hobbycraft" so when I explained yeah it was and everything was sooooo much cheaper in this sale, he told me he would order it for me - up to £50!!! I was good though and only spent £30 including P&P but it did take forever with him on the phone going through the website so he could order it for me... he's a little gem

[craftyjan]

i ordered a set of alphas on thursday, and another die. waiting for the postie, £10 is so cheap i couldnt believe it. was very tempted to order more but restrained myself

[Vickyt]

Alphabet help!!

Help needed!!! Just registered here as recenlty purchased a HIppie Chick alphabet for my Cuttlebug and was happily cutting away till my boyfriend decided to try to make me a card as a surpise (good intentions) but did not put the cutting mat on top of the die cutter and put it through the machine and one strip of my lovely alphabet has now been all buckled and it is the one with upper and lower case letters so now the whole alphabet is kind of useless - does anyone know if I can replace just the one strip anywhere rather than have to buy a whole new alphabet? Any adivce much appreciated or even to know if other stupid boyfriends out there!!!

[SaraStamper]

Ah Vicky, I can't help I'm afraid but just wanted to commiserate with you. I'm quite sure that there will be boyfriend's out there just as stupid. My DH knows better than to use my craft tools without checking with me first (not very likely anyway ) because he knows just how expensive it would be to set right. Might be worth telling him he has to replace the set and buy a little extra as a sweetener. Only problem is he probably won't try to surprise you again.

Good luck.

Sara

[Vickyt]

Thanks Sara - very kind thoughts - so upset at thought of wasted alphabet - think I need a safe to keep my things!!!