Scrapbookers: would you recommend a cricut, silhouette, or something else?

[plummer925]

I have a cricut and it's gathering dust on my shelf. I am actually going to be giving it to a friend.

 

[BCV2003]

I have two Cricuts. One Expression and one Cricut Mini. I really prefer the Cricut Mini and using Cricut Craft Room because I don't have to keep getting up to get the cartridges that I need because they are loaded into my account and I cane design exactly what I want on my computer screen. My SIL just got the new Cricut Explore Air and it is really nice too. That will probably be my next purchase once one of these two dies. As someone said, you can either pay to have access to the library of images, you can pay per image or you can still buy cartridges to use with your machine.

 

[rnorwo1]

I have a cricut and it's gathering dust on my shelf. I am actually going to be giving it to a friend.

This is my fear. I don't scrap much by myself, but a few friends and I will do it together occasionally and I get a lot done. But, I also have half-finished pages that were too big of a pain to finish titles and such, so I am hoping that having a cutter readily available will cut out that. I do know, however, that more gadgets won't fix motivational problems, so I'm still considering it!

I did find a $200 laptop that got really good reviews on Amazon, and I have a lot of Amazon reward points, so that makes it more feasible to get.

Thanks again for all of the replies!

 

[rnorwo1]

I have a question about the images that the cricut uses. With the subscription, you can use any image in their gallery as long as you have the subscription, right? I see that you can also buy a digital cartridge... Do you get to keep these forever? Is there a way to search for a single image? I put a search term in on their site just to see, and it only came up with a cartridge. You can also use other fonts and images that you have downloaded from other sites, right?

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

I have both the Silhouette Cameo and the Cricut Explore. I started with the Silhouette and I loved it (and I still do) but I bought the Cricut because they have the Disney licensing. I use them both equally, it just depends which has the diecut/shape I want.

 

[CruzTerri]

Hello all, Traditional and Digital Scrapbooker here. I use a stand alone digital scrapbook program called Artisan by Panstoria. Panstoria created the Storybook software for Creative Memories (CM). When CM closed a few years back (they are now reemerging), the maker, Panstoria began to sell the software, under the name Artisan. Anyone who purchased storybook content can still use those CM content files with the Artisan software (which is just the re-badged Storybook). What is nice is that I can use this even when not connected to the internet.

Now then, you can digitally scrapbook with two other programs that can be used for other things, they are PhotoShop Elements and PhotoShop. I subscribe to a site that provides digi-scrap kits and tutorials on how to do scrapbooking with these programs. There is an annual fee, however. The fee gets you a monthly digi-scrap kit and weekly how-to tutorials. The kits are for personal use. The site is digitalscrapper.com. There are other sites out there that provide this type of product as well. However, I have been a "member" for over 5 years. They keep up on the new versions of the program and they have video tutorials that you can play or access anytime, and weekly newsletters with quick tutorials. FYI - PhotoShop Elements is less expensive than PhotoShop, and you don't have to pay a subscription to use it.

I also have a Cricut personal cutter and an expression. In addition, I also have a Silhouette Cameo. With the Cricuit machines that I own, I don't have to be connected to a computer to use them, but you have to make what could be a substantial investment in cartridges, and, while, I think I have quite a few, I have friends who have WAY more than I. I have not used either in a couple of years since purchasing my Silhouette. I have seen and researched the Cricut explore but I would not buy it, for the same reason I got rid of the Cricut Mini I had. In order to use the images on the cartridges I own, I have to "sync" the cartridges with Cricut's software. The company provides no ability to "un-sync" them if you no longer use them or perhaps give the cartridge away, or even sell it. So a "sync'd" cartridge would have less value than one that is not. At least, the last time I looked this was the case.

I love my Silhouette and it's Designer Edition Software as I can create or purchase any cut file, and it becomes mine to keep. Files I create belong to me, not to the company that made the software (i.e, Cricut). However, I do have to be connected to a computer to use it.

So that's my two cents

 

[Quicklabs]

I have both the Silhouette Cameo and a Cricut Expression. Hands down, the Cameo is absolutely the best. Cuts tiny pieces that are just shredded by the Cricut. If I didn't have so much money invested in Cricut cartridges, I'd dump my Expression in a minute. I use Make the Cut as my cutting program. There's nothing else like it!

 

[1Venus]

I am a papercrafter and do both card making and scrapbooking. I use lots of rubber stamps. I bought the Brother Scan'n'Cut a year ago and I love it. I no longer need to buy matching dies for my stamps. I just stamp the image on my paper, run it thru the machine and it cuts it out for me. I didn't want to have to buy cartridges and I don't have a computer in my craft room, so the Brother was the best option for me. I have downloaded files online and used Brother's free online software (Canvas) to convert .svg to a file the machine will read. I save those files on a thumb drive and then insert that into the machine to access the files. Again, it works well for my needs and I think it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.