Sizzix Question

[TinkerKat]

Hi all! I'm sure this subject has been covered in other threads, but being fairly new to scrapping I needed to ask.

1. Is it worth the investment? Is the Side kick the practical way to go? Do the die cuts fit into both systems?

2. What is the cheapest you've ever paid for the entire 26 Alpha box?

3. How often do you have to change the cutting mat thingy?

Thanks for all the help!
Kat

 

[piratesmate]

I'm not really the person to asnwer this, but I'll tell you what I've been told. (I just bought one of these for DDIL at Thanksgiving with the sale & 25% coupon....I ended up paying $37.50 for it)

Some people have told me that they didn't think it was worth the investment. Several people, including 2 ladies in the store, told me that they've saved on alpha stickers what they originally spent. I think that would have to be a LOT of stickers, but... Anyway, I was also told that the alpha sets "are often on sale for half price". I think just last week they were $88, which isn't quite half but close.

I also bought the converter for the big Sizzix so DDIL can use it for embossing, as well as use the Sizzlets.

I don't know if this is right, but a lady at the store told me not to buy an extra cutting mat as I wouldn't need it for a while...whatever that means.

So far, DDIL has only purchased CM p roducts so this was kind of going out on a limb for me. She doesn't have any of the shape cutters, though - just the tools for cropping pix. Using the 40% off coupons, I've gotten her the 3 stars, small stylized open heart, the 3 tag shapes, the star border, and the spirals for embossing.

 

[TinkerKat]

Hey Deb! I wish I was on your xmas list! What a thoughtful MIL you are!
I bought the sidekick on sale, but not opening it til I hear some more feedback here.
I got a decent sale price at A.C. Moore. I do have some coupons as well... I'll have to keep my eye on the sales!
Thanks for info.
Kat

 

[Tiger Fan]

I love my sizzix and my DD and I use almost every day for scrapping or school/church projects. I have over 100 dies and 3 alphabets. I don't know when I will ever actually "get my money out of it", but consider that golfers buy clubs they really like, hunters have a gun they love, etc. so this is just a tool of my hobby. I take mine to all my crops at my church and everyone loves it. Several people have bought me dies as a thank you for letting them borrow my machine for a weekend or something. I don't have the sidekick yet, but would love to get it. Have fun.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[WDWMom]

I love my Sizzix and my DD uses it for lots of stuff for school. For Christmas we bought her the sidekick and my mom got her one of the ABC's. Since we both scrap (she's 13) I know it will get used a lot. For the Sizzix I have the shadow ABC's, tags, stars and hearts. I have had it for about 1 1/2 years and still on my first mat.