Up All Night

 Mini or Mighty?

Just about eight years ago I hosted a Stampin' Up! party in my home. We were probably six gals gathered around the dining room table experimenting with stamps and ink , making cards. 

AND THEN...

the Demonstrator brought out her Big Shot. I don't really remember whether it was the magic of the Big Shot or the framelits that cut out miniature paper dresses, but I was SOLD! I had to have that machine; I was going to have that machine.  

I joined Stampin' Up! and purchased the Big Shot and the All Dressed Up Framelit Dies.

Well, one dress, one card was not nearly enough for me. I was back in my childhood of the '60s playing paper dolls. Every month McCall's magazine published a Betsy McCall paper doll with an ensemble or two for the season or the holiday: Betsy McCall has a Merry Christmas, Betsy McCall goes to the ballet, Betsy McCall visits the White House ...

 

Although I was pretty adept with craft supplies, Mama would help me; she did have an excellent idea for cutting around the dresses, mounting them onto index cards or old file folders, and then trimming them out. They were much sturdier that way and the tabs would would not tear. (Mama used rubber cement as her glue of choice ~ ahhh, I can still smell it, can you? )

So, although 50 some years have ensued, it just was not a far leap from Betsy McCall to this:

Designer Series Paper, ribbon, pearls, buttons, washi tape, all after die cutting those dresses. 

I have seriously told my stampin' friends that the best value in the catalog is the Big Shot, hands down. I kept and used my first machine until Stampin' Up! released their new Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine last year (that first Big Shot still lives on in the craft room of one of those friends).

AND THEN ...

the Mini was born, just a few months ago.  

Do I have both? Yes.

Why? I have a lot of Stampin' Up! tools and supplies, so much that I need a little more room than I currently have in my craft space. I have wonderful storage in my kitchen craft space but I still need to spread out sometimes - out to that dining room table. The Mini is the perfect fit to sit on the table at my right hand - I can reach over and die cut smaller dies rather than getting up from the table, going back into the kitchen crafty space and cranking the Mighty Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine. 

Lazy? I refuse to answer that question. I prefer to think of it in terms of convenience and efficiency.  Sometimes it is easier to cut out a few small dies on a smaller plate. This is all personal preference, but I will say that I am not the only Demonstrator finding it easy to use right on the craft table or dining room table or ... 

I die cut these detailed butterflies from a 3 x 6 inch strip of Designer Series Paper; I was able cut two and three detailed dies at once with the Mini and they cut perfectly (I did not get up from my chair at the table). It is a dream! 

However,  

this picture from Stampin' Up! shows the standard sized Stampin' Cut and Emboss Machine poised to die cut six butterflies from the Butterfly Bijou Designer Series Paper using the one large outline die from the Brilliant Wings die set. The Mini cannot take that size of a die as a whole. IF you snip the large die into six individual dies, one for each butterfly, then you can die cut the butterflies one at a time, BUT you will likely lose some important real estate on that paper. 

With that being said, the Butterfly Bijou Designer Series Paper will not be around for ever, but you can continue to cut from other papers and from the stamped images using the Mini.

If you notice in the catalogs, die sets that can be accommodated by the Mini are so indicated; as are embossing folders designed for use with the Mini. 

So, what'll it be? Mini, Mighty, or both?

Whenver you are ready to make a purchase, you can do so from right here - hit Shop Now and look around. I am happy to order for you and to offer any suggestions, answer any questions. 

Since I have named my machines Mini and Mighty, I can frequently be heard singing  "Mighty Mouse to save the day!" 

Let's stamp!