- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
Bumping this because I want to hear from users of these products (know the diy letterpress at home isn't out yet) and how they work, would you recommend them and can any work in conjunction together (like cuttlebug and the new diy letterpress)?
I just bought a Gocco on ebay and I'm totally hooked. We'll be doing STD Postcards / invites (pocketfolds w/3 inserts) and prob favor cards, etc, etc. I have a few friends who have the cuttlebug and love it. Sorry that's all I can offer! :) Happy crafting.
Dang, I hate my computer. It ate my post.
I'm going to give a big thumbs up to the Cricut. It's not cheap, but my friend and I mocked up some thank you notes with it. We used a Thank You template with one cartridge using the thick marker option, a crest from another cartridge using the regular cutting paper option, a rose from another cartridge, and an envelope from another cartridge. I know that the Wild Card cartridge is $84 if that gives you any idea about pricing.
We plan on using it for cake toppers and were originally considering making favor boxes with it. She uses it for scrapbooking, so if you want to make your own album, it's a great option there too.
We also used the Cuttlebug to press patterns on some of the Thank You cards. It looked great with the thank yous printed in marker. When you use a cut out thank you, not so much.
Hope this helps!
Thanks Querida and Blightlygirl!
Querida: How do you exactly use a Gocco? Can you still buy ink and supplies for it? About how much does it run?
Blightlygirl: How are you doing your invites? Are you using the cuttlebug? Have you heard about the DIY letterpress machine? Supposedly it can be used in conjunction w/the cuttlebug..know about it?
The gocco (I bought a PG-10) is a screen printer. This video demonstrates it (though cheesy as all get out) the best:
I've spent 180 (Gocco machine and several inks) and about 200 (screens and bulbs) These are more supplies than I can prob use. I bet I end up selling a bunch with the Gocco when I'm done. Supplies seem to be easy enough to get on ebay and etsy.
I am printing my invitation cards (to be mounted to the pocket fold) and all 3 inserts, the front and back of our STD Postcards. I love that I can print lt ink on dark paper. I am truly happy with the versatility of this little machine.
Aside from paying to have my paper cut (personal choice), I'll only be buying paper and postage.
Let me know if you want more specifics. :)
I used a cricut for my table numbers. After some innitial malfunctions and cursing, it worked splendidly! If you are using textured paper, make sure to put the less-textured side on the sticky mat!! Other wise it won't stick and the cut gets all kinds of messed up!
The cricut was fairly simple to use, made very easy work of cutting out 15 table numbers, and the mats that you have to buy aren't too expensive. I kept putting the protective plastic wrap back on it after each use, and one mat lasted me for all my table numbers.
I luckily have a friend who had it, so I only had to buy the mats ($10 for two) and the paper (about $8 for 15 table numbers and backing). But I think you can get the small machine on amazon for a little over $100 and the cartridges for like $45. I would recommend it, especially if you like to scrapbook, makes great titles!
What exactly were you looking to do with your wedding stationary?
I think the Silhouette and the Cricut are very pricey items that you may not find full use of. It's a pretty neat machine/program but you can find alternatives that are cheaper. The silhouette is pretty neat because it can replicate anything you have on your computer (fonts, images, etc.) The cricut is neat because it's so easy to use but like I said - pricey.
I have the cuttlebug (got it on sale) and I found it pretty useful for die-cuts. Yeah - it's not as techy as the Cricut but it does the job well in my opinion. For bigger shapes and cuts - go for the Big Shot which is a larger version of the cuttlebug. You can use Sizzix cuts on them too. I love it you can emboss paper on it and it's so easy that kids can use it.
If you don't think you are likely to want to use the machines again and are just wanting to cut out shapes for invitations and table numbers etc. A lot of scrapbooking stores (usually the ones that just sell scrapbooking supplies & do classes) have a workshop area you can use and they usually have cutting tools you can use. Maybe not as high tech as some of the options here but you can get some equally nice results.
You may have to pay but its usually only a few dollars an hour. That way too you would get to use some different systems before forking out the money for them.
I heard about the DIY letterpress machine, but since my invitations are going out double-sided booklet style; I'm using a good old printer, paper cutter, and corner rounder. I did use the Cricut for the invitation envelopes though. Use one-sided scrapbook paper, and it's like a lined envelope!
I do agree with the other posters that if you know you're not going to use the Cricut long-term, then it's not a wise investment. My friend is a hard-core scrapbooker, so she uses it all the time. I'm like Mskalinin: I use my friend's Cricut and buy the extra stuff for it. And we use and abuse the Michael's 50% off coupons for supplies and wait for teacher discounts to pick up Cricut stuff.
I'm very interested in this thread. Even though my invites are done, I love to make cards. I'm very interested in the DIY letterpress machine and a Cricut. I'm trying to decide which one to ask Santa for. ;)
I LOVE my Cricut! And I got a pretty good deal on mine from Michael's on the night before Black Friday. Everytime I do a project with it, I get TONS of compliments! It's relatively user friendly too!
I'd really love to get the Yudu but I'd feel like I'd be cheating on my Gocco and that's like $500 into just screen printers!
The DIY letterpress looks pretty 'meh' from what I've seen.
This is the most interesting to me...
Building the letterpress:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Letterpress-&-Use-It-to-Print-Things/
And having a plate made via boxcar press:
I'm really interested in the DIY Semi-Letterpress...I guess it will be awhile though before I can see if it's really what I'm looking for. They said, that they won't come out with customized templates right away, which is what you would need to do invites. I'm curious to see how intricate you can get. It also seems like it would be VERY time consuming...moreso than the gocco since it looks like you have to reapply ink more often (at least that's what I gathered from the video I watched).
@fiftyfootbride What an amazing link! I was looking for some "non Gocco" options :) Thank you!!
fiftyfootbride: thanks for the links!! i'm going to see if FI's step-dad could make that for me. he's retired, good with his hands and is ALWAYS looking for something to build...lol. he would be excited about the project because it involves wood and moving parts!
i really want the diy letterpress, but i'm hooked to calligraphying lately lol!! so i'll let you tell me which you get :P
@miss poodle & ladybuglove- Thanks!
Another thing I'm considering doing an intaglio print for our invitations and making the plate by hand. Helloooo waiting 100 years for the plate to bite in the acid. :) That would be pretty impossible though I didn't have access to a big ol' printmaking studio. (Though sadly, without a letterpress...)
I am a cricut fanatic! I worked in a scrapbook store for about a year and this is all we used to make pages, kits, cards, titles, you name it! It takes a little patience to learn how to use it, but once you get the basic functions down you will learn the rest in a flash. If you aren't sure, don't be afraid to take it into your local Michaels or scrapbook store to ask how to work it. Some places offer classes to learn. A good website where I got my cricut is www.ohmycrafts.com They offer some really good package deals, like a cricut plus 2 cartridges, and they often have sales (every sunday usually) on more cartridges. They don't carry ALL the cartridges, but many good ones.
I do not enjoy the cuttlebug. If you are cutting out items for 100 invites... it's too much work. Lots of rolling back and forth, and the little suction cups on the bottom do not work so well.
Hope that helps! PM me if you have any other questions about cricut!
i asked for the yudu for christmas. my favorite class in college was screen printing, but i don't have access or the room to have a printmaking studio. i watched a video on how to use the yudu and i think that if you get the technique down, it looks pretty easy. i'm so excited to get it!
i own a cricut, the smaller machine, and it's great. i've made a whole bunch of cards and hang tags with it so far. i just bought the wedding cartridge and i'm so excited to use it for some little projects.
I got a yudu for christmas! Yes it's early, came in yesterday and I'm going to use it asap! haha
I'll update anyone on it if you're interested :)
I bought a Cricut for my invites! (and probably tons of other wedding related projects)! The small model was on sale at Joanns on Black Friday for $75, a price I couldn't pass up! Instead of spending my money on expensive cartridges I bought the Sure Cuts a Lot program online, which virtually eliminates your need to buy cartridges ever again. I'm using it to make my accordian style ceremony programs (a la Mrs. Cupcake) and my rsvp cards so far!
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| MissBoPeep | 94 |
| ndreighton | 56 |
| beargoose | 55 |
| hisgoosiegirl | 53 |
| Mrs.KMM | 46 |
| BetterSherm | 42 |
| akp0702 | 41 |
| Beckster329 | 37 |
| stardustintheeyes | 36 |
| MrsPom | 36 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| jhebert | 5 |
| aussiebee | 4 |
| Crigger5 | 4 |
| Mrs. Chai | 2 |
 Leonard2B |
2 |
| lovebugfouts | 2 |
| lionskitty | 2 |
| KCKnd2 | 2 |
| amberolar | 2 |
| julies1949 | 1 |
Beekeeper
I am going to embark soon on a DIy binge when i get my 3rd paycheck in a month in October.
What is needed for invite/std/table number stuff and what can you do without?