Can you tell me what other companies dies can be used in the cuttlebug and if I need other plates or what ever to get them to work?
To be totally honest - I am NOT the person to be asking this question LOL!! All I have (and have ever tried) is the CuttleBug and the only dies I have are the CB ones. I have heard that Ellison/Big Shot dies, as well as Sizzix dies in the CuttleBug - there are prolly more but I don't know about them.....
There is a thread on Splitcoast that has a TON (and I do mean a TON) of useful info pertaining to the CuttleBug - y'all can check it out here:
I'm pretty sure it has all the info (and more!) that you need to know!
Have you run across any stamps or stamp companies that you DON'T like (meaning, they're not your taste)?
Yup most definitely. I DO have pretty eclectic tastes and there is a WIDE variety of stamps/stamp companies that I like/love - but then there's a LOT I don't like either. I can't really pinpoint or describe on here what it is I DON'T like in stamps - I just know when I see them - certain styles of drawing (like say tribal image type ones - those aren't my style!), collagey styles, realistic people images (as in ones that look REAL - almost like a picture made into a stamp! I don't care for those)........that's the beauty of the stamp industry tho - there's a huge variety of images out there to appeal to everyone's tastes. :o)
What SU color do you use the least?
Hmmmm honestly I've never really thought about it too much. I rarely use Blush Blossom card stock, but I use the ink all the time for flesh tones. I guess Glorious Green is one I RARELY use - I bought a pack of it not long after I started stamping (so over 3 years ago) and it's still at least half full!!
What is the hardest card or technique that you've ever tried? or which thing was the hardest to master?
Personally I don't consider any technique "hard" - time consuming yes, and even finicky ('specially if it has a lot of steps!!) but not necessarily hard. I find myself not doing too many new techniques b/c I'm usually too lazy to read and follow the directions LOL!! However when I actually DO pay attention and try something that I have never done before - more often than not I am pleasantly surprised at how EASY it is!
As for "mastering" techniques etc etc - I don't feel like I have mastered anything!! I think I always have room for improvement and more to learn.
Any suggestions for crafters who started out as card makers and are trying to transition to scrapbooking? I am having a hard time with a.) the larger size b.)incorporating photos and journaling into my layouts well enough...
Actually this is something I myself am trying to do!! I have done about 40 12x12 pages so far for my oldest daughters scrapbook - and you can really tell as you flip the pages how I have SLOWLY started to improve and how my layouts and whatnot are starting to look much better!
I recently "invested" (they were 40% off at Michaels so I got them for cheap!) in 2 8x8 scrapbooks and I plan on doing pages in this size for the next little while (I haven't actually started yet but I will.....eventually!!) - I personally don't care for 6x6 - they're too small. And 12x12 while nice is still rather daunting to me as I find them a lot of work (I love the results but just don't have the time or the space right now!!). So I am going with 8x8. I plan on having them set out in my living room for friends and family too look through. It will be less stressful for me to complete and less stressful to haul out and not have to deal with the look I see in peoples eyes when I haul out my 20 pound 12x12 scrapbook ROFL!!!
As for journaling - I have struggled so much with that. I really have never cared for my handwriting so when I started scrapbook all my journaling is hidden or typed out. As time went on tho I started telling myself to suck it up (LOL!) and just do it b/c when I am dead and gone my kids/grandkids are going to appreciate the pages done in MY handwriting (and if they don't I won't be around to hear about it anyway!).
Check out this video from Nth Degree about journaling: Journaling Video from Nth Degree. I really liked what they had to say!!
What's your favorite Canadian OnLine Store???
The only Canadian online store I get things from is Stamping Bella. All the other one's I've ordered from are in the States (you can see links to all my favorites over on the right). That's not to say there aren't any good Canadian online stores, I just have been ordering from all my faves for a while now and they give me fabulous service and I don't plan on ever quitting getting my goodies from them!!
Which cardmaking/scrapbooking magazine do you read for inspiration???
Being in a really small town there aren't too many mags available here (and I don't subscribe to any - I don't really have a reason why - I just don't!). Our local grocery store stocks PaperCrats - I get that one a lot and love it. I also enjoy Simple Scrapbooks too. I have ONE issue of The Rubber Stamper and I *just* saw it in the grocery store yesterday for the first time (and it was the same issue - go figure!!) so I will be checking back to see if they ever get more of them!
