Spellbinders Sapphire Review

Welcome, Scrappers! I'm exited for the post I am sharing with you all today. I've been wanting to get my hands on a mini die cutting machine for a while. Now that I have, I can share it with you! I ordered mine from Create and Craft. The machine I bought was part of a little bundle type of a deal exclusively for Create and Craft. The total cost of the machine itself was $35.00. It came out to about $45.00 with shipping. They also give you the option to use flex pay which divides the purchase into two separate small payments. There is no credit check required. You can also use a debit card instead of having to use a credit card. I love that they make it easy and affordable for people on a budge to get their hands on some of these great crafting items without breaking the bank or going through hoops to be approved for credit. Now onto the good stuff!

Isn't it adorable?

This specific bundle contains the cutting and embossing plates and mat as well as 14 introductory dies. It gives you everything you need to start making beautiful die cuts.

  

 To make a die cut you will need to make a sandwich. First, on the bottom you will need Base plate A, the selected cutting die (cutting edge facing up), your choice of paper, and lastly, cutting plate C. All you need to do then is run it through the machine by turning the handle several times. It's very simple and fun to use. 

Next, to emboss you follow similar steps. Start off with base plate A, then the die with the cut piece inside, cutting edge facing up. Place the tan embossing mat on top and the blue embossing plate B. Run it through the machine one more time. Now you will have a beautifully cut and embossed piece to use on you projects. 

A few pieces made from the dies included in the bundle.

The Verdict: Do I think this machine is worth it? Absolutely! I love how small and compact it is, making it great for taking to crops. It takes up little to no space and works just as well as larger machines. The Sapphire machine is so easy to use it makes a great investment for beginners. The good thing about the size of this machine is if you decide to move onto a larger machine you can still get use out of this one since it was designed to be much more portable to bring to crops and expos. This machine is by no means heavy but, it does have a nice weight to it. You can tell it was made well. It is a solid little tool. The cons? I have two little cons, well, preferences really. I wish you were able to use embossing folders in this machine. I've done some research and turned up empty on whether or not it is possible. The machine is too small for something like that, really. Secondly, it can be a pain when purchasing dies. You have to check the dimensions because, anything bigger than 2 1/4 in. will be too large for the machine. So, you just have to make sure you check the dimensions when purchasing dies. Other than that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the design or operation of this machine. The handle is easy to turn. You don't need much pressure while running your dies through. I almost forgot to mention it has a lever on the front of the machine to suction it down to your work surface. You don't have to worry about it budging or holding onto it while running your dies through. You do have to make sure your surface is clean otherwise the suction will release. That pretty much sums everything up. If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions! Until my next post happy scrapping!