I like the bigz dies. Nashvilles creative reuse you just take whatever and give a donation of your choice when done. Obviously people need to be reasonable or it won’t last!
@@KWCardDesignyou would ink your wood backed stamp, put it on your paper, put the stamp press over the stamp and push down on the middle. It worked pretty well.
@@KWCardDesign SO glad for you that you don't NEED to know where the thing went!! When I first started crafting I made my own "Foggy" (you GET my point, right?!?) out of a flat-faced, $🌳 picture frame, plus a piece of acrylic, a couple layers of craft foam, and the frame backer, held together with duct tape. It's a bit over-sized (10" x 14", maybe?) but it's light weight, thin, and goes with me on the road. "Necessity", as they say ...
I started scrapping in the 80s with a ruler, scissors, Elmers glue, and a pen. Then they came out with those fun scissors with different decorative edges. Wow, thought I hit the jackpot! I remember my first thin steel die used with a Sizzix die cutting machine. Woo wee! This was life changing and I never looked back. This was such a stroll down nostalgia lane and so fun. Thanks Ralph for the reminder on how far we have come.
Faithful--I still have a passel of the decorative scissors. Never did perfect how to make even cuts around an edge. Straight ones? Sorta. A lot of those scissors were just not good cutters. I still have them, but seldom try to use them.
Hi, I used to have a Bow Master and it looks like you are missing the long pegs that fit into each of those holes. The pegs are probably 4 or 5" long and allow you to make bows with much wider ribbons that you might use on wreaths and larger gifts. It's too bad that the instructions didn't come with it. You are right about weaving your ribbon around and around the pegs to get some really full and beautiful bows. You can tie them in the middle with wire or ribbon and pull the ribbon loops off the pegs and you have a really nice bow. This video has really been fun. Thank you.
The bow master is definitely vintage. It actually came with a VHS instruction tape. It also gave you a sheet with the exact measurements of ribbon you need for your bows depending on the size you were making and the size ribbon you use. I think it you find this chart you will be much happier with your bows. The problem with your stamping press is that you think it is a stamping platform. It is not. It is a large stamping block. Fiskars has a whole line of stamping blocks. You did get a decent deal because they cost between $20 to $25 dollars new. Like any embossing plate/folder if you spritz the card with water you will get a better impression. The cutting guide, great for its time but definitely of little use now with all of the envelope boards out there today.
I had a Fisker cutting thing. Bought it and some shape templates for scrap booking. Never did master cutting the inside corners. Fun to watch someone else try to do it. It was definitely vintage. Lol😅
A craft thrift store!! Wish I had one by me!! This was fun to watch!! I’ve been scrapping forever, so it was fun to see these oldies!! Scrapping has come a long way!!
Would be BEYOND a dream to have one of these stores near me! I think it would also be a great way to get rid of materials you fell out of love with that someone else might love! Could also use the “one in - one out” rule ✨🎁💜🔑🎨
Kristina Warner used to use the Fiskars stamp platform a few years ago. I love the whole idea of a crafters thrift store, it would be a whole new hole to peek down!
Yes, that’s where I first saw it and bought it. This was pre-stamp platforms like the Misti and an alternative to another system for lining up stamps, was it by inka dinka doo? It was a right angle piece of acrylic that you used with an acrylic block. ETA: Stampamajig!
@@ralphtyndall only because I’ve not seen her have to restamp over. She got it the first time. But you’re right, it needs brackets or something, wonder if it would fit inside of a picture frame to position the same every time?
@@nbenefielSizzix made a great machine. Mine has worked for 15 plus years. I wouldn’t mind the electric one because of arthritis, but the original still serves the purpose!
I had another thought. We didn't have You Tube or anyone to show us how to use these "vintage" items - LOL. So what you went through on your video is everything we went through back in the day. You did pretty good figuring out things. Some people wouldn't even know where to start. Just imagine nowadays if we didn't have You Tube, no one would know how to do anything.
This would make a good video series. It was funny. Maybe consider letting your subscribers send you some of our "vintage" crafting tools for you to try out.
They are actually the kind that schools have for cutting shapes and letters for bulletin boards. Those were called Ellison, but then they developed them for home use. Became Sizzix, I think.
@@linniesohler7816 yes, Ellison is the educational division (retired educator here) and Sizzix is the consumer (for lack of a better word) division. I own many Tim Holtz and Sizzix bigz dies. They are great to have in your collection. I guess newer crafters may not be familiar with them but to me they’re never obsolete.
@@SandraE_Do you know if the Bigz dies can be used with a Cuttlebug die cutting machine if I were to sandwich the die between an upper and lower cutting plate? I bought several Bigz dies not realizing what they were and they weren't worth returning, so I ate the cost. I would like to be able to use them, but didn't want to break my Cuttlebug machine. I'm still using my first one and I like it because it cuts so well and folds up for a smaller footprint for storage.
@@mawmawvee I believe they will. I’m sure I used them with my cuttlebug before I bought a big shot. Try the sandwich you mentioned. If you can’t crank it through, don’t force it. You’ll only break your machine if you force it through.
Texture plates were used with polymer clay too. The clay has issues with fingerprints so the texture plates were used at the end or on the layering. Embossing was done with a stylus and often a copper plate. Some I used 25 years ago were stencils.
I enjoyed the video. I salute your bravery in trying all this on camera! 😀I still collect and use the Bigz dies. We had them in the elementary school where I taught to help make letters and shapes for our bulletin boards. I now use them for card making because they are sturdy and cut so nicely. -Stuart
I have several basic shapes in the steel rule variety. I use then for bulk cutting since you can cut more layers than you can with wafer dies. Also heavier materials. When makin 3D projects, you need to be able to cut heavy chip board, felt and I have a selection for cutting leather for my jewelry making.@@ralphtyndall
Also that fiskers if I'm not wrong was the first stamping platform and your supposed to line up the stamps with the grids. But it wasn't made for restamping. It was the first ...lol
I'm very new to papercrafting and haven't seen any of these. I did buy some Hello Kitty dies on ebay several months ago and when they came I thought I got ripped off. Now I see how they are meant to be used. Thank you!
My goodness, down memory lane, what I great idea👍🏼. The difficulties we had. I still have that Fiskars shape cutter with a pretty cool stencil, I created cool stuff for my scrapbooking with that. It does take a minute to get ahold of it but once you do, you're good to go 🙂
The Fiskars thing was definitely pre-stamp platform. Stamping tools have improved so much over time. Those texture plates are kind of cool to use if you have any foam that is heat sensitive. Simon Hurley has some you can find online. You heat the foam then press into a texture. Then you have a custom texture you can use for backgrounds. You can reheat the foam to reset it to use on a different texture. You could also use them to lift ink or paint off a gelly plate to make a background texture.
Fiskars is a Finnish company (Finland 🇫🇮) and as a Finn myself I can tell you that you pronounce the A's like the A's in 'ah-ha', and you roll the 'r'. 😊 But, the way you normally pronounce it is how most Americans pronounce it, so it's totally fine. 😊 I have one of the Fiskars stamping presses and an envelope template. 🙃 But, honestly, I usually just use my Misti for stamping. I didn't have the blade for my envelope template, so I used to just run a pen around and cut it out. 😆 I don't use it much. When you said the store was like a thrift shop for crafting tools.... 😳
Hey Ralph, When using the Emboss and Transfer set, you're better off just running it through the once to get a crispy image... if you double roll then the 'squishyness' of the mat affects the impression on the second run. You're right though, these have improved so much over time so this one will always be more 'subtle'. It's so fun to see these oldies and comparing them to what we have today.
Kudos on your adventurous spirit!😊. That thick die we used those in elementary school to create bulletin boards, classroom decorations and learning aides. Thanks for the fun flashback.
Fun walk down memory lane! I own several of the tools you found. I have the stamp press with the orange foam. It doesn't restamp well, so do not pull it up. You can press again as long as you do not move anything. The Misti tool basically took over and this tool sits unused. I have the shape cutter and many plastic shapes to cut with it. It has a learning curve but it will cut. You have to set your blade properly to use it. Dies have basically made that tool another that doesn't get used. It was fun to watch you give these tools a try.
Ok... more please! I am a craft supply hoarder aficionado and I get most all of my goodies from thrifting. So I recently acquired one of those Fiskars (Fiskers ;) ) stamping platform things, and as I was trying to figure it's purpose and positives out I was having the exact conversation with myself that you had on this video. Too funny. Bring us more! You never know when we might find a gem in the junk. Happy crafting!
Sizzix and other companies still make many steel rule dies.. Used for batch making and especially felt and foam. Your silicone mat is still used for embossing thin dies, embossing thin die outlines on card and sometimes with old embossing folders. Most tools that went out of use was because they were time consuming and not very pratical.. That's progress! Those of us who produce to sell need tools that are practical.. After over 20 years I have a very good selection.. Some things change manufacturers, colour, name etc and get put back into the market at twice the price!!!
Hi! When the Fiskars Stamp Press came on the stamping scene, there were no other types of stamp platforms. The Fiskars Stamp Press came out probably 15 years ago! At the time it was a big deal!!! Fun video!
So how is she able to sue so many platform makers and say she has dibs on the idea? Tim Holtz can’t sell his in the US or Canada. Keep your platform cuz the MISTI (Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented) is knocking out competition now…Stamping Up, most everyone. Bira makes one. These don’t have size restrictions like the MISTI. Tim Holtz’s was the best.
thrift store for craft supplies! We need that here int he UK, Fantastic. This video is a great idea, I keep finding old stash and new uses for it too. Great video, thanks for this one
This circle cutter that you used is what I used years ago. There was also a product called coluzzle which had a funny tiny blade that went inbetween hard plastic and could cut out numbers, letters or patterns.
I love my Bigz dies! There are longer ones too. You can cut multiples at the same time if there isn’t a fold on the die (I think I can cut up to 6 pieces of cardstock at one time). I used to make cut snowflakes from soda cans and use them as ornaments. The stamp platform was never designed to do multiple restamps, but was the first stamp platform sold (that I’m aware of). A lot of new stamper have difficulty with getting an inked halo around the edge, often caused from rocking the stamp. This eliminates that. It can be used for the red rubber cling stamps as well as the clear ones (different thicknesses). There was another blade cutter called the Coluzzle that had a swivel blade. I used it like crazy and owned dozens of their stencils (I may still own them lol)
I loved this video! I inherited all of my Mother-in-Laws craft stash and there are things like this that I have no idea how to use, so this is actually really helpful! Gives me the courage to grab some of that stuff and start playing with it.
These tools are a sign of progress. I have 3 of the tools you demoed. I do like the bigz dies for chipboard. Thanks for some fond memories from card maker who has been making cards longer than you have been alive
Hey Ralph! It's great to see these products (many of which I own to this day) being sampled by a crafty newcomer! I say "Fiskars" based upon decades of calling the company multiple times for advice or whatnot... But I've heard MANY people say, "Fiskers"... everyone knows who we're talking about... You did a good job figuring out some of the tools (the bow maker, in that specific brand) is also new to me, but the principles are the same on most: think of using two fingers to create a bow where you wrap the ribbon or twine around the uprights for a single, double, triple, infinity loop bow and then finish by wrapping the long remaining edge around the center of the loops, tightening up and cutting the end. Your version was very customizable in both length and loop configurations! A shorter length or thicker ribbon would have given more desirable results for you. The texture plates, made by Sizzix, Sizzix for Stampin' Up!, Fiskars and others remain in my stash. They were developed and in use with regular embossing folders simultaneously. Having to have extra tools is less efficient, but once you own them, you own them--not consumables, ya know? I find, like 2/3D embossing, spritzing my paper with.water or alcohol before running it through my machine (2-3x [running it through, not spritzing] depending on the depth result I want) softens the fibers and gives me an impressive texture. That said, the older plates are limited in designs as well as dimension. But I still love and use them, 'cause embossing is my bias... Fiskars circle cutters and templates: Yes, got 'em, still use 'em, but there is a steeper learning curve which can cause one to say: "ain't nobody got time for •that•!" Ditto for the stamp press. Something's GOTTA stay still in order to stamp properly! The newer iterations of stamp presses definitely took major strides to ease our stamping pain. But kudos to Fiskars for even moving the industry in the right direction! If you come across a "stamp-a-ma-jig" in your crafty thrifting, its the same premise: to get our stamping correct! This was fun to watch and I thank you for sharing! (...And PLEASE, nobody open a crafty thrift store ANYWHERE near me...)
LOL! Same here for a crafty thrift store anywhere near me. I think Fiskars is a Nordic name, so I've always pronounced it, "Fis-cars." We love Fiskars cutting products and have many of them, even for yardwork. I have Fiskars scissors coming out my ears. Love them all.
I really liked this video. I think we really need to give these products some grace. They were HUGE innovation of their day. Pioneers. Without these, we would not have the tools we use today. We've come a long way. Thanks to these products. (I still have acrylic stamp blocks with velcro on them to attach your red rubber stamps. How far we've come!)
This was so funny to watch. We’ve all been there!! As for beautiful large bows, make friends with your local florist!!! Also, sprits your cardstock with water before embossing.
Loved this. great video. I still have one of those Fiskars platforms. I don't think I used it much. I am pretty sure I still have the cutter with a few of the templates laying around too, along with some of the Sizzix dies. I kept the dies because they belonged to my mother. I have wanted to go to the Creative Resuse store in Austin. There's a similar store in San Antonio. I've been once and keep meaning to return. And, now I'm invested in trying to find instruction for that bow maker!
How much fun to watch. Just last week I was at a thrift store and researching to see if I could find the plates for this crazy mini portable cutter you rolled with your hand. Wised up and set it back on the shelf.
I have a Friskars, die cutter, that must weigh about 25lbs. I asked someone if they had a manual cutter they weren't using. When they brought it out, i was like wow. I definitely had to figure out, the different plates with new dies but it's been fun and it still works great
When I bought my Big Shot there was a Bigz die in the kit and I've picked up a few in charity shops since then (including a beautiful Tim Holtz bird cage). I believe Sizzix still make them. They are brilliant at cutting thicker papers and card and I use them a lot. I had a stamp press for a while but never really took to it and as soon as I could afford a stamping platform I replaced it. Again, they are still made but the hinged stamping platforms are more popular I believe. This was a great video and I'd love to see more. And you have a crafting thrift store near you? Wonderful! I'm very jealous!
Fun video! Oh the Bigz dies are fantastic! I have 1, it's circles and will cut through acetate for my floating cards. My other 2 machines (big kick and cuttlebug leaves jagged edges). I think it's Gina K that uses that silicone embossing mat so hang on to those extras you bought new). I'm going to make mine out of an old mat :)
I loved watching you try these products. I started card making in the late 80s, early 90s and pretty quickly got frustrated with it (it took patience I don't have, lol). You should see our old Ellison die cutting machine at the library. Huge dies that are wood, metal and foam and the handle is a big lever. The thing weighs a ton. I'm so grateful for craft industry innovation! I still have some of my mother's wood block mounted stamp collection.
Your comment reminds me how far we have come with computers, microwaves, and TVs. They used to be heavy, clumsy behemoths. Now you can get a 60” TV that you can pick up easily, computers you can wear on your wrists, and microwaves that are slimmer and lighter. It is fascinating to me how the evolution of technology is shrinking to smaller and lighter. In the craft world innovation has been fun and wonderful too.
For the Stamping Platform watch Maymaymadeit - she still uses it ... the trick is to press in the middle when you stamp ... it works great for large background stamping ... GREAT video!!
I used the Coluzzle cutting system before I got my Spellbinders thin oval nesting dies and a Wizard. Used the Wizard quite a bit for cutting & embossing before I changed to the Big Shot.
I loved this video because I still have some of those old Fiskar dies and I don't reach for them because I forgot what sandwich to use with them but I figured they would still work because my machine is as old as them so at one point I used to use them. I did de-clutter a lot of them because they are so big and bulky but I kept a Santa that I just loved so I'll have to bust him out this year for my holiday crafting. I'm with Ralph though - until Fiskars reaches out and specifically tell everyone that their name is pronounced I certain way I'm going to continue to pronounce it like he does, because I also have been pronouncing it that way for the past, oh gosh, 20 years or so! Seeing some other comments about how far the craft industry has come and I agree, it really does blow my mind when I think about it. Makes me think of the random stuff that I've purged over the years and what I've held onto and what's next to fall out of fashion because some new fun innovation. I do still use some random old stuff though too, I will still use my Stamp-a-ma-jig because while I have decided to purge most of my wooden stamps due to weight and size of storing them there are a few that I love and will never get rid of. It also makes me think about the things that come back into fashion. Simon Hurley just came out with some stamping foam where you can heat it, press it on something to make a stamp and then re-heat it to use it again. This was a years ago but I remember getting rid of a big pack of those at some point because I had only used it once. Now with UA-cam and the massive amount of ideas and inspiration with products like this it kinda makes me regret getting rid of it. I can't remember the brand though, I do remember it has tons of shapes including wedges and such.
The texture plates came with a tool with little round nubs on the bottom. You placed the paper on the plate, then ran the tool over the paper to get your impression. All depended on how much pressure you used on how good your impression was. Fun video.
I can only chuckle as I watch this. Not only have I seen and used these things, I still own some of them and still love some of them. Those thicker dies can cut materials that the wafer thin dies cannot, and are very useful.
Vintage crafts bring back so many memories. There's a family-owned craft store I used to visit and the vintage tools and kits they would keep in stock were mind boggling. I collect unwanted crafts from my friends and they think I'm nuts. Love second hand stores too. What vintage tools lack in convenience, they make up for in durability and nostalgia.
It really made me laugh out loud watching you trying to get a bow out of what looks like a medieval torture tool. Thank you for making my day. By the way I’m from the UK and I say Fiskers to the sound as whiskers.
A reuse store for crafting! Oh my, I would be in big trouble if I lived near one!!! I have been scrapbooking since 2001 and have a large collection of the Sizzix dies and I love them! I have the latest technology too, but I find myself needing something really quick and grabbing one of those still to this day!! I recently took the time to create a notebook that indexed them, so I can quickly look thru the notebook to find what I need, vs. looking thru the dies. I don't know what I didn't think of that years ago. I could have made it so much easier to use them. Better late than never!! 😀😀😀😀
Oh heavens! We used those thick foam dies at school. We had entire alphabets, every shape imaginable, numbers, etc. They were very helpful in making bulletin boards. We had a very strong hand press for cutting multiples. I also have a Fiskars stamp press. Precursor to the Misti. Press the stamp. Not the corners.
Love this video and would like to see more. I have the Fiskars shape cutter and you have to get used to how it works.. It works great with photos when you put the template down on top of them. The stamp platform was my first platform and if washi tape was around then, I would have taped my paper down. I still use the steel rule dies & texture plates. I wish they had a store like that in Florida!
Great video! I have several of these tools. My Fiskars (I pronounce to rhyme with whiskers - don’t know if that’s accurate) is smaller. I still use occasionally. Love your videos, wishing you the best of luck with your new career.
Oh my gosh, your sense of humor is amazing. The big Sizzix dies can cut through many layers of paper in one pass, which is an advance over the thinner dies today if you wanted to mass produce something. Loved this video.
This video just popped up in my feed and I totally enjoyed it! Except for the bow maker, I’ve seen the rest of the tools, I’ve been crafting for about ten years. I happen to own the stamp set you used, lol. I had that shape cutter…hated it so much that it pushed me to buy a Big Shot 😂 which is still going, those things are indestructible. I think Sizzix still makes steel rule dies, especially for the Tim Holtz line. My Big Shot platform is old enough to include instructions for them, as well as other credit card size dies they used to make, and texture plates too. Fun video! Great to see young people (and especially a guy) getting into crafting!
Hi neighbor!! I'm just north of you in Georgetown. I had the Fiskars platforms in two sizes and they were okay, but they were definitely a precursor to the hinged stamping platforms. And I pronounce it like it rhymes with "whiskers."
Plus I'd like to add: Thanks for leaving the blooper cuts in. 😉 it reminds us that we all have them!!! ❤ 😁 Ralph your an awesome person. Never forget that. Keep making awesome cards and videos!
Is hilarious! Some friends and I were just talking in our group chat about using our older supplies that we first started with 20 years ago! It’s a trip down memory lane!!!
The thick dies are called “steel rule” dies. I have quite a few….picked them up (mostly Sizzix) when they were being discontinued some years back at ACMoore (now closed.) They are great and are really easier to use than the thin metal ones. One con is, however, that they don’t give you the level of detail that thin metal ones do…like the edge embossing. They can be used in virtually every brand of die cutting machines. If you want to buy them online, you’re likely to pay a premium for them now.
I got the few I have from Scrapbook.come not knowing what Bigz dies were. It wasn't worth sending them back, so I still have them, but don't know where they are...
Hi there Ralph, I have the shape cutter. I find it best to cut on a glass mat, and the blade should jiggle about in the housing, for the blade to turn in any direction freely, yours looks and sounds too tight. When it's in use, it's like going around the template with a pencil, and it is a beautiful smooth cut. I hope you try it again. Love your videos. Nuala xx
So glad this YT popped up to view. We're heading home to Austin & family in a few weeks. Never heard of this store, probably started after we left, but will certainly visit. Tkx for sharing &🤘
I'm retired now, but when I taught elementary school we had an Ellison machine that took dies the thickness of the Bigz dies. Some were huge (maybe 12" x 12") and the machines had either a crank handle or a press. We made all sorts of things with them, from bulletin board shapes to boxes to masks for plays. I loved it and used it frequently, which is what got me interested in paper crafts to begin with.
What a great video Ralph, it was like going down memory lane!! I love the idea of a craft thrift store!! It looks like you got some great deals and all in good shape!! Maybe you can do a Vintage Craft Tool Series!! ❤
Hi Ralph - I’m a new subscriber and love your videos ! I’ve been making cards for about five years. Unfortunately, I probably spend more time watching crafting videos than I actually spend crafting. I do make all of my Christmas cards every year, I can’t wait to see what you make during the holiday season. All that aside, I wanted to tell you that I also stumbled upon the Fiskars stamp platform very early into crafting. I actually bought two - one is the same size as yours, and the other is about half the size. I find that they do work pretty well if you hold your paper down with magnets and press directly over your stamps. When I bought these, the MISTI was simply out of my price range. About two years later “knock offs” of the MISTI were coming out (for half the price) and I admit I scooped one up before they were pulled from the market. The hinged stamping platforms are “game changers” and make stamping so much easier. Welcome to the community Ralph ! Glad to meet you !
You can use that embossing silicone mat and plastic mat also to emboss with dies and stencils (different sandwich for each). I've never seen that bow maker before and I've been crafting a long, long time. I have many, many Bigz dies and Sizzlits as I have the original die cut machine with the lever and there were NO thin dies at that time. Eventually, the thin wafer dies came into vogue and Sizzix had a adapter for the original machine so you could put them through, too. Hated the shape cutter. Never tried the Fiskars stamp "platform." Thank goodness. Fun video. TFS It's great to see how far tools have come and how much easier to create a decent product these days.
What a fun video and how fun to have a crafter's thrift store! The "thick" dies were first used in Elementary schools and still are today. Never seen a bow maker like that one before. The stamp press from Fiskars was pretty popular back in the day, I still have mine, but mine is even older than the one you got. Nope, it wasn't for stamping twice, like the Misti-it was just to help hover over your paper to get your placement before stamping. But yeah, I remember a lot of these items, love how far the industry has came since, but then again...we thought we were using cutting edge technology back then. LOL Love how brave you were to tackle these "vintage" tools on camera.
The plate and rubber mat is still useful for other techniques. One example is using it with a stencil to essentially emboss with the stencil as the rubber pushes the stencil into the cardstock. I used to have some of those Fiskars cutting tools and never did get them to work for me.
It’s so fun seeing newer crafter’s coming across the tools etc that many of us ‘oldies’ were using back in the day. You certainly can’t go wrong with Fiskars, I’m still using my big scissors and small embroidery ones for fussy cutting, I also still have my embossing plates. The stamping platform if memory serves was the first stamping platform on the market. The wonderful thing about the bigz dies is being able to use anything in your stash and so much more 🎉
I still use those thick die at times…. Years ago, my Cub Scout den cut metal snowflakes out of the aluminum from empty pop cans we recycled/repurposed…. They loved it!
1st ...I have a craft thrift store near me that I have donated to. I've been downsizing to sell my house. I have bought a couple things at a great price. Since it's a non profit I prefer donating to them over other thrift shops who have little knowledge of crafting. That said, I had the fiskers platform. I hated it. The same reason you did. It was impossible to get it positioned to restamp. Crafters companion has a similar one. But, they finally made a base/ tray where the feet fits into so it stays in the same position. I still prefer the misty. Most of what you showed , I still have.
Came from watching you make awesome cards I love this stuff I wish there was a craft thrift near me lol ❤❤ probably for the best cause you know how that goes 😊I can barely stay away from regular thrift stores 😅 thanks for sharing xx
So I've been stamping for 20+ years and your video reminded me of how far the industry has come. Oh thank God.
Thank God for innovation!
Same here. I had one of those Fiskars Stamp Press tools. Can’t remember what I did with it though.
I like the bigz dies. Nashvilles creative reuse you just take whatever and give a donation of your choice when done. Obviously people need to be reasonable or it won’t last!
@@KWCardDesignyou would ink your wood backed stamp, put it on your paper, put the stamp press over the stamp and push down on the middle. It worked pretty well.
@@KWCardDesign SO glad for you that you don't NEED to know where the thing went!! When I first started crafting I made my own "Foggy" (you GET my point, right?!?) out of a flat-faced, $🌳 picture frame, plus a piece of acrylic, a couple layers of craft foam, and the frame backer, held together with duct tape. It's a bit over-sized (10" x 14", maybe?) but it's light weight, thin, and goes with me on the road. "Necessity", as they say ...
This was like watching a teen trying to get music out of a cassette deck. I loved it!
That was my feeling too. It was fun to see him discovering things with new eyes.
The perfect analogy!! 😆
Hahaha that's what it felt like too!
😂😂😂😂😂😂
😂
I started scrapping in the 80s with a ruler, scissors, Elmers glue, and a pen. Then they came out with those fun scissors with different decorative edges. Wow, thought I hit the jackpot! I remember my first thin steel die used with a Sizzix die cutting machine. Woo wee! This was life changing and I never looked back. This was such a stroll down nostalgia lane and so fun. Thanks Ralph for the reminder on how far we have come.
Yes! Those scissors! I’m glad I’d made the scrapbooks for our son’s family, so don’t have to see how badly i probably overused those, lol.
Faithful--I still have a passel of the decorative scissors. Never did perfect how to make even cuts around an edge. Straight ones? Sorta. A lot of those scissors were just not good cutters. I still have them, but seldom try to use them.
Omg I had a ton of those scissors that were housed in this like multi tiered spinning thingamabob. Anyone know what I’m talking about?
Hi, I used to have a Bow Master and it looks like you are missing the long pegs that fit into each of those holes. The pegs are probably 4 or 5" long and allow you to make bows with much wider ribbons that you might use on wreaths and larger gifts. It's too bad that the instructions didn't come with it. You are right about weaving your ribbon around and around the pegs to get some really full and beautiful bows. You can tie them in the middle with wire or ribbon and pull the ribbon loops off the pegs and you have a really nice bow. This video has really been fun. Thank you.
The bow master is definitely vintage. It actually came with a VHS instruction tape. It also gave you a sheet with the exact measurements of ribbon you need for your bows depending on the size you were making and the size ribbon you use. I think it you find this chart you will be much happier with your bows. The problem with your stamping press is that you think it is a stamping platform. It is not. It is a large stamping block. Fiskars has a whole line of stamping blocks. You did get a decent deal because they cost between $20 to $25 dollars new. Like any embossing plate/folder if you spritz the card with water you will get a better impression. The cutting guide, great for its time but definitely of little use now with all of the envelope boards out there today.
Wow, you are a treasure trove of knowledge
I had a Fisker cutting thing. Bought it and some shape templates for scrap booking. Never did master cutting the inside corners. Fun to watch someone else try to do it. It was definitely vintage. Lol😅
I still have that stamp press. Used maybe once. 😂 Couldn’t get an even stamp on the paper.
A craft thrift store!! Wish I had one by me!! This was fun to watch!! I’ve been scrapping forever, so it was fun to see these oldies!! Scrapping has come a long way!!
Would be BEYOND a dream to have one of these stores near me! I think it would also be a great way to get rid of materials you fell out of love with that someone else might love! Could also use the “one in - one out” rule ✨🎁💜🔑🎨
Kristina Warner used to use the Fiskars stamp platform a few years ago. I love the whole idea of a crafters thrift store, it would be a whole new hole to peek down!
I bet she was a lot better with it than me 😂
Yes, that’s where I first saw it and bought it. This was pre-stamp platforms like the Misti and an alternative to another system for lining up stamps, was it by inka dinka doo? It was a right angle piece of acrylic that you used with an acrylic block. ETA: Stampamajig!
@@ralphtyndall only because I’ve not seen her have to restamp over. She got it the first time. But you’re right, it needs brackets or something, wonder if it would fit inside of a picture frame to position the same every time?
I still have my stampamajig lol. Only use it for wood stamps though. I use my Misti for everything else.
MaymayMadeIt still uses her Fiskars stamp press though the new Stamp Wheel seems to have taken its place in the last few months.
The stamp press was tu replace all the clear blocks, not to re-stamp. LOVED this vidéo!
I actually own several of these vintage tools. Crafting tools are always changing, but the older ones still work quite well.
Me too
Me three. I still use my old stuff. I prefer my old sizziz to my newer Gemini .
@@nbenefielSizzix made a great machine. Mine has worked for 15 plus years. I wouldn’t mind the electric one because of arthritis, but the original still serves the purpose!
I had another thought. We didn't have You Tube or anyone to show us how to use these "vintage" items - LOL. So what you went through on your video is everything we went through back in the day. You did pretty good figuring out things. Some people wouldn't even know where to start. Just imagine nowadays if we didn't have You Tube, no one would know how to do anything.
LOL love the comment but back in the day when we didn’t have UA-cam we actually read the instructions or we asked mom. 😂
Or we went to local craft stores that had classes!
And Carol Duvall was on HGTV with all kinds of Craft instructions
Or we went to the library or the book store. There were and still are tons of hobby books published.
This would make a good video series. It was funny. Maybe consider letting your subscribers send you some of our "vintage" crafting tools for you to try out.
Those bigz dies are great for cutting heavier materials like chipboard, felt, canvas, etc.
They are actually the kind that schools have for cutting shapes and letters for bulletin boards. Those were called Ellison, but then they developed them for home use.
Became Sizzix, I think.
@@linniesohler7816 yes, Ellison is the educational division (retired educator here) and Sizzix is the consumer (for lack of a better word) division. I own many Tim Holtz and Sizzix bigz dies. They are great to have in your collection. I guess newer crafters may not be familiar with them but to me they’re never obsolete.
@@SandraE_Do you know if the Bigz dies can be used with a Cuttlebug die cutting machine if I were to sandwich the die between an upper and lower cutting plate?
I bought several Bigz dies not realizing what they were and they weren't worth returning, so I ate the cost. I would like to be able to use them, but didn't want to break my Cuttlebug machine. I'm still using my first one and I like it because it cuts so well and folds up for a smaller footprint for storage.
@@mawmawvee I believe they will. I’m sure I used them with my cuttlebug before I bought a big shot. Try the sandwich you mentioned. If you can’t crank it through, don’t force it. You’ll only break your machine if you force it through.
@@SandraE_ Thank you SandraE, for taking the time to reply to me. I will try it and no, I won't force it through. :D
Texture plates were used with polymer clay too. The clay has issues with fingerprints so the texture plates were used at the end or on the layering. Embossing was done with a stylus and often a copper plate. Some I used 25 years ago were stencils.
Nothing better than a Bigz Die, never a problem, cuts like butter every time, love them! And yes, I m a long time crafter….. Thanks for the video!
I enjoyed the video. I salute your bravery in trying all this on camera! 😀I still collect and use the Bigz dies. We had them in the elementary school where I taught to help make letters and shapes for our bulletin boards. I now use them for card making because they are sturdy and cut so nicely. -Stuart
Ah bulletin boards are a great use!
I have several basic shapes in the steel rule variety. I use then for bulk cutting since you can cut more layers than you can with wafer dies. Also heavier materials. When makin 3D projects, you need to be able to cut heavy chip board, felt and I have a selection for cutting leather for my jewelry making.@@ralphtyndall
I still have the machine for the big dies
Also that fiskers if I'm not wrong was the first stamping platform and your supposed to line up the stamps with the grids. But it wasn't made for restamping. It was the first ...lol
I'm very new to papercrafting and haven't seen any of these. I did buy some Hello Kitty dies on ebay several months ago and when they came I thought I got ripped off. Now I see how they are meant to be used. Thank you!
Please do some more of these videos! I like seeing the “vintage” tools! I love the reuse store idea, and I wish we had one here in North Louisiana!
I live in Lafayette, Louisiana, and wish we had such a vintage store here.
My goodness, down memory lane, what I great idea👍🏼. The difficulties we had. I still have that Fiskars shape cutter with a pretty cool stencil, I created cool stuff for my scrapbooking with that. It does take a minute to get ahold of it but once you do, you're good to go 🙂
The Fiskars thing was definitely pre-stamp platform. Stamping tools have improved so much over time. Those texture plates are kind of cool to use if you have any foam that is heat sensitive. Simon Hurley has some you can find online. You heat the foam then press into a texture. Then you have a custom texture you can use for backgrounds. You can reheat the foam to reset it to use on a different texture. You could also use them to lift ink or paint off a gelly plate to make a background texture.
OMG I still have all of these but the bow maker . This video tells me a need to purge a lot of things Thanks for the blast from the past.
I love the fiskars shape cutting tool, I still use mine for cutting photos into shapes for scrapbooks.
Fiskars is a Finnish company (Finland 🇫🇮) and as a Finn myself I can tell you that you pronounce the A's like the A's in 'ah-ha', and you roll the 'r'. 😊 But, the way you normally pronounce it is how most Americans pronounce it, so it's totally fine. 😊
I have one of the Fiskars stamping presses and an envelope template. 🙃 But, honestly, I usually just use my Misti for stamping. I didn't have the blade for my envelope template, so I used to just run a pen around and cut it out. 😆 I don't use it much.
When you said the store was like a thrift shop for crafting tools.... 😳
Hey Ralph, When using the Emboss and Transfer set, you're better off just running it through the once to get a crispy image... if you double roll then the 'squishyness' of the mat affects the impression on the second run. You're right though, these have improved so much over time so this one will always be more 'subtle'. It's so fun to see these oldies and comparing them to what we have today.
Kudos on your adventurous spirit!😊. That thick die we used those in elementary school to create bulletin boards, classroom decorations and learning aides. Thanks for the fun flashback.
Fun walk down memory lane! I own several of the tools you found. I have the stamp press with the orange foam. It doesn't restamp well, so do not pull it up. You can press again as long as you do not move anything. The Misti tool basically took over and this tool sits unused. I have the shape cutter and many plastic shapes to cut with it. It has a learning curve but it will cut. You have to set your blade properly to use it. Dies have basically made that tool another that doesn't get used. It was fun to watch you give these tools a try.
I can imagine the shapecutter would be helpful for cutting out stamps if you got good at it!
Ok... more please! I am a craft supply hoarder aficionado and I get most all of my goodies from thrifting. So I recently acquired one of those Fiskars (Fiskers ;) ) stamping platform things, and as I was trying to figure it's purpose and positives out I was having the exact conversation with myself that you had on this video. Too funny. Bring us more! You never know when we might find a gem in the junk. Happy crafting!
Haha I love that title!
Sizzix and other companies still make many steel rule dies.. Used for batch making and especially felt and foam. Your silicone mat is still used for embossing thin dies, embossing thin die outlines on card and sometimes with old embossing folders. Most tools that went out of use was because they were time consuming and not very pratical.. That's progress! Those of us who produce to sell need tools that are practical.. After over 20 years I have a very good selection.. Some things change manufacturers, colour, name etc and get put back into the market at twice the price!!!
Hi! When the Fiskars Stamp Press came on the stamping scene, there were no other types of stamp platforms. The Fiskars Stamp Press came out probably 15 years ago! At the time it was a big deal!!! Fun video!
So how is she able to sue so many platform makers and say she has dibs on the idea? Tim Holtz can’t sell his in the US or Canada.
Keep your platform cuz the MISTI (Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented) is knocking out competition now…Stamping Up, most everyone.
Bira makes one. These don’t have size restrictions like the MISTI. Tim Holtz’s was the best.
thrift store for craft supplies! We need that here int he UK, Fantastic. This video is a great idea, I keep finding old stash and new uses for it too. Great video, thanks for this one
3:41 the bigz dies are good for a few layers of fabric also.
I loved this video down memory lane!
If he finds the Coluzzle his mind would blow, lol.
Omg the Coluzze! I worked at ProvoCraft when that came out and man, they really thought they would replace steel rule dies with it 😅
This circle cutter that you used is what I used years ago. There was also a product called coluzzle which had a funny tiny blade that went inbetween hard plastic and could cut out numbers, letters or patterns.
😂😂 I’m vintage!! No offense taken! I’m just glad the products now are way easier to use!
I love my Bigz dies! There are longer ones too. You can cut multiples at the same time if there isn’t a fold on the die (I think I can cut up to 6 pieces of cardstock at one time). I used to make cut snowflakes from soda cans and use them as ornaments. The stamp platform was never designed to do multiple restamps, but was the first stamp platform sold (that I’m aware of). A lot of new stamper have difficulty with getting an inked halo around the edge, often caused from rocking the stamp. This eliminates that. It can be used for the red rubber cling stamps as well as the clear ones (different thicknesses). There was another blade cutter called the Coluzzle that had a swivel blade. I used it like crazy and owned dozens of their stencils (I may still own them lol)
I loved this video! I inherited all of my Mother-in-Laws craft stash and there are things like this that I have no idea how to use, so this is actually really helpful! Gives me the courage to grab some of that stuff and start playing with it.
Fun video! That texture would be cute for a card with books on it. It looks like shelves of books to me
These tools are a sign of progress. I have 3 of the tools you demoed. I do like the bigz dies for chipboard. Thanks for some fond memories from card maker who has been making cards longer than you have been alive
Hey Ralph! It's great to see these products (many of which I own to this day) being sampled by a crafty newcomer!
I say "Fiskars" based upon decades of calling the company multiple times for advice or whatnot... But I've heard MANY people say, "Fiskers"... everyone knows who we're talking about...
You did a good job figuring out some of the tools (the bow maker, in that specific brand) is also new to me, but the principles are the same on most: think of using two fingers to create a bow where you wrap the ribbon or twine around the uprights for a single, double, triple, infinity loop bow and then finish by wrapping the long remaining edge around the center of the loops, tightening up and cutting the end. Your version was very customizable in both length and loop configurations! A shorter length or thicker ribbon would have given more desirable results for you.
The texture plates, made by Sizzix, Sizzix for Stampin' Up!, Fiskars and others remain in my stash. They were developed and in use with regular embossing folders simultaneously. Having to have extra tools is less efficient, but once you own them, you own them--not consumables, ya know?
I find, like 2/3D embossing, spritzing my paper with.water or alcohol before running it through my machine (2-3x [running it through, not spritzing] depending on the depth result I want) softens the fibers and gives me an impressive texture. That said, the older plates are limited in designs as well as dimension. But I still love and use them, 'cause embossing is my bias...
Fiskars circle cutters and templates: Yes, got 'em, still use 'em, but there is a steeper learning curve which can cause one to say: "ain't nobody got time for •that•!"
Ditto for the stamp press. Something's GOTTA stay still in order to stamp properly! The newer iterations of stamp presses definitely took major strides to ease our stamping pain. But kudos to Fiskars for even moving the industry in the right direction! If you come across a "stamp-a-ma-jig" in your crafty thrifting, its the same premise: to get our stamping correct!
This was fun to watch and I thank you for sharing! (...And PLEASE, nobody open a crafty thrift store ANYWHERE near me...)
HAHA! I love your final comment about opening a store near you...I can relate!
LOL! Same here for a crafty thrift store anywhere near me. I think Fiskars is a Nordic name, so I've always pronounced it, "Fis-cars." We love Fiskars cutting products and have many of them, even for yardwork. I have Fiskars scissors coming out my ears. Love them all.
What a fun video. I would LOVE to see more like this - LOVE it. I’d love to see what else you bought at that store. How fun.
I really liked this video. I think we really need to give these products some grace. They were HUGE innovation of their day. Pioneers. Without these, we would not have the tools we use today. We've come a long way. Thanks to these products.
(I still have acrylic stamp blocks with velcro on them to attach your red rubber stamps. How far we've come!)
I still use red rubber stamps but attach them to my stamping platform with double sided tape.
This was so funny to watch. We’ve all been there!! As for beautiful large bows, make friends with your local florist!!! Also, sprits your cardstock with water before embossing.
You are cracking me up right now...😅 im trying to tell you... hold the cutter by the top . The orange piece. 😅😂 your so cute...😂
My stamp platform is so old that the foam “legs” perished. I now use it as a paint palette
I have a large acrylic block that I use as a paint palette too!
Some of those bring back some old memories of stamping
Hi Ralph,
This was definitely a look into how far our crafting supplies have come. TYFS.
Hey!!! a new introduction with visual and music. I noticed, love it. I've seen a few of these but never owned any of them. fun and informative.
Loved this. great video. I still have one of those Fiskars platforms. I don't think I used it much. I am pretty sure I still have the cutter with a few of the templates laying around too, along with some of the Sizzix dies. I kept the dies because they belonged to my mother. I have wanted to go to the Creative Resuse store in Austin. There's a similar store in San Antonio. I've been once and keep meaning to return. And, now I'm invested in trying to find instruction for that bow maker!
How much fun to watch. Just last week I was at a thrift store and researching to see if I could find the plates for this crazy mini portable cutter you rolled with your hand. Wised up and set it back on the shelf.
Love, love my mini sizzix
I have a Friskars, die cutter, that must weigh about 25lbs. I asked someone if they had a manual cutter they weren't using. When they brought it out, i was like wow. I definitely had to figure out, the different plates with new dies but it's been fun and it still works great
When I bought my Big Shot there was a Bigz die in the kit and I've picked up a few in charity shops since then (including a beautiful Tim Holtz bird cage). I believe Sizzix still make them. They are brilliant at cutting thicker papers and card and I use them a lot.
I had a stamp press for a while but never really took to it and as soon as I could afford a stamping platform I replaced it. Again, they are still made but the hinged stamping platforms are more popular I believe.
This was a great video and I'd love to see more. And you have a crafting thrift store near you? Wonderful! I'm very jealous!
Fun video! Oh the Bigz dies are fantastic! I have 1, it's circles and will cut through acetate for my floating cards. My other 2 machines (big kick and cuttlebug leaves jagged edges). I think it's Gina K that uses that silicone embossing mat so hang on to those extras you bought new). I'm going to make mine out of an old mat :)
I loved watching you try these products. I started card making in the late 80s, early 90s and pretty quickly got frustrated with it (it took patience I don't have, lol). You should see our old Ellison die cutting machine at the library. Huge dies that are wood, metal and foam and the handle is a big lever. The thing weighs a ton. I'm so grateful for craft industry innovation! I still have some of my mother's wood block mounted stamp collection.
Your comment reminds me how far we have come with computers, microwaves, and TVs. They used to be heavy, clumsy behemoths. Now you can get a 60” TV that you can pick up easily, computers you can wear on your wrists, and microwaves that are slimmer and lighter. It is fascinating to me how the evolution of technology is shrinking to smaller and lighter. In the craft world innovation has been fun and wonderful too.
For the Stamping Platform watch Maymaymadeit - she still uses it ... the trick is to press in the middle when you stamp ... it works great for large background stamping ... GREAT video!!
I used the Coluzzle cutting system before I got my Spellbinders thin oval nesting dies and a Wizard. Used the Wizard quite a bit for cutting & embossing before I changed to the Big Shot.
Me too. I didn't like the coluzzle. When the Wizard came out it was revolutionary. So many things you could do with it!
Is the Wizard by Spellbinders? I have one of the first die cutters by Spellbinders. It was a ratchet-driven pass-through die cutting machine.
@@mawmawvee yes. I have one too.
@@mawmawvee Yes that sounds like the Wizard by Spellbinders
@@mandersen8053Thanks so much.
I love that your cutting plates are as scratched as mine. I love your content on here and tiktok,keep up the good work ❤
I loved this video because I still have some of those old Fiskar dies and I don't reach for them because I forgot what sandwich to use with them but I figured they would still work because my machine is as old as them so at one point I used to use them. I did de-clutter a lot of them because they are so big and bulky but I kept a Santa that I just loved so I'll have to bust him out this year for my holiday crafting. I'm with Ralph though - until Fiskars reaches out and specifically tell everyone that their name is pronounced I certain way I'm going to continue to pronounce it like he does, because I also have been pronouncing it that way for the past, oh gosh, 20 years or so!
Seeing some other comments about how far the craft industry has come and I agree, it really does blow my mind when I think about it. Makes me think of the random stuff that I've purged over the years and what I've held onto and what's next to fall out of fashion because some new fun innovation.
I do still use some random old stuff though too, I will still use my Stamp-a-ma-jig because while I have decided to purge most of my wooden stamps due to weight and size of storing them there are a few that I love and will never get rid of.
It also makes me think about the things that come back into fashion. Simon Hurley just came out with some stamping foam where you can heat it, press it on something to make a stamp and then re-heat it to use it again. This was a years ago but I remember getting rid of a big pack of those at some point because I had only used it once. Now with UA-cam and the massive amount of ideas and inspiration with products like this it kinda makes me regret getting rid of it. I can't remember the brand though, I do remember it has tons of shapes including wedges and such.
The texture plates came with a tool with little round nubs on the bottom. You placed the paper on the plate, then ran the tool over the paper to get your impression. All depended on how much pressure you used on how good your impression was. Fun video.
Fun trip down memory lane -thanks! I had/have several of these.
Watching you figure out the bow maker as you go was the best!
I can only chuckle as I watch this. Not only have I seen and used these things, I still own some of them and still love some of them. Those thicker dies can cut materials that the wafer thin dies cannot, and are very useful.
Vintage crafts bring back so many memories. There's a family-owned craft store I used to visit and the vintage tools and kits they would keep in stock were mind boggling. I collect unwanted crafts from my friends and they think I'm nuts. Love second hand stores too. What vintage tools lack in convenience, they make up for in durability and nostalgia.
More of these!! Love seeing old crafting things! I also need to check out this store!
It really made me laugh out loud watching you trying to get a bow out of what looks like a medieval torture tool. Thank you for making my day. By the way I’m from the UK and I say Fiskers to the sound as whiskers.
A reuse store for crafting! Oh my, I would be in big trouble if I lived near one!!! I have been scrapbooking since 2001 and have a large collection of the Sizzix dies and I love them! I have the latest technology too, but I find myself needing something really quick and grabbing one of those still to this day!! I recently took the time to create a notebook that indexed them, so I can quickly look thru the notebook to find what I need, vs. looking thru the dies. I don't know what I didn't think of that years ago. I could have made it so much easier to use them. Better late than never!! 😀😀😀😀
Please make more videos!! I'm so obsessed with your content ❤❤
Oh heavens! We used those thick foam dies at school. We had entire alphabets, every shape imaginable, numbers, etc. They were very helpful in making bulletin boards. We had a very strong hand press for cutting multiples.
I also have a Fiskars stamp press. Precursor to the Misti. Press the stamp. Not the corners.
Makes me appreciate all the upgraded tools from today! I own some of these too!
Great video! I have several of these tools and had similar issues/ troubles. So thankful for advancement in crafts tools!!! Have a great weekend!
We've come a long way!
Love this video and would like to see more. I have the Fiskars shape cutter and you have to get used to how it works.. It works great with photos when you put the template down on top of them. The stamp platform was my first platform and if washi tape was around then, I would have taped my paper down. I still use the steel rule dies & texture plates. I wish they had a store like that in Florida!
Great video! I have several of these tools. My Fiskars (I pronounce to rhyme with whiskers - don’t know if that’s accurate) is smaller. I still use occasionally. Love your videos, wishing you the best of luck with your new career.
Oh my gosh, your sense of humor is amazing. The big Sizzix dies can cut through many layers of paper in one pass, which is an advance over the thinner dies today if you wanted to mass produce something. Loved this video.
Loved this video! I love Bigz dies, I use them all the time. Please do another one 😊
I live 30min from Austin, had no idea there was a craft thrift store! I’m so going this week to you know m, hoard more things 😅.
This video just popped up in my feed and I totally enjoyed it! Except for the bow maker, I’ve seen the rest of the tools, I’ve been crafting for about ten years. I happen to own the stamp set you used, lol. I had that shape cutter…hated it so much that it pushed me to buy a Big Shot 😂 which is still going, those things are indestructible. I think Sizzix still makes steel rule dies, especially for the Tim Holtz line. My Big Shot platform is old enough to include instructions for them, as well as other credit card size dies they used to make, and texture plates too. Fun video! Great to see young people (and especially a guy) getting into crafting!
Hi neighbor!! I'm just north of you in Georgetown. I had the Fiskars platforms in two sizes and they were okay, but they were definitely a precursor to the hinged stamping platforms. And I pronounce it like it rhymes with "whiskers."
Thank you for trying those out. It was fun to watch. ❤ I enjoy watching you craft 😊
So glad you enjoyed it!
Plus I'd like to add: Thanks for leaving the blooper cuts in. 😉 it reminds us that we all have them!!! ❤ 😁 Ralph your an awesome person. Never forget that. Keep making awesome cards and videos!
Is hilarious! Some friends and I were just talking in our group chat about using our older supplies that we first started with 20 years ago! It’s a trip down memory lane!!!
The thick dies are called “steel rule” dies. I have quite a few….picked them up (mostly Sizzix) when they were being discontinued some years back at ACMoore (now closed.) They are great and are really easier to use than the thin metal ones. One con is, however, that they don’t give you the level of detail that thin metal ones do…like the edge embossing. They can be used in virtually every brand of die cutting machines. If you want to buy them online, you’re likely to pay a premium for them now.
I got the few I have from Scrapbook.come not knowing what Bigz dies were. It wasn't worth sending them back, so I still have them, but don't know where they are...
They are also called bigs or bigz dies.
Hi there Ralph, I have the shape cutter. I find it best to cut on a glass mat, and the blade should jiggle about in the housing, for the blade to turn in any direction freely, yours looks and sounds too tight. When it's in use, it's like going around the template with a pencil, and it is a beautiful smooth cut. I hope you try it again.
Love your videos. Nuala xx
thanks for the tips!
So glad this YT popped up to view. We're heading home to Austin & family in a few weeks. Never heard of this store, probably started after we left, but will certainly visit. Tkx for sharing &🤘
I'm retired now, but when I taught elementary school we had an Ellison machine that took dies the thickness of the Bigz dies. Some were huge (maybe 12" x 12") and the machines had either a crank handle or a press. We made all sorts of things with them, from bulletin board shapes to boxes to masks for plays. I loved it and used it frequently, which is what got me interested in paper crafts to begin with.
The nice thing about the big dies is that you can also cut other materials, such as cloth!
I have been calling fiskars the same as you for 60+ years. So, I think it's correct.
I sat Fiskars the same way you do, seems fine to me. Great testing Ralph, very interesting too
Ralph you are brave for doing this! There's a reason some these are in the craft graveyard 😂
What a great video Ralph, it was like going down memory lane!!
I love the idea of a craft thrift store!! It looks like you got some great deals and all in good shape!!
Maybe you can do a Vintage Craft Tool Series!! ❤
Hi Ralph - I’m a new subscriber and love your videos ! I’ve been making cards for about five years. Unfortunately, I probably spend more time watching crafting videos than I actually spend crafting. I do make all of my Christmas cards every year, I can’t wait to see what you make during the holiday season. All that aside, I wanted to tell you that I also stumbled upon the Fiskars stamp platform very early into crafting. I actually bought two - one is the same size as yours, and the other is about half the size. I find that they do work pretty well if you hold your paper down with magnets and press directly over your stamps. When I bought these, the MISTI was simply out of my price range. About two years later “knock offs” of the MISTI were coming out (for half the price) and I admit I scooped one up before they were pulled from the market. The hinged stamping platforms are “game changers” and make stamping so much easier. Welcome to the community Ralph ! Glad to meet you !
I used to have that shape cutter and loved it!
You can use that embossing silicone mat and plastic mat also to emboss with dies and stencils (different sandwich for each). I've never seen that bow maker before and I've been crafting a long, long time. I have many, many Bigz dies and Sizzlits as I have the original die cut machine with the lever and there were NO thin dies at that time. Eventually, the thin wafer dies came into vogue and Sizzix had a adapter for the original machine so you could put them through, too. Hated the shape cutter. Never tried the Fiskars stamp "platform." Thank goodness. Fun video. TFS It's great to see how far tools have come and how much easier to create a decent product these days.
Some of these tools are a blast from the past! Im so glad technology has advanced in crafting tools. Crafting is so much easier! Great vid!
I have the stamp press; I also have the smaller size. I used to use it all the time, you could get an even inking on background stamps and sentiments.
What a fun video and how fun to have a crafter's thrift store! The "thick" dies were first used in Elementary schools and still are today. Never seen a bow maker like that one before. The stamp press from Fiskars was pretty popular back in the day, I still have mine, but mine is even older than the one you got. Nope, it wasn't for stamping twice, like the Misti-it was just to help hover over your paper to get your placement before stamping. But yeah, I remember a lot of these items, love how far the industry has came since, but then again...we thought we were using cutting edge technology back then. LOL Love how brave you were to tackle these "vintage" tools on camera.
It was fun to watch, but as a newbie wannabe crafter/stamper, I def won't try these. haha! I need the K.I.S.S method :)
That fizkars cutting round thing, in the circle cutter, you have to push down on that center thing. The button in the center.
The plate and rubber mat is still useful for other techniques. One example is using it with a stencil to essentially emboss with the stencil as the rubber pushes the stencil into the cardstock.
I used to have some of those Fiskars cutting tools and never did get them to work for me.
It’s so fun seeing newer crafter’s coming across the tools etc that many of us ‘oldies’ were using back in the day. You certainly can’t go wrong with Fiskars, I’m still using my big scissors and small embroidery ones for fussy cutting, I also still have my embossing plates. The stamping platform if memory serves was the first stamping platform on the market. The wonderful thing about the bigz dies is being able to use anything in your stash and so much more 🎉
More please. This was fun. Good to see you again
I still use those thick die at times…. Years ago, my Cub Scout den cut metal snowflakes out of the aluminum from empty pop cans we recycled/repurposed…. They loved it!
Love steel rule dies!
1st ...I have a craft thrift store near me that I have donated to. I've been downsizing to sell my house. I have bought a couple things at a great price. Since it's a non profit I prefer donating to them over other thrift shops who have little knowledge of crafting. That said, I had the fiskers platform. I hated it. The same reason you did. It was impossible to get it positioned to restamp. Crafters companion has a similar one. But, they finally made a base/ tray where the feet fits into so it stays in the same position. I still prefer the misty. Most of what you showed , I still have.
Oh I spent a weekend in Austin last year, and I loved it. This makes me love it all the more!!
Came from watching you make awesome cards I love this stuff I wish there was a craft thrift near me lol ❤❤ probably for the best cause you know how that goes 😊I can barely stay away from regular thrift stores 😅 thanks for sharing xx