Making the subject in caps caps so that the internet spiders will catch this valuable piece of information and save someone the pain in the neck that I had with IKEA casserole dishes.
I got it for a multiple of reasons. I would be able to take pictures of a stamped image and then cut it out... I would be able to make stencils for background making.... I would be able to make stamps.... I would be able to make a stencil to etch glass. Plus I like toys.
I can say honestly. Not really a fan. This has been so unbelievably frustrating an experience for the year.
I have to be completely clear here. I bought the machine based on my friend Aims (my nickname for her, not by anymeans anything she would agree to or much less answer to!) glowing review and demonstration of what she has done with it. I should have tried it out first. But honestly she had me hook line and sinker based on the cutting out of some stamped images that was just looking super easy. Wrongo boyo.
The picscan setting up was beyond miserable. I have never actually gotten it to work properly. So what I saw in the demo... never really worked for me.
Not only did the machine and software not recognize my phone but I had to go into setting after setting to try and make it "just work". Then the software once I did actually get the setting in didn't save them and I had to start over again. I spent months alone with that just trying to make it happen. I used it once for that purpose and realized I actually am happier cutting by hand. I am in control at that point. I thought it would be a saver of money because I wouldn't have to by matching dies for some of the stamps that I was going to buy... and then honestly.... I haven't really given it much thought and hand cut anyways. So yeah that wasn't great and it still doesn't work.
I have cut some paper items.... I made birthday cards with the numbers cut out... that worked pretty well. I have cut some new years items for new years cards. For paper cutting ... it's worked.
Over the weekend this weekend though was my biggest trial. Making a cut file and cutting contact paper so that I could etch glass. It took me over 10 hours to figure this shit out. Seriously. 10 hours of trial and error because the system has no instructions. Went out to the internet. No one really explained how to set that up. It was maddening. I spent more time getting the stupid machine to cut than it took to find out that the etching cream wasn't working on the IKEA glass casserole dish I bought.
Seriously.
Not a lot of documentation out there that IKEA glass won't take the etching cream. That was so so so very interesting for me. Now that being said. I went straight to Target and bought a pyrex dish for the project that I was planning, they didn't have the same size BUT for the record, it etched like a charm in five minutes... it just worked and it was amazing. So please for the love of Pete don't make yourself crazy like I did.
Aims said that the floodgates will open and I have a million ideas now that I have it working.
I can honestly say I don't know about that so much. BUT I will say that I probably will move along and not have any intention to upgrade the machine. Right now it sits out on a small table in my craft room. I am going to actually box it back up and take it out only when I have a project. It is a constant reminder of frustration and disappointment. Nothing that costs that much money should be this frustrating.
In other news...I have been very unmotivated to make anything... which financially has been great.
I need to get my mojo back.
Any tricks and tips you have? Share them please... I really do want advise!
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