| 1. Spellbinders Paper Arts | | | | machine and the amazing texture and design of |
| Spellbinders entered the craft market in 2003 with | | | | their embossing folders Provo Craft wins second |
| the introduction of the Wizard Universal | | | | place. |
| Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine. Spellbinders die | | | | 3. Quickutz Inc. |
| templates are coated with a bronze color making | | | | Quickutz Inc. was founded in 2000 by Natasha |
| them easy to distinguish from other competitor | | | | Hixon. Natasha was searching for a way to create |
| dies. All Spellbinders dies have a triple function that | | | | cut-out letters without having to hand trace or |
| cut, emboss, and stencil, making them the most | | | | use a big industrial die-cutting machine. Hence the |
| versatile dies on the market. As far as quality and | | | | Quickutz personal die-cutting system was born. |
| design, stacey Caron head designer and president | | | | Quickutz offers a variety of dies, however, unlike |
| of Spellbinders Paper Arts, is nothing but | | | | Spellbinders if you want to cut, emboss, and |
| spectacular. With 250 patented and patent pending | | | | stencil you might find yourself purchasing multiple |
| products like Nestabilities, Shapeabilities, and | | | | dies. Most Quickutz die-cuts do not offer a triple |
| Impressabilities, she takes designing to the | | | | function, but if you will be doing projects where |
| extreme providing exactly what customers want. | | | | you will only be cutting, then Quickutz dies are the |
| Spellbinders die templates are a little more | | | | most affordable dies on the market. Also if you |
| expensive than other die-cuts, but the quality and | | | | are a collector and like new dies they are a |
| versatility make their products a very good value | | | | die-cutting company that release new dies every |
| for your money. Hands down Spellbinders has the | | | | month. The die-cuts are usually seasonal shapes |
| most creative and overall best design team in the | | | | that are released a few months prior to the |
| market today. This is why they received the | | | | upcoming season. So come Christmas, Quickutz |
| number one spot on the list. | | | | will usually have a release in October with all their |
| 2. Provo Craft (Cuttlebug) | | | | christmas shapes. When papercrafters think of |
| Provo Craft is definitely the pioneer of crafting | | | | alphabets, no one can beat their designs. With |
| with over 40 years of experience. They inspire | | | | their new 4x8 alphabets, Quickutz has taken the |
| creativity and provide some of the best products | | | | ease of cutting out letters to a whole new height! |
| on the market, like the Cuttlebug and the | | | | Quickutz stands for quality and die-cutting |
| Cuttlebug embossing folders. The Cuttlebug Die | | | | innovation. With the release of their new universal |
| Cutter & Embosser is considered the most | | | | die-cutting machine the Epic Six, that cuts all their |
| portable, user-friendly die-cutting system out | | | | dies and other leading brand dies, it has brought |
| there and is very popular with papercrafters of all | | | | them to a higher level of quality for 2009. |
| ages. It is easy to store and will cut and emboss | | | | Quickutz Inc. has also joined with Lifestyle Crafts |
| a wide range of materials. This machines accepts | | | | to bring back letterpress printing, making |
| all leading brand dies. Following the Cuttlebug | | | | handmade stationery affordable and easy for the |
| machine, Provo Craft then released their line of | | | | home crafter. This is why Quickutz is in our |
| embossing folders, which flew off the shelves! | | | | number three spot. |
| Card Makers are not shy in telling you these A2 | | | | It is important to note that most crafters seem |
| embossing folders are a dream come true. With | | | | to use a combination of the three die-cutting |
| professional quality embossing, texture, and | | | | manufacturers. A serious crafter on average |
| design, scrapbookers can't resist them. Cuttlebug | | | | would probably be found owning a Cuttlebug Die |
| cutting dies are also of good quality, but don't | | | | Cutter & Embosser, with Spellbinders |
| boast the creativity of the embossing folders. And | | | | nestabilities and some individual Quickutz dies on |
| at only 4.99, the price of the embossing folders is | | | | the side for very specific seasonal projects. |
| hard to beat. So with the easy to use Cuttlebug | | | | |