Spellbinder Notecase

I've bought a few Spellbinders recently - some really pretty designs have been forthcoming lately - and one of the sets I bought was this one - Layered Elegant Swirl from Heartfelt Creations.

I awaited it with great anticipation - I'm a great admirer of the versatility of Spellbinders dies - you can do so much with them....except this one.

I was so disappointed, it's hard to overstate the case.  This is what you get.

Now, they top 'arch is one piece and cuts out to a pretty, filigree arch. No prob with that - just how it looks on the tin - as long as you use it on the edge of your card or are prepared to use a knife to remove it from the card from which you just cut it.... The cutting edge doesn't join up.

The other pieces are also part of a jigsaw.  The two swirls are mirror images of the same thing - nice idea so you can put them on opposite corners but they aren't designed to cut out in a piece - the ends don't 'join up', so they make a kind of fancy flap.   

I had to go hunt down a video to see how they're meant to work as none of them join up. 

I found just two. Heartfelt Creations own and a re-do of the HC one by another crafter. The SAME project.

So, I did more digging and also e-mailed Heartfelt creations who sent me a reply telling me to look in their own gallery which I already had done and found....the same project.  True, a couple of peeps had used the arch bit as a kind of background - like a doily - but you know, I already have doily dies and they didn't cost me £24.00!   Very expensive for a one-trick pony in my book!

I was cross and did consider returning it (and could have as the packaging gives the impression of individual dies) but I decided to keep it to see if I could make it do other tricks.  So far - nada! But I will keep trying as refuse to be beaten by a stoopid die.

My other bugbear with it is that it could have been outstanding if they had just included the outline dies complete, so you could cut panels to paste the filigree bits onto in a different colour, making layers - how great would that have been? And that too would have explained the exorbitant price.

It makes, in its intended state, just one card  8" x 4.75" max - oh and you need a Calibur or a Pro if you want to cut it out in one without folding any of the card before cutting or trim your A4 card first.

The project is undoubtedly pretty  (I made it into a notecase set with a bellyband and a little card holder inside) but £24.00 worth...not in my book.
For that money I would have expected more versatility.

My advice to anyone taking a fancy to this die set would be to watch the video first as not everyone would be happy with it. It's quite fiddly and less experienced crafters might well have their confidence knocked by it.

(No doubt by now you more than likely can get this set for a lot less on e-bay but it wasn't available there at the time any cheaper than I got it.)

My main beefs a though were:
a)  The packaging gives the impression of individual stand-alone dies - they're not. Which means..

b)  Not versatile at all. One-trick pony. None of which would matter if it wasn't ...

c) Too expensive! Which it wouldn't be if....

d) there were extra outline dies.

I like the project I made with it well enough (with other dies added - the heart, the plaque and the top flourish) but how many times would you use this particular project?  Fine if you've a wedding or invites to make but it would take you ages to cut a lot of them.

Verdict :- Pretty set but limited use and too expensive as it is.

Hugs Ei x