Good morning from CHA! If you were following my tweets yesterday you know that I was not a happy camper. It seems that all the other die companies (Ellison/Sizzix and the company that bought QuicKutz) have decided they have the right to violate Spellbinders patent on the open dies. They claim to be getting around it by saying they don’t have the embossing edge . . . . HELLO! their patent is for open dies period! I am so disappointed in these other companies and personally . . . I’m shouting BOYCOTT! I’ll be getting rid of those dies that I do have from them, not purchase from them again and will be using Spellbinders exclusively. I also heard yesterday that Papertrey is now working on new dies . . . are they going this route too? tsk, tsk tsk . . .
BTW, here’s a picture with one of my favorite people . . . Stacey Caron . . . she’s pretty damn remarkable!
I’m running a little late this morning and don’t have the necessary stuff to get the pictures from my phone, but I will try and do that tonight for you. You MUST see them!
On a lighter note, I have a CHA project being showcased on the Graphic 45 Blog today. It’s using the new ABC Primer and lost of metal. You’ll need to check it!
Have a great day and I hope to have a few more tweets and updates today!
I’m with you I love the spellbinder dies and can’t wait to get there new ones.
Looking forward to more updates. Thanks Sherry for sharing.
That is sad… I too love Spellbinder although I do have a few Sizzix. Money being tight, I’ll probably continue to use the Sizzix dies I have until I can accquire the Spellbinder ones. But I totally agree with you on that……like I’ve said before….regardless of the feeling that the papercrafting community is one great big happy family….it’s a cut throat business. Sad!
MISS YOU lots and btw, you look great!!!! Can’t wait for the pics.
Sherry, hope you are having a great time at CHA. I love that new necklace you have on. I must get one. Enjoy your time in Chicago with all your admirers. Love, me.
I’ve been a fan of Spellbinders forever. I’m glad you posted this. I thought that Spellbinders were making the dies for the other companies. The entire craft industry seems to be copying from one another. Sad really. Stacy has to know her dies are the best…. Tell her to hang in there…..Hopefully those with brand loyality will do the same.
I seem to be buying more and more Spellbinders and fewer of the others. now I will make SURE that is what I do. how very sad that companies feel they can violate protocols put in place for a reason. thanks for letting us know.
have a wonderful time! 🙂
The only thing that I don’t like about Spellbinders is that the dies are made in China.
There are plenty of dies that are made in the United States so in my feeble little mind I question why can’t Spellbinders have their dies made in the United States?
I wonder how many jobs could be created if the dies were made in the United States?
I love Spellbinders and have been thoroughly delighted with their die designs and durability. I was surprised to see all the new dies coming out from other companies, although it shouldn’t surprise me…everyone is copying these days. A lot of the stamps I see as new releases are very much like competitor companies. Oh well, what can you do. I’ll be buying only Spellbinders. Sherry, thanks, and have fun at CHA.
Hope you are having fun Sherry! I didn’t realize all the stuff going on with the dies..Spellbinders are by far superior. I was looking at some quickutz this morning~~guess I won’t be looking at them again or ordering either.
Seems there was a big hullabaloo not long ago over the electronic cutters. Like Micki said, it is a cutthroat business. I love Stacy’s dies and the embossing does make a difference! Enjoy yourself!
Drama!
I live near the Patent and Trademark Office, I know someone who works there, I could put in a good word!
My father is a former Patent Attorney — so I am talking from some inside knowledge:
Getting a patent is a first step — enforcing it is the second — and that takes money. The person/company with the patent must get a good lawyer or team of lawyers to get the opinion if they really can win — and then they must threaten to take the other company/ies to court. It could be settled out of court for a LOT of money, or it could go in front of a judge to be decided.
But protecting the patent through legal proceedings is what is required to get monetary renumeration and/or the other companies to be ordered to stop making the dies, I believe.
And, I am not entirely sure, but if they don’t protect their patent, I think that they could even lose it! (At least it goes like that with Trademarks…)
They say the best form of flattery is when someone copies you, but when your livlihood is compromised that is just wrong.
I guess I’m missing what part the other companies are copying though. Are they making dies with the edge like Spellbinders or are they copying the basic shapes and making dies of those? I own hundreds of both Sizzix and Spellbinders dies (not exagerating either). I’ve come across some of the Sizzix designs of some newer frames/tags and I skip on those because they look too much like Spellbinders dies that I already have so I don’t spend my money on those, but you have to have all of the Tim Holtz ones! At least all of the companies are keeping their prices around the same price so nobody seems to be low balling on their prices to sway the customers their way. Although I was a bit unhappy when after paying $24.99 for all of these Spellbinder dies they show up in JoAnn stores and you could use a coupon. They kind of stung a bit, but I forgave them quickly when I see all the new dies they are bringing out for us.
Sherry you are an amazing artist and I thank you for sharing your talents!
Sherri, I own hundreds of Sizzix dies. I also own 40 Spellbinder dies. I love both. When I making 30-45 projects for kindergarten classes, I am able to cut multiple pieces at one time with my Sizzix. When I want to just a few, I use my spellbinders. I am very happy with both. By the way if you are planning to get rid of your sizzix – I would love to purchase the pink dress and overall bigz dies if you have them.
I love Spellbinders, and also Sizzix – seems as if they were really violating Spellbinders patent, Spellbinders would be taking action and they would have been made to stop producing them? Is there a lawsuit? I think I will continue to buy what I like best and let the companies sort out their legal issues. I admire you for standing up for Spellbinders though. Plus a little competition might be a good thing:)
Thanks for sharing this info in your email as I don’t tweet. Spellbinders dies are the best on the market, those other companies don’t stand a chance of matching up to them. All Spellbinders for me and YES Stacy is a beutiful person. How many other people from those companies have been to Haiti and donated for the orphanage there?
I was so thrilled to meet you, even if it was just for a few seconds. Your work is beyond gorgeous!!
Linda
It sounds like everyone has feelings on this subject, even me…..
I love Spellbinders too, and have very few other dies.
But since your close with the People that make these great dies can you find out why they are not made in the USA. This would be such a BIG Plus for me and I’m sure many other crafters. I look at everything now to see where it’s made, if I find something I like and it’s made in the USA I put it on my “Buy List” and will look there first when I need something again.
Sorry you feel that way… I love sizzix dies, I will always buy sizzix. I like spellbinders too, but , that’s the name of the game…. Hope everyone will erease What
you just said…. Makes you look bad
Sherry When I was a newbee I bought a couple dies from other companies and was disappointed with their quality. Then I found Spellbinders and have bought nothing else for the last 2 years. They are the absolute best and I will continue to build my collection from this marvelous company. I do agree that I wish they were made in America. I try to purchase as much Made in America as possible. China doesn’t need any more of our money and our country needs the jobs.
I would love to see Spellbinders made in the Good Old U.S.A, too.
If I understand right—–it is not Sizzix or Cherrylynn Designs that is “copying”—they are closed dies—–CuttleBug and any of of the others that are doing the “open” dies are the one who are copying and I believe that Spellbinders has the “Rights” on those.
I have a few Cuttlebug and Quikcut dies and I will keep and use them—-but don’t think I’ll buy their products anymore.
Tomi Jo
Ahhhh Sherry,
I see what you are saying about the competitors dies now. I see on a certain website that sells Sizzix dies that they have come out with new dies and they look just like Spellbinders. OK….that is not right. It looks like those two companies lawyers will be sending letters back and forth soon, if they haven’t already. I’ve heard that you can’t copyright a shape (or maybe a common shape like a circle…don’t know about these other fancy frame shapes though) but you can copyright the process.
Problem here is that consumers will go buy the lower priced dies because most consumers don’t have a loyalty to any company unless they had a bad experience with one. To me (only my opinion) Spellbinders are far superior to any of the other brands. I do love the Tim Holtz products because they match with his stamps and well you know….it’s Tim Holtz!!
Why can’t life be less complicated. It should be “All in love and crafting is fair.” or something like that.
On to bigger and more productive things now…….