I have the small cricut & the large Cricut Expression. I like the larger one. The small one has been in a case for over a year!

If you don't intend to take this machine out to any of these "crop nights", then go for the Create or Expression (I got the larger one before Create came out).

It's nice to have the larger one because you can create really large letters and/or shapes (On occasions I use it for creating signs, so this is perfect for that purpose; or for card making when I need to make multiple cuts of the same item).

If you plan on using this primarily for scrapbooking pages, consider the latest machine ("Create"). This seems to be a nice compromise...a little of this & that from both machines.

Consider joining the yahoo group "Cricut". Type in your questions in this forum and you'll get many responses from those who own these machines. It also helps with making choices/decisions; learning and sharing techniques, etc.....

And also go onto Provo Crafts (the maker of Cricut) website
www.cricut.com

FYI: The cartridges: I have found many only on sale (I will never pay full price) Sometimes Michaels & JoAnns will have them on sale from as low as 29.00 (rare), usually 39.99 to 45.00; some on-line services are not bad either, such as www.ohmycrafts.com. There's a couple more, however if you go into the yahoo group site for "cricut" you'll be able to get a lot of info. The juke box is also a nice tool to have too (still new with using it)....it's especially good if you have a large collection of cartridges.

When I got my large cricut, I bought it through AC Moore (either on line or at the store). They offered the best package (included the large machine w/4 cartridges and accessories for 239.00 to 269.00) Check their website if you're still in search of one. The "bundles" vary with stores or on-line businesses. WalMart may appear to offer the best price, but its only for the machine plus 1 or 2 cartridges. so far, I still found that AC Moore offers the best package (if you want many cartridges).

I really like the machine. It does help with creating wonderful pages; cards; and other craft products.

Hope this helps you out!