This is my first Pop-up die purchase and my experience with stencils is very limited. That said, I couldn't be more pleased with what I've been able to achieve with this set! The die is super easy to use, and it's so much fun to be able to add this extra dimension and interest to my card fronts. The stencil makes even me look like an inking pro, and it's really pushed my creativity (use with the die? use on its own? monochromatic background? multi-colored?). This set has been a wonderful introduction and I'm now considering other die/stencil combo purchases!