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I have a stamp collection of approximately 158 stamp sets and a draw full of singles. I have 84 ink pads. 5 shelves of paper and 4 multiple stacked drawer organizers stuffed with embellishments, tools, etc. I have a stamp room. (I once was an SU! demo so basically put my commission into product)
But I work full time now and rarely make anything. I do still want to make cards and scrapbook (I have a family and still have years to scrap) but I would like to downsize my collection. It seems silly to have a room dedicated to something I rarely get the chance to do.
Any thoughts? Is there a thread somewhere that lists what every stamper/scrapbook/cardmaker needs? Something other than the obvious basics.
Is there such a list as "if you only had these items you would have all you'll ever need". Example: x flower stamp sets, x greetings sets, x Christmas sets, x colours from each colour family in ink, x colours from each colour family in paper, x kinds of ribbon in dark, bright, light, etc.
I'm looking for a kind of guideline of sorts..is there such a thing? Or am I dreaming?
Thanks for your read and I welcome any suggestions you may have!
__________________ Trish Scrapbook goals...hoping to get back at it this upcoming year!!!
I think that the "guideline" would have to vary so widely to accommodate the full spectrum of tastes and styles that it would ultimately be useless. What I consider "all I'll ever need" and what my BFF considers "all she'll ever need" do not come close to matching. There might be a teensy bit of overlap, but not much.
The best way I've found to eliminate things is to use them and see if I'm still jazzed about them. I've eliminated TONS of colors, TONS of stamps, and TONS of embellishments because I just didn't enjoy using them when I tried to. An example of this is flowers. I adore how they look on other people's cards, but I'm never, ever happy with them on mine - too foofy and not my style and a hot mess. Got rid of all of them...
I stamped each stamp pad in color groups to see which ones were close enough to practically be duplicates and only kept the ones I loved the most. If the ink pad goes, so does the cardstock that matches it.
As far as embellishments - ribbon, pearls, gems, buttons, brads - you might want to have a few metallics and go with white/clear for the rest. You can make them any color you want with alcohol markers (Bic, Sharpie, Copic, Spectrum Noir, Shinhan, etc.)
Basically, think about the way you like to stamp when you have time, and only keep what will enable you to do that. If you're unsure, set things aside in a box in a closet or something and see if you miss any of it. If you don't, send it out into the flow...
Good luck with that, by the way! It's very freeing once you get into it, but it can be really, really hard at first. ;)
Sue, I gasped out loud when I read you got rid of all your flowers!!! Oh, the horror!!! I'd die without my flower stamps!!! (Doesn't matter that I never use them. lol) Just goes to prove your point about the "guideline" being so wide and varied. ;)
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Think back to when you first started and the point when you got to enough stamps and supplies to actually make just about any card. I remember well, because it took me at least two years before I had a good assortment.
I had a tighter budget, plus I liked to spread my $$$$ around on clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. it was frustrating to not have what I needed to create.
If I was going to drastically down-size (gasp) I'd keep two/ three flower sets, two/three valentine, 2/3 Christmas, & 2/3 Halloween sets and all my birthday sets and all sentiment sets.
I'd keep two/three whimsical sets like my camping set or the one set with the unraveling sweater that says, knit happens!!!
That would move out a heck of a lot of stamp sets. I have about 150 sets too.
I have maybe 30 different colors of paper. I could easily cut about 10 colors. The paper I have now takes very little room. Half of a shelf in a wardrobe type cupboard.
There's very little dsp I'd get rid of. I only have a few sheets I don't like. I have maybe 15-20 pkgs of full or partially used dsp.
Now when it comes to embellishments there's tons I could get rid of. I'm mostly SU. I have lots of buttons and brads I have gotten off of the clearance rack. I have those heavy metal round silver brads with embossed stars, grommets, corduroy brads/buttons in lots of colors, bigger, heavy buttons in color families. They could really all go except tiny silver and gold brads.
I'd keep my rhinestones and pearls.
I'd keep almost all my ribbon and twine. Some could go, but not a lot. I'd have to keep my dies and punches. I use them all the time.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Last edited by Allistamps123; 01-15-2015 at 03:04 AM..
Sue, I gasped out loud when I read you got rid of all your flowers!!! Oh, the horror!!! I'd die without my flower stamps!!! (Doesn't matter that I never use them. lol) Just goes to prove your point about the "guideline" being so wide and varied. ;)
I didn't mean to alarm you, and I must not have said it quite clearly enough: I didn't get rid of all of the flower stamps (although I did get rid of a lot of those), I got rid of flower embellishments (like the Primas and such) I have some flower dies and punches that I can use if I feel the need to attempt a 3-D dealie-o, otherwise, the flower brads and gems are fine...
When you think about culling your collection, be sure to think about alternate uses.
For example, I have a ton of ribbons. But, I do not use ribbon on cards as much as I used to (in part because the post office has gotten pickier about lumps & bumps, but also because my style has changed). But I would not get rid of my ribbons. Instead, I allow myself to use the pretty ribbons on gift wrapping, instead of the cheaper "papery" or curling ribbons. It uses my stash up, and the recipient gets a much lovelier package.
I have just decluttered my craft room after 20 years of buying.
The way I started was I looked at my stamps and decided if they still were the style I like.
I also divided things into groups, things I really didn't like any more, a maybe pile, then I decided what I would sell or donate.
I got rid of heaps of stuff, I havenr missed any of it.
I made some extra money and now I have more space in my craft room, win win, for me.
Keep what is your style. I am sure you have a ton of stamps that you "had" to buy because you were a demo. Just keep what you like, stamps, paper colors, embellishments, all the rest can go.
There is no set of standards for stamping. No set number of "have to have stamps". It is your personal choice what you like. Don't do any tends unless "It"s You".
Once you decide your style, purging should go quickly.
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
Cutting my collection...but what should stay??
