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I am in the process of moving my supplies from the ENTIRE dining room and a big chunk of my bedroom to half of a small bedroom (the other half will be the guest room). It is taking forever because my kids are out of school and there are lots more fun things to do than watch Mama go through her stamping stuff! I am hoping that when they are settled into school, I can dive in and clear it out. I am realizing that somewhow I need to get rid of most of it and stop pretending that I am going to use it all someday. I will keep a reasonable amount of stamps and paper and ink and embellishments but not the volume that I currently own.
The volume of stuff that I have overwhelms me. And I honestly think that it is starting to drag me down. I'm not enjoying the fact that we haven't eaten in the dining room for over 5 years ( my youngest has never had a meal in there) or that there is so much that I will never use. I need to climb this mountain one step at a time.
__________________ Work is for people who don't know how to stamp.
i have way way way way way too much paper i keep having to buy storage for it!!! and will i ever use it all i doubt it... too many stamps thats an obvious too many primas and brads.. its a never ending i cant stop....
breathe breathe,
For me, I'm not overwhelmed by my stash - I'm excited when I think about it.... I'm severely UNDERwhelmed by my free time :(
I dream of the day when I will be caught up on work and household and children stuff and have consecutive hours (or better...days!) to work in my art room...... lately, I find an hour every few weeks. So sad :(
__________________ Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth or the only truth. -Charles Anderson Dana
Um, just, um, a little, um, yes, a lot! I don't have a craft room, so I work in the dining room. We're painting the kitchen and dining room tomorrow, so I had to clean up. I didn't realize my stuff is everywhere! No more shopping for me. sigh
Does anyone else feel a little overwhelmed by their stash? Usually, I'm not. But lately, sheesh!
I completely understand that feeling. I seem to spend more time organizing my stamp/scrap room than I do creating! I seriously am considering just getting rid of all the paper that I don't see me using in the next six months. I am always so afraid of regretting getting rid of things, but maybe someone else could use it.
Does anyone else feel a little overwhelmed by their stash? Usually, I'm not. But lately, sheesh!
Terribly overwhelmed!! I wish I would think much longer before buying more stuff. Every time I look in my craftroom I feel pangs of guilt because I've bought soooo much stuff over the years and half of it doesn't even get used! I'm sure I'm an art supply addict. :(
Sometimes I wonder how many cards I could make without buying another item!
that's EXACTLY how I feel too. I keep buying and buying....spending money instead of saving it and using what I already have. I just keep seeing things in the gallery and in reading posts that I don't have still and think.."I NEED to have that." It's sad.....I'm starting to get to the point where I can't use everything I have and I don't like that.
Yes, I was but then I started letting my 3 girls have free reign over it. At first, it was hard to watch them use my stash of stuff but then I saw how much fun they were having and they have particular people in mind for the cards they make. My oldest (she's 7) has even begun doing scenic stamping. My 3 year old now knows how to use my Cuttlebug and she's totally into my snowman embossing folder right now!
It feels great to share it with my girls and it allows me to buy some new things every now and then. The girls also love thinking of people to send cards to and I think it's teaching them to think outside of themselves.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed by your stuff and you have kids (or access to kids), share it with them!
Right there with you - and now I'm having to waste time (that could be used to STAMP!) to sort it all out, list on eBay, ship, etc. We're going to be relocating, though, and I'm ready for a fresh start. Now here's hoping I can keep my resolve to buy only what I absolutely know I will use
Location: Somewhere in the middle...closer to there, nearer to here...
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I've just spent the last two weeks (not all of it, but most of it) organizing and cataloging my stamp room. I was shocked by how much stuff I have and a bit embarassed. I feel a bit like I've been at one of those all-you-can-eat buffets and went back one too many times and now I'm feeling a bit bloated .
The nice thing is that now that it is clean and organized with lovely new shelves and new storage for my stamp sets that I know what I have and can actually see what I have rather than digging around in the closet. It also gave me a reality check. I've spent a boatload of money on this hobby and need to put the breaks on spending. I'm putting myself on a Rubbah-diet (in no New Rubbah) until I break in all the sets that have only been inked when they were indexed.
Just yesterday, I picked up my new SU order..AND...stopped at Jo-Ann's and spent 50.00 then went to CraftFancy in Arlington Hts and spent another 85.00, came home and just felt sick thinking..WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT ALL THIS?????????????
I have to stop buying and start using. Either that or I have to buy more storage bins...geeeeeeeeeeeeeesh
Location: Wishing I was not at work but I have to pay for my hobbies some how! LOL!
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I need to clean out my SU stamps. I need to organize them and make a pile to sell on eBay. Then I need to get a CD rack for my Papertrey Ink stamps because they are starting to look like the leaning tower of Pisa. Then, over the weekend, my DH bought me a pad of 200 sheets of patterned paper on clearance at Wal-Mart for $7 that I cannot fit with my other patterned paper. I need to get back to working on my scrapbooks to actually use some of it.
For me, I'm not overwhelmed by my stash - I'm excited when I think about it.... I'm severely UNDERwhelmed by my free time :(
I dream of the day when I will be caught up on work and household and children stuff and have consecutive hours (or better...days!) to work in my art room...... lately, I find an hour every few weeks. So sad :(
I'm the same way!
__________________ Anjou My Gallery * My Blog - Dreaming in Color "Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so." - Belva Davis
Yep. In the past it's been DP ... but then I sent some to my sister who just started stamping and sometimes I'll pass some along to a friend... and I feel better!!
Sometimes you'll see worthwhile causes here where people really need some stuff and when an opportunity arose this past year to help someone out I really came to my senses and pared down on embellishments and some supplies, etc. Since then I keep a sort of "pass along" box and it's all ready to go when I find someone who will appreciate it.
I also have a box of "sell when they retire" or "trade when the new catalog comes out" SU stamp sets. And I'll post non-SU on the sales forum to finance new purchases!! At least then I'm not out more $$ for adding to the stash!
I've put myself on a sort of purchasing freeze until the new SU catalog comes out and the other companies start introducing new fall products. It's been a good thing and I've been using up some nice things and inking up stamps that have been left sitting for too long. It's been one of my biggest challenges to start pacing myself and it's less painful than I thought it would be!! I have "wish lists" at a couple of online sites and it's amazing to me that I've gone this long without moving them to the cart. It is precisely that sense of being overwhelmed that is knocking some sense into me!!
How reassuring it is to find people that think exactly the same way as me! I go to make a card or a layout and find that I have so much stuff that I don't know what to use. I am the same with magazines. I have hundred with post it notes stuck to the pages that I think will inspire me. Unfortunately I spend more of my time looking through them than actually doing something. I sometimes wish I could turn the clock back and have 1 magazine that I take all the inspiration from and then buy another one. Same with the stash - I feel like selling it all and then just buying appropriate papers etc for one particular project.
No question is ever stupid...
I have found that having too much "stuff" stifles me when it comes to using it. About 12 Years ago, I sold half of my carefully acquired tools and materials for doing leathercraft and found that I loved using what was left and was able to teach both my boys and one of them found a life time hobby !!!! Then my photography props began to "breed" and I felt overwhelmed by them....Little garage sale later, I have things I use on an almost daily basis. I have only 3 camera bodies(one film 35mm, one digital SLR and one mini digital) and 5 lenses now compared to what I previously owned and the props are now fitting nicely into their storage bins....
ANd the end of this long story is:::: I found the same with my stamping/scrapping materials. I began weeding stamp sets this summer and went though paper and extra tools and made some craft sessions for youth in various programs very happy. Now, I know exactly what I have and am using it fast.
Another hint to using up what I already have: I go to all the galleries only once a month---but I am religious about making cards from the challenges, the sheetload site..and other design sites...Because seeing just the design allows me to find papers and embellishments that I already own to create that card(s) instead of thinking I need to go buy the exact items found on the gallery cards. It frees me to use what I have which saves money(I think).
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
Card Sketch Challenge 1-227 done only 396+ to go to be caught up!!!!!
YES I do! Especially since I started with TAC. It has been such a success for me that everything not TAC has to go. I am in the process of garage selling and ebaying everything. I am putting the money toward our reamining $900 in credit card debt. I am getting myself on the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stamper) program and staying there!
Inky Hugs
Risa
Me, me, me {waving hand high in the air}. So I decided to not buy anything new (except adhesives, blades, etc) and just start using all the supplies I have. I have some stamp sets that I bought months ago and have never used or maybe used only once. That is just silly!! And I've purchased some great stuff (like glitter, mica, vellum, copper, masks, etc.) that I've not even pulled out of the package yet!! I've got to tell you...doing this "use what I've got" has actually been GREAT!! I feel good about using what I've bought and I don't feel pressured to run out and buy something specific to make a card like one I've seen in the gallery -- I just use what I have got!!
At least I know that there are other people that feel like I do - overwhelmed! I have so much stuff and I always feel like I need more (like the new cuttlebug folders)! My big problem is that I don't have the time to stamp. My husband travels with his job and I work full time so most everything at home is left up to me. Between my job, the house, the yard, grocery shopping, the dogs, etc, there isn't much time left for stamping. I love to do the challenges but thank goodness there is no time limit. It sometimes takes me awhile to get to them!
Me TOO!!!
When I moved about 1 1/2 years ago I only used my dining room table......now I have a whole spare bedroom and it's busting at the seams!! I just think I NEED to stop buying for a while!!!!!!!!
For me, I'm not overwhelmed by my stash - I'm excited when I think about it.... I'm severely UNDERwhelmed by my free time :(
I dream of the day when I will be caught up on work and household and children stuff and have consecutive hours (or better...days!) to work in my art room...... lately, I find an hour every few weeks. So sad :(
Me too! I can't wait until I can get my hands on my stash! It may be years but the thought is always there!
Yes! I think lots of people do...so much stuff - so little time! I started going through my supplies that I bought but haven't used and decided to use it or sell it. It's been a very slow process, but worth the time. I have unloaded stuff I am not using and have fallen in love with other stuff I didn't even know how to use. I feel confident that it's much more under control now and I'm slowly but surely losing the overwhelming feelings.
Stupid question?
