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When I first started stamping (in my pre-SU days!), I made an Index of all my stamps. I just stamped them on cardstock, punched holes, and kept them in a binder. When I went stamp-shopping (again, pre-SU days! <G>), I took the binder with me so I would know what I had.
I stopped doing that when I started buying a lot of SU stamps. But y'know, lately I was thinking how nice it would be to have a list of all the SU sentiments I own. Of course there's AYC 1,2,3 and Sincere Salutations, and Simple Sayings II, Wonderful Words 1 and 2, etc. BUT there are some awesome sentiment stamps included in stamp sets. Like the "Thank You" in All Natural, the "To Someone Special" in Botanicals, the "Wishing You Happiness" in Summer by the Sea.
So I was thinking that I might make an index of my sentiments, and stamp them all on cardstock, and write the names of the sets they're with (if not in a sentiment set). THEN, I could go a step further and stamp them again, this time in a catagory - like Happy Birthday, Get Well, Sympathy, Thinking of You, Christmas sentiments, etc.
So what do you think?? I think I'll do this soon!
Susan
The following 6 users liked this post by Soozie4Him:
what do I think? I think you are a genius! Why didn't I think of doing this?? I totally am going to do it now ... as soon as I organize all my photos :?
Uh oh, that's never going to happen -- better do the stamp organization first!
One of my hostesses did this after she saw an idea like this in a magazine (they probably stole it from you!) So she did up a round flippy rolodex with all the stamps she has and filed them by words, flowers, animals and things like that. I told her she was whacked.......only because I know how many stamps she has! She said it was alot of work, but she says it was worth her time. Now if she would only come to my house and do one for me since she is experienced! :lol:
i think that is a wonderful idea but i have too many stamps to reorganize them yet again! though i have started making a photocopy of my sticker sheets before mounting my stamps--that way i can flip through a binder to see what i have versus trying to rummage through all the sets. i might become convinced to just make more copies of my sheets so i can categorize them that way though...
I have made a Word Book that I have available at my stamp camps and for my own card making. I, too, lost track of the word stamps that I had. I stamped any word stamps that I had with the set name hand written in on white cardstock (8-1/2 x 11). I drew lines in between the sets so it was easier to read. I fit as many on a page as I could. I inserted the cardstock into page protectors and then inserted into a 3-ring binder.
It took a little time to create it at first, but now, when I get a new set, I just stamp the words in real quick before the set goes on my shelf. Definitely worth the time! It's nice to be able to flip through it to find the right words and which set it's in. My 'campers' like it too because they can adjust their cards to what they need...not just what I was thinking when I made the sample.
though i have started making a photocopy of my sticker sheets before mounting my stamps--that way i can flip through a binder to see what i have versus trying to rummage through all the sets.
I just love this idea, and can start with the sets I haven't yet gotten around to mounting, LOL! Thanks for the reminder!
Well I think that is great with the sentiment idea. For anyone that has access to a computer and is proficient with Excel. Here is one step further to go... type your sentiments in an excel spread sheet. I have made an index spread sheet. Then if your really lost for something you can just do a search on a word. I also have them cross referenced with the set they are with so I can find the exact sentiment in the set. I keep that index page in the front of my stamp binder so if I don't have time to get on the computer I can still find what I'm looking for. "U-2" I have been doing the same with the little saying that I have cut apart from the stamps as well. ie; from the recent bycicle set.. I cut & mounted the words separt from the bike's So now when I want to just add a little ditty by a photo in the scrap book I can use that saying as well... ie.. things go better with two!
I'm still amazed at how much we all have in common :lol: I have my little stamp book of no SU too! and have been working out a system for the others, now that I'm outa control :lol: I'm starting to forget what sentiment is with what set :lol: I photo copyed out of the cattalog. especialy for EDFF I had to do this for the cover of the set, i didn't know what was in it :lol:
__________________ Life is short, don't waist time cleanning, stamp!
I cataloged all my stamps and put most of them in thoses large tool shop drawer things i bought from walmart for 8.95 each. I number each draw and now it takes about 3 minutes to flip through my binder and grab the stamps I need for a project. It took 2 days but it was worth every minute...plus it helped me to remember some awsome stamps I had forgotten I had. I keep the origanal plastic boxes in the laundry room to grab when I need to travel with stamp sets.
Susan,
What do I think of your idea? I'm wit Lori....it's pure genius!!!
Just one thing, when you finish up @ your house, could you please stop
over @ mine & kick me in the butt to get me going on it? Thanks,
I knew I could count on you! :lol:
It's a great idea Susan, but...lots of work! I have hundreds... ok, probably thousands, of stamps (not just SU) and I've kept an inventory of every stamp purchased by stamping the image/sentiment on 8/1x11 paper (or copying the sticker sheet) and storing it in a giant 3-ring binder. That's been a BIG help, esp for generating ideas and combining images/sentiments from different sets!
Last summer I also thought it would be helpful to have a separate index of sentiments, since my stamps are spread throughout the house (no stamp room) and my binder is too big to keep thumbing through for that perfect sentiment with just the right font. So, I photocopied each page of my binder, then cut all the sentiments out and separated them into groups according to occasions. Only problem is, they're still sitting in a large, manila envelope waiting to be arranged, glued, indexed or whatever. I'm stuck at this point, not sure of how to organize them to be most useful. I could just adhere them to copy paper and start another binder, leaving room to add each new addition. ?? (That's my best solution to date.)
Then another thought I had (which is why I didn’t complete this project) was to take all the sentiments out of their sets and store them in one separate place, but that doesn’t seem the perfect answer either – could be just as unmanageable in size, and, if I want to grab a set to take to a friend’s house to stamp with, I’d have to hunt down the sentiment that goes with it.
I like the Excel idea a lot, except, I usually want to view the font style and size as well as the particular wording. Is there a way to accomplish this also?
Anyhow, thanks so much (really) for this thread -- you've reminded me that I need to complete this project!!! And good luck on yours, too.
Linda
__________________ Linda
”From the rising of the sun to its setting,the name of the Lord is to be praised!”
Great ideas. If I only had the time!! I'm retiring soon and I keep telling my DH that now I'll have time to get organized. Right! More time for stamping!
I'm glad I started my cataloging early on in my passion for stamping.!! I put almost as much time into organizing as I do actually stamping AND I'm glad I did. It is worth the effort and I can find anything quickly for a card. I catalog each new SU set in a thick 4 inch binder. I stamp my SU images in red ink and all other stamps in black ink. I label them by set and the # of stamps in that set. (Sincere Salutations - Some I also have stamped again in a particular theme, (birthday, thank you, etc.) That way I can also find that elusive, great saying in Botanicals, for example. Any loose stamps I catalogue with an "L" for loose and have these in shallow drawer file cubes.
For those of you just beginning to catalog, and you have MANY sets to do, just start with the present! Each new set you get, catalog it right away. For each new set you do, do 4-5 old sets as well. I also label each set w/labeler. Once the set is cataloged, I put a red dot on the label. I have ALOT of sets and I am all caught up!
Hope I can inspire someone out there!!!
The following 3 users liked this post by Java-gurl:
My demo gave me a cardstock ring and it was the most useful tool there is, so I took the idea further and made myself a ink sample ring (with my non-SU inks). Then it occured to me that I should do the same with my sentiments (for the exact reason you mentioned - since the sentiments are included in various sets).
I stamped them on small cardstock squares, punched a hole in the left corner and used a ring to keep it all together. This way, I can add more as I buy more. I separated them in general categories like Birthday, Holidays, Thanks, etc. Definitely worth the time it took to create!
I started stamping about 4 years ago & very shortly didn't know what I had & would often finish a card & then find the 'perfect' image or sentiment. Got so disgusted I sat down & started cataloging all of my SU sets & noSU stamps. They're in loose categories (ie. floral, backgrounds, fillers, christmas, etc). I leave the sentiment with the set & don't stamp again with 'sentiments' as a cross-reference (didn't work for me). Non SU stamps are together - in loose categories (floral, animals, frames, similar sentiments). Next, I started a page with the SU color families - picked an image & each time I bought a stamp pad, it was stamped on this page. Each time I bought a pkg of c/s I punched a square & added it to the ring of c/s I now have. The circle from the hole punched (to put the c/s sample on the ring) was put next to the color image. This way I know exactly which SU stamp pads & c/s I have. Have a separate page for the nonSU stamp pads. Saves me from buying dups & everything can go shopping with me. Just recently I started to copy the sticker before cutting it apart. Goes in the bottom of the plastic container - just in case. Also have a page with punch & decorative scissor samples, a selected image each embossed with the different emb. powders ( so I know what I have an what it looks like when embossed). Started to do sample pages for ribbon & embellishments - but gave up on this!!! My sil has since done her own catalog but she is so organized she has cross-references. Our friends think we're crazy but our catalogs make it easy for them to see what we have so they can borrow... It does take a lot of time at first but it's very easy to keep up & makes finding what you what for a particular project very easy.
Well I think that is great with the sentiment idea. For anyone that has access to a computer and is proficient with Excel. Here is one step further to go... type your sentiments in an excel spread sheet. I have made an index spread sheet. Then if your really lost for something you can just do a search on a word. I also have them cross referenced with the set they are with so I can find the exact sentiment in the set. I keep that index page in the front of my stamp binder so if I don't have time to get on the computer I can still find what I'm looking for. "U-2" I have been doing the same with the little saying that I have cut apart from the stamps as well. ie; from the recent bycicle set.. I cut & mounted the words separt from the bike's So now when I want to just add a little ditty by a photo in the scrap book I can use that saying as well... ie.. things go better with two!
OMG I think this is a brilliant Idea, and as I was searching SplitCoast I saw your post. Having the Excel file is in my mind, and yours genius. I see you have been stamping far longer than me (i just started) but I collect the older stamps since they are cheaper. lol. Would you be willing to share your excel file with me?
Best, Kitty (originally from Pocono Pines) lol!
KittyD35 - this thread is from 2005. According to their profile whittika has not been active on the site since 2009, so you’re not likely to get a response unless someone else sees this and has a similar file.
I started to do this same thing, but soon gave it up! It was such an onerous task both originally and to keep it up as I added sets. I have my sentiments listed as tags with each set in Evernote, which make it searchable. When I search for a word or a phrase, Evernote finds all the sets with the word or phrase I’ve asked for and displays those sets so I can see the font, style size, etc. I have Evernote installed on my iPad and my laptop, so I can peruse the file from my chair in the living room, or in my craft room or from the main computer in my office.
Last edited by Miss Kitty47; 06-21-2023 at 04:43 AM..
Reason: Spelling
Oh my, what a lot of work! I also like to organize, but not to that degree... Destashing made more sense...got rid of a lot of stamps I never/seldom used and now my collection is a bit more manageable. I did cut apart all those little sentiments from larger stamp sets and grouped them together in clear envelopes by category. THAT was a fun project and has really been helpful! I use an Excel file for my cards, so I know who I sent what to and when! I also Include a photo and the inside sentiment. This has been very helpful over the years! Kept waiting for someone to design a program that would do this for me, but never seemed to happen...
when I started stampin in 1993, I dstarted a binder of my stamps because my budget was so tiny I wanted to make sure I didn't buy duplicates. Back then, most stamps (wooden mounted) were sold individually and not in sets. I still have that original binder, and I have kept up with it over the years. It is extremely helpful, especially when I am looking for single sentiments that I sort-of recall having. I also started another smaller binder, stamping with new/current actual sets of word stamps and sentiments. It saves a lot of time and money since I can see what I do have and not purchase more that could be duplicates..
__________________ Mac
(mac4551)
John 3:16
Last edited by mac4551; 06-22-2023 at 06:43 AM..
Reason: spelling
have taken a college size spiral notebook and listed a sentiment on each page alphabetically leaving back side for expansion. Then I went through each SU set and if the set had a happy birthday, baby, thinking of you, sympathy, etc I listed the name of the set.
for individual stamps I listed it and its location in my stamp containers
If I have other manufacturers I list the company name then the name of the set like hero arts
Try to remember to write new sets as soon as I get them
SU sentiment idea!!
