Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
How do y'all keep track of what stamps you have? I was thinking about stamping all my images out on grid paper (and doing the same with my embossing powders). Does anyone have a good system they wouldn't mind sharing?? I was thinking maybe stamping all the birthday sentiments and images together and so on but should I separate them by manufacturer, should I color coordinate? I was then going to put them in sheet protectors and just have a binder or something close by. What should I write next to each set? Any advice would be great appreciated. Thank you ~
like this. .. check out this thread esp the tutorial on the ink on my whiskers blog. I can't tell you how easy it is to find what I need for my current projects now that I have everything on evernote. I'm working on my Sizzix dies now. Still have my punches and clear stamps to go. I don't plan on doing colors or embellishments, but prob will put in my Copics. Evernote Tips and Tricks! by sarahwms at Splitcoaststampers
I set up a blog just for me when I bought the same stamps the third time.
So I have my stock-blog where I put everything I buy!
And I write, too, where I store it :lol:
No more seraching (well... in theory) and if I need a stamp I search it in my blog.
By category, by company, what ever seems to be important for me one day.
When I'm onlineshopping I allways take a look first in my blog, it helps me to safe money
I use two ways. Firstly, I use Evernote now, which you can put on your pc/tablet/phone, and everytime you add something to any one of them, it syncs across all the devices. This means I have a copy of all my stamps and supplies like inkpad colours etc, on my smartphone when I go shopping! Also, I stamp them all out onto an A4 sheet, which goes in a page protector in front of the stamps. I've lately been scanning in those sheets, and reprinting them, so I have a separate binder full of images.
As for categories, I think that depends very much on how you think and work. Mine are a bit of a mix, some, like Tim Holtz/Stampscapes are stored by manufacturer- they are all a certain style. others- sentiments, for instance, are stored on individual sheets for each sentiment category.
I generally don't bother keeping sentiments within the sets they came with, I find I used to forget about too many that way. I have categories for things like Wedding/Baby/ Male images/Art/Faery and one called Art Elements, which catches all those odd little stamps that have no real category of their own.
I'm happy I stumbled across this thread. I've been stamping and "collecting" stamps both purchased and provided by design teams, since 2004. I struggle with having and maintaining a workable supply inventory. I can't even count the number of sets that I have!
Smaks hand to head....Evernote...of course. Well, the thought of getting all my old sets into this system seems daunting, but it's workable if I add a set when I use it. After a year or so, if I haven't added the set, that means I haven't used it - probably won't, and I don't need it. That will be my motivation that it's time to give it away.
Lynn, there was a thread called Evernote supply list sharing on here recently. It might be worth asking if anyone has lists for the manufacturer you have sets from? Then you can just edit, rather than have to do up whole new lists.
I have a 3 inch three ring binder with dividers by topic. (which has expanded over time since something that was once misc I have now have enough for it's own section)
I just stamp it when I get it. Or I tape the index the mfg sends. It also alerts me immediately if there is a problem with the stamp.
That way, I want.. say...Birthday. I go to that section and I have all sentiments first and then all images. If you want to go OCD about it, do kids/people on one page and animals on another or whatever works for you.
I didnt enter mfgs in the catalogue but I also dont post so I dont have to know where it came from. I initially was only buying wood and so it's right on there and I didnt get in the habit. I would suggest you just write it next to the image. I wish I had now just in case I do want to know. If it is clear or cling it has a C next to it so I know where to look for it (vs wood).
I am not sure what you mean by color coding your stamps?
In addition to helping me find and design, it keeps me 99% of the time from buying duplicates as I do most of that online so I have the book right by me. (that 1% is when I am outside the house) Or getting something I really dont need despite it being cuter than the dickens b/c I already have 6. (Unless I am willing to trade out) Also when friends are here to stamp they can just look through it to figure out what they want to play with.
I use a double width fridge bin and 3x5 index cards. I stamp a card with each stamp. Make a double if I think I might use it in another catagory. All are filed by calendar for holiday stuff and theme ( subject) on the card is the set it comes from. Example all happy birthdays are together but the actual stamp is with its set. I use the name of the set for stampin Up and a created name for others if there was none. I now learn that numbering the sets would have been easier and faster and still organized.
When designing, I just pull the stack of index cards I need. Choose what I want and go to those sets. No need to pull unneeded stuff offf shelves.
This has taken a length of time to do and Im just completing my largest catagory- flower sets.
I started with sentiments and words and went on to holiday sets ahead of that holiday so it was ready to use. That broke up the job. Just yesterday, a georgous day on the patio, I stamped seven sets in less than an hour drinking coffee. Enough for one sitting. Its a work in progress and over 5,000 stamps are done in less than a year. New sets were easy to get filed, but backtracking is taking time. Its wonderful rediscovering all the lovely stamps I have.
Today I am making a daisy card and just have to go to "flowers and subfile, daisies" and find every daisy I have to choose from. Easy and quick. I can hold the stamped index to my card to determine size, stule, etc i eant go use.
Hope this helps.
Oohh, I LOVE the Evernote idea!! That way I can categorize them with tags!! That's brilliant!! And I should probably have a hard copy as well. LOVE all these ideas!! What I meant by color coding is stamping out all my images on paper or index cards and then putting a red dot by all the Lawn Fawn, orange for Mama Elephant or whatever, so I'd know just by looking at it who made it and where to find it. I think is what I had in mind.. Thank you!!!
I take pictures when I buy my stamps, dies, embossing folders and stencils and name them so I always have the manufacturer and name of the item and in the details I put the dimensions of the item so I have all the details when I am looking to make a card. I have directories set up on my computer for the categories. When I look at SCS challenges in the morning, I go to my directory to see what speaks to me that day. I store my dies in envelopes inside a case with a handle by what they are, i.e. clouds, flowers - stemmed, flowers - heads, etc. I store my stamps by manufacturer, as well as my stencils, and store my EF's by theme. I back all that up to the cloud just in case, and also to a thumb drive, just in case. It works good for me. I live in a apartment, so space is an issue, so I try to be organized with my crafts.
I love Evernote, and I use it for making lists of stamps, embossing folders, and dies I have or want to purchase (and everything else in my life). It almost eliminates duplicate purchases, and helps me keep track of ideas, etc.
But for stamp organization, I find that nothing beats a 3-ring binder. I have images divided by category: people, quotes, flowers, patterns, etc., with as many images as I can fit onto a page. The binder format means I can add pages wherever I need them as my collection grows. With each image I note the manufacturer, name of the stamp, if any, and where in my many numbered stamp drawers it lives. (I wrote about my stamp drawer maps on my fledgling blog, which is in my signature, below. There's a post about my stamp catalog coming one of these days...)
My catalog does take work and maintenance, but I love being able to flip through the pages as I begin a project to pick a "Happy Birthday" of just the right size and font, or for inspiration.
Every time I get a new stamp I take a photo of it and store it in a special album on my phone and iPad. Then I can take a look when I'm shopping, to make sure I don't buy the same thing twice. I also do this with dies, stencils, etc. Everything is in an "album" in my photo program. When I first started doing it this way I put multiple stamps in the same photo, so it was quicker and faster. I have categories- people, words, Christmas, summer, designs, backgrounds, nature, animals... etc. This makes it MUCH easier to plan out a new card because I just look through my photos instead of digging around all my drawers and storage cubbies!
I "log in" a new stamp in 3 places: 1) have 4in binder with divider tabs by category (birthday, animals, etc). I stamp the image and any coordinating stamps from the set onto plain copy paper. I put into sheet protector sleeve. I write the stamp name/company & if I have matching die next to image. So under christmas tab, I have sheets with all the wreaths together, etc. Then when I am planning a card, I flip through my binder to see which will work best. I like that i can see the actual size of the stamped image. If a stamp fits in more than 1 category, I do stamp it more than once and file under various sections. I also write a reminder note about where i am storing the stamp. I have a separate binder for die cuts. I save google image of the diecut and paste into "baseball card" template I saved. I type out name, company & if I have matching stamp. When I fill up the whole sheet of 8 "baseball cards" I print it out on plain paper, cut, and put into baseball card sheet protectors. Once again, I use dividers with similar categories from my stamps (birthday, animals, etc)
2) I also enter into app on my phone called Krafts Inventory. It lets me either take pic of the stamp, or pull up google image of the stamp set and save it. I use this mainly when shopping. I have categories for inks, dies, markers, etc. Saved me many times from buying something I already owned.
3) Whenever I buy a new stamp, stencil, EF or die, i go into Pinterest & Google Images right away and put in name, and pin ideas I like. I have boards I labelled "stamps/dies I own" and the company name, and other boards I labelled by category for stamps I own. Just helps to remind me of what I have, and ideas to jumpstart me.
Wow - this makes me sound much more organized that I actually am! I do fall behind, so i leave new stuff in a little box until i can "file"
meant to also add that i have "baseball cards" for Stickles, Pearl Pens, embossing powders, etc. One little CS cut to baseball card size, i squeeze a line of Stickles, jot color down. I have 1 card for each main color family - so all reds together etc. I slip these into my binder of baseball card protector sheets. I use the fronts & backs - so I fit a lot into only a few sheets.
I only just recently realized, while reorganizing clear stamps in a binder, that I don't have the name and manufacturer. Oh, I was in a tizzy. But that's when I finally let out my breath, gave myself a shake, and decided once and for all- no submissions, no card sales, give it up and get over it. I believe my self-imposed demand to "do something with" my supplies created such a barrier that I did NOTHING with ANYTHING. Stating April 1, I've freed myself. Play, create, don't worry about submissions or sales or anything except enjoyment. It's a new world, lol!
Hi Misty. I'll share what I've had going on for about 5 years now, and it is working beautifully for me.
I keep my stamp inventory on my computer hard drive (backed up online). I use MS Windows. Under Pictures, I have a main folder called My Stamps. In there, I have folders for each stamp manufacturer. There is also a Digital Stamps folder and a Stamps Index folder in there. In each manufacturer subfolder is a photo or scan of each stamp or set by that manufacturer, which I add as I order them or have bought in person. This helps me immensely when ordering so I don't double order! lol The Digital Stamps folder has subfolders by manufacturer for my digital stamps - same process.
You can stop there, but I have busted up most of my stamps and grouped them in cd cases for storage BY THEME (Christmas and each holiday, birthday and each occasion, people, animals, birds, borders, labels, etc., etc.). Each theme has its own folder with the theme as the title. I have added a label to the outside of each cd case on which I have stamped the contents, and then scanned them in, and each theme folder contains the cd case scans and are numbered (Christmas#1, #2, etc.). I do not mix rubber cling-mounted and clear stamps in one case, so my clear stamp cases have 2 sides (Christmas#1A and B), each rubber stamp has one side.
Anyway, the Stamps Index theme folders help me locate the stamp (what cd case it is in). It also helps me see when I have 43 heart stamps and do NOT need to buy another one, LOLOL.
I have over 500 cd cases filled with stamps. For larger stamps that won't fit into a cd case, I use either vhs cases or just recycle food boxes, Kleenex boxes, etc., and keep those in some plastic drawers I have. These are in my theme folders as well, with a code in the file name, like D#! (Drawer#1).
Lately, I've gotten a bit lazy and when I get a big set like an Artistic Outpost set, I just store the entire set in my drawers. But I include a copy of the photo/scan in every theme folder the set pertains to (where I would have added each stamp had I broken up the set).
For someone who has a gigantic stamp collection, I wholeheartedly recommend using your computer folders to organize a visual inventory, no matter how you group and store your stamps. Just make sure you name your files so that it helps you go to find your stamp to use. This would also work well for those of you with not that many stamps. You never know in ten years how many you will have. Ask me how I know, hahaha! With this system, you can grow it and still know what you have and where they are.
I just hope I explained it well enough. I will subscribe to this thread and try to answer any questions for anyone seriously considering doing this. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to buy the exact same stamp I already have, but this system has stopped me again and again, thank goodness.
I have often read that stamps are stored and organized in cd cases. How do you work around the raised center of those cases? Or do you have a source for cases without the raised center? Have to get those stamps out of their binder!
I have a binder system for all my stamps with 2 sections, first by manufacturer and then by category. I don't stamp the stamps though. For the clear stamps, I just put them in my printer with the index sheet face down, put a piece of white copy paper over it and copy it, comes out very clear. I write my storage info on the index sheet in sharpie so the info is already on the copies. I make 2 full size copies for my binders and one 50% reduced for my CD case storage. The whole thing takes 2 minutes, I tape the copies into my binder and the reduced into my cd case and I'm done.
Like many others, I do my shopping on-line so I have my book and don't duplicate.
I store by manufacturer but since I also have sentiments and images by categories they don't fall through the cracks. If I have stamp sets with mixed images, I put those sheets aside for tv watching and cut them apart and put them in my category pages while keeping my husband company watching sports. It's quick to note where they are kept. Writing this took longer than cutting apart a stamp set sheet!
I have often read that stamps are stored and organized in cd cases. How do you work around the raised center of those cases? Or do you have a source for cases without the raised center? Have to get those stamps out of their binder!
Hi KC. I buy regular-size (original) cd cases with the black hinged plastic tray that holds the cd. Then I pop out the black tray. (HERE is a link to a photo). It has been so long I cannot remember the company I last bought in bulk from. But I added the Amazon ones to my wishlist in case I need more (have plenty right now). But I will warn you: in bulk they come shrink wrapped 20-25 together, and I have always had cracked ones on the ends of the bundles. It's like collateral damage, and I have never had an order without this happening. It all depends how they package them for shipment. When I order 50, I might have 3 cracked ones....one time I had 6. So be prepared for that.
I started out using binders. I have bad arthritis in my fingers and wrists, so it was painful as my binders were stuffed full and heavy, plus my dexterity has gone downhill as well. Then I went to VHS cases for a few years. Then to cd cases. Now, I'm kinda wishing I'd just kept my sets intact and filed them like paperwork in drawers. I could have done the categorizing on the computer any way I wanted to. I'm not changing out again though, LOL.
All part of getting to a system I would keep and be helpful in using my stamps. Like, with the binders, I found I was not using my stamps to avoid the painful binders. Whatever helps us use our stamps is best.
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
Posts: 4,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I started stamping my sets in a binder about seven years ago, but didn't keep up with it. Somehow out of my 170 sets I just know what I have!
In regard to Sentiment sets I do tend to forget what I have. Last week I decided to put my sentiment sets on a shelf right next to me. This helps immensely!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I get my cd cases from Amazon, they do not have the centers in them and they are the tall ones here. I have never had damaged ones. The tall ones fit most stamp sets easily, others I simply cut the set to fit. Unmounted stamps and cling mount stamps stick right to the cases. I slip a piece of copy paper into the sleeve with a reduced copy of the stamp set. Works like a charm.
I started stamping my sets in a binder about seven years ago, but didn't keep up with it. Somehow out of my 170 sets I just know what I have!
In regard to Sentiment sets I do tend to forget what I have. Last week I decided to put my sentiment sets on a shelf right next to me. This helps immensely!
This describes my method, which is basically a non-method! I don't use any sort of catalog and I have a TON of stamps, but somehow, I seem to know what I have. My stamps are organized on my shelves by type (various holidays, floral, nature, people, animals, humorous, etc.). And all of my sentiment stamps are organized by subject in an Iris cart that sits right next to my stamping table.
I've been stamping for nearly 14 years and this still seems to be working for me. Less time organizing, more time stamping : )
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
once upon a time I had started stamping an index... this grew into 3 binders worth.. I gave that up. because, I never looked at the binders ever.
it is more fun in my mind to go look at the stamps them selves.
I mostly have my stamps memorized. (not their set names) but, generally I know what I have because I buy what I love. and my stamps are in the 4 figures range. I have let go of a few of the odd ball stamps that came in sets I bought years ago to get one or two main stamps. ( you know like all the little filler flower things or swirly do dads. ) and I kept the stamps that were the reason I bought the set.
now, I am attempting to memorize my dies. ( because, that is just as slippery of a slope as stamp collecting and so many of the ones that came later look so similar to ones I started with.)
Im completely envious but getting there in knowing where and what I have. Its the repeat stuff like a zillion of happy Birthday and thinking of you, that can cause disorganization. In organizing, i find less in get well, yet that is such a subject for a card. Do others find the market lacking as I do?
I have often read that stamps are stored and organized in cd cases. How do you work around the raised center of those cases? Or do you have a source for cases without the raised center? Have to get those stamps out of their binder!
I store dies in CD cases not stamps but I use regular CD cases and just remove the part with the raised center. It pops right out.
I use a database program called My Stuff Pro on my iPhone. I can cross reference by type, theme, manufacturer and that info is stored with photo(s) and I can list the number of stamps. The latter gives me two advantages. First, I'll always know if a stamp is missing and second, the program can be told to keep a running total. You don't want to know how many I have and that's only less than half my collection!
This program works amazingly well and now whenever I need a Thank you for instance, I can look it up and oh, I also have the location of each stamp or stamp set recorded. Yeah!
Im completely envious but getting there in knowing where and what I have. Its the repeat stuff like a zillion of happy Birthday and thinking of you, that can cause disorganization. In organizing, i find less in get well, yet that is such a subject for a card. Do others find the market lacking as I do?
I find get well lacking too. Most are cartoony images or just simple boring sentiments. I do have Healing Touch sentiments from PTI which is nice but no good images. I prefer realistic or vintage images.
I started stamping my sets in a binder about seven years ago, but didn't keep up with it. Somehow out of my 170 sets I just know what I have!
In regard to Sentiment sets I do tend to forget what I have. Last week I decided to put my sentiment sets on a shelf right next to me. This helps immensely!
I keep a list of stamps and stamp sets by theme (the way I store my stamps). This list is of stamps that I like, or have, or have similar stamps. I star the stamps I have. I really only have the list for when I want to stamp a particular theme, so I can see what has been done with it. I just seem to know what I have, but if I'm not sure, they are easy to look at in the clear cases in the drawer by theme.
I have stamped a sample of each stamp on a 3x5 card with the set name on back and and room for any notes. They are filed in double fridge bins by holiday or subject or theme. I.e all birthday, get well, flowers, leaves, thank you, thinking of you, etc. if i had more than five in the same category. it gets a divider label. 4000 stamps cards fit in 1 1/2 double bins.
If i need the word thank you, i can see what sizes, font, etc i have by shuffling the cards.
In some cases I made an extra copy to fit another catagory or use.
I got the holidays finished in time for fall last year and it was a pleasure to work with. I am just now finishing the project with my flower stamps, my largest catagory.
I keep a large 3 ring binder. I have an index in the front for my SU! stamps and then an index behind that for all my other stamps. When I buy a stamp set or a single stamp, I make a copy of the image(s) and put in a sheet protector in the binder. It makes like so much easier to just pull my binder and look through it to see what I have and what I want to use.
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
Posts: 4,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjzim
This describes my method, which is basically a non-method! I don't use any sort of catalog and I have a TON of stamps, but somehow, I seem to know what I have. My stamps are organized on my shelves by type (various holidays, floral, nature, people, animals, humorous, etc.). And all of my sentiment stamps are organized by subject in an Iris cart that sits right next to my stamping table.
I've been stamping for nearly 14 years and this still seems to be working for me. Less time organizing, more time stamping : )
Like minds ...yes we are!
My stamps are organized by type also! I have lots of SU wood mount still in the clamshells. I have them in a large wardrobe with shelves. It really doesn't take up all that much space!
Top shelf...card stock
Next shelf - Flowers,
next shelf- fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas ,
next shelf-winter, Valentines day, and the sentiments I just moved.
Next shelf-birthday, coffee/tea, general images.
Next shelf-thank you, encouragement, some more general.
Wedding and congrats are in their own separate cubby here
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Last edited by Allistamps123; 05-25-2015 at 02:26 PM..
How do you...
