How do you know what stamps you have?

[Hockeyrabbit]

Ok-

As I continually build my supply of stamps which is now getting a tad bit out of control, I am beginning to FORGET about the stamps I have, therefore fail to use them on a card or project because I hate sifting through stuff. I keep almost all my unmounted stamps in an IKEA holder which has a zipper on top, and most of the stamps (including my SU! ones) are in their own CD cases and labeled.
SOO, what's the easiest method for organization of the images? I was thinking I could just take a 5x7 index card and stamp each set and then punch a hole in it and have a ring of stamp sheets..but not sure what to do with background images. Looking for suggestions that are CHEAP and manageable, and kinda help me remember what I currently have! Thanks!

[Lingaling]

I've stamped each of my stamps onto a 3 x 5" blank index card and have put them into a small 3-ring binder for index cards that I found at Walgreens. If I can fit more than one image per page, I squeeze them on. When I get new SU sets, I photocopy the label twice, once for the case they came in, and once for my binder. Hope that helps.

[deedah]

I had to make a list in Word...I used the smallest font I could read and I did it in column's...and different colours

I list all my acrylic stamps by company in black
I list all my distress inks in purple
I list all my Adarondak Ink in brown
I list all my cubblebug embossing folders in blue
and I list all my Cricut fonts in green

I fold this and carry it around with me all the time....that way when I am shopping I can quickly look to see if I have it or not..

[SophieLaFontaine]

I'm of no help here - I'm not organized at all. However, that helps me in knowing what stamp sets I have. None of my stamp sets have a "permanent home" so if I need to find a particular stamp, I usually wade through nearly my entire collection of stamps before locating it. This way, the images (alas, not locations) of all my stamps are fresh in my mind. I'll be keeping an eye on suggestions posted.

[putri]

I don't. Ha ha!
Seriously.
I buy them, use them, put it away until the next time.
I never know/remember what I have.
I think the fun of stamping for me is rummaging through my stuff

[GarnetJ]

I now have 10 -- Oh! My! Gosh! I actually have TEN! -- binders filled with unmounted stamps. Sooo.... in order to find where they all are, I have ONE index book of paper sheets stamped to match the page protectors that hold all the stamps. Is that about as clear as mud???

Well, to try to clear that up, the binders that are filled with unmounted stamps are these...
* Angels ....Borders
* Cars ....Hearts
* Kids ....Quilts
* Scenic ....Windows
* Bible Verses and Christian Symbols
* Words and Phrases
* Christmas
* Animals
* Flowers
* SU Flowers

Then the index book with just stamped images has a section to match each of those binders.

Here is a page from the SU Flowers book and it's corresponding page in the index book.

[TexasGrammy]

I also use the 3-ring binder method.
With SU sets, I "try" to remember to make a page with a copy of the labels before I mount the sets. If I forget, I stamp the stamps onto a printer paper ... punch holes, and list sets alphabetically. Stick the pages into the manual printer feed and print off the set names at the page tops.

If not SU, I "try" to remember to add pages with stamped images, since labels aren't always included with many sets.

I like alphabetical, by stamp company. When I'm looking for ideas, it's like flipping through a catty, only everything in the binder is available to me right now! ;)

[LaLatty]

I keep an alphabetical list of all my stamps in a Microsoft word document on my computer. I have it marked with the name of the stamp set, # of stamps in each set, year, and location (in my craft room). I also have some of them marked with the occasion (birthday, sympathy, Chirstmas...etc.).

If I need to look up a picture of them without actually getting the stamp set out, I just search ebay for it. Yep, believe it or not, sometimes I forget what some of the stamps look like :rolleyes:

[Knutsen24]

I also have all of my stamps categorized in Word alphabetically. All of my stamps are unmounted so I use these (I type the names of the set and how many stamps are in the set in columns, print it out, cut it out and then use a glue stick to stick to my cd cases) also as labels for my CD cases. I then stamp the images in each CD case on a piece of copy paper (two sets to a page) and put them all in a binder. That way I can just flip through my binder of images and find just the right one for the card that I'm making.

Did any of that even make sense?? It's a little late, maybe I should just go to bed lol!

[RubberLady603]

I love lingaling's idea. I have been stamping the images on 8.5x11 with all the info., but since I'm about 20 sets behind, her idea sounds great. I'm glad I'm not the only one with alphabetized lists and stamped samples!!! My local stampin' buddies think I'm a tad overboard about my stamp collection! (around 225 stampin' up alone). It's nice to look through my images when I'm stuck.