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?
If I can keep my supplies relatively organized, and accessible, and my craft room reasonably clean, then I don't get TOO overwhelmed. If it starts looking like a bomb went off in there, that is when I start to feel the weight of having too much stuff...
I had to move all my stamping and sewing supplies out of my craft room to make room for a grandson. It was apalling to see how much "stuff" I had, but hadn't used. I belong to several stamping groups, including one where we make cards for our church family, so some of it was shared with them. Now that I am re-organizing and labeling drawers maybe I can find things. My daughter told me I shouldn't buy any more paper for the rest of my life!
This is why I set a moratorium on buying new stamp sets (which I've been pretty good about sticking to!) I have over 100 SU sets PLUS some CTMH and other vendors, not to mention loads of single stamps. I figure I should be able to make a few cards just using what I have! Of course, the last 10 cards I made didn't have a single stamped image on them! How did I manage that!? :confused: :-)
Yes and no. This is why some folks stick to Stampin Up. It makes it sooo much easier. But then I get sucked into the vortex............ and I have a lot of other companies' stuff.
Here is my latest coping mechanism. I took about 2/3rds of what I own and just boxed it up. Paper, stamps, etc. Out, out, out. Now I can see what is left and I am using it. In a few months, I'll rotate....
Vortex is right! I am a SU demo, and tried to stay strictly with SU stuff. But there are so many other great stamps out there!!!! I am definitely overwhelmed some days!
I like the idea of rotating my stuff though....
Diane
Hello My name is riemomof2 and I'm a stamp-a-holic
Well! I thought it was just me. I have come to realize that I have a VERY addictive personality. I used to refer to myself as a collector if I have one of something I have to have the entire collection. But I've admitted that it is a serious addiction with me. There are far worse addictions to have though and other than my pocket book and taking up space my addiction doesn't hurt anyone. As a matter of fact people in my life look forward to one of my creations. Many of which are inspired or outright CASED from right here! The unfortunate thing is I haven't had much time to stamp for the past 6-8 months and I feel REALLY bad about all the $$ sitting in supplies downstairs.
I am an out of site out of mind kind of person. But I have to keep things tucked away cause my DH doesn't deal well with clutter.
I have come up with a plan now that things have settled down ... I'm stamping all my sets and loose stamp images onto Whisper White paper and placing them in a binder according to categories (like Christmas, Easter, Baby etc) that way when I want to make a card I can just flip through the binder to see all my choices before I start! I'm goint to attempt to do the same thing with my DP, ribbon and embellies too to see if it helps!
I think this is going to take me ALL summer! Just do a little at a time! Somethimes getting organized is just as exciting as creating!
__________________
~AnneMarie~
How we say something is often more important than what we are saying ... "AnneMarieism"
I stamp with a group of ladies once a week. We all bring supplies for cards. We share our ideas and our stamps. Once a year we have a garage sale just for us. I's fun to get new things this way. In between our sale if we want to get rid of something we bring it in and give it away to whoever wants it. We sent our first box of cards to solders so we will be using lots of our supplies now. Feels nice to do some good with with a hobby we love and the supplies we love.
Oh yeah! I am thinking about making an index binder of all of my stamp images. That way I can page through it to decide what stamps I want to use and I won't have to get out every set when I am looking for matching images.
Yes, I am addicted & overwhelmed. Sometimes I wonder if I like the buying better or the stamping. I suggested to the stampers at work that we have a stamp swap. It's just getting it organized that we can't seem to do. Just like riemomof2, I tried to do a binder when I 1st started stamping but just got "overwhelmed". What I do now is use my digital camera to take a picture of each set and I have them in a "My SU Sets" folder right on my desktop so I can "page" through them anytime I want. Very fast. And I have them all labeled with a label maker on the ends of the boxes so I can spot them easily. Do I sound organized...maybe but still overwhelmed. I recently cleaned my room so am a little more organized than I was. I bought a 2 tier rolling file cart from Office Depot and all my SU paper goes on the top tier and all my little pads of DCWV paper are in folders on the bottom tier. Works really well and I can roll it over to my desk when I want to use any of it. Still, I have way too much stuff.
__________________ I think I have enough stamps...not!!
I was stamping for 15 years before I ever heard of Stampin' Up! so I already had lots of stamps and paper and embellishments. Then I saw SU and immediately became a demonstrator, which justified even more stuff! Now I try to stick to only SU, but there are so many beautiful stamps (sets and singles), embellishments and papers out there that if SU is too slow to add them to the product line, I sometimes buy from other vendors. My latest addiction is Nestabilities. I just love scalloped shapes! I am buying them one month at a time, with the coupons from cutathome. Oh yes, I also can't resist the cuttlebug embossing folders for the large backgrounds. I have many of those. And I have Splitcoast to 'blame' - all the wonderful works of art on this site! I come here for inspiration. When I have a set I want to use for a card, I look it up here and get so many ideas. Sometimes I just browse the gallery by event or type of card and get ideas that way. Invariably, when I am feeling creative, I come here and it gets me moving. Thanks so much to this wonderful site and all of you giving, loving people!
I agree with all of you, I repainted my craft room a few months ago and my DH finally got my closets done. I have some things put away but still have alot of organizing to do. I only seem to scrapbook when I go to all day crops with friends. I just started a new craft of trapeze greeting cards and have decided to do them for Christmas this year. I also am making 8 x 8 albums for gifts this Christmas, and even though it seems like it is months away it will be here way too soon and I find myself stalling and not able to get into it. I also try not to buy new stuff but it is adictive, espcially when you learn a new craft, I mean you have to get materials for the new craft right? What do you do to get back in the mood and keep on track and not let everything over whelm you? Ruthann
Ditto what most of you are saying. and there's a rubber stamp convention in July!!! Ugggh. I am planning not to go, as I usually take $100 - budget. end up spending even more.
I have found that I need to just stay out of the stores etc.
when I see a Michaels or JoAnns coupon, I ask myself if I really "need" anything, (not "want"), and that helps.
__________________ Ginny , A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. -Douglas Pagels
SU is the "culprit" that started me down the road. I sat down the other day and added up all the purchases I've made since March 13, 1998 and I about had a heart attack. When I place my Hostess Club order on the 21st, it will be over $5000, now that breaks down to $500 a year. Not so bad, right! Then we add Posh Impressions, Hero Arts, Michael's $ stamps. Then we add paper, punches, markers (other than SU), cutters, and on and on. I love the new Home Depot ad that's on the radio right now with the son asking the father what he needs to get at HD and he tells the son, I'll know when I get there! That's me when I go to Michael's, JoAnn's AND the new SU catelog! The only time I get really overwhelmed is when I don't put the new items away and can't figure out where to put them! My husband has spoiled me beyond belief with several pieces of furniture to house my art and then he made me a carousal to house the new SU ink pads that I VOWED I was never going to buy and after June 21st I will have a full set of the new ones. I have given the old ones to my dear friend. What David has created has made it a dream to stamp, but there are days..............
__________________ ShariW
Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart-Prov.3:5a
Oh yeah! I am thinking about making an index binder of all of my stamp images. That way I can page through it to decide what stamps I want to use and I won't have to get out every set when I am looking for matching images.
Making my index was well worth the time and effort. It's wonderful to have all my images in one, easy to reference place. You won't regret it!
:mrgreen: It feels so good to not be alone in this addiction! I almost sold on ebay and then go figure, I ended up using those sets I didn't like and I am soooo grateful I had put it off. I learned to use SCS to my advantage. I research every set I see and want in the gallery - if there aren't lots of ideas, I know it will be a set that won't get used too much. I try to only buy non SU things on sale and never full price. That started a whole new addiction to boot - clearence isle junkie syndrome! My friends all laugh at me but I am pleased with myself. My messes are huge but mine - my space to get away from reality and my time to take care of ME. But I am weak - became a demo last month for the sole purpose of hobby only - here I go again.....such enjoyable madness!
Not overwhelmed at the amount of stuff I have - I'm overwhelmed at the amount of mess I can make with the stuff I have...
OH MY!! I get that!! The other day I made a BIG card in a rush and had a matching huge mess afterwards. I almost took a picture and thought it would be a riot for people to attach photos of their absolute messiest time where they stamp! Then we'll have one other reason to feel glad that others are sharing in the madness LOL!!
Yep--it can happen...has to me in all my hobby areas...when it begins I take a deep breath, really look at all I have and sell about half of it(tools,stamps, lenses, whatever) Then the feeling of too much goes away and I have $ to use for ??????. When the hobby controls your free time/life then it is too big. At least that is the way I operate. So I pare it down and feel good about it again. I also practice what OPers have stated in this thread....USe what I have...My favorite technique for this is to decide on a theme( birthday, sympathy, wildlife etc.) pull out papers and stamps that fit and see how many different cards/ways I can use them in the worktime I have available....It really works for me and seems to always free my "creative muse".
__________________ 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!!!!!
