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Thanks to you ladies, I've been exposed to many wonderful stamps. I tend to collect them more than use them, but I always buy with the "intent" to actually ink them. Recently I have stopped myself from purchasing some stamps I really like because I can realistically only envision one or two uses of it. For example, Protector by Verve http://shopverve.com/vs-09-019.html. I could see me using this one on a scrapbook layout and on a card from my son to my dh, but after that....?
My question is, how often do you ladies buy what I'm referring to as single use stamps and what do you do with them after?
if you know you only want this to scrapbook. don't buy. write the sentiment from the computer/printer. borrow the stamp. or do it as your own journaling
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This made me laugh! What an interesting question! I think I buy way too many that don't get used enough. I can't seem to part with any of them. Every so often though I do pull out a set and make a card with those that haven't been used in a while. The worst ones are the holiday sets! I don't like to repeat any of my christmas cards so I get new ones every year and the older ones don't get used. Hmmmm, what to do with them?
if you know you only want this to scrapbook. don't buy. write the sentiment from the computer/printer. borrow the stamp. or do it as your own journaling
This is very good advise - especially for sentiment stamps.
When I first started stamping my purchases were impulse buys - but now I am so much more particular.
I now consider how much use I can get out of an image, and if I have a similar one already.
Guilty as charged... I have stacks and stacks that have NEVER seen ink! However - I do have a couple of suggestions for us all:
Search the challenges for new ways to use your stamps - LSC192 is a great one, for example.
Use the stamps to make backgrounds and/or your own designer papers.
Use only part of an image (or sentiment)
Mix-and-match stamps from several sets for an entirely new "set".
Use the stamps with several different techniques, and you get entirely different looks. I did this in my Grand Experiment series.
Use the stamps for things other than cards. Alter notebooks, candles, napkins, dishcloths, make framed "art", tile coasters, etc. The resources section has many, many ideas, as do the galleries.
Those are just a few ideas that I came up with, but maybe they're a good starting point...? I think I'll go take my own advice and look again at my stamps - thanks for the nudge!
Guilty as charged... I have stacks and stacks that have NEVER seen ink! However - I do have a couple of suggestions for us all:
Search the challenges for new ways to use your stamps - LSC192 is a great one, for example.
Use the stamps to make backgrounds and/or your own designer papers.
Use only part of an image (or sentiment)
Mix-and-match stamps from several sets for an entirely new "set".
Use the stamps with several different techniques, and you get entirely different looks. I did this in my Grand Experiment series.
Use the stamps for things other than cards. Alter notebooks, candles, napkins, dishcloths, make framed "art", tile coasters, etc. The resources section has many, many ideas, as do the galleries.
Those are just a few ideas that I came up with, but maybe they're a good starting point...? I think I'll go take my own advice and look again at my stamps - thanks for the nudge!
OH MY Gosh! Thank you for the ispiraton! These cards are all beautiful..and I love how you made each one using the same stamp! I have to go "play" now!
I love that idea, Gregzgirl! I seem to need a kick in the nether regions and I love the challenge of what you did! I know I have used stamps in various ways. But not the same layout, and 5 different ways, not.
I can understand what everyone is saying. I don't purchase verbage stamps as I can create the sentiment on my computer from various sources. The only ones I do have (and don't need duplicates) are the general ones....Happy Birthday, Thinking of You, In Sympathy, Just Because.
Image stamps, I think I have all those that I will ever need. I don't get specific stamps for holidays. I have general ones....trees that can also be used or Christmas trees (just a bit of embellishment). I use a lot of swirl stamps that can fit any situation. I also incorporate die cuts with my stamps to get specific situations.
This is just my style and certainly may not fit for everyone.
Yes, I am guilty of having so many stamps that I may not live long enough to use them all. I do seem to migrate back to the comfortable standbys. So I certainly don't need anymore stamps for the rest of my life.
I like a variety of sentiment stamps, but I'd never buy one for a once-off use. In that case I do it on the computer.
I like any stamp to be versatile so I get good usage from it. Even the little Penny Black baseball kitten which I bought specifically to make a card for my baseball-playing nephew - it did him and several other boy birthdays for at least three years before I passed it on to someone here.
The only other set I bought just for one image was Happy Camper - but I got it with money that was a gift to make a card for DH, and I've used the bear and the trees a lot, so it didn't work out as a single use by any means.
There are a couple of Penny Black stamps I love but haven't yet geared myself up to buy because I don't think they'd earn their keep.
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Guilty! I will buy a set just for one card or project I've seen here! Most of the time I end up using it more but not always. Oh well, I could be wasting my money on hurtful things like drugs or something, right? :-)
I am volunteering to rescue your single use stamps. I would make that great sacrifice on behalf of all of the unused stamps sitting on shelves feeling lonely and only singly usedly wanted.
For any stamps that would not be of use to me, I can farm them out to a non-profit group where mentally ill, mentally retarded individuals learn work skills, money management, and self esteem by making and selling cards.
Hi!
I have a collection of single use stamps (or sets). My boys had a set of foam stamps that made skeletons of animals. Only used once for a friend who needed x-rays, I stamped the bones in a way to look like x-rays. Then there were the tiny Power Ranger stamps (my boys are now 19 and 22). When they were into their "Egyptian Phase" thanks to Star Gate, I got the Egyptian background stamp and coordinating set from SU. DD (now 12) had to have Cool Cat and the Bratz type girls. Used few times and waiting to resurface. I have some that I don't use that were part of a set of other stamps, that I do use. I've also had friends who no longer stamp and they've given me their stamps. Some I've used, some I haven't used yet.
I suppose, if you have the room, keep what you like. Enjoy when you can.
Single Use Stamps?
