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Maybe it's just that it seems like older techniques and products (stamping foam anyone?) are having a new life, but I have been down a rabbit hole (in terms of looking AND buying) lately with old Stampin Up sets. Part is that I have plenty that I still like and don't want to part with; part is that there were plenty that I couldn't afford when out that are cheap on Ebay these days, and part is that some of the older sets still look quite fresh to me.
It started because I've been obsessed with geometrical stamps and found a bunch of older Stampin Up sets around circles -- Circle Circus, Big Pieces, Little Pieces, etc. And I've been acquiring, expect to see cards with those sets turning up in my gallery!
This led me to find that someone has uploaded older SU catalogs on the issuu site and I paged through some of the ones from 2002-2004 (a time when I was getting the catalogs and looking through them constantly). First, I was surprised how many sets I had from that time period; second, I was surprised how many still appeal to me!
So I"m wondering, is this weird? Am I alone here? Is this even the right forum to ask this?
NO, you are NOT weird!! In fact, just yesterday a big box of SU! catalogs from 1999 - 2013 arrived on my doorstep from a kind soul here on SCS. I was looking for those older years because I adore the samples in them. The sets were amazing, too! The artistry of the stamps were magnificent. The current stamps seem simplistic. And the sentiments and quotes of the older sets were beautiful!! As I flipped through the older catalogs last night, I contemplated not buying the newer sets at all anymore (I'm a demonstrator but can easily meet my minimums through friends and buying consumables like paper and embellishments).
__________________ Nicole
The following 4 users liked this post by cnsteele:
The sample cards in the older catalogs were so good and inspiring! I like many of the newer sets but the catalog samples are not nearly as satisfying. I don’t blame you for digging into the older catalogs!
I much prefer the old sets to the new. They are so much more detailed and the designs and themes appeal to me. The people I send cards to don't know or care if they have the new designs or not. I have some sets that date back to 1996 and still love them.
The following 2 users liked this post by Grammatina:
No you are not alone. I prefer older stamps too. There is a group on YouTube who are buying older stamps also. BibleScraps is a big one who is into nostalgia stamping.
During the pandemic I was doing a lot of shopping. I realized I was buying a lot of older things. Then I started seeing a group of YT buying older craft items too and I realized it just wasn't me but this was a trend.
I like the older things. They are better made. They are true and tested. Even if they have quirks you can find out what they are. It is not just stamps I bought but tools, paper & dies.
I do have a lot of modern tools I adore but give me lovely red rubber stamps & steel rule dies. I am a happy girl.
Older sets need love, too! Unlike many demos, I keep sets I like and use them, retired or not. The older ones I use often are textures (like Gorgeous Grunge), backgrounds, borders and religious themes. I unmounted all my wheels and saved many of them but don't use them rarely. Not to mention Christmas -- many of my favorite sets are quite old and I use them every year. I saved old catalogs but they are in storage, if I need inspiration I go through newer catalogs and copy with older sets or check the gallery here.
Mary Beth
You aren't alone or crazy. I have so many old sets from as far back as the late 90's. And I still love most of them. So you are not alone. To be honest, I've not had a desire to buy that many of the new sets because they look just like the old ones to me. And I already spent the money on those. I have many of the older catalogs somewhere in a box in my basement. Maybe some day I'll pull them to get inspired.
I ended up pulling out some of my older SU stamps to make cards for VSN and the DTGD monthly challenge. I plan to make some more projects in the coming days with my older stamps that I pulled out. Thanks for inspiring me to do that.
You are NOT weird at all! You are in very good company. I have also bought older SU sets and particularly adore their teddy bear and snowman images. Just before Christmas, I bought Punch Pals and Crazy for Christmas. The Crazy for Christmas is from 2003 and Punch Pals is from 2007. Often they are quite cheap being second-hand so I don't mind paying the postage cost from the USA to Australia. I am quite obsessed by the older sets as this is what led me to this website and to start making cards.
Roses in Winter. I love that set and still use it. I also have Architectural Elements although it sits on a shelf. I keep a lot of older Christmas sets.
__________________ Debra the Debrameister Nagigator Mingler Gallery My Blog: Yellow and Blue SU Creative Crew Design Team Member-May-August 2011
I just did a rough SUO count of boxes, but some boxes have multiple sets inside. I touched 28 current sets and approximately 550 retired sets. Keep in mind if there was a punch, template or dies to coordinate I bought those as well.
I did not count non-SU for this discussion.
I am not bragging and definitely not apologizing! I started accumulation years ago with retirement in mind, and now this retiree gets to craft almost every day. Most of my purchases now are card stock, envelopes and adhesives.
But think I mentIoned 28 current sets!
edited to add: I am missing the 2002-03 catalog but have all others back to 2000-01 and YES those samples are amazing and many have been cased
__________________ Do or do not - there is no try! (Yoda) / SCS Featured Stamper FS730 / Dirty Dozen Alumni
The following 4 users liked this post by gaylestamps:
I don’t have nearly that many but more than I thought I did…I set up a separate Stampin Up card ideas board on Pinterest recently and set up a subgroup for each stamp set I have or expect to arrive soon and I have 70 subgroups so far! I tend to go very intense with stamping for a while and then wander off for months or years, so they are definitely clumped in “bursts” of what was current at the time of my intense phases. I’ve gotten more of the current and recent sets than I have in a long time but the bulk of my recent acquisitions are retired sets, a few from 2010s but most predating.
I made a bulk eBay purchase of ink pads several years ago and finally need to start getting reinkers—fortunately most of the colors are permanent ones but there are 5-6 that are from several color waves back (I can’t remember all but pink pirouette is one). Those reinkers go for $10 each on eBay! Ack! At least I can get the currents from the source.
colleen
The following 3 users liked this post by Katchoo1:
I just realized another reason I'm in to the older SU! stamp sets now - they are wood-mounted!
When I was creating the samples for a beginner's cardmaking class at my library, I kept asking myself to view the steps through the eyes of someone who'd never made a card before. Well, having an inked image fall off a block mid-stamp would frustrate a new cardmaker, so I reached for my wood-mounted stamps. I also knew that having a stamp get lost because it somehow was separated from its clear block would frustrate ME, the teacher. Again, wood-mounted sets to the rescue!
Plus, there is something so lovely about the feel of that smooth wood, the weight in one's hand, and the quaint charm of seeing the image on the block itself.
__________________ Nicole
The following 4 users liked this post by cnsteele:
I've never had many SU sets but I do find myself drawn more to older wood stamps - I've become more of a collector than a user over the last year or so, aside from my own stamp line and DT work. I am currently obsessed with Stamps Happen imagery and in my spare time I've been creating a catalog for my own perusal and enjoyment of all the images I can find, with stock numbers and artist names. It's so fun to see all the images together, sort by names and numbers, etc.
Roses in Winter. I love that set and still use it. I also have Architectural Elements although it sits on a shelf. I keep a lot of older Christmas sets.
I've kept Roses in Winter, as well ~ it makes beautiful cards!
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
I don’t have nearly that many but more than I thought I did…I set up a separate Stampin Up card ideas board on Pinterest recently and set up a subgroup for each stamp set I have or expect to arrive soon and I have 70 subgroups so far! I tend to go very intense with stamping for a while and then wander off for months or years, so they are definitely clumped in “bursts” of what was current at the time of my intense phases. I’ve gotten more of the current and recent sets than I have in a long time but the bulk of my recent acquisitions are retired sets, a few from 2010s but most predating.
I made a bulk eBay purchase of ink pads several years ago and finally need to start getting reinkers—fortunately most of the colors are permanent ones but there are 5-6 that are from several color waves back (I can’t remember all but pink pirouette is one). Those reinkers go for $10 each on eBay! Ack! At least I can get the currents from the source.
colleen[/QUOT
Sheesh! $10.00 for retired reinkers?! I don't care to spend the time to list things on ebay, but I have a ziploc bag sitting on my desk with about 9 retired reinkers that I'm giving to a friend who still has those color pads. I'm gonna tell her she's getting a real bargain (free), LOL!
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
I just realized another reason I'm in to the older SU! stamp sets now - they are wood-mounted!
When I was creating the samples for a beginner's cardmaking class at my library, I kept asking myself to view the steps through the eyes of someone who'd never made a card before. Well, having an inked image fall off a block mid-stamp would frustrate a new cardmaker, so I reached for my wood-mounted stamps. I also knew that having a stamp get lost because it somehow was separated from its clear block would frustrate ME, the teacher. Again, wood-mounted sets to the rescue!
Plus, there is something so lovely about the feel of that smooth wood, the weight in one's hand, and the quaint charm of seeing the image on the block itself.
I agree about the ease of using wood mounted stamps, especially when teaching beginning stampers. I volunteer to teach card making classes at my local senior center, retirement village, and with kids groups. I always pull out my old wood mounted sets because of the reasons you stated. At home, I use my Misti and clear or cling stamps most often, but I've never gotten rid of my wood mounted sets.
Karen
I'm in the midst of unmounting all my SU sets, and found the oldest one is 1998. I got tired of getting a poor image using wood-mounted stamps, needing to restamp. Plus I needed the storage space. I pulled off the rubber with pad attached, and peeled off the image and stuck it to the pad. Usually I use scotch tape to attach to Misti or clear block. Sometimes it stays on the stamp. I'm clearing out several wood-mounted sets because I found I'm not interested in the artwork or sentiments. I may sell here or in garage sale or Ebay.
SU Obsessed with Older Sets
Old stamp sets
