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?
So, why do people not want to use retired stuff? I get it if someone is on a design team or a demo, but for us "normal" folks, why are some so hesitant to use a stamp that isn't in a current book, or a color that you can't purchase any more? I know that the people I make cards for don't know that the flower I used is from three years ago, or that Frosty has been around for years. And after a bit, do we really NEED more flower stamps?
__________________ Diana
*******
Save your drama for your llama.
Totally agree but think that there is something else going on. I'm not on a DT but I have a blog and like to share my work.
Although my supplies are "old" I like to keep up to date -- a bit -- with some trends. So I add to my supplies on occasion to keep things fresh. On the other hand, I just ordered a Waltzingmouse set that came out a year ago. I buy what I like!
ps. sometimes I see a flower that I really want. I love flowers!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I'm all over the place on this. Where design commitments are concerned, it makes perfect sense to use product that is available. BUT... I do have a stash of stamps that I love and purchased 'for the love', apart from any obligation. Some of them are retired, or the companies have gone out of business. I tend to use those more for events like Hope You Can Cling To, where the cards will be truly appreciated for their sentiment rather than their advertising value. It's so enjoyable to create those cards because they are truly a work of heart.
Anyone who is submits cards for publication wants to use only current items that are available for purchase. People reading magazines don't like it when they see a card they'd like to make and then find out they can't buy the stamp or get that color of cardstock.
Not an issue for me; I'll sometimes check 3-year-old magazines from the library for ideas; half the fun is figuring out what I have that will work as a substitute
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
Posts: 4,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think I only have maybe three or four "cuurent" stamp sets. I am about a 90% SU user. There is no way I could afford to use only current stamps! Also, what's the point of even buying them if I felt I couldn't use them once retired!
I have lots of 4-5 yr old sets.....they feel like old friends ;-)
For some reason in the past I tended not to use my retired colors, but I am using them now or selling them off. It's made me feel great lately to use some Sage Shadow, Cool Caribbean, & Peach Parfait!
There is some psychological thing about using retired colors that I had to overcome. That happens with stamps for some people too. It's also a way our beloved stamp companies get us to keep buying...they do have to stay in business!
Of course cards used for publication need to have current stamps and supplies.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Anyone who submits cards for publication wants to use only current items that are available for purchase. People reading magazines don't like it when they see a card they'd like to make and then find out they can't buy the stamp or get that color of cardstock.
It's a bit the same for bloggers too, though obviously there aren't 'rules'... I've had people ask if they can buy my personal stamps that they can't find elsewhere!
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Creative Crew SU Design Team Alumni
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 15,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even when I wasn't a demo I noticed that I tended to use mainly current stuff. I think it was because it was what I was seeing as inspiration and also like to keep up with the current popular things and trends, kwim? I guess I found it easier to pull out the newer stuff and play with it because I had seen more ideas and the old stuff tends to get "pushed to the back" in my studio :-) Kind of the same with my wardrobe. I tend to wear the newer things that I have because they are newer and "more in style" if that makes sense.
I have some stamps that are over 15 years old from companies that no longer exist. They are some of my favorite and it makes no sense to me to get rid of them just because of their age.
I have a wonderful SU leaf set that is old that I love. Why would I feel the need to update it with one of their newer leaf sets (that don't look all that different)? Unless you are on a design team there should be no concern about the age of a stamp.
I understand how being current would be important for demos, bloggers and design team members, but in terms of "regular folks" don't you find that this heavy emphasis on "in" and "out" is very much an SU thing? My SIL got me started and she is a demo, so I experienced the whole "new catalog/in-color/retiring colors/retiring sets" phenomenon as a beginning stamper, but once I moved outside the SU universe and started buying stamps and papers and inks from many different companies, it became pretty irrelevant and I stopped even thinking about it.
I suppose it's nice to know a CS color is going to be retired so you can stock up, but you can't realistically stock up with enough for the rest of your life! And once a color is retired, it makes no sense not to use it if you like it. I have a lot of very nice retired SU CS - my demo SIL sent it to me ;-)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I a bit of a mixture about this as well. I use my retired sets a lot because I mostly make cards for Operation Write Home and do scrapbooking, so I don't care if my sets are retired, if I like them I use them. But one thing I've noticed is that I rarely use retired sets that I buy used, like old ones my demo is selling or if I buy them at a garage sale. I'm not sure why that is, maybe because I didn't get as many creative ideas because they aren't all over the place when I purchased them? Not sure why it is, but I don't bother to buy retired stuff any more. The one exception would be alphabet stamps for scrapbooking, those I use, because I hate buying them new because they're usually expensive.
When it comes to retired colors, however, I'm of a completely different mindset. I use my cardstock, because that would be financially wasteful, but I can't use retired colors fast enough, it bugs me to have them around! I've determined that that's mostly because I can no longer purchase ribbon and patterned paper to match, and it can be tricky for me to put a card together without these things. Not to mention that my space is limited, and I can't buy the new, fun colors if I still have old ones taking space.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
I learned a LONG time ago when SU did a BIG purge and I lost 15 current sets to "Retired" that "Keeping Up" Meet Nothing! ;)
So I don't Keep Up. I do what I want, Buy what I want and Make myself Happy! :p
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni Creative Crew SU Design Team Alumni
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 15,348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Honestly I think I'd do it the same way with any company as in whatever their new stuff was at the time is what I would do....I guess I'm trendy and like I said, I tend to get my inspiration from the majority of what I see right in front of me like on DT blogs and stuff.
Unless you are a demo, consultant or DT member, I don't see why it would make any difference if something was retired or not. If I like something, I'm going to keep it and use it.
That was one merry-go-round that I did not like as a demo/consultant - the need to keep everything current. I understand the reasoning behind it, and I suppose you could always keep retired items for your personal use, but it was just too high maintenance for me.
I like Stampers' Sampler and Take Ten magazines and I find MANY of the cards and projects in them use old stamps. That doesn't really phase me at all. I like seeing new ideas and techniques, and can always use different stamps in their place.
I - like many, many others - used to buy stamps and papers just because I liked them, without any thought behind whether or not they were my "style" or how I would actually use them. As I've become more familiar with what I like/don't like and what I use/don't use, I've become more selective when I purchase anything, and I've purged a lot, too. What remains varies from current all the way back to the late 1980s. If it's still in my stash, I still like it enough to use it, retired or not.
I must be the exception to the rule, because most of what I buy is retired and I actually aim to buy retired stuff because it is considerably cheaper.
That's not to say I don't ever buy new SU product, because I do if I see something and love it (I sooo want the perfect pennants and starburst sayings bundles!), but when it comes to colors, inks, markers, cs, dp--I go retired first.
I always end up being able to buy in-color marker sets+cs+dp+buttons+ribbon for wayway cheaper just because I waited for the next color set to come along and bounce those out.
Maybe it's because I work and am in college and live on my own, so I want to stretch my craft dollars and create without spending a boatload, but who really cares if it's retired??
I am one who buy what I like. Sometimes it happens to be in ...sometimes not. Most of my cards go to my friends, family and church members. They have no clue what is in or not as far as the stamping world is concerned. When I see a card that I like...a lot of the fun of stamping for me is....recreating it with what I have. Sometimes I see things that are new and if I know I love it I buy it. I most usually try to buy things with a discount. I don't get stamping up stamps anymore because they are pretty pricy and their colors change and retires all the time. Right after I bought all their ink...they retired a lot of it. Other stamp companies don't really have ink they sell with their stamps. If they do, it is usually something like Tim Hultz. His colors have not retired that I know of however...he sometimes add to it. Momento ink the same way. That is the way it should be done. All companies have new things that come out. Now I look at them and ask myself...can it be used with my style of stamping and do I have anything that is like it that can be used in its place and how much it costs. I do not upload my cards anymore because I use so many old stamps. But what I make, still blesses the heart of the one who receives it.
__________________ Peggy
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear.Psalm 27:1
I just started to do classes in my home and I am a SU demo. Have been for 10 yrs. I have a lot of retired paper. I am going to use it in my classes. I am going to be up front with them and tell them I need to use it up. I will have a project with all new and the other 2 projects will be with what ever I have on hand as I create the demos. I hope to use up all this paper so in the future I can have new only. I also have 10 years of stampsets. This year was the first time I had a stamp garage sale and sold a lot of old stampsets I have had for ever. Some of them were purchased with that demo mind set that I have to have it to demo at workshops. I have sets that have never been used and are retired. I will have a sale table on display for all lmy classed with used stuff for sale. Since this is a class set up I don't have to worry about a hostess not getting the sale. I know this is not proper SU but I have to do what is right for me at the time.
I am a hobby demo and have been for about 10 years. Stamping is a hobby--hobbies evolve and change. There is nothing wrong with using old stamps--I just get easily bored! Therefore I buy, use, donate and then buy some more. I don't exceed my budget or stamp room area. But I love new products. I think I have only kept about 4 sets that are over 4 years old! I will never part with:
Best of Cluck
Toile Blossoms
Botanicals
Tidy Alphabet
Load of Love--but this one is just about out the door!
__________________ My Blog...I cook more than I stamp!
I am one who buy what I like. Sometimes it happens to be in ...sometimes not. Most of my cards go to my friends, family and church members. They have no clue what is in or not as far as the stamping world is concerned. When I see a card that I like...a lot of the fun of stamping for me is....recreating it with what I have. Sometimes I see things that are new and if I know I love it I buy it. I most usually try to buy things with a discount. I don't get stamping up stamps anymore because they are pretty pricy and their colors change and retires all the time. Right after I bought all their ink...they retired a lot of it. Other stamp companies don't really have ink they sell with their stamps. If they do, it is usually something like Tim Hultz. His colors have not retired that I know of however...he sometimes add to it. Momento ink the same way. That is the way it should be done. All companies have new things that come out. Now I look at them and ask myself...can it be used with my style of stamping and do I have anything that is like it that can be used in its place and how much it costs. I do not upload my cards anymore because I use so many old stamps. But what I make, still blesses the heart of the one who receives it.
I totally agree with your "stamping philosophy" - very practical! However, I find the highlighted statement a bit sad... We would LOVE to see your creations, no matter WHAT you used! I've seen some pretty spectacular items stamped with celery stalks (roses) and carved potatoes! Please reconsider and start uploading again...
I'm with Sue, Peggy! What a SILLY reason not to share your work with us! There are loads of cards in the gallery that use stamps you can't get anymore.
Please upload your cards! We are here to inspire each other! ;-)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I use retired stamps all the time! I think it's just that maybe demos may have more of an incentive to post photos using the current stamps, 'cause then they can sell more. But myself, though I go often to the galleries of retired sets for ideas (so YES please upload your cards), I am now so lazy that I don't bother photographing the vast majority of stuff I make, 'cause the time it takes me to photograph and upload a card can be used to start another card.
I do not upload my cards anymore because I use so many old stamps.
What some have said about getting inspiration from cards with new stamps/products and switching it out with retired products they have on hand holds equally true for cards made with retired stuff. If I wanted to use newer stuff I could still be inpired by a design using old stuff. PLEASE share your creations with us.
Most of my stamps are older ones and I'm always looking in the Gallery for ideas on new ways to use them so please upload your cards; we'd all love to see them.
I do enjoy the thrill of the hunt! If I see a stamp that is not being produced anymore I start the hunt. With the internet the world is my oyster and maybe I can find that stamp and make it mine!
As a demo I keep a supply of current stamps for selling but I'll also use retired stamps that I know my customers have. They like having ideas on using something they already have. I sell retired sets I don't like or know that I'll never use them again.
For personal use, I use whatever I want. I have some really old stamps I love and use frequently. If I find a sample of a stamp that is no longer available, I'll try to find it but I won't overpay just to get it.
When I was on a DT for a cardmaking/scrapbooking store, I had to use all current products on my projects right down to the ribbon and buttons because people would call the store and ask for exactly the same product that I had used. Personally, I found it frustrating to not just reach into my stash and use whatever I wanted and I had to check whether it was OK to use first.
Now that I have stopped being on a DT and I continue to blog, I often do use retired products as I "shop my stash" but I try and let my readers know wherever possible that for eg: a stamp set etc. is retired - and sometimes will suggest an alternative. All the same, I still do get emails from readers asking where to buy a particular retired paper or embossing folder which isn't easy because I am in Australia! I do still buy current stuff but nowhere near as much as I used to - and I often buy Christmas papers after Christmas when they are all on sale. I personally don't mind at all if other people use retired products and like someone said, it is the thrill of the chase to try and find a particular retired stamp/stamp set or I try and find an alternative in my stash. I have bought quite a few retired SU sets because I loved them and still do. Peglar - PLEASE upload your cards using retired sets - don't let that stop you!
Using retired stuff
