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I have always used older stamps and embellishments when the card called for it. I hardly watch any videos, as I would rather read the SCS tutorials. I’m trying to get my mojo back too. I spent all summer into fall sewing masks for my family and friends. And I’m a town clerk, so I had 4 elections in 2020, which saw a huge uptick in absentee requests. I literally had no time for anything else. So I;m trying to find some stamping time and take part in the weekly challenges. Not doing so good on that, but hoping to get better. When I do stamp with or without the challenges, it calms me and I can feel all the stress, anger or whatever go away. I hope stamping never goes away.
I think if some of the old stamps and techniques were brought back, they’d be new again. Especially for newer stampers who were not stamping at that time.
__________________ Mary ~~ QFTD #152, FS#514CC Guest Design Team 2012, 2013, 2017 & 2022 2014 CAS Spring Design Team MemberSC Guest Design Team 2015 & 2022 SU Consultant "Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life" - Lion King
Karen, you're so right about the UK magazines and the oldie but goodie techniques. If you want to see some really nice demos, there are 2 UK craft shopping channels I watch on Roku that have websites where you can watch some of their shows. They also offer free downloads. I've linked them below.
There is one particular stamp company that seems to be releasing something new every week. And the amount of emails they send is off the wall. It is really starting to turn me off. I can't imagine the accumulating stock they must have, but then they are always having some type of sale, too. I would much rather a company spend time using their product in videos, combining new with old in new and fun ways, and build the interest in their product that way. Not by just putting something new out. Many of us have been stamping for a long time and would prefer to see techniques and methods for using our stash. Granted, that doesn't necessarily benefit a company in new product sales. However, a company has to come up with the money to get the stamps and dies made for their first order. If they spent some time using past releases, they may make money selling what they have already in stock and recouping their money. And if you have great videos and demos or tutorials, you could bring in a lot of new customers who don't have your products and are willing to buy them, even if they aren't the newest designs. I, too, am burning out on the constant releases and appreciate the companies who don't necessarily have something new every month but are online showing us what can be done with what we purchased. As a previous poster said, Jennifer McGuire does a great job of showing how to stretch your stamps, dies and supplies. I would love to see more of that online.
If it's who I'm thinking of, they do have the ability to make stamps in house and press to order, so it's likely that they're not overflowing. I hear you though.
If it's who I'm thinking of, they do have the ability to make stamps in house and press to order, so it's likely that they're not overflowing. I hear you though.
And if it's who I think it is, because of that, they rarely retire anything so it's possible to fall in love with an older image and still get it, which is great.
I was assuming that it's Unity. I'm sure that's who Dina is referencing. I had to unsubscribe from the newsletters because import taxes are making it prohibitive to buy even in their sales. But I've always liked that you could fall in love with an older stamp of theirs and, most likely, still find it in their inventory.
I was assuming that it's Unity. I'm sure that's who Dina is referencing. I had to unsubscribe from the newsletters because import taxes are making it prohibitive to buy even in their sales. But I've always liked that you could fall in love with an older stamp of theirs and, most likely, still find it in their inventory.
Do you think some of it is working alone all the time? This is a social hobby. I think it might be.
There is a difference between choosing to be alone and having to be. We want our peeps back!
Zoom baby zoom! I want to try that this year with peeps who are far away.
Oh heck...they will be purging ME long before I use up everything around here....LOL
For the FIFTH year now, I would like to start doing challenges and take classes. Fingers crossed.
What I am burned out on is LIFE getting in the way of playing!!!
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
What I am burned out on is LIFE getting in the way of playing!!!
YES!
My mom fell in Nov. and has been with us since. I took a six week leave to get her back on her feet, went back to work 12/27, worked for three weeks then took another three week leave (which ends next Sat.) when she had surgery on 1/14. I had to skip my yearly girls' trip on MLK weekend due to caring for her post-surgery. Even though I've been off and home, I haven't been OFF. No time or mojo to play. I have managed to take an hour or two here and there to work on cleaning up the mess that is my craft room, but not enough time or ability to devote full attention to a craft project. The plan is to move her back to her apt. the first weekend in March, but I don't know how long it will last. She could surprise us, but at this point I'm feeling that she's gonna need someone around 24/7, if for anything to make sure she eats and do every other day or weekly needs (supervise bathing, do laundry, basic cleaning, etc.)
Getting back to the OP, I do think that many people are getting burned out, whether it's because companies are pushing sales/new products (people not buying because they've lost jobs or watching $$ because of reduced hours, etc.) or because they are home and realizing that they have SO MUCH stuff that they don't NEED to buy anything new.
I am sorry about the mom stuff Regina. It is not easy being the "sandwich" generation-taking care of your family and kids and also taking of parents. I hope a way is found for her to have that level of care w/o it being you.
That is a good point. With us being home instead of out working....we have all this time to SEE our stashes. Not so easy to put on blinders coming and going.
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
Hi Regina,
I am so sorry to hear about your mom and your struggles with caring for your mom. My mother had congestive heart failure for years, and the last two and a half years of her life, she lived in a senior residence right near us. She wanted to move in with us, but we have a split level home, which meant stairs everywhere. She was unable to use stairs at all, so we had to move her into a small senior apartment. They cleaned, cooked all her meals, and she had company if she wanted it. My husband and I worked full time, so she had people around here more than if she lived with us. I know she would have preferred to live here with me, but I felt this was the best option for all. Hugs to you as you deal with all of this.
Karen
I am sorry about the mom stuff Regina. It is not easy being the "sandwich" generation-taking care of your family and kids and also taking of parents. I hope a way is found for her to have that level of care w/o it being you.
That is a good point. With us being home instead of out working....we have all this time to SEE our stashes. Not so easy to put on blinders coming and going.
Not only are we home more, so able to see how much stuff we have, but many of us are crafting more as well. The experience of trying to find things and not being able to get past the piles of supplies and stamping tools, has made me realize exactly how much I've accumulated. How in the world have I ended up with boxes full of baggies, full of crazy assortments from buttons to tiny die cut, to stickers, to ribbon scraps?! Eeek!
Now I'm organizing and even purging a bit, so that I can use what I have and actually make something instead of accumulate. I think a lot of crafters realized they've been collecting supplies, but not really using them. If we just grab a few of those items that we've been buying and storing, I think a lot of the mojo will eventually return.
Karen
Aside from the strange year we just had, I’m guessing this sort of thing (people stepping back or down) happens every so often. When I look through the tutorials and see names of people who once contributed a lot but are no longer active I always wonder if they’re crafting anymore. It could be that they’re just busy (family needs change) or decided to scale back and just create for themselves.
Maybe we are more aware because of the popularity of videos?
With us being home instead of out working....we have all this time to SEE our stashes. Not so easy to put on blinders coming and going.
I've worked from home for nearly a year now. While I much prefer that to being in an office, I work in a corner of my craft room with my back to the craft table. Usually I'm pretty good about not looking round, but on slow days, it's really difficult
That's a good point Adriana. We have lost of a lot of people posting and I am not even here as long as many others.
Sadly we have lost more members than I care to think about to illness. Including some early tutorial teachers :( But we have the gift of their knowledge, craft and sharing forever.
Also true Karen. As we interact more with our stashes we are being reminded just how much we have and that might depress/overwhelm some people instead of charging them up to use it or purge it.
LOL Stampnatter...I dont know if I could do that. Try to do paid work in the same space...I suspect I would be distracted and want to play. I might have to put up a screen wall or something...
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
I'm in the same boat everyone here seems to be in. (Maybe, we need to be in a ship, there are so many of us!)
I too, at the beginning of the pandemic, started buying stuff. I find wood mounted stamps to be a little piece of art. I started to purchase lots on eBay. I got a lot of stamps fast. I had them sorted into flats according to the subject. My husband built shelves so I could buy fabric bins to put them in to. Well, the first 9 bins filled up quickly and I still had flats, and packages of more stamps continued to arrive, weekly. I am now filling the last 9 bins and have stopped looking for more stamps.
Next, I am hoping to go through all my color pencils, watercolor pencils, alcohol markers, fine line markers that are in tins, and lovely containers. I hope that placing them in cups where I can see them will inspire me to use them!
I also realized I spend more time looking and purchasing items, than actually using them.
When I first started and had fewer craft products, I produced more!
I think I need a 12 step program to stop this cycle of thinking that if I had the right, better product, I could produce something better.
Wish me luck!
I also realized I spend more time looking and purchasing items, than actually using them.
When I first started and had fewer craft products, I produced more!
I think I need a 12 step program to stop this cycle of thinking that if I had the right, better product, I could produce something better.
Wish me luck!
You are not the only one who could use a 12-step program for craft supplies. If you start one, let me know. I'll join -- but first, just one more purchase, or two, or three.
My Ottlite bulb burned out last night and I had to order one from Michaels online...and pick it up today. I purposely planned to do curbside pickup, so I wouldn't go in and start browsing. Oops, I forgot my phone at home so couldn't let them know I was there. Yup...had to go in to pick it up.
And yup...had to start browsing the aisles.
HOWEVER, big pat on the back to me because I did NOT buy a single thing! I kept picking up things and looking at them, then asking myself if I already had one (or two, or ten) of these already in my stash. I saw that packs of 100 sheets of shimmer cardstock were on sale and oh my goodness...that was hard to pass up. However, I reminded myself that I already have enough card stock to build a community of paper houses...so I put them down.
I walked briskly out to my car, got inside and drove home. Put my new Ottlite bulb in my lamp and now I'm sitting here all proud and happy. I'm finding that making do with the stash I already have is actually jump starting my creativity. Fewer options mean more gets done.
Karen
Melissa59,
If I could start a group for over purchasing craft stuff I would. My issue is I live near Death Valley. For over 20 years, I would have to plan a trip to the city to purchase craft products. It would take me a full week, looking at magazines for ads, to find new items. Then a full day to make the trip (about 150 miles one way.
5 years ago, we got the internet installed at our home. (before using the internet, we'd travel to the library (20 miles one way).
Now, all of the craft new products were a click away. I just couldn't help myself!
If it's who I'm thinking of, they do have the ability to make stamps in house and press to order, so it's likely that they're not overflowing. I hear you though.
I was actually referring to Altenew. I do like their stamps and they have branched out into markers, etc. However, I think I get at least one email from them each day, there is almost a weekly new stamp set, die, etc., and now I am getting text messages too. In my opinion it is just too much and is turning me off.
I was actually referring to Altenew. I do like their stamps and they have branched out into markers, etc. However, I think I get at least one email from them each day, there is almost a weekly new stamp set, die, etc., and now I am getting text messages too. In my opinion it is just too much and is turning me off.
I agree with you about being turned off by the daily & weekly email announcements from companies regarding their "new" stamp and dies.
I asked Altenew to stop emailing me after feeling overwhelmed by their emails, but when I had a problem with an order it was sort of crickets chirping. I thought I would miss them so much, but I actually kind of forgot about them until your comment brought it all back again. Too much contact becomes white noise and you tend to look past their products. Sometimes it just is so annoying you need to ask them to stop. It is too bad they don't recognize it themselves because it costs them sales.
I get emails from Crafter's Companion every day. They seem to be launching new products and/or product lines every day as well. They also have their own channel with shows all day. I wish they would create more videos and how-tos for the products I've already spent so much money on, and less on what they just released. It's a real turn-off for me.
I was actually referring to Altenew. I do like their stamps and they have branched out into markers, etc. However, I think I get at least one email from them each day, there is almost a weekly new stamp set, die, etc., and now I am getting text messages too. In my opinion it is just too much and is turning me off.
Ok, interesting! I don't follow them. Sabrina was right that I was thinking of Unity.
THANK YOU!!!
