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I didn't like the rolodex; too bulky and had to reduce images so small to fit those cards.
I like the staples business card size pages 8 1/2 x 5 inch binder. Avery� 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" Business Card Pages | Staples�
I also do a sentiment indexing; because it is too hard to remember what stamp set had what saying. These pages work super for digital images; organized by company name alphabetically.
I also find it so much easier flipping through a binder.
UOTE=gregzgurl;20508429]Wanted to pop back in and say that I've reconsidered the whole catalog thing. All of my stamps are either photopolymer or unmounted rubber with 2-way glue on the back. All sets are broken up and images put into categories - all the leaves together, all the Santas together, etc. They are stored on laminated cardstock half-sheets in page protectors in binders, with a stamped index sheet for each page. Since they are already in categories, it's just as easy to flip through that binder as a separate, image-only one, so I've abandoned that plan. I still have images of the full sets in Evernote and in a physical binder...
I do have one photo album with sentiments only. I was using a Rolodex, but it makes me cranky - I'd rather flip through pages...[/QUOTE]
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I am using PowerPoint as an electronic notebook of all my Stampin' Up sets. I have one page for each set organized alphabetically. From Splitcoaststampers I have copied index photos and samples of cards from each set. It is a great way to have a ready supply of ideas for each set! I just take my laptop up to my craft room or print a page of a set I want to work with. It's very easy to update with new sets and new ideas for older sets. Hope this helps and good luck!
Well I put all of my images (stamped on 4x6 index cards) in a 8.5 x 6 binder I found at Staples with sheet protectors. I ended up with 2 of those binders to house all the stamps, but there is plenty of room for more! I abandoned the rolodex idea, even though I absolutely loved the idea of flipping through them, because they just were too small for the images.
Then I stamped each set on card stock to make a catalog. I love it! I can now see what size each stamp is exactly which I couldn't do when my catalog was digital. Now if I could just muster the courage to unmount my rubber stamps... Then I'd finally be box free.
I have two large binders. Instead of stamping each image, I cut the stamp sets I own from the catalogs they were purchased from and tape the images onto a piece of 8.5x11 paper - thus multiple sets fir on a single sheet. I place the sheets back to back in page protectors by category so that my binder is like a big SU catalog of stamp sets and wheels.
My second catalog has 4.25x5.5 pieces of cardstock that have each been embossed with a different embossing folder. They are in a sheet protector. Other sheet protectors are filled with die cut shapes, 3D die cut pieces (boxes, pouches..) and card stock that has been punched with every punch I own.
The front cover of the binder shows all the SU color samples. The binders have been great to take when meeting with someone who has asked me to stamp and create for them.
Lots of interesting ideas on this thread! I myself am about halfway through creating a catalogue of just sentiments. I find one of my biggest challenges when making cards is finding the right sentiment with the right size and type of font. Plus, it is so much harder for me to remember where all my sentiments are rather than images- for some reason I can remember which image stamps I have fairly easily but not the sentiments. I couldn't stand the thought of splitting up my stamp sets into categories (makes me break out in a cold sweat just thinking of it!;))
All I'm doing is using 8 1/2 x 11" copy paper in a binder, and writing the category on top of the page, and stamping the sentiments onto it. And I just write the name of the stamp set and company on top of the stamped sentiments. Easy peasy. I'm finding stamps I never knew I had and have never used before! The other thing I like about it is that a lot of sentiments/ word sets I have fit into more than one category, and it's easy to just stamp them on different pages for whatever categories they fit into. I find that I'm thinking more creatively about what each sentiment could be used for as I'm cataloguing them. Also, I'm finding it helpful when stamp shopping to see what sentiments I don't yet have, or, as in the case of 'friendship' stamps, which types I already have way too many of! As I said, I'm about halfway through, but I've already referred to my catalogue several times to find the right sentiment and I'm soooo glad I've started this!
I made my stamp catalog after seeing a Pea on the Two Peas in a bucket site make hers using a Roledex. I wanted more space for my stamped images so I decided instead to use blank 4x6 index cards and an index card box to store them in.
Most of my stamps are umounted rubber sets, and I like to store them as sets. It's much easier for me to remember them that way. But when scrapbooking or cardmaking if I wanted a stamp image of a flower, it'd be much easier for me to be able to see all of my stamps of flower images and choose from them at once. That's what led to this decision.
I get most of my umounted rubber stamps from Club Scrap-I've been a member since 2000, off and on, currently on. They come with a paper index sheet. To save time I copied the sheet (the orginal I store with the stamps), and would sit in front of the TV. with the index cards, small ziploc bags, a comfortable pair of scissors and a glue stick.
I'd cut the images out of each sheet, put them in a ziploc bag and label it with what kit and month it was from. On to the next one. Until I had a great big pile of them. This could take a few days, but it didn't seem to take much time, because I'd do it during boring commercials or during movies I'd already seen.
Once I had a stack of ziploc baggies, I'd take each one, empty it and sort the images-all flowers together, all quotes together, all like things together from each stamp sheet. I'd then glue 2-3 flowers together on one 4x6 card (the cards turned out to be pretty big, so sometime a few images fit on one, or if it was a big image it was large enough for just one image), or a quote on one card. Put the cards back into the baggie.
Next step-take the cards out of the baggie to label them-I label all 4 corners in pencil. Type of stamp-UM (unmounted), WM (wood mounted) or C (clear) in one corner, Manufacture in another corner, Binder Number where stamp set is stored, and Kit Name and month.
Last step-I get out my index file box and file them. I let the stamps dictate my file catagories. I have catagories like Animals, Art, Asian, Computers, as many as I want. The stamp index box takes up very little room. I'm very happy with it.
At first the idea seemed completely overwhelming to accomplish, but doing it in front of the TV made it go by very quickly. It felt great getting something accomplished during that "empty" time.
Go you! What an accomplishment. I plan to stamp mine on 4x6 as well. And you're right, a great task for TV watching.
I'm doing mine on the 4x6 then storing them in the flip pages of the ScrapRack when I get one this fall. I'll store the images according to theme with a notation as to which set or drawer they are in.
__________________ Kelly BlogYouTubeS2S $0.00
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The cheap ($1) 4" x 6" photo albums work well for this, too. It's sort of like flipping the pages of a catalog. Just make sure you leave room to grow...
I decided on the Index Card file box for myself because I wanted something that wouldn't take up a lot of room. I chose one that didn't look industrial because I wanted it to sit on my desk. The one I ended up with is the Snap-N-Storage 4x6 Index Card File. It holds 1,000 cards!
For me this works great because it is close by, and I don't have to look through multiple binders or books. Kind of like the Rolodex idea but with more room on the cards for the images. Also for me too much "clutter" chokes my creative muse. I prefer neat, closed storage. For me this was perfect. For others it'd be the opposite.
I like your ideas too, and of course what works best for one stamper/scrapper won't work for another, but I thought I'd throw this out there.
I finally have a decent picture of my stamp catalog. I use a basic 3 ring binder (we get a ton of these at work from applicants, they don't fit in our file cabinets so we put them all into a big box for anyone to take for any reason).
I stamp images by category. I have main categories and then subcategories. I've just recently broken it down into the main categories, rather than alphabetical by subcategory, and that works better for me. If an image fits more than one category, I will add it to both. This helps me design.
I use sheet protectors, and I just discovered post-it tabs. I use a different color for each main category (had to repeat a couple of colors because post-it doesn't have enough colors available yet).
My main categories are: Sentiments, Events, Holidays, Shapes, Animals, Nature, Sports, Places, Home, and Geek. Subcategories, for example Sentiments, are: Card Backs, Alphabets, Congrats/Encourage, Friends, Fun, Get Welll, Sympathy, Thanks, To/From. Events are: Baby, Birthday, Graduation, Party, Retirement, Wedding.
I've had to redo some pages when I decided to break out some new subcategories. Sports, for example, went from just plain Sports to: Cycling, Triathlon, Fishing, Golf, Fitness/Yoga, and Ball Sports. Even my Christmas pages are roughly divided into theme: Peace & Doves, Santa & Deer, Trees, Snow (Flakes & Snowmen), Penguins, Ornaments. I don't have labels for these, but when I stamp a new image I add it to the appropriate section within my Christmas pages.
My mind works in this kind of detail. I am definitely big on sorting, labeling, and categorizing. If your mind works in broader terms, you don't need to catalog your stamps to the detail that I have. The trick is to figure out how your brain works and base your system on that.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
I finally have a decent picture of my stamp catalog. I use a basic 3 ring binder (we get a ton of these at work from applicants, they don't fit in our file cabinets so we put them all into a big box for anyone to take for any reason).
I stamp images by category. I have main categories and then subcategories. I've just recently broken it down into the main categories, rather than alphabetical by subcategory, and that works better for me. If an image fits more than one category, I will add it to both. This helps me design.
I use sheet protectors, and I just discovered post-it tabs. I use a different color for each main category (had to repeat a couple of colors because post-it doesn't have enough colors available yet).
My main categories are: Sentiments, Events, Holidays, Shapes, Animals, Nature, Sports, Places, Home, and Geek. Subcategories, for example Sentiments, are: Card Backs, Alphabets, Congrats/Encourage, Friends, Fun, Get Welll, Sympathy, Thanks, To/From. Events are: Baby, Birthday, Graduation, Party, Retirement, Wedding.
I've had to redo some pages when I decided to break out some new subcategories. Sports, for example, went from just plain Sports to: Cycling, Triathlon, Fishing, Golf, Fitness/Yoga, and Ball Sports. Even my Christmas pages are roughly divided into theme: Peace & Doves, Santa & Deer, Trees, Snow (Flakes & Snowmen), Penguins, Ornaments. I don't have labels for these, but when I stamp a new image I add it to the appropriate section within my Christmas pages.
My mind works in this kind of detail. I am definitely big on sorting, labeling, and categorizing. If your mind works in broader terms, you don't need to catalog your stamps to the detail that I have. The trick is to figure out how your brain works and base your system on that.
Love the titles of your Pinterest boards LOL
Following several.
__________________ Kelly BlogYouTubeS2S $0.00
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Wanted to pop back in and say that I've reconsidered the whole catalog thing. All of my stamps are either photopolymer or unmounted rubber with 2-way glue on the back. All sets are broken up and images put into categories - all the leaves together, all the Santas together, etc. They are stored on laminated cardstock half-sheets in page protectors in binders, with a stamped index sheet for each page. Since they are already in categories, it's just as easy to flip through that binder as a separate, image-only one, so I've abandoned that plan. I still have images of the full sets in Evernote and in a physical binder...
I do have one photo album with sentiments only. I was using a Rolodex, but it makes me cranky - I'd rather flip through pages...
Hi Sue,
Just wondering if you would be willing to share your categories with me. I am trying to organize and make a category of my stamps, but I think my OCD-ness is making me go nuts.
I got a request a while ago from someone else via pm, so I just copied/pasted my reply here. Maybe it will help...
I feel like, before I list anything, that I should throw out a couple of disclaimers:
I have a very Odd Brain and a short attention span. What does that mean for you? That this is how my stamps are organized RIGHT NOW, and it could change in a week (or a day or an hour).
I organize my stamps in categories that make sense TO ME - they may not make sense for you. I think about what I'll likely be using a particular image or sentiment FOR, and then put it in a category that will likely be a trigger for that.
I can never quite make up my other mind (back to that Odd Brain thing again). I waffle between binders/bins/back again. Right now they're in binders (again), but the jury's still out...
With those out of the way, here is the current list of categories, plus some info to clarify a few of them. Mostly I have sentiments separate from images, but that's not always true. Birthday sentiments and general "party on" or "celebrate" sentiments are in with birthday cakes and balloons and such, for example. You can fine-tune any/all of the categories however they work for you, obviously.
Sentiments only:
Seasons and holidays:
Even with all of that, I have some stamps that are still "miscellaneous" - like peace signs, smiley faces, recycle symbols, and words like "groovy" and "fab". I'm still debating how those will trigger, so they're not really anywhere yet. They may just have to stay "miscellaneous"...
This may or may not have been helpful, but there it is, anyway. At the very least it probably spooled you into a train of thought on which direction you might possibly go, right?
I also need to add that - even though it's been a very short time since I responded to the first request, I've already changed the above slightly. ALL of the sentiments (except holiday) are now separate from the images. They are also on A2 laminated cardstock and in bins with dividers for the categories. The images are still in binders...
The reason I changed it is because there were too many words on the 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" sheets for me to deal with (I get stymied by "visual clutter"), so I had to break it down into more manageable chunks. I didn't want to try to find smaller binders or invest in something else, so I used the bins that all of the stamps used to be in, turned the other way (4 1/2" wide vs. 6" wide).
Are you thoroughly overwhelmed and/or muddled yet? ;)
__________________ ~ Sue Happy for no reason...
Last edited by gregzgurl; 07-13-2014 at 12:50 PM..
Reason: clarification
I also think my brain is super strange. I am trying to organize my stamps and I have a lot of categories similar to yours. Thank you for sharing. Oh, I too constantly change my organization, which drives me crazy, but if I don't change, it drives me crazy.
Thanks again,
Agree with you, Gregzgurl- the category thing is really far more personal that you would expect! Like you, I have got stamps organised into how my brain links them, not what is necessarily the 'correct' linking. Even now, I'm still hovering- do I put Tim Holtz quote stamps in the Tim binder, or in the Quotes binder- either way I end up forgetting about them!
It is really how your brain triggers, for sure! I put my Tim Holtz quote stamps in whichever category the quote relates to (imagination, courage, etc.), but the carrier sheet with ALL of the quotes is in the Tim Holtz portion of my index of complete stamp sets. It's the only index I have, and there are sections for every manufacturer that I own stamps from (weird grammar, but I'm not sure how to improve it, and you know what I mean, right?). I'm still tweaking, as mentioned above, and may overhaul the whole system again, knowing how I roll...
EVERNOTE. It is an app that you download for free. I have it on my laptop and ipad and it syncs so you can also use with your iphones (I don't own one) so when you are shopping, you can have a catalog of everything you own. Also, you can tag everything with what it pertains to. Example: birthday, girl, boy, sentiment, etc. So then when you want to make a birthday card, search "birthday" and every set you own with a birthday theme will show and you can add pictures under each title to see all the stamps in each set catalogued. I LOVE IT..IT"S FREE..it takes a long time initially to set up but is so worth it!
EVERNOTE. It is an app that you download for free. I have it on my laptop and ipad and it syncs so you can also use with your iphones (I don't own one) so when you are shopping, you can have a catalog of everything you own. Also, you can tag everything with what it pertains to. Example: birthday, girl, boy, sentiment, etc. So then when you want to make a birthday card, search "birthday" and every set you own with a birthday theme will show and you can add pictures under each title to see all the stamps in each set catalogued. I LOVE IT..IT"S FREE..it takes a long time initially to set up but is so worth it!
Yeah - that's been mentioned a couple of times in this thread, but it bears repeating. Since you've mentioned it, I'll just add a couple of links to other threads about it:
I've gradually been adding all my stamps to Evernote- I used to have an A5 notebook filled with the stamped Images I took with me when going shopping, but that was getting to be a pain. Gregzgurl, I hadn't thought of splitting my Quotes into themes- now you've opened up a whole new can of worms for me, lol.
I've gradually been adding all my stamps to Evernote- I used to have an A5 notebook filled with the stamped Images I took with me when going shopping, but that was getting to be a pain. Gregzgurl, I hadn't thought of splitting my Quotes into themes- now you've opened up a whole new can of worms for me, lol.
Yeah - me/cans/worms - it's how I roll...
If I could only figure out how to get those darn wormies back into the can
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I have one I started about five years ago. It is a three ring binder with page protectors. I stamped each image from the set on card stock. 81/2 x 11. All SU.
I didn't keep up on it. Eventually I got rid of some of the sets and then the binder was really out of date!
What helped me to better use my stamps was to break up most of my sentiments. I broke up and separated thank you, birthday, congratulation, and encouragement. That helped so I wouldn't have to dig for the right sentiment.
My other sets are grouped by category and I pretty much know what I have. They are stored in this order:
Flowers, Fall, Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, winter, Valentine's day, sentiments, baby, kids, coffee/tea, thank you, encouragement, & general.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Last edited by Allistamps123; 08-04-2014 at 10:47 PM..
I keep (Or I should say TRY to keep) stamps in categories - however I have no inventory list or binder of any kind. I know myself. I would spend weeks on it and then within weeks I wouldn't be sure if it was up to date - I would forget to add new stamps. If I am looking for a (whatever) I just look in the (whatever) drawer or box.
So I took the plunge, per say, and put all my stamps in categories. I used Evernote so I know what I have and where it's at! Now to figure out how to organize my 12 X 12 paper, so when I get to the store, I know what designs I have. Any ideas on what works best? When I do find a paper I use alot, I snip a small piece off and keep in my mini notebook in my purse.
So I took the plunge, per say, and put all my stamps in categories. I used Evernote so I know what I have and where it's at! Now to figure out how to organize my 12 X 12 paper, so when I get to the store, I know what designs I have. Any ideas on what works best? When I do find a paper I use alot, I snip a small piece off and keep in my mini notebook in my purse.
Shelly,
why don't you snap a pic of it, add it to a new Evernote notebook and voila...it'll be on your phone (if you have a smart phone!)!!
So I hit the first snag in my otherwise flawless Stamp Inventory Notebook :oops: and I was not happy! Rather than stamping and cleaning each stamp, and in an effort to have all images crisp and clean without having to use a whole pack of Whisper White paper, I used all of the stock pictures of the stamps that I have. I was oh so proud of myself because everything looked so neat and tidy!! Last night I needed to find the perfect Happy Birthday sentiment and it hit me! These are not the ACTUAL SIZE! I have so many but I don't know which will fit in the spot where I want this to go! Thankfully, all of my images and sentiments were fresh in my memory still and I was able to grab one and it was perfect :-D but what happens 6 months from now? When you all put a picture inventory together, do you stamp each stamp? I need to take a deep breath and think this through some more. Maybe I should start with just sentiment stamps and see how that works out for me. Advise???
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I did stamp out each stamp so that I had them actual size.
or rather, I handed the stamps to my teen who stamped them, and then she handed them off to another teen who cleaned them! ;) that might be considered cheating tho huh? lol
I also used basic walmart 110 paper for my background, instead of using up good Whisper White paper. Used Memento ink, cleaned with a wet paper towel.
Well, I do believe I have my work cut out for me!! I have some of that WM Georgia Pacific cardstock, if the images will come out nicely on that then I might use it. I also saw a "trick" yesterday on stamping off the images of clear stamps that are stuck to the clear plastic sheets though!! If I could remember the blogger, I would link it...she took the sheet of stamps and stuck it to the clear block with dots...the whole sheet...and then inked it up and stamped it off. Genius! Looks like it's back to the drawing board for me At least I will be able to say that I spent my weekend stamping and not cleaning house!!!
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
yes, I've stamped the images with the fully loaded sheets before!
you need a slight cushion under your paper, I used a kids foam sheet bought from $1 Tree Store. Placed my inked up images face down, then used a book or a brayer to put pressure and stamp the paper. CTMH stamp index book by fastmommie - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers
I did stamp out each stamp so that I had them actual size.
or rather, I handed the stamps to my teen who stamped them, and then she handed them off to another teen who cleaned them! ;) that might be considered cheating tho huh? lol
I also used basic walmart 110 paper for my background, instead of using up good Whisper White paper. Used Memento ink, cleaned with a wet paper towel.
That is ingenious and delegating. Delegating tasks is a sign of a good manager :-)
__________________ Kelly BlogYouTubeS2S $0.00
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So I hit the first snag in my otherwise flawless Stamp Inventory Notebook :oops: and I was not happy! Rather than stamping and cleaning each stamp, and in an effort to have all images crisp and clean without having to use a whole pack of Whisper White paper, I used all of the stock pictures of the stamps that I have. I was oh so proud of myself because everything looked so neat and tidy!! Last night I needed to find the perfect Happy Birthday sentiment and it hit me! These are not the ACTUAL SIZE! I have so many but I don't know which will fit in the spot where I want this to go! Thankfully, all of my images and sentiments were fresh in my memory still and I was able to grab one and it was perfect :-D but what happens 6 months from now? When you all put a picture inventory together, do you stamp each stamp? I need to take a deep breath and think this through some more. Maybe I should start with just sentiment stamps and see how that works out for me. Advise???
One of the things I like about SU stamps is that they are shown actual size. So are the ones on my other wooden blocks.
I did read above your post about inking the entire sheet at once. That would be quicker than individual stamping.
SU Catalogs show the image actual size, too (except for backgrounds) so if you can scan those and put them into your pages.
__________________ Kelly BlogYouTubeS2S $0.00
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Just this weekend, I finished cataloging every single stamp/ stamp set I own. Wowsers!
While I've not taken pics of those yet, here is one showing just the $1 stamps in their forever home.
I too finished mine a couple of weeks ago. All my clear/unmounted are on laminated sheets in 3 ring binders. I also have a 3 ring binder with all the images in.I have about 30 wood mounts that I left on the blocks, either Stampscapes, or very large. Most of the images were found on the net, then I made up pages in Photoshop. Some are stamped as they are so old I can't find images anywhere. The binder is just for flipping through in my craft room. I am using Microsofts One Note now for my digital record, as I like the 'free transform' feature it has, to resize images. It's one thing that I find Evernote lacks. So, now I'm finally up to date, I just have to make the effort to add any stamps as I get them. So far, so good.
All the folders on the 2nd level down contain stamps, as do the 4 in the top left.23 folders at this point. The other folders contain peel-off/vellums etc.
I have identified every stamp in my craft room! 
