I was putting away my stamp purchases, and managed to get sidetracked. Not very far, just in organising my stamps a bit better, and in a number of cases stripping off the dreaded foam on the backs.
Here's a typical example from this weeks batch. So, one thing I'd say to anyone about to go down this route, is think very carefully about using mounting foam. For starters, you can store more stamps without the foam, and secondly, it's not a once and forever job. Eventually the glue will break down, it will start to peel off, or it will start to cup. And it's not a humidity problem, here in the UK, we don't have humidity, lol.
So now, all my stamps are getting repo glue on the backs. Right now, I'm using Tombow Mono Multi- it's a permanent glue if you stick something down whilst it's wet, but wait for it to dry and you have a removable item. I was using Aileenes Tack it Over & Over, but it needs to be diluted, and everyone seems to prefer a different dilution, and I couldn't find one that really worked for me. All this organising required some more storage sheets, and for these I just laminate odd sheets of card. The laminator I got cheap in a sale at Tesco a couple of years back, and I had been buying my pouches from Poundland, in packs of ten. Did a quick E-bay search the other day, and got 100 for £5.49, which is effectively half what I was paying. Bonus. I started laminating my own sheets after I purchased some storage sheets online, and when they turned up, I realised that's exactly what they were-just laminated cardstock.
The upside of getting sidetracked is finding stamps I'd forgotten about, so I'm trying to make a printed out catalogue, which I will be able to flick through in future.
45 comments:
Sounds like quite a task but one that will benefit you in the end...good luck finishing it! Hope you get your decking sorted.. the weather may not be going to play ball. Helen #too early for a number
It's going to take you some time sorting out your stamps & i'll keep an eye on some of mine that I've mounted on foam. Jill #7
I love laminating! Been doing a lot for preschool stuff lately but before that it have been in the cupboard for years. Sometimes I am even more glad that I'm not into stamping - LOL. Happy WOYWW BJ#15
Actually, making a printed catalogue is such a great idea...it'll make stamp selection a whole lot easier! And I love laminating soooo much, it was my job of choice when I was a TA, lol!
Thanks for the support today btw,
HUgs, LLJ xxxx
Not a lot going on, Shaz? But it sounds like you have been incredibly busy sorting everything out... Well done you.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #5
thx for the stamp storage tip, will stop using EZ mount and try the tombow, I believe it is also a lot cheaper. Thx Vicky #6
Morning Shaz, thanks for the tip about Tombow Mono Multi and storing stamps on laminated sheet, my stamp storage system is rubbish so I might just be copying your idea, when I have the time!!!
You certainly look as if you have a big job there, but you will be mega oranised when it is done.
Chris (No desk today)
Phew - a lot of work going on at your place Shaz. I could really doing with cataloguing my stamps but there never seems to be enough time lol. Anne x #24
You're so very organised Shaz and obviously have much more patience than me lol.
It's raining here today so I guess we will all be enjoying creative times...it's a good excuse isn't it?
Hugs,
Annie x #13
When you're done sorting yours, would you care to come and sort mine??? Heheheheheheh
Glad you're keeping well - I've just whizzed back through the last posts and have been dribbling over your latest purchases. Must earn more money! (Must use what stash I have....)
Wow sounds like you've been so busy with your stamp collection. I haven't had any problems with mine but I haven't been collecting as long as you have. If you ever feel the need to organise more of them you're welcome to come sort out mine. I basically have them in tubs and drawers with no sort of order. Sigh.
Happy WOYWW
Sharon K #46
Now that's my kind of organising! I have a folder with every stamp image in and a direction to which drawer it's in and then which box in which drawer! I am touching wood as I say this but I haven't had any problems with the foam mounts and I've been changing mine over to EZ mount foam for years - now I'll definitely be on the look out for problems, although I don't think I can face changing the system again! Enjoy your sorting,
Diana #26
Hi Shaz, sounds like you have quite a task ahead of you. I must admit I don't like mounting my stamps on foam. With my hands it's much too painful to cut around it so I gave up a long time ago and just use glue, like you do, to fix them temporarily to acrylic blocks. It's amazing how many gems you can find whilst sorting through any stash, whether it's paper, inks or stamps ... maybe that's why I can often be found just sorting and tidying my stuff :) Have a great week. Hugs, Elizabeth x #41
Hah, now I feel vindicated for being too lazy (and cheap) to add the foam in the first place. I've always been a bit of a stick it on the acrylic block and stamp on a mouse mat or magazine kinda stamper. Works 90% of the time!! Good luck with the stamp organisation. Happy WOYWW Cindy #36
I'm sad to say that I really abuse my stamps. I just chuck them in a box - eeks. Sometimes, I don't even clean them, double-eeks. I'm just not very good at organizing stuff. Your system seems to work and I bet it's easier to find stamps that way as well. Thanks for visiting earlier, Shaz! You said you were going to get a kitten! :)
Thanks for the tip, Shaz - I don't have many rubber stamps, mostly I have the clear ones, but I have been starting to collect them recently and I was wondering if I should get the foam mount stuff or not. I find the background ones are easier to use just as they are, without a block, but sometimes you want a good clear image and I was wondering if glue might work to stick them to the blocks so that's good to know thanks. Good luck with your cataloguing - it will be SUCH a good feeling when it's done :o) Annie C #27
I didn't know that about the EZMount, I need to check some of my "older" stamps....or perhaps you'd like to come and show me how to sort mine when you've done yours....I'm a bit of a slow learner though so you'll have to demonstrate over and over a few times ;-)
Happy WOYWW
Caz
#53
I, also, have many stamps on the mounting foam but so far very few problems. I have a few with Aileens TIO&O and they're holding up well but I never diluted the stuff. Seems both of us have been reorganizing and tidying a bit. I hope I'm done for a while. Have a great rest of the week! And thanks for the visit!
Carol N #44
Gosh I never realized there was so much involved in keeping your stamps in good condition. I don't have many stamps so I don't have a problem. I will remember who to turn to when I get problems, lol!
Have a good week and thank you for visiting,
Lisca
I totally love that you took photos of the process.
and I am thinking that must save a ton of time and money not using the foam on the backs.
Thanks for searching for labels for us Shaz - I will check it out. It just seems hard to find really large plainish labels. You sound to be having a good sort out there! x Jo
Hi Shaz, KIt's always the way, you get sidetracked and then find stuff you forgot you had:)
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Happy WOYWW
Sue #17
Wow, many stamps to sort! I also have some rubber stamps and have not got round to mounting them at all, I have not worked out yet quite how I am going to do this as also thought of foam but figured after time I would struggle to stamp level. I am looking forward to seeing your progress with these! Lea #57
Oooh! Well done for leading the way with stamp organisation - I really must get mine back in some sort of order - I have taken them out of boxes ready for projects and put them in other boxes ready for use but somehow they don't get back where they belong!! Looks as though you may be busy for a day or two!!!
Hugs, Chrisx
This is a brilliant idea Shaz but the thought of all those stamps is just so scary, maybe one day I will reorganize mine too. Thanks for the idea. Hope you have a great woyww and happy crafty week too, Angela x 20
WOW Shaz what a task that is good luck, I imagine this is just the tip of a huge iceberg still to be done;-). what a great idea and thanks for sharing it with us about laminating card, my poor stamp are mainly stacked on top of each other in boxes.good luck withe catalouging as i imagine taht will be nearlly as time consuming. thanks for vsisiting and your comment it was very much apreciated .I have still been visiting my favouriye blogs including yours to keep up but haven't commented for a while ..silly I know and I cant explain why,but we do strange things sometimes.Its good to be back and I hope I can keep it up. I wish you well.Dont over do it with the gardening ....I think you should supervise :-)
.Happy WOYWW with big hugs Andrea X..#3
ps I meant to say that was some crafty haul you got at the stamping show . It will take you quite some time to try them out but I do look forward to seeing what wonderful things you create.
HI Shaz. thanks for the visit. Always happy to see you. Bummers on having to deal with the bad foam mounting. Good on laminating your own sheets. I do not have near the amount of stamps that you have so my organizing will go quick. So far I've cataloged the boxed sets - most SU but some are sets I created from single $1 stamps from Michaels that had a similar theme. Total, I have 105 sets. I still have the binder of single cling sets ($1 sets) As they are in a binder, I'm not concerned with cataloging them right away. Just the big sets. Look forward to seeing how you progress. Creative Blessings! Kelly #51
Thanks for your visit earlier - I know what you mean about the years.... this is my youngest grandchild, won't tell you about the eldest!!!
Thanks for this very interesting post. I am not good with stamping, buy a lot but use very little.....
Have a good week.
Christine
aka Bishopsmate #30
It sounds as if you've got your work cut out, redoing all those stamps, Shaz! Rather you than me... I don't have a huge number of stamps, and a lot of them have been mounted on EZ-mount foam by me, and so far absolutely no problems. Thank you for your lovely comment and for my hubby's birthday wishes - I finished his card this afternoon so it's all ready to give him in the morning. We're off to the County Show tomorrow and hoping it doesn't rain! It was horrendous losing Phoebe and I lost sleep over her. I was sooo relieved when I found her!!
Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #49
Wow...quite the project! I have a foam mat I stamp on, so could probably go your route; but the few stamps I've never mounted feel weird when I stamp them bare-assed on the acrylic block. Bur as you say; it does save space.
And it is always amazing what turns up when reorganizing the collection. Have a great week.
Haha, I did the opposite! Started out with red rubber and "On/Off Glue" which worked well, then I discovered EZ Mount and thought that was a better way to go. But, really, the best advantage was that the stamps didn't leave a sticky mess on the sheets where they were stuck for storage. Maybe I was too heavy handed with the glue. I've not had any trouble with them buckling but if you leave them for too long in a box with indents that will transfer to the grey mounting foam. And none seem to have come away from the red rubber. (And we take the cake for humidity here!)
Had a look at your previous post. Very impressed with your huge haul of goodies from your trip! Wow!
Thanks for dropping by earlier too. Hope you are having a good week.
RosA # 43
Hi Shaz,
Thanks for visiting my desk - I'd love to swap with you, that would be great. I don't know if you got my email but yesterday morning my computer updated me to Windows 10 without me wanting it to! Since then I am having trouble with emails being returned and I couldn't email you through the link on your side bar either. I tried replying to your comment but that came back as undeliverable so I'm assuming you didn't get it. Not really sure what to do next but I'll have another go at your link in the side bar - you never know!
Diana x
I have used EZmount for years and all my stamps are fine, no buckling or peeling. Good on you for tackling this job ... I would give up as it seems overwhelming. Thanks for your lovely comments on my paintings.
sandra de @36
that is a lot of work and I bet you find some long lost "stamps of interest". today we are playing at UK weather. I trained all night and all day. with threats of flooding. Not used to this dark and overcast day after day. Worst of all I need to clean up my mess every where.
Monica #55
I'm impressed at your organisation. I thought about keeping a record of my stamps but then looked at how many I had and gave up! Good luck with your sorting. Cara x
Hi Shaz - the sorting and catalogue sound like a real labour of love, but will be very useful when finished Hope the garden project goes well. Love, Chrysalis 58
Now THAT is an undertaking, but after spending an entire week of 8-hour days last year mounting and organizing my stamp collection, I can share without reservation that IT IS SOOOOO WORTH IT! Thanks for the visit and lovely comment - Scrapbook Lynne WOYWW #13
Hi Shaz! Oh how I've missed not being a part of WOYWW. I'm hoping to make a regular thing.
I LOVE your new banner photo - what a great looking couple you and Doug are!
I sorted through my rubber stamps and sold some that I had never used or decided the style wasn't for me. I still have a pretty good selection and I like the unmounted ones too. I organized them all into plastic c.d. cases and they are now manageable!
Hope your health is continuing to improve - you look great!
Happy belated WOYWW,
Hugs, Kay (4)
I have slowly been cataloging my stamps in Evernote. I put a picture of the stamp in it and any details that will help me locate or select a stamp. So far it is working, but I have a long way to go to complete the process.
I prefer my stamps not on foam backing they have it pre done already I have removed a few already and am happy that I have more room for more hugs Nikki 8
Hope it is a case of 'better late than never' - sorry I am so late but with being away ...
Oh dear - the never ending task of trying to be organised in a craft room. I have noticed some of my stamps do not stick well but I have not got the patience you have Shaz, they will just have to remain in the bottom of the boxes they live in.
Good luck with your demounting etc etc.
Hugs, Neet 10 xx
Wow - that is quite an endeavor. I am not that ambitious. Thank you for stopping by my blog earlier.
April
Great word desk and it looks as though you are really busy,
Lilian B woywdw #36
Thanks for sharing your workspace & your adventures. I am a really get it done myself person, so I can apprciate your fencing project. I still haver my patio & deck to finish - ha ha .
Donna #13
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