May 11 2008
Stamp Room Questions Answered
Hello! There were a few questions about some of my stamp room features, both in comments on my blog post and in emails I received, so I hope I can do a satisfactory job of answering them here for all of you. I did reply to the emails, but perhaps others might have been wondering about some of the same things so…
I was asked about this chest and what I keep in it. I believe this is supposed to be a jewelry chest. It was a gift from my husband several years ago. He thought, correctly, that it would be an attractive storage chest for the embellishments I use on my cards. The hinged top opens to a storage area a little deeper than the four shallow drawers. It really is ideal. At one time this was more than adequate for my needs. Little did we know…
I was also asked about this handy unit:
I did a Google search on Stampin’ Up! storage units and found this site where you can see a selection of storage solutions. I believe it’s the same site where I purchased my unit several years ago. There is a wall unit that includes storage for the markers, as well. I love having my inks at my fingertips. Sorry about the glare of the light, by the way. That’s my new Ott light, purchased specially for my newly reorganized room.
Finally, I made reference to the fact that I index these various wood mounted stamps in a binder and I was asked to explain how I do that. Well…they’re rather loosely indexed – my method is very low tech, but it’s easy and it works for me:
When I first started stamping I kept my few stamps jumbled in a Rubbermaid tub. I could never find anything, even when it was right before my eyes. I’d wind up dumping out the whole tub and using all my available time just searching for a particular stamp. These drawers allowed me to sort them into types. Rather than label the drawers, I turned the first row of stamps label-forward so I can easily see which type of stamps a particular drawer contains.
To index the stamps in those drawers I started a catalog — a 3-ring binder divided into categories: flowers, Christmas, baby — that sort of thing. A page in the catalog will have several related images stamped on it – all flowers or all Christmas, etc. I can leaf through the catalog to see what I have and make a choice as to what I want to use. I then go to the drawers and find the stamp. A particular flower may be in one of three drawers but the drawers are smallish and shallow so not much digging is necessary.
This is my catalog. Granted, it’s one of the prettier pages in my catalog…I no longer color the images — that was from the old days when I seemed to have more time on my hands. Back then I was just learning — practicing my coloring and figuring out how to use an image on a card.
I still have every one of the stamps on this page but when I give away a stamp, I simply cross it out on the page. I mentioned that my system is very low tech…
That’s it for now. I think it’s time to go stamp something…maybe something from this page… Have a fabulous day!
What wonderful little organizational tips — I LOVE your book of stamped images — how very handy!!! Thanks so much for sharing all this!!!!
TSM for sharing such a wealth of great organizational tips! Right now I’m a “dump as I go” kinda stamper, but I love your method of eliminating that hassle to find a particular stamp. You are far more organized that I could ever hope to be and I’m learning well from your helpful hints. TFS!!
Love the *jewelery* box for your cards’ jewelery:) The organizer for your stamp pads and ink is wonderful - everything is so neat! None of these things would fit in my little stamping world, however - it’s just a corner of a room.
As for cataloging my stamps, I have so many (they take up most of my corner, lol) I stamp several images on a 5″x8″ card and file them in 2 file boxes. Like yours, some of my images are colored:) I usually color an image when I am having a creative block - I need the practice and sometimes it will unlock the block!
Thank you, I enjoyed looking at your stamping space - it’s beautiful!!!
I read about the book of stamped images on one of the Weekly Inking newsletters and have set mine up and just love it! Great way to be able to find and combine sets you want to use. Also went with the numbering of each set so easy to find on the self. Thanks for sharing your tips, always good to get more info on how to deal with an ever growing amount of stamping “necessities”
You are just too good, Leslie!!
I hope I can learn from you! I especially love your book with stamped images. I really need to do that. Thank you for sharing more details. Your area is beautiful!!
Wonderful organizational tips Leslie - TFS!
*STAMPIN HUGS* Alex
neat organization, wow I was shocked when I saw them allready colored in your catalog of stamps, but what a lovely way to keep your artwork
Now that is organized! I envy you! Love the cattie idea, it does become quite a huge inventory we collect! Thanks for sharing, be well. Deb
Leslie, guess what!! My oldest son just gave me that stamp pad and reinker and marker storage unit yesterday for Mother’s Day. He got it from the site that you have linked! I’m so excited. Your area is so incredible and NEAT.
I sure hope you have better luck with your Ott light than I’ve had, Leslie! I’m on Ott Light #2 and it seems to be dying on me. The cord seems to have a short, I have to move it around to get it to work, so annoying. I got rid of the first lamp because it developed an extremely annoying buzz. I love the light it gives off, but I am not happy with the Ott brand - I think I need to research a different brand of natural light lamps.
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I had to chuckle when I read that the jewelry chest was for storing your embellishments. We addicts are so innocent and unsuspecting in the beginning, aren’t we?
My so-called method of indexing is making a photo copy of the SU! stamp label before I cut it up for mounting the stamps and putting that copy in a three ring binder. The only coordinated section is for the background stamps. Otherwise, it’s random chaos. My SU! stamps are arranged by size and then alphabetically, but since they are double parked on most of my shelves, that’s not working so great anymore. My non-SU! stamps are not indexed at all. A very sad situation, indeed.
My stamp room faces north, so I have three Ott lights: one is just an Ott bulb in an architect’s swing-arm lamp on one desk where I do most of my actual stamping; the other two reside on my other desk (one is another architect’s lamp with Ott bulb set-up and the other is a real Ott light desk lamp), both focused over where I do coloring and assembly of the cards/projects. I also have a non-Ott light study lamp on top of each of the two “stamp set” bookshelves that flank my cutter (which sits on top of a chest of drawers), and they light my cutting area very nicely. So, at least the lighting situation is pretty good in my stamp room! :o) Linda