Overthinking sentiments.... or....

[Phantom]

...is everything really better with a friend??? Maybe I have hermit tendencies...

Am I the only one who is sometimes too analytical, or do you sometimes find that you don't want a stamp or stamp set because the sentiments really don't ring true to you?

At first glance they seem charming . . . but turn on the ol' analyzer and *PooF* ~ one more sentiment I just can't imagine using.

How about you??

[asuncionshija]

Absolutely! There was actually a thread about sentiments that turned people off a while ago. It's still very true for me - I really only NEED a certain amount of 'friend', 'birthday' or 'Merry Christmas' sentiments. All other sentiments go thru elimination process before buying! lol
And misspellings drive me crazy!

[stampergrl]

I am the same way! For example I have a stamp that is a Shakespeare quote "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind" ...It's a beautiful stamp...but that last word just bugs me...( I know! I know! It's Shakespeare for goodness sake! lol) I wish it said with the heart instead though...

[dawndreger]

the only one I've seen that *really* bothers me is the 'chew chew' in the new SU! catty. Chew???? for a train? I don't know if they were trying to be punny, or if someone really didn't know how to spell choochoo...

I usually end up buying sets *despite* the sentiments included!

[stampergrl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawndreger

the only one I've seen that *really* bothers me is the 'chew chew' in the new SU! catty. Chew???? for a train? I don't know if they were trying to be punny, or if someone really didn't know how to spell choochoo...

I usually end up buying sets *despite* the sentiments included!

eeeww! That would definitley bother me!

[juliemlacey]

I definitely agree about the strange sentiments. Like "Embrace Life" - what does that mean anyways??? And how would I incorporate that on a card? ;)

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliemlacey

I definitely agree about the strange sentiments. Like "Embrace Life" - what does that mean anyways??? And how would I incorporate that on a card? ;)

Yes -- that's one that sort of bugged me, too. Then I gave it to my sister with some other sets and she chose it for my Dad's 90th birthday party ~ she and my sister stamped Embrace Life on tile coasters for all the guests . . probably 65 or 70!

I guess... for a 90th birthday...

but that can be a bit morbid, too. For instance - what's the alternative?

You see... I think about these things too much!!

(really... having a little fun here actually making fun of myself! for those of you who like "embrace life," I know it's meant to be something along the lines of remember to love life and appreciate every day, every moment... live life to its fullest.... see beauty in every day. any of which sentiments would be more agreeable to me, lol! although if I focused on appreciating and embracing each moment and all the beauty of life all the time, every day, I think I'd be exhausted by 2 p.m.)

[whoistracy]

Oh definitely! I have to really want or need almost all of the sentiments in the set before buying it. I have so many already that I don't need 12 "friend" or "for you" sentiments any more.

[whim6915]

[quote=Phantom;14926009]Yes -- that's one that sort of bugged me, too. Then I gave it to my sister with some other sets and she chose it for my Dad's 90th birthday party ~ she and my sister stamped Embrace Life on tile coasters for all the guests . . probably 65 or 70!

I guess... for a 90th birthday...

but that can be a bit morbid, too. For instance - what's the alternative?

You see... I think about these things too much!!

(really... having a little fun here actually making fun of myself! for those of you who like "embrace life," I know it's meant to be something along the lines of remember to love life and appreciate every day, every moment... live life to its fullest.... see beauty in every day. any of which sentiments would be more agreeable to me, lol! although if I focused on appreciating and embracing each moment and all the beauty of life all the time, every day, I think I'd be exhausted by 2 p.m.)

I have to tell you that this has totally wiped me out, I have been crying from laughing so hard!

[biblesistersmom]

Mine is "delight." I can't think of any circumstance where I would use that. Delightful, maybe, but not delight.

[Phantom]

[quote=whim6915;14926241]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom

Yes -- that's one that sort of bugged me, too. ....its fullest.... see beauty in every day. any of which sentiments would be more agreeable to me, lol! although if I focused on appreciating and embracing each moment and all the beauty of life all the time, every day, I think I'd be exhausted by 2 p.m.)

I have to tell you that this has totally wiped me out, I have been crying from laughing so hard!

Ah-ha!! Objective accomplished !! ;)

[TrishG]

Yes, I feel this way too.

I don't know if I've ever used a "friend" sentiment on a card?! I also don't really like "hi". There's lots of other ones though. Sometimes the sentiment(s) do cause me to not want to buy a set, but really, when you do have a set, do you use EVERY stamp in the set equally anyways?! I also don't like sets where there's Halloween, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick's Day... all in there. Who sends cards for those occassions anyways?! I don't know - just not for me, I guess.

I guess that's the beauty of different peoples opinions. I might not like it, but they might have a thousand customers who do!

[missiowa81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliemlacey

I definitely agree about the strange sentiments. Like "Embrace Life" - what does that mean anyways??? And how would I incorporate that on a card? ;)

I interpreted that sentiment as the modern equivalent of "carpe diem." But since so few people study Latin these days...

(<---- Took 3 years of college Latin. :mrgreen

I don't buy too many "sets" of stamps (from Stampin' Up, for example), so I'm not stuck with a bunch of sentiments I don't like. And there are a lot of them I don't like! I don't go for cutesy, or puns, or misspelled words (even if it IS a pun). I've also discovered that I often do not include any kind of sentiment on the front of my cards, because I want my artwork to be the focus. If I want to put a sentiment on the inside and don't have the right thing in a rubber stamp, I can computer-generate anything I want.

So no, you're not alone about analyzing sentiment stamps! :p

[missiowa81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by biblesistersmom

Mine is "delight." I can't think of any circumstance where I would use that. Delightful, maybe, but not delight.

I have an Aunt Delite! :p Delite is actually her middle name, and it's spelled Delite. Why she goes by Delite and not her first name (Jeanette, a beautiful name IMO), is beyond me!

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missiowa81

I have an Aunt Delite! :p Delite is actually her middle name, and it's spelled Delite. Why she goes by Delite and not her first name (Jeanette, a beautiful name IMO), is beyond me!

Out of 6 children in my family, I'm the only one who does go by my first name LOL!!

Ohh... and I love Carpe Diem!! Funny...

Julie Ebersole has a card in her gallery with a fish on the front and a handwritten sentiment: carpe whatever-is-Latin-for-fish (can't remember). Funny!

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrishG

Yes, I feel this way too.

...., when you do have a set, do you use EVERY stamp in the set equally anyways?! I also don't like sets where there's Halloween, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick's Day... all in there. Who sends cards for those occassions anyways?! .....!

When I started making cards, I really thought I would send out cards for all of those occasions!! I was way off on that one LOL!! I'm aiming for Halloween to family and Christmas cards this year.

And I don't care for multi-occasion sets either -- images and/or sentiments. I can't organize those and I always forget to use them.

[quirky62]

I agree. Some sentiments really annoy me. "Delight in life" is one. 'Embrace Life" is another. Who talks like that? No one I know. The sentiment has got to ring sincere with me, or I just won't use it.

[RiverIsis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by quirky62

I agree. Some sentiments really annoy me. "Delight in life" is one. 'Embrace Life" is another. Who talks like that? No one I know. The sentiment has got to ring sincere with me, or I just won't use it.

Yeah, sentiments in my house are more likely to be "burp and say your name at the same time" - that would be keeping it real. ;)

[AmberAKAmom]

I just hate it when it's an awful font!!!!

[kittycatsx4]

I have a stamp with a saying by Mother Theresa. It says, "We can do small things with great love." I understand what she's saying, but it always seemed to me like it should say "great things" or "big things". I very seldom use it because I'm not sure how others will perceive it.

[buggainok]

This is an interesting thread, and for my two cents, I think maybe "some" of us do overthink things. It is likely a brain thing - maybe people who enjoy a precise hobby which involves cutting paper into tiny pieces and putting it back together again in a pleasing way - are also programmed to overthink.

Just take a look at the Copic threads if you want to see overthinking in action. Pages and pages of discussions on the slight differences of 8 different shades of pink, and which one goes best with which.

Having said all that, I am trying hard not to overthink, and to remember when I make my cards that they are really "of the moment" and meant to invoke an immediate response, hopefully a smile or at least a positive feeling that someone cared enough to send the card in the first place.

I do like cards with some kind of sentiment on the front to go along with the art. Somehow they look more finished to me that way. Otherwise, they remind me of the lovely but blank notecards I used to buy.

I use all kinds of sentiments. Occasions, of course, happy birthday and the like.

But I also enjoy using the random ones that some people complain about. Embrace Life sounds like better advice to me than Withdraw to a Corner, even if it is kind of trite.:mrgreen:

[jennik]

Mine 2 cents....... I have been to take an exacto knife to my stamps. Easy, people. I don't plan on selling them (the stamps) and I did pay for them, so I can do whatever I want to them. A couple of sets had FUNKY sentiments.... For example "Just Because I care", in, I think, Little Greetings. No, really, I don't care. Off with it's head!! Or in this case the "I Care" part. "Just because" is OK, and it got to stay. That is just me........ lalalallaaa


Jennik

[Kay McConnell]

The sentiment that I hate is 'believe'. Believe in what? Anything that comes along down the pike? It's a ridiculous thought! Shall I believe in... Santa Claus? Or, should I believe in political ideology that is opposite of what I believe in? It's just an absurdity, frankly.

Oh, the other one is 'live, love, laugh'. Jeesh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggainok

This is an interesting thread, and for my two cents, I think maybe "some" of us do overthink things. It is likely a brain thing - maybe people who enjoy a precise hobby which involves cutting paper into tiny pieces and putting it back together again in a pleasing way - are also programmed to overthink.

Just take a look at the Copic threads if you want to see overthinking in action. Pages and pages of discussions on the slight differences of 8 different shades of pink, and which one goes best with which.

Having said all that, I am trying hard not to overthink, and to remember when I make my cards that they are really "of the moment" and meant to invoke an immediate response, hopefully a smile or at least a positive feeling that someone cared enough to send the card in the first place.

I do like cards with some kind of sentiment on the front to go along with the art. Somehow they look more finished to me that way. Otherwise, they remind me of the lovely but blank notecards I used to buy.

I use all kinds of sentiments. Occasions, of course, happy birthday and the like.

But I also enjoy using the random ones that some people complain about. Embrace Life sounds like better advice to me than Withdraw to a Corner, even if it is kind of trite.

I'm hearing ya on this!!! Overthinking only serves me well when I'm tempted to buy something and talk myself out of it for some obscure reason ~ that happens a lot !! (and I try to stay away from the Copics discussions -- that's one area I definitely prefer to underthink!!)

I do tell myself this when I'm compelled to use a sentiment and then . . .the. . . questioning. . . .begins. I step back and take a breath and get some perspective ~ you explained it really well - it's of the moment

Have to agree with you there LOL! ROTFL -- Withdraw to a Corner !!

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kay McConnell

The sentiment that I hate is 'believe'. Believe in what? Anything that comes along down the pike? It's a ridiculous thought! Shall I believe in... Santa Claus? Or, should I believe in political ideology that is opposite of what I believe in? It's just an absurdity, frankly.

Oh, the other one is 'live, love, laugh'. Jeesh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't mind Believe... pretty much for Christmas. Believe in the magic of Christmas, Santa Claus. Don't think I'd use it on a religious Christmas card though . But I see your point. It's like Angelnorth said recently -- Get Well Soon sounds a bit like a command (and Get Well Wishes sounds so much better). "Believe" can sound kinda pushy.

When I see something like "live, love, laugh" my initial response is blech. Then I think -- well maybe a scrapbooker would like it. (My husband actually like the picture frames you see with these words on them :rolleyes:.)

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennik

Mine 2 cents....... I have been to take an exacto knife to my stamps. Easy, people. I don't plan on selling them (the stamps) and I did pay for them, so I can do whatever I want to them. A couple of sets had FUNKY sentiments.... For example "Just Because I care", in, I think, Little Greetings. No, really, I don't care. Off with it's head!! Or in this case the "I Care" part. "Just because" is OK, and it got to stay. That is just me........ lalalallaaa


Jennik

Just because I care....

that one borders on the schmaltzy to me. Some sentiments are SO sentimental, anyone I sent it to would think I'd gone off the deep end.

(and I've cut apart stamps before, too... ssshhhhhhhh ;) )

[buggainok]

A little OT, but kind of on point: I have found that people who aren't "crafty", like many of the friends I send my cards to, really don't pay attention to all the details that we do.

I met a good friend for lunch and gave her the birthday card I'd made. The image had been rather elaborately colored with markers.

She oh'ed and ah'ed properly and said how much she liked the card. Then she looked more closely and said, I kid you not, "Oh my gosh, did you COLOR this? I thought the stamps came already colored in all those colors."

So now when I question myself about a tiny mistake or how the sentiment will be received, I understand it is not as important as I have sometimes thought it was.

Took a big weight off my crafty shoulders, for sure.

[jennik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom

Just because I care....

that one borders on the schmaltzy to me. Some sentiments are SO sentimental, anyone I sent it to would think I'd gone off the deep end.

(and I've cut apart stamps before, too... ssshhhhhhhh ;) )

Exactly!!! My friends and family are sure to wonder who sent this card with the sappy sentiment? Not that I don't occassionaly get sappy, it is just really really rare. And Nancy, I won't tell anyone what you have done to your stamps.;) It will be just between us!!

Jennik

[mtgchic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittycatsx4

I have a stamp with a saying by Mother Theresa. It says, "We can do small things with great love." I understand what she's saying, but it always seemed to me like it should say "great things" or "big things". I very seldom use it because I'm not sure how others will perceive it.

I love the full quote:
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."
�Mother Teresa
but it's kind of weird cut in half like that.

I must say "to thine own self be kind" annoys the heck out of me, but it's such a cute little stamp that I'm guilty of putting it on a bookmark.

[Phantom]

SU: A true friend is you friend. HUH?

I'd say, "A true friend are you, friend." You are a true friend.

Ugh.

And I love the look of a newer set, 24/7 - with a bird, and that old-time-looking "Friends" .... BUT it's in a quotation: "The happiest business in the world is that of making friends."

Well... yeah... I guess if you're a salesman! Reminds me of You've Got Mail, when Joe Fox tells Kathleen Kelly that "It's not personal - it's business." And I love her reply.

[lesliespringer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggainok

A little OT, but kind of on point: I have found that people who aren't "crafty", like many of the friends I send my cards to, really don't pay attention to all the details that we do.

I met a good friend for lunch and gave her the birthday card I'd made. The image had been rather elaborately colored with markers.

She oh'ed and ah'ed properly and said how much she liked the card. Then she looked more closely and said, I kid you not, "Oh my gosh, did you COLOR this? I thought the stamps came already colored in all those colors."

So now when I question myself about a tiny mistake or how the sentiment will be received, I understand it is not as important as I have sometimes thought it was.

Took a big weight off my crafty shoulders, for sure.

Samething with Tilda's.

I sent my mom a tilda card. I went to visit her back in feb. when I was talking to her on the phone before the trip, I told her I was packing some images to color oduring down time while I was visiting. she said "Oh good, please bring something to finish the little girls face on the card you sent me".

Then and there I realized that "non" stampin people don't get the Tilda thing. So now I will only send a Tilda card to a stampin person.

[missiowa81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggainok

A little OT, but kind of on point: I have found that people who aren't "crafty", like many of the friends I send my cards to, really don't pay attention to all the details that we do.

I met a good friend for lunch and gave her the birthday card I'd made. The image had been rather elaborately colored with markers.

She oh'ed and ah'ed properly and said how much she liked the card. Then she looked more closely and said, I kid you not, "Oh my gosh, did you COLOR this? I thought the stamps came already colored in all those colors."

So now when I question myself about a tiny mistake or how the sentiment will be received, I understand it is not as important as I have sometimes thought it was.

Took a big weight off my crafty shoulders, for sure.

True dat!

Especially the guys... :rolleyes:

I teach classes at my LSS which is co-owned by a brother and sister. In addition to scrapbooking and stamping supplies, they also do custom framing. Over time they have naturally gravitated toward one or the other side of the business, with the brother doing more of the custom framing and the sister doing more of the scrapping and stamping.

Well yesterday I went to the store to do some prep work for my class tomorrow night. I took a completed project to show them (a gift for a friend, but I think it would make a fun class to do a Christmas version). The brother looked it and thought it was cool. But he REALLY looked at it, even took off his glasses to look at it very closely, when I told him that I had made my own background paper using pages from an old dictionary.

He thought it was decorative paper I had bought! LOL!

Here's the project...

Gallery at Splitcoaststampers

So yeah, I try not to get too wrapped up in the details because the average person won't notice or realize half of what I had to did to make a card. Now, the things I send to my friend with the MFA in painting is another thing entirely!

[gayle3131]

I actually quit making cards for a bit just because of the sentiments. (yah, I definitely overthink)
So many are soooo sappy! That's not me at all. I was embarassed to send anything with a sentiment like that.
Now, I'll just write or computer generate something very simple and to the point. Usually nothing on the front.
I figure the coloring or design has to stand alone.

[Phantom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesliespringer

Samething with Tilda's.
....he said "Oh good, please bring something to finish the little girls face on the card you sent me".
.....

Awwww... but that's so cute that she cared about fixing the little girl's face!! I think that means she really liked it ;) .

[Phantom]

"In a perfect world, you would live next door."

Now, I don't remember where I saw this. And when I first read it, I instantly thought of several people I'd send it to. Then....

Day after day after day... maybe not so much. C'mon, you know you feel the same way!! Sometimes great friends are great friends because you don't live next door.

[missiowa81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom

"In a perfect world, you would live next door."

Now, I don't remember where I saw this. And when I first read it, I instantly thought of several people I'd send it to. Then....

Day after day after day... maybe not so much. C'mon, you know you feel the same way!! Sometimes great friends are great friends because you don't live next door.

Now you're starting to scare me.

:mrgreen:

[Pooga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missiowa81

Now you're starting to scare me.

:mrgreen:

ok...enjoying this thread but THAT made me laugh.

[Cook22]

I enjoyed reading all this thread this morning. As soon as I saw Nancy's opener I said yep, that's me. I don't mind having a dozen different Happy Birthday stamps, and Christmas ones, and thank you, and I could do with another sympathy one...but the ones like Embrace Life, Bloom, and so on??? I did buy Inspired by Nature, but I've yet to use either of the sentiment stamps - they're not even mounted. And much as I love the Flourishes images, I rarely use the sentiments that come with them. Seems to me that a lot of those sentiments are more suited to scrapbooking than card making. And then the ones that are suitable for cards are sometimes just too soppy or sentimental for me - I don't wear my heart on my sleeve so why would I put it on a card. Alas, cards with sentiments on the front definitely sell better.
Had to smile too at Leslie's story about her mother and the Tilda. Personally I don't get Tildas either - I think it's more a mindset than whether you craft or not.

[SophieLaFontaine]

I give away nearly all the sentiments I get in stamp sets. One of the recent ones that I gave away was the sentiment from SU!'s Farm Life. It went something like "Every noble life is interwoven in life's fabric" or something or other. Well, that's only half of it, isn't it? Every UN-noble life, in fact, EVERY life (noble or NOT) is interwoven in everything!!! Grrrrr.

Another sentiment that I cut off the stamp and threw away was something like: "There wouldn't be a land of the free if it weren't for the brave". Yes, I agree with that, however, I would NEVER put it on a card 'cause it would imply that the card's recipient is someone who regularly bashes brave soldiers and who needs to be chastised with that sentiment.

Another one I recently gave away was the sentiment that came with SU!'s Le Jardin Botanique. Can't remember what it was, but it was a Martin Luther quote that had God in it. Not religious, so I didn't want it. My favourite stamping buddy IS religious, but she didn't want it either. It went to a stamping co-worker.

One stamp that I think is soooooo beautiful in its font and layout is from SU!'s Best Blossoms (?) "Thank you for being YOU". But I've only used it once (on a card for someone else to give to someone else - not from myself to someone). I can't ever think of a time when I would use that.

The only sentiments that I really appreciate are totally generic: "Happy Birthday", "Best wishes", "Merry Christmas", etc.

[Allistamps123]

I have mainly SU stamp sets and I struggle with their setiments. They don't seem witty and yes, many are not useful. I think soooooo many time times, "Where would I use that on a card?" I actually might use embrace life. It's five in the morning and I can't think of any in particular but I've always felt there are lots of "odd" greetings available through SU. I LOVE so many of the TAC sentiments and they are on my wish list. Amuse has some really cute ones also...I've seen a lot of cute ones on different cards, here on SCS from many various companies.
I also think some would work better for scrapbooking.