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Do you just "favorite" the cards you like and hope to find it later on? Do you print out the card desgin and file away? What about techniques?
I have found so many ideas I like, usually the way the ribbon was attached or the use of brads or the layout and use of mats. Thinking ahead, it could be the layout for a birthday card that I would like to use for Mother's Day. Anyone have any ideas to help me?
And what about techniques shown on someone's blog?
Do you just "favorite" the cards you like and hope to find it later on? Do you print out the card desgin and file away? What about techniques?
I have found so many ideas I like, usually the way the ribbon was attached or the use of brads or the layout and use of mats. Thinking ahead, it could be the layout for a birthday card that I would like to use for Mother's Day. Anyone have any ideas to help me?
And what about techniques shown on someone's blog?
I have different files on my computer and I copy and paste the designs that I want to keep in the specific file. That way I have them all in one place and can scroll through them as needed....
__________________ I MAKE CARDS FOR OUR NATION'S HEROES - OPERATION WRITE HOME My Little Piece of Sanity - My Blog
I save the pic to my pic program then I print them out and tape them in a book of card ideas. I have a rubi coil so I just put 100 sheets of paper and used a super big coil,and tape them in and flip through when my brain is fried
I have a notebook (3-ring binder) that I filled with blank sheets of cardstock. I then print wallet-sized pictures of the cards I want to save to CASE one day and paste them in the notebook. I started doing this when my children were still home and tying up our one computer. This way I could browse for ideas without using the computer.
__________________
Wanda Cullen ~ Dirty Dozen Alumni, On design team for Papertrey Ink, Designer for Color Throwdown and Fusion Card Challenges Cullen-ary Creations[/URL]...my blogHERE'S MY GALLERY[/URL]
I jam them into the cluttered closet of my brain and hope a good one falls out when I open the door!
Too Funny:p
I print out all of the Wednesday sketch challanges and have two folders full of these. I all so pop cards into my Favorite file here on SCS.
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
I do both -- if it's an idea I want to use in the future, I'll put it in a file; if it's something seasonal, like Fall or Halloweeen, I'll print out a few that I really want to make. HTH.
I have four 3-ring binders I use for reference purposes. They are titled Inspiration, Instruction, Inventory, and Intentions. In the Inspiration binder, I include photos or drawings of cards I like and the description of supplies or techniques used on them. I sort them by stamp set or whatever visual element drew me to the card. In the Instruction binder, I include printouts of tutorials, instructions received with products, and notes from classes. It is poorly organized, but at least I know to find all instructions in that one binder. The Intentions binder is where I put specific ideas for my own cards or scrapbook pages.
Good luck to you as you work to establish a system that works well for you.
If it's a tutorial type thing, I save it as a word or adobe file in a folder on my computer or flash drive.
If it's a card I like, I save it here in my favorites. Once upon a time, I printed things out, but quickly realized that this just created a need for filing things, and wasted a lot of ink. I figure if I liked the layout, I will remember that when I look at it again. If I don't remember that, then I guess I didn't really love it that much.
Ummm...after reading what everyone else has I think I am a little over the top, but my system works great for me!
I use ring binders, lots of them since I've been printing out cards I like for years now. I alphabetize them by the set name featured on the card, that way I can quickly look up an idea for inspiration when I'm trying to utilize a particular stamp set. I also have a "Layouts" binder where I put printouts of cards that have an unusual layout I'd like to duplicate some day.
I have another binder titled "Embellishments" that contains printouts of cards that have a unique embellishment or "stack" of punched out shapes that looks good combined together, ribbons used in an unusual way, or some other little extra that I want to remember. Finally, I have a folder titled "Punches" that has printouts of cards that feature animals and other things made by putting together various punched shapes.
I used to have the printouts just in binders in no particular order, but that was so time-consuming if I tried to look for something. It took me a while to organize everything this way, but once I did it made a huge difference in my stamping. I find it's much easier to get over a creative block by looking through my binders.
I save them in a file on the computer and when I have a mind block I go scroll.
Ones I do and particularly like esp colours etc I scan into the computer and save on above file.
I usually make sketches of the cards in spiral notebooks. I always have them in my bookcase beside my computer. They aren't organized in any particular order, but they really help to inspire me when I've hit a dry spell. The colors I like together are usually saved to a file on the computer, but I've found I rarely look at it. If I was starting off from scratch, I would like to have a notebook for designs with circles, another with squares, another with torn or specialty papers used, maybe another one with different embellishments, one with different ribbon usage, & on & on. Good luck!
First, I look through the SU galleries of the stamps I own. I favorite the ones I love. Then I have a word doc that I copy 'em into, by set. My rule is if I don't have x number of cards I like for a set, I sell it.
When I am in what I think of as the 'brainstorming' phase of the process, I favorite anything I like at all. Then when I go through my faves and put them into the document for printing, I get rid of ones I don't super love, or ones that look too much like something else. For example, if I realize I've favorited 6 Joyfold cards using Delight in Life, I only keep 1 in the end. But it's easier to see it all laid out in a word doc than to remember what I favorited as I am scrolling through the gallery. Ultimately, the number I initially favorite is whittled down by at least 1/4, sometimes more.
Great thread! I've wondered the same thing before. Right now I've just been saving cards I like in my favorites. I need a better system though. Thanks for the ideas.
I use to print each one I really liked. I had piles of them! Then I realized when I was looking for an idea I always go to the computer, so now I just save anything I like. I search my favorites by whatever I want to make, today it will be Halloween. I take my lap top to my craft table. Really saves on paper and ink!!
I have a 3 ring binder system, where I organize by occasions, or a file system,
another one for cuttlebug and one for punches and embellishment. It took awhile to organize,
but I find myself saving less and going to the binders for ideas. Now, I find I don't need to add too many favorites, because I have so many. For my SU, I put printed out ideas, put inside the box with the stamp set, folded if necessary.
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I found the filing system in my cluttered brain did not work well for me. I guess my cluttered brain reached "out of memory."
I do copy and paste the card I like and reduce the size to save on space in my binder as well as save on color ink for my printer. I probably should save on my computer instead but out of sight out of mind.
Well,,,,my system ---if you could call it that is this...
I print out the card sketch challenges once every six weeks when there are 6 to a sheet and they are filed numberically in a 3 ring binder.
I will print off seasonal "treat" type items and file in a folder/box with the stamps/papers for that season. For example, I just packed up my Halloween box last night as I am done with creating those....in it went Halloween papers, stamps and the ideas. I use a "stackit" box I found at Target, IT has two layers and an orange lid. It holds 8.5x11 paper easily and 12 x 12 with a bit of coaxing.
My computer is not in my craft room so I find having the card sketches in a notebook is good for me and it also allows me to go to the living room and keep company with DH while he watches TV and I can plan cards or make lists...Post It notes are my friend!!!!!
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
Card Sketch Challenge 1-227 done only 396+ to go to be caught up!!!!!
I have several folders in my favorites on my computer. I have one for tutorials, one for videos, one for card ideas, which I put into sub-folders for the SU sets. I do print out the card maps tho, and put them in a 3 ring binder. I also have a filing system for patterns that I printed and use frequently.
I have a notebook (3-ring binder) that I filled with blank sheets of cardstock. I then print wallet-sized pictures of the cards I want to save to CASE one day and paste them in the notebook. I started doing this when my children were still home and tying up our one computer. This way I could browse for ideas without using the computer.
I have a notebook (3-ring binder) that I filled with blank sheets of cardstock. I then print wallet-sized pictures of the cards I want to save to CASE one day and paste them in the notebook. I started doing this when my children were still home and tying up our one computer. This way I could browse for ideas without using the computer.
I mainly just 'store' sketches, as I've found they're my favorite jumping off point. I have a word document where I add them into a table that's sized to fit in baseball card sheet protectors. I print them off once a week, cut 'em up, and put them away in binders. I have a couple different binders I then file them in by source...i.e. Splitcoast, Clean and Simple Stamping, etc. I obviously won't ever catch up and make all of them, but at least I know where to go when I sit down!
I save the files to my computer. I have idea pics saved to folders titled by the stamp company, so when I have a stamp I want to use, I just go to the company file and browse the pics. I also have folders for tutorials, packaging for goodies, templates, organization, etc. I too used to print everything off, but found that my binders were starting to take over my craft room and I hardly ever looked at them. Now I find it so much easier to find what I am looking for when it is all on my puter. When I find that a folder is getting wayyy too full, I burn them onto a cd and label it with what folders are on it. Then I can start to fill up the folders again. This system has been working well for me for a few years now. Oh, I also have folders for Holiday Ideas, especially Christmas.
__________________ Trish Everything in life happens for a reason...especially in crafting!
Wow these are some great ideas! I usually just save into my favorites...or like most of
"I jam them into the cluttered closet of my brain and hope a good one falls out when I open the door!"
I have been printing thing out and losing them. I like the idea of a usb drive and saving in catagories, tutorials, cards named by set, (delightful decorations 1, delightful decorations 2...) That way I can see what sets I never find anything for I like and get rid of them as suggested by one poster. This way I could also easily scan cards I design and file them also. No more papers to loose!!!! Yeah!
Ummm...after reading what everyone else has I think I am a little over the top, but my system works great for me!
I use ring binders, lots of them since I've been printing out cards I like for years now. I alphabetize them by the set name featured on the card, that way I can quickly look up an idea for inspiration when I'm trying to utilize a particular stamp set. I also have a "Layouts" binder where I put printouts of cards that have an unusual layout I'd like to duplicate some day.
I have another binder titled "Embellishments" that contains printouts of cards that have a unique embellishment or "stack" of punched out shapes that looks good combined together, ribbons used in an unusual way, or some other little extra that I want to remember. Finally, I have a folder titled "Punches" that has printouts of cards that feature animals and other things made by putting together various punched shapes.
I used to have the printouts just in binders in no particular order, but that was so time-consuming if I tried to look for something. It took me a while to organize everything this way, but once I did it made a huge difference in my stamping. I find it's much easier to get over a creative block by looking through my binders.
I do something like this, only it is all in one binder, with a divider for card ideas and scrapbook pages. I print them off (or tear them out if in a mag) and then if there is some particular embellishement I like I note it next to the picture. Maybe I will sub divide like the above poster.
I am a visual person so I need to be able to see what and how something gets made. I save an e-copy of tutorials to my PC. I also print any tutorial that really peaks my interest (for now or future reference) and I put each tutorial into individual page protectors (all pages into one protector). These are then stored alphabetically in three ring binders (I am up to 6 one inch binders). I also keep an index of all the tutorials in the "A" binder so I have a running list of everything. When I use one of the tutorials, I take out the page protector with the desired tutorial and my pages stay clean and neat...when done, I return to the appropriate binder. Since everything is alphabetical, makes it easy to store and find.
I also keep an index (title, code, and images) of each stamp set I own and separate them my major categories (Christmas, Floral, Design, Expressions, and Shapes)...also stored alphabetically. The actual stamp sets are stored in large plastic drawer bins.
Location: Wollongong, just south of Sydney, Australia
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Copy & paste
What I do with the collection of ideas and inspiartion I get from others whether it be from SCS galleries or blogs (anywhere on the 'net) is copy & paste. I fastest way I do this is straight into a Word document which I have call "Inspirations"
Within this document I have subjects titles. Since I don't use SU -I have no need for the name of the set but I do it mostly by subject category even to the point of breaking the category down to basic elements depending on what attracted me to that image. Eg I have a huge section on flora. I may break it down further to solid, silhouette, dainty, etc. Some other categories includes Zindorf (which includes others that are similar to her style), Cuttlebug, comic, male, wedding etc/ I also within these or separately if there is enough of them might write ribbon when there is a terrific flora card but I also love the way she has used ribbon, or circles or wht ever it is that attracted my eye. This way when I want to use my ribbons in a unique way (to me) I will do a search within my document (Ctrl F) and type in search and it will bring up that word (and the corresponding card image) and when I want to move on to the next one which might even be in a different category the I just click "enter" and it will scroll to the next time ribbon was used within the document. I hope this makes sense.
I only print the specific page I want to copy if I need to take it away with me eg to a stamp camp. (I find it easier to case cards when away with others as I spend so much time chatting my creative brain gets left behind somewhere. Apparently I need peace and quiet to be truly creative. BTW the computer is right next to where I stamp at home if I want to pull up something.
I started saving the pictures on my computer when some of the cards in my SCS favorites disappeared because they were "out for publication". Some of those eventually came back, but some did not.
I rename them based on why I saved them - either by stamp or set name, or "color" if I was attracted by the color combo, or "layout" or "punch idea" or "Christmas, Easter, etc." (whatever holiday). It's worked pretty well so far.
I read blogs through Google Reader, so I star a post that has a tutorial I might want to try.
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who has stuggled with this!
Card ideas are printed out-about 1 1/2"x2 1/4"- with the explanation/recipe, glued onto 4x6 index cards and stored in boxes in a drawer by themes. (I keep the picture only in the same theme category in a folder on the computer to check for details, if needed.) Since my computer is not for my sole use and not in my craft room, I like having the index cards right in front of me as I work. Also, since I stamp by theme, if I need cards with a leaf theme, say, I can look through that section for inspiration. I weed out those that no longer interest me at the same time. When I've used the idea, it is trashed, both the physical copy and the computer one. Layouts, formats, and maps are printed out and kept in separate 5 1/2"x 8 1/2" notebooks by their source. Those I keep to refer to over and over, jotting notes that may help me the next time. Techniques are also kept in 5 1/2"x 8 1/2" notebooks separated into "hints and tips," "stamping /coloring," "texture/embellishments," and "backgrounds." These notebooks are the disk style that allow pages to be moved, exchanged, removed, so that when it seems I need to reorganize, I can do it easily. I am a real paper person who did not grow up with computers. Besides, if I do try to look at things on the computer in my craft room, the lighting is so that I can't make out anything no matter how I position myself or the computer, so it doesn't seem worth it. I also keep a record of all the SU sets I have by name and by theme, as I take apart my sets and store them by theme. So when I want to see something for that set or for a particular stamp in that set (i.e. a butterfly), I can look it up on SCS. I love how my system works for me and I guess that's the bottom line. Do what works for you. I sure have gotten great ideas from SCS, though, and have incorporated many of them into my organization.
I used to save everyhting to my favorites, but you can not even make copies of the list
that I am aware of. You also may loose them if your computer crashes. I save all my digi printable images onto this system: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...t_adv_XSG10001
They are on sale a lot and doesn't require space on your computer, just plug it into your computer where you "pop" your camera plug into. easy as can be. Your computer will bring up something that says a number of choices to save that document to and you
enter on removable disc and store in a small storage box
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
How do you organize your ideas for cards?
