How Many of Your Stamp Sets Have Seen Ink?

[lynnewithane]

Most of us have lots of stamp sets. I hear people talk about sets that haven't seen ink. So, how many sets have you bought that at least one of the stamps have been used?

[cardmaker2]

Although it may be just one of the stamps, every set has been used don't ask how many of them have ALL been used ...

[jeaniebean55]

What a fun poll.

I don't expect to use every stamp in a set, and I love thinking about the card babies yet to be born with the many virgin stamps I have ... many I can imagine, many that are just sparkles waiting for the right combination of inspiration. Makes me happy just anticipating the fun-yet-to-be.

[wavejumper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeaniebean55

What a fun poll.

I don't expect to use every stamp in a set, and I love thinking about the card babies yet to be born with the many virgin stamps I have ... many I can imagine, many that are just sparkles waiting for the right combination of inspiration. Makes me happy just anticipating the fun-yet-to-be.

I was going to say not enough but I like this answer WAY better!

[CreativeCardsea]

I have to admit that I own way more than I've used... But I'm working on changing that now. I'm slowly going through stamp sets and making something pretty with them. I probably won't use every single stamp (some are quirky sentiments that I wouldn't use, others are things like minuscule objects that don't fit with my scene), but I will eventually use every set.

And every patterned paper. And every enamel dot ... :lol:

[lynnewithane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardmaker2

Although it may be just one of the stamps, every set has been used don't ask how many of them have ALL been used ...

I thought about that as a follow up poll.
Pretty sure my answer to that would be zero.

[harvestmoon]

In my first 5 years of stamping, I had mostly Stampin Up. I decided to go through the Titles alphabet and make a card with each stamp set. I got to S.
Of course, as that was going on, I was adding sets (from earlier in the alphabet). I gave up that project and I'm not sorry. My earlier efforts look pitiful to me now.

[justampin]

Most of my sets have seen ink. Most of my stamps, not so much. I am slowly learning that instead of rushing to buy a stamp set because I love a card, I instead go to my sets and see if I can recreate that card using something I already have. It's challenging but fun. I'm actually blogging about it this month.

[lutheran]

I'm guessing about 75% which is a greater number than a few months ago. I'm making 100 cards for my son's high school and I've used many previously unloved sets.
Mary Beth

[allee's]

I am thinking that probably about 15% of my sets have never been used.

[cobby]

I recently finished taking pictures of all my stamp sets and individual stamps through Evernote as a way to keep track of what I have. I took 255 pictures. About 50 of those are individual stamps.
I think I can safely say 80% of my stamps have seen ink.

[gregzgurl]

I'm pleading the fifth on this one... Oh wait! I stamped every single one for my index - does that count...?

[basketdiva]

All of my sets have seen ink. Well maybe one or two stamps in a set have not but I don't buy stamps unless I'm going to use them.

[jukie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzgurl

I'm pleading the fifth on this one... Oh wait! I stamped every single one for my index - does that count...?

:lol: I thought the same thing...but answered the poll with it not counting :oops:

[howdyheidi]

The only stamps I have that I haven't used yet are recently purchased. I need some more time to get stamping!

[Lorri.V.]

I have only a minimal sets that I have not used and hold on to them for that day I have the time. Right now I do markets and I am stamping out people images for my sarcastically affectionate cards. I have already sold 350 so I work every day to keep stocked up. Some sets I have bought just for a few images and then resell the leftovers (keeping space cleaned up) for a fraction.

I do still have my very first set I bought from SU still and I love it. Don't use it a lot now but it will stay in my collection for a bit longer.


Lorri

[wavejumper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzgurl

I'm pleading the fifth on this one... Oh wait! I stamped every single one for my index - does that count...?

LMAO....I was thinking just this reading through today and there you are with it!

The good part about that is our clears are primed now to stamp well

I have to say though I do buy some sets only wanting a couple of the stamps (if there is a DEEP discount). I just got one from Eliz Crafts sale for a stamp that reads Keep Calm and Ride On but I paid 2.95 for the set too.

[gregzgurl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jukie

:lol: I thought the same thing...but answered the poll with it not counting :oops:

I answered with it not counting, too - so far I have four friends in my category... :rolleyes:

[Allistamps123]

I just went in and counted 10 sets so far unloved! That is out of about 140 sets. Not too bad!

What's sad is how often I've used a set or only one stamp has been used one time. It's funny how some sets have been used over and over and some once (or not at all).

It's kind of like clothes. What do they say? We wear only about 20% of our clothing but I truely wear almost all my clothes. I love variety there.,

[estamps]

I am with "grezgirl". Every stamp has been stamped once for my index. But I must confess not entire alphabet sets. Using them on a project is another story. Until I got the misti, I would buy, but rarely stamp as I never got good impressions.

[fionna51]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregzgurl

I'm pleading the fifth on this one... Oh wait! I stamped every single one for my index - does that count...?

I must take the fifth as well. But I don't have all of mine indexed yet...so I refuse to answer for sure!

[stamphappy1650]

To help me remember that I have a stamp or set, I make at least one card before I put the stamps in their category. I found that if I put a new stamp away without using it I'd forget about it. The exception is stamps related to a specific holiday. If I buy a Christmas stamp in June, I put it away and then when I start making Christmas cards I'll have a nice little surprise.

[jeaniebean55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stamphappy1650

To help me remember that I have a stamp or set, I make at least one card before I put the stamps in their category. I found that if I put a new stamp away without using it I'd forget about it. The exception is stamps related to a specific holiday. If I buy a Christmas stamp in June, I put it away and then when I start making Christmas cards I'll have a nice little surprise.

What a great idea! One of my goals is to find the cattys or pics of cards that inspired many of my purchases. I have my binder/stamp index and each set has it's own page protector, card set stamped on one side, images of card ideas on the other. All I have to say is, thank goodness for our gallery here and for Pinterest! But to actually make a card ... that really helps cement what stamps are in the set.

[casmiles]

Oh my, did someone actually ask that? Pleading the 5th was a great response. I'm getting ready to purge - but there is always the "I might need it later". Of course, many that I bought 30 years ago are things I won't use (I've probably got collectibles - lol). I know several of the companies are long gone - PSX, Azadi, and more...I could almost have said all have been stamped at least once for inventory, but that's not even true anymore.

[Rebecca Ednie]

I use My Stuff Pro to log all my stuff. Now that I have over half of my stamps logged, I use the USED button to log every time I use something. I'll be able to see what I really use and what I don't. It will help me know what to buy more of and what I never use so I can sell it.

[maryalena]

Fifty per cent. It's about the journey-the it wagged its tail I want it journey.

[GirlFriday]

Quote:

Originally Posted by casmiles

Oh my, did someone actually ask that? Pleading the 5th was a great response. I'm getting ready to purge - but there is always the "I might need it later". Of course, many that I bought 30 years ago are things I won't use (I've probably got collectibles - lol). I know several of the companies are long gone - PSX, Azadi, and more...I could almost have said all have been stamped at least once for inventory, but that's not even true anymore.

You should hold on to your PSX stamps. They are highly sought after and many of them are quite valuable, especially the botanicals!

[cnsteele]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlFriday

You should hold on to your PSX stamps. They are highly sought after and many of them are quite valuable, especially the botanicals!

I have one PSX stamp - a snowflake - that Creating Keepsakes magazine gave to subscribers as a gift once. I LOVE it, but I never knew PSX stamps were so desired! I would not sell it, anyways, since I do love it.

[binkiemonstermom]

GREAT poll!!! I'm trying to do better. I keep a basket beside my desk of new stuff that I need to use. I like to use it first before I put a stamp set in my stamp pocket, label and put it away. That's my GOAL....I don't always succeed!! I'm trying to do better!!!

I did recently make some tags, I brought down my christmas stamp bin, and went through and used stamps that worked, sadly some of those hadn't seen ink yet...but happily...I inked them up!!!!

[Catherine773]

This is such an interesting poll! I am absolutely going to count the number of sets I have and how many have actually seen ink. I fractured my knee and tore my meniscus in my knee, so I'll be having a lot of down time in the months to come to get crafty again. If only I could get out of work too, lol. . I guessed at the poll and picked less than 20% have seen use. It will be interesting to see what the actual percent is!

Are we talking about SU sets only or all brands?

In my defense, whenever I buy a set, I have ideas zooming through my head of the gorgeous cards I'm going to make with it. It's just I get distracted with another set. And the pattern repeats itself. So I find myself buying more than I do making! But now that my social life is impacted because of my knee, hopefully some of these sets will see the day of light!

I have to say though - before we all had so many options to choose from, I used my stamps so much more. Remember when we had to buy rubber stamps one at a time for a pricey amount! Those I made sure I used. And when I joined SU in 2005 as a hobby demo, my sets got so much use at first. To this day, some of my favorite sets are from those early years and I'll still make cards with them. But now there are so many companies to buy from and the UPS guy is always at my door... and stamps are so much more affordable, esp with sales. You get entire clear sets on sale for what was the cost of 1 rubber stamp back in the day.

Ok this was longer than I expected I blame the pain killers! I'm excited to count these. Maybe it will give me perspective about what I buy in the future. However I now always keep my stamps in their original packaging. I sell the ones I could make back a few bucks after a few years if I outgrow the style or don't use them. And I donate most since there's not a huge market for outdated stamp sets from some companies!

[lynnewithane]

Catherine, since I started the poll, I'll answer your question, and say sets by any company. Not just SU sets.We really are all over the board here, but it looks like about half of us have used at least one stamp out of a set for between 60-99% of the sets we own.

[vikkijo]

Oh, ummm

[vikkijo]

Oh, ummm