Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
This is gonna sound weird. I want new stamps (well, that's not the weird part), but I'm having a hard time getting into choosing new ones, which has never happened to me before. Most of what I see looks too much like stuff I already have, and even when I see something totally wild and cool and new (think the Hero Arts math background stamp...oh heaven!), I talk myself quickly out of buying it.
I did just place an order with A Muse that makes me happy, but as I was indexing the images from that order, I had the thought that I should probably get rid of every stamp I own that is more than three or four years old. Where did THAT thought come from?!?!?
I haven't ordered from the new SU catalog (yeah, haven't ordered stamps from SU since last year, I think), and nothing much is striking my fancy. Only one set from the holiday mini is even mildly appealing. This month's PTI release didn't make me impulse-order either. The problem isn't the catalogs or releases--tons of cool stuff!--it's me. I just can't get excited. What is wrong with me?!?!
It feels like it's time for a major shake-up of my stamping life, and I wonder if others have felt this way and what they did to shake things up. Should I box up half my stuff and put it in the basement to see if I really need it? Krystie Lee, darn her, just sold a ton of her older stuff, which planted that idea in my head.
Fortunately, I'm still creating and stamping and loving that...my problem is a "stuff" issue. Anybody got ideas?
BTW, I'm fully aware this problem is comparable in importance to other first-world problems like having to turn the tv volume up because I can't hear it over the crunchy snack I'm eating, but still....
Location: Virginia, where we have the beach and mountains all in one state!!
Posts: 887
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I'm kind of in the same boat. But my reasons for my "lack of excitement" may be coming from a different reason then yours......financial. I have to be very selective of what I buy now. I can not afford to do impulsive buys and it's made me more aware of what I have. I have re-learned a lot of buying habits I USE TO HAVE, lol. I have 4 main companies I buy from, PTI, CTMH, CM and SU. The only one that will be getting my money this month is SU and that's mostly punches. Go Figure
But I feel the images I've seen lately do seem to be very repetitive....or have I learned that I don't need something NEW to make me want to create? Hummmm?
LateBlossom, I am a frequent stalker of your blog and love your work. Thank you for being a part of my inspiration and keep your mojo going...even if it means you buy something new.;)
Thanks, Dianne. I know I'm extremely blessed to have disposable income to spend on a hobby in the first place, which is why I feel whiney about posting this dilemma at all. But I figured this was the place to get some excellent cheese to go with my whine, given the sympathetic audience, LOL!
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
Posts: 4,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The great news is you still have your mojo and you enjoy creating still. Maybe you don't need new stamps. Maybe some fun paper or other embellishments. Maybe you need to treat yourself to something completely removed from stamping....some new earrings, scarf, or a new snazzy fall coat?????
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
hey GF....I am totally where you are at!! I look at some of the new stamps coming out but I already have similiar ones so talk myself out of it. Now money is an issue with me...(when I let it be!) but I feel like I am not using my old stuff or stuff I already have....
I think my problem is lack of time and lack of sleep...
maybe a glass of wine (not this early, mind ya) would help!
hey GF....I am totally where you are at!! I look at some of the new stamps coming out but I already have similiar ones so talk myself out of it. Now money is an issue with me...(when I let it be!) but I feel like I am not using my old stuff or stuff I already have....
I think my problem is lack of time and lack of sleep...
maybe a glass of wine (not this early, mind ya) would help!
Yep. I'm tempted to get rid of the old stuff and buy the new, just for something different. Since I have used every single image stamp I own and feel I've gotten my money's worth, I'm kinda bored with what I've got....sorta...kinda...oh, I don't know!
I'm having such a hard time articulating the problem, LOL!
I haven't purchased anything in quite a while. I see alot of stuff that is too similar to what I have also. I have stamps I haven't even used yet so why spend the money?
Location: The Volunteer state....beautiful Tennessee!
Posts: 12,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. I am just beginning the process of unmounting my wood stamp sets to save on storage space. However when looking at many of the old sets, I think that I could get rid of half (or more) of them. I think it has to do with a change in style. In much the same way that you might look at a room in your house that you haven't redecorated in 15 years. You just want to change everything. How fortunate for the stamping companies, huh? If we just kept and used what we had, soon everyone would be out of business. I often think that stampers make a major contribution to keeping the American economy going!
I do believe that I spend my limited budget much more wisely than I did when I had plenty to spend on this hobby. I think it will make me a better stamper. Best of luck to you, Susan. I know you'll find something that sparks your interest. BTW - how is your wrist? I am hoping that it is much better and you're ready to stamp away!
Leisa, my joints are all doing much better, as long as I don't overdo! Thank you for asking. Like you, I totally feel that my spending is wiser now than it was when I started (oh, to have back all that money I wasted!). Freshening up my supplies just as I would freshen a room's decor sounds very sensible. And yes, I'm more than happy to do my part to keep the stamping industry alive and well in these tough economic times. *snort*
Boredom may very well be a big part of my problem, Karen. That would explain why I want to get new stuff but the old stuff is weighing me down.
Gosh, thanks, ladies! Y'all always come through. I feel like I'm getting somewhere with this. Just not sure where, yet, but at least I'm optimistic.
I haven't purchased anything in quite a while. I see alot of stuff that is too similar to what I have also. I have stamps I haven't even used yet so why spend the money?
LOL, Lorraine! I actually used every single image stamp I own. It took over two years, but I did it. That may now be a big part of my problem.... What do I do next? Sigh.
Just because new stamps come out doesn't mean we have to purchase them. Many are very similar to ones we already have.
I like the stamps I have and don't feel the need to purchase new ones. I certainly can't imagine getting rid of them either. They are still good and one just needs to find new and creative ways to use them.
I think it's silly to get rid of old tools and supplies in order to justify purchasing new ones.
Patti, good for you for being so content with what you have! There have been times in my 9 years of stamping that I've felt exactly as you do. Now isn't one of those times, unfortunately.
Perhaps it is silly that I want new stuff when my old stuff is just fine, but my restless need for something fresh feels fairly justified. I just want to know how others deal with the same restlessness when it strikes.
Location: The Volunteer state....beautiful Tennessee!
Posts: 12,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjw2855
I think it's silly to get rid of old tools and supplies in order to justify purchasing new ones.
Patti
I agree to a point. But as our tastes change, I believe we just outgrow many of the items we have...or at least, I have. Those stamp sets sit on a shelf wasting storage space and will never be used. Why not rid yourself of that clutter? There's quite a long list of stamp sets that I would never part with. But I have just gotten over the idea that I have to hoard everything that I've ever bought. If I use it, great. If not, it needs to go.
Part of this is also finding your style as a stamper. Now don't get me wrong... I am not limited to one style or company. I like variety. But I have evolved since I began stamping. For instance after the first SU party I attended, I soon began buying many, many retired stamp sets on eBay. I just had to have everything. I am no where near that anymore. I purchase carefully. I have learned that just because a stamp set looks tempting, I should see a few samples made with it first. How many stamp sets are on my shelf that I just had to get and have never used or only inked once or twice? Far too many!
I know some younger stampers that are starting out, and it makes me feel happy to give them stamp sets that I will never use again. Tools may be a different story. There aren't many tools I would give away or sell, unless I found them unsatisfactory. But now that I think about it, when is that last time I opened my box of decorative edge scissors? I have a box full of colorful scissors that I haven't used since my early years of making cards.
I do believe buying something new can jump start your creativity...boy do I! But I am just extremely thoughtful about what that new item might be. This may take some time, as in Susan's case. But I believe she will find it, if she loves this hobby. There's just something about creating, isn't there? I also value being able to share that creativity. It's a gift to myself and others.
Hmm, I think I'm detecting a common thread. ;) You are correct in noting that new stamp images are, for the most part, retreads of images that many of us already have in our collections. As you said, the new images look fresher, but not enough so to inspire a purchase. What to do about? I haven't figured that one out yet. :rolleyes:
The idea of removing the under-loved, seldom used sets from my drawers is tempting. My one hesitation is that I often really like ONE stamp in the set and that if I get rid of the set, that stamp will be gone.
After reading this thread I've concluded that stuck-in-a-rut syndrome is something we all struggle with in our hobby. And after re-reading previous comment about stamp sets I realize my personal rut is "set-i-tis" - an unwillingness to separate a stamp from it's set. My personal goal this next week will be to remove my favorite stamps from their sets and box up the remaining part of the of the set and put it in storage. The space this will fee up in my drawers will make a huge difference in accessibility. Win, win! :cool:
(Please don't tell the stamp set police I'm doing this...)
Location: The Volunteer state....beautiful Tennessee!
Posts: 12,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boss
My personal goal this next week will be to remove my favorite stamps from their sets and box up the remaining part of the of the set and put it in storage.
I think you are a brave woman. Your goal seems to fit perfectly with the quote in your signature line. Good luck!
I made the decision just this month to give up card making for a while. I actually had to get everything related to the craft out of my sight! I boxed up and stored all of my stamps and inks and papers and put them in storage until I know what to do with it.
I, too, got bored with the images. I became overwhelmed with the clutter...paper clutter, supply clutter, mental clutter, the cluttery look that my cards were taking on. Everything was clutter for me!
I also began to remember with fondness the experience of going to a store and (gasp!) buying a pretty card that had just the right sentiment. And so I did just that. Went to a Hobby Lobby, spent an hour in the Dayspring aisle, and bought some really love cards with sentiments that I'd never be able to find in a rubber stamp.
I have other hobbies...needle art, gardening, and just plain ole crafting. I'm considering digital scrapbooking for the future. But right now, I am sitting at a clean desk that isn't overloaded with piles of paper and dirty stamps that need to be cleaned and put away. It's a good feeling!
Twelve years of paper crafting. I hate to think of the thousands of dollars I've invested in this craft. Maybe I'm just ready to move on to a new venture...something that costs a lot less and does not involve mountains of clutter. ;)
I haven't had much mojo when it comes to my paper crafts lately. A lot of the new images I'm seeing lately are so similar to what I already have that I haven't bought very many new stamps. I've bought a few over the last couple months, but nothing near where I was 6 months ago. I've also just started a new job, so that's sucking the life out of me and I have no energy in the evenings to start any projects. And of course I have to do all my chores on the weekend now. What I have been doing to keep myself happy is I've been giving myself manicures as my "creative outlet". Here's a picture of what I did to my nails this weekend:
I agree that a lot of new stamps look just like old stamps. I didn't get anythng from this PaperTrey release either, although I would love the $5 Big Favorites set.
I have found I am buying and using fewer stamps, but more dies lately. While I have tons of punches, I have fun using the dies to cut all sorts of materials (paper, felt, wood, transparencies, cork). Maybe you might enjoy a die cut machine and dies? Dies from PaperTrey, Amuse, and others are so cute and hardly take up any room.
Location: wishing I was in London but you'll likely find me on my couch
Posts: 1,675
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perhaps you need to look for a different style of stamps. As in order from a company you never have. Peruse the gallery for something that strikes your fancy. Or send all your stamps that you are bored with to someone who would love to love them (hint hint hint ;)) and then replace with new ones. (Okay probably not the last one--although I would love that.)
I have so many stamps and still I find stuff I like. I don't buy them like I used to as like you said some are very similar to what I have. I have been taking online classes and other classes to learn more techniques and different stuff that I can apply to my card making. I took Claudine Hellmuths collage class and now use some of those tech on my cards using what I have...Last week I took a Dina Wakley class and am LOVING her style and hope to use some of her techniques on my cards. Totally different that what I normally do, but I don't have to buy anything new (I did pick up two of her stamps as they were so different than what I have...) Maybe try using different mediums or canvas, metal or other surfaces to bring something new to it for you. I am off to use modeling paste on a canvas cardfront later as I loved how it looked in class using a stencil. Your art is beautiful by the way...It is so inspiring!
I don't think that there is anything wrong with you, Susan. It's not unusual to go through a dry spell. Furthermore, after nine years of stamping, there probably isn't much out there that is new and fresh for you.
This may not appeal to you, because you do clean and simple cards, but I've noticed a lot of people branching out from stamping into mixed-media projects. My cards have always been simple--not CAS--but I've always been attracted to art stamping. Mind you, the fifty-layers-of-patterned-paper-and-children-with-dunce-caps-and-butterfly-wings iteration of art stamping is not at all appealing to me and never has been.
Right now, even without having a sewing machine, I love looking at and reading about art quilts. I try to bring an art quilt sensibility to stamping and try to come up with different ways to use what I have rather than running out and buying new stamps. I've also had a rule for the last several years about not buying any stamp unless I can imagine using it several times. If not, it stays on the shelf.
There is nothing wrong with you. Maybe you just need to take a break and come back to stamping in a few weeks or months. Maybe you've reached the point of having enough or only needing to buy new things that really wow you and/or to replenish supplies. From what I've read on your blog, you're not one to follow the latest trends, anyway. Maybe the trend to not follow now is the buy, buy, buy one promoted by the industry. There's absolutely nothing wrong with abandoning that one.
Last edited by StampinHoosier; 09-18-2011 at 12:30 PM..
Reason: missed word
Oooo Catwoman, very snazzy! I wish I could keep my hands nice... my nails grow like crazy and are usually long enough to do something with, but I am either digging in the garden, wading through the woodpile... I don't pamper my hands thus they don't look nice for long.
Now, to the current discussion. There seems to be a common thread through out, and we all suffer from lack of whatever it is, and there is a sense of guilt associated with not using what we have so it sits idle. Therein lies the guilt for me, anyway 'I paid all this money, I should be using it all.' Although I have been lucky with hostess credit along the way that has been very helpful in building up my supplies.
I am finding that I need to accept the different seasons that come along. I don't always feel like creating, that's for sure. And the past few years I gathered a lot of 'stuff' to work with. So in hopes of 'finding' the mojo, I would buy something. But as has been said, there is a lot of 'been there, seen that' about the stamps so that kind of eliminates a lot of them for me if I already have something that is similar. I can't justify new when old will do. And there is no reason for feeling badly about that.
Not for the past couple of years have I approached my craft buying impulsively. I did impose on myself some restrictions for financial reasons, and I haven't cheated or changed that mentality since I made that committment. I rarely buy anything now, and like many of you, I can look through the new mini, new releases, and not find anything I really want. I actually feel empowered by the lack of impulsivity I have! I can control my spending and that gives me a sense of accomplishment. I use what I have most of the time and have found I don't crave much.
That being said, I am hosting my annual fall workshop in a couple weeks and have a list of things I want to get, but I am splitting the majority of the hostess money with my daughter who is now on her own and needs to acquire her own supplies.
Like Maryrose mentioned, the thought has crossed my mind that maybe I need to set it all aside for awhile and come back to it at some point. But I don't think that is the answer for me. As soon as I do that, Murphy's law states that I will feel so crazy creative I will have to unpack it all...
Funny you should mention this, because my friend and I have just talked about similar problems... Novelty wears off after all of the basics are in place and one can only have so many stacks of patterned paper or rolls of ribbon or look-alike stamp sets... I think you just need a break from crafting...
Maryrose, I found your blog a few weeks ago and have been silently stalking it... Your decision to take a break made me think of my priorities... I'll miss your wonderful creations, though!
__________________ Anna.
"Fearless is not the absence of fear. Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you." (Taylor Swift)
I've been trying some of the mixed media stuff vs. card making lately for some of these same reasons. It's fun to create on a page just for the sake of creating and reflecting what is in my head at the time. I try not to plan it too much and just let it lead me. I have so many cards already made that many times I would think why make a card. So this lets me get some creativity in, it's fun and I do what I want. Maybe you should try another art form for awhile. I love stamping and making cards but I am having a lot of fun with this.
cat_woman, those claws are amazing!!!!! (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun.) My nails would never be a good canvas for art...they get abused in my daily life, but yours are dazzlingly fab!
Thank you all for your thoughtful comments; there's so much here to think about, and you've all brought up good points. As some have noted, our interest in hobbies cycles quite naturally from enthusiastic to not-so-much. I'm ripe for a shake-up in the status quo, and perhaps it's as simple as getting to work on some different Christmas projects or getting back into scrapbooking. Funny you should mention mixed media, StampinHoosier. I've been wanted to dabble in that in a very CAS way. Perhaps now is the time....
What I do know is that too much stuff (particularly older stamp stuff) is weighing me down.
The reason why you are seeing alot of similar images out there is bcs there are just too many stamping companies nowadays as compared to when I first started out 16 years ago. They are all running out of ideas.
There are many things that can be done with rubber stamps other than cards and for a start you can try out different colouring mediums. I was introduced to watercolour pencils when I started playing oriental theme stamps. That open up a whole new perspective in my cardmaking. After putting my cards to sell at a florist that display my cards out in the open, I started looking at artist grade colouring mediums because student grade fade to nothing after 3 weeks. Not going to have my reputation ruin for that.
My cardmaking classes have not been successful so now I am looking into creative rubberstamping instead of just making cards. Hopefully my classes will be successful. This will keep me busy for a while.
Hi Susan, I'm a long-time follower of your blog and love it. Through your blog, it would seem that you are a minimalist at heart, and although I didn't start off that way, over the years, I too have become one. So my home and my surroundings are (generally) not cluttered with a lot of stuff.
This past summer I spent a month visiting a close family member who has "stuff" everywhere: the walls and every horizontal space imaginable. And I felt so weighed down by her "stuff" while I was there that I think I may have an inkling of what you mean by feeling weighed down, if only with stamping stuff.
Over the past 6 years we've lived the ex-pat life, moving to several different countries, and what I have learned from this is to separate my emotions from things I thought I loved to the point where I can easily let go of anything, regardless of the role it played in my life and I no longer feel that things weigh me down. And when I say let go, I don't worry about making money back from it, I give things away if I know they are truly wanted, or I throw them out. Not only is this liberating in itself, but also frees me to buy new things without any burden of guilt.
Perhaps this could work with your crafting things - start with one piece or set, give it a thank you and a kiss goodbye, and release it from your possession. See if the weight lifts just a bit, and if so, continue until you no longer feel burdened. After that, you may find your interest in new things piqued, or not.
If I'm off base, please just disregard this post. Good luck in finding your rejuvenation!
suesol, you've hit a nail on the head. In my real life, I'm married to and gave birth to two hoarders. Which means my house is packed with stuff that isn't mine. My craft room is my sanctuary, and at least I can control it completely. It's usually tidy, but over the years has become packed with too much stuff. Time to downsize my own hoard, lol!
I'm feeling more and more confident about downsizing and simultaneously trying some new stuff in paper crafts. These two things seem like just what I need at this time.
I want to thank all of you who have commented on this thread and who continue to comment. I'm a big believer that putting ideas out there on the interweb helps the lurkers, too. Someone benefits from a shared perspective that comes along at just the right time...we just don't know about it. So thank you for helping me and whoever else stumbles into this!
Susan,
You are such an inspiration to many (including me!). I certainly hope that you find the answer that you're looking for.
I do have an opinion... shocked? LOL I think that, like fashion, stamp styles come and go. I have a large plastic container in my basement that contains over 100 SU sets and another that contains an ungodly number of individual stamps. I put them down there just about 6 months ago. If I have not touched them by the end of this year, they will be sold or donated.
I've trimmed down my current use stamps quite a bit as I'm more interested in HOW I can use them. For instance, one flower stamp can be used with a multitude of techniques to create as many vastly different cards. Like fashion, sometimes it's in the "accessories", kwim?
I recently moved my studio from a spare bedroom with a tricked out closet (my hubby is a carpenter, so he hooks me up!).... to a small extension of our living room. My space was cut in half. The cool part is, I am twice as productive now than I ever was with the larger space. I think sometimes too much is.. well, too much.
Susan if you are enjoying stamping maybe you just don't want/need more stuff.
The products are all starting to look alike because there are only so many ways to draw a butterfly or snowman.
The excitement of getting new things and the joy of using the things ARE independent aspects , but marketing has stitched them together.
Many people are going through what you are and not just in crafts. For some people it was clothes or shoes. They miss the excitement of getting new things, but they really don't want or need any more. And for them the stuff is all starting to look alike too.
You may be having difficulty letting go of the excitement of the buying new things. But it may have outlived it's usefulness in your life. You are happy with what you have.
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
Perhaps it is silly that I want new stuff when my old stuff is just fine, but my restless need for something fresh feels fairly justified. I just want to know how others deal with the same restlessness when it strikes.
There is nothing silly about wanting new stuff when your old stuff is just as good. Sometimes you just need a fresh approach. My DH & I update our tools all the time. A lot of times I see a new stamp that I have something similar of. I purchase the newer stamp and gift away my older one.
I get in those moods too where I see stamps I want to buy and then talk myself out of it. I am hardly buying stamps or craft supplies any more either. I found my style and I am very content right now. I use to design dolls. Now, I am at a stage in my life where I can go back to designing and collecting dolls. I collect/design quirky dolls and not porcelain art dolls. I have noticed that my stamping purchases now I look at from a dolling point of view. Can I use that stamp on a dress? Can I use these rhinestones on the dolls face? Those are two examples.
Combining another hobby into your artwork can give you a new fresh perspective and add more variety to your collections.
Leisa.....My style for stamps is rather general.....nature, realistic dogs-cats, some flowers and stamps to form scenes with the above. So I don't need to keep changing my stamp supply. I find new and inventive techniques with the stamps I have.
Interesting topic, Susan! I don't think there's anything "wrong" with you, honestly.
Whenever I get that "bored" feeling, I find (for me personally) that it is because I feel boxed in, and need to break out and stretch because what I'm doing has become "too" routine, or seems "mundane".
I know one thing I need to be better at, tho, is to let go of things I haven't used in a few years, rather than letting it take up space. Yes, some things could use updating (just like one's wardrobe, as someone mentioned!) to rejuvenate and freshen the perspective!
Some designs have a timeless or classic appeal, that you may not want to ever part with. But, others may have been trendy (at the time) and just a passing thing, UKWIM? If they look "outdated" to your eye, they probably are. ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Well, I spent a big chunk of today filling three boxes with stamps that I packed away in the basement. Like you, Holly, I'm going to give them a year. I also purged a lot of other stuff and reorganized what was left. We'll see if, like my wardrobe, less is more with stamps, too.
Also, I'm getting some ideas together for some non-card projects and some out-of-my-box experimenting. Like you, Julie, I'm feeling the need to stretch...just a bit, LOL!
lylacfey, I'm in your camp regarding new stuff. Barbara Jay, I really do feel like I've exhausted my stamps that I put away...not one had gone unused on multiple cards, scrapbook pages, or projects. I'm pretty proud of the fact that I actually used them, so I don't feel wasteful or frivolous. I worked in marketing for years. Woowee, it's powerful stuff, but as long as a girl stays in her budget and isn't irresponsible, it's not necessarily a bad thing, LOL!
BTW, has anyone tried Wreck this Journal? I've got one on my shelf just begging to be wrecked. Seems like a great way to spark some creativity and think outside the box.
What Is Wrong with Me?
