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I haven't seriously considered going unmounted before because I don't have that big of a stamp collection (yet!). However, I got a papertrey set for Christmas and it is so nice that the entire set of 30+ stamps fits in one nifty little cd holder!!! But, I am a big chicken :-( . I am just scared to take the plunge!! So, I'm curious if there's anyone out there who did it and now wishes they didn't.
Thanks!!
__________________ ----------------------------------- Chris E.
Nope, not one regret here!! I love how all my stamp sets are unmounted. I unmounted a TON last year and they all fit nicely on my desk in front of me. Best decision I ever made for my stamp space and stuff!
Big regret here. I have quite a bit more then a ton, and didn't index them as I went. Now I have stacks and stacks and boxes and boxes of rubber with no way of find it. I know I just have to sit down and do the stamping but the thought of cleaning all those stamps just makes me cringe. On the other hand, if I had left them on wood I wouldn't have been able to store them all in my stamp room. I guess the message here is index them when you get them.
My only regret is that i didn't start doing this sooner!!! and that i still have some i need to unmount... i LOVE having all my stamps at my fingertips and so easy to use!!!
My only regret...that I didn't do it sooner! I got a bunch of CDs off Craig's List for cheap and just store my sets in there. Any sets requiring more than one CD, I store in a clear Acrylic DVD case (purchased from Sleeve City, I think). Best thing I ever did. I did keep all my wood blocks, though, in their original cases but they are stored in the garage, not my craft room.
My only regret...that I didn't do it sooner! I got a bunch of CDs off Craig's List for cheap and just store my sets in there. Any sets requiring more than one CD, I store in a clear Acrylic DVD case (purchased from Sleeve City, I think). Best thing I ever did. I did keep all my wood blocks, though, in their original cases but they are stored in the garage, not my craft room.
Do you mind if I ask why you kept all the blocks and cases? Is this in case you regret it later, for resale, or some other purpose that I need to be aware of? ;)
__________________ ~*~ Clara ~*~ If you can think it, you can ink it!
No regrets here, either. When I went unmounted, I just started with the sets I hadn't put on blocks and any I've bought since. I'm a big chicken too about the already mounted sets - still haven't taken them off the wood, it seems like a huge undertaking. But I'm so glad I started unmounting because I love how storing them on CDs takes up such little space!
I keep the cases and wood out in the garage, too - just in case I want to resell them someday. I write the set name on the cases with a sharpie though so I can match them up.
April
I'm nearing the finish line on unmounting all of mine, and I love it. Yes, it's a fairly big job if you have a lot of sets, but they fit in 1/4 of the space that they took before! The space savings alone have been worth it. I have a few friends who come to stamp with me, and they've all said that they like it as well. My daughters (ages 7 and 10) got used to it very quickly also.
So... if I unmount my SU stamps should I use EZ Mount or the Vinyl cling since the SU stamps already have foam on them? Or is it just personal opinion?
I unmounted my 120+ SU sets (well, I am still in the process but am almost done)!!! No regrets - started this process 6-8 months ago. It saves so much space. I did a lot of research too before I took the plunge. Be sure to consider:
1. Figuring out the best way to store the unmounted stamps - cd cases, on cling boards in 3 ring binders, lots of options there
2. Take the time to stamp an index as you go and figure out categories to sort/store them by - i.e. baby/children, flowers, nature, masucline, etc
3. Consider if you will someday want to sell them or not. If they are retired SU sets and they are unmounted you will not be able to get as much money for them if they were still mounted and in their case.
4. Wood blocks - if unmounting and they are left with a glue residue you can clean them - some how. I just trashed mine but I keep the blocks from brand new sets. There are some ideas of how to make those picture stands and other things with them in the gallery. Also some people sell them on ebay or donate them to their local childcare center or keep them for their kids to play with, paint, decorate or whatever.
5. You'll need to decide if you are going to use ez mount or tack n peel. I've ready about the pro's and con's to both and determined that it really is a personal preference. I use EZ mount - much more time consuming to unmount and them apply and cut the EZ mount but I decided I would probably like it better than tack-n-peel. If using EZ mount - be sure to get a hot knife to cut around. There are lots of other threads about this process. (Sorry, I am NOT good at searching and finding and linking so I will leave that to you or someone much more skilled at that them me)!!
Sorry this is so long - hope this helps. You will love all the extra space you have, and like others mentioned -- it gives you more room to purchase MORE stamps!!!
No regrets for me, either! Now I find that when I do on occasion use a wood-mounted stamp, I have a heck of a time getting it lined up just right- I've gotten so used to being able to see through the block. I'll never go back!
So... if I unmount my SU stamps should I use EZ Mount or the Vinyl cling since the SU stamps already have foam on them? Or is it just personal opinion?
If you use ez mount and they already have foam, be sure to purchase the thin ez mount. You apply it directly to the foam backing on your stamp to create the smooth surface needed so they stay attached to your acrylic blocks. Sundayint.com is a good website to order your ez mount from and they have instructions about unmounting/applying ez mount. I think I have also ordered some from blockheadarts.com. Oh and the other thing to be careful with is the glue residue on the back of the rubber. With some of my sets, the red rubber pulled away from the thick gray foam when I tried to remove the stamp from the wood. There is then usually a film of glue on the back of the rubber. Be sure to remove it -usually comes off pretty easily with just a rub of your fingers over it. If you don't remove that film and then attach it to the EZ mount you will find that your rubber will pop off the ez mount within a month or two. At least mine did, but I live in a very dry climate so that could be a factor also. Sorry - there is really a lot of information with unmounting but if you do a few searches you should be able to find other threads on this topic.
I don't use the cling - I'm assuming you are meaning the tacky cling. I understand that you apply it to your blocks and just keep a piece of plastic over it when not in use to it doesn't get all dusty and dirty which will cause it to loose it's tackiness. What I have read from the people that go that route is that they love it. I just didn't think it would be easy to clean my stamps as the cleaner would get all over it while I scrubbed the stamp clean. (I am kind of a rough stamper)!!! LOL Hopefully someone who uses that option will chime in and give you more useful information than I can. If you just search the web for ez mount or tack-n-peel you will probably find instructions and information on the websites that sell it.
I love the fact that you can save space with the unmounted stamps,but I have had some problems with the stamp sticking to the acrylic block. The cling seems to come loose from the block.
Ok, I'll ask......What is EZ Mount or this cling stuff you all are talking about and where can I purchase either of these products??
I have several sets of Stampin' Up wood mounted stamps but after reading these posts like the idea of using a clear block or holder of some type instead.
Do I peal off the rubber stamp with the foam intact? Or can I just take the rubber stamp part off?
Can this be done with my store bought rubber stamps, also?
Sorry for all the questions, but using a clear block or holder of some type is easier for placement. I use a lot of clear stamps and use them more because of the ease of placement over the wood mounted stamps.
Do you mind if I ask why you kept all the blocks and cases? Is this in case you regret it later, for resale, or some other purpose that I need to be aware of? ;)
For resale purposes only. I knew I wouldn't regret it.
So... if I unmount my SU stamps should I use EZ Mount or the Vinyl cling since the SU stamps already have foam on them? Or is it just personal opinion?
I tried both and much preferred the EZ Mount. Anything I put on cling has been switched to EZ Mount.
No regrets here either!! When I started UMing, I didn't have a huge stash, but kept buying. ;) I took the advise of some lovely SCSers and stamped & labeled an index (3 ring binder & puter paper). Man, I'm sooo glad I did that. Yeah, it took longer but I love it. I never thumb thru the CD's hunting stamps that'll work for a particular project. I simply grab my binder, a cuppa and thoroughly enjoy myself. It's great looking thru the binder, it keeps what you have fresh in your mind too.
I'd do it all over again in a heart beat. I love stamping w/ the acrylic blocks. Mine have a center line etched into it which I line up the center of my stamp, then POW.. I'm done!!
May God bless, Sandi
__________________ StormyElf'd '07Humble Ink Smears If at first you don't succeed, talk to God! Then, go put on your big girl panties!
Does anyone ever get annoyed with having to position the stamp on the block every time you want to use it? That's what I'm worried about.
Nope, and here's why:
I use a block with grid lines for stamps that are especially "position sensitive", such as sentiments. Straight stamping every time! Plus, on those occasions when I want to use several images in a vignette, I can position all the stamps on one block and stamp 'em all at once. It's wonderful.
No regrets whatsoever.
__________________ Malinda
Why did she make things? Well, she enjoyed it, of course; it also somehow helped her remember who she was and where she came from.
It has worked for us. I could barely get into my car in the garage stuffed with wood mounted stamps. Now they are in magazine holders that are clear lucite so I can see what they are. Those are kept handy. Some are in notebooks and then placed on the bookshelf with spines labeled to see easily what they are, with storage boards 3 hole punched. Much better!
EZ Mount seems to be gaining a lot of ground. Tim Holtz, Dee Gruenig, Michael Strong, Helene Metivier of Magenta (spelling?) and Kat Okamoto all use it now. I like it. What do others use?
Last edited by firmpress; 01-11-2008 at 05:44 PM..
Reason: Clarify meaning of a sentence
No regrets here either. Love having the UM. i use EZ Mount, easy to use. I had more than 300 stamps when I did it, it was a lot of work, but I'm so glad I did it. So much easier to find stamps, or to look through them. I too wish I had indexed better while doing it, but I've been going back and doing indexing as i use them, but there are a few stamps that I can't find what company they are, so it's hard to list them when I use them in projects. Once I get through all the indexing it will be great!
No regrets here. But I�ve heard friends say the opposite. I think the deciding factor is how organized are you? I�ve noticed the ones that aren�t organized don�t like them because they can�t find what they�re looking for or they forget what they even have.
I�m neurotic about organization � before a mounted stamp or stamp set can go down to my craft room I scan it and save it in a directory broken down by manufacture. Doing it this way keeps me for putting ink on doubles as I can catch it as a duplicate and return it before its too late. I then take a copy of the image and put it in one of the multiple documents I have broken down by category and print out the page. I have a couple of very big books of all my stamps broken down by category. Truly it sounds like a lot more work and time then it really is. It only takes me a couple of minutes each time I�m bringing in new stamps.
For organizing the un-mounted stamps � which I love because they are always at least � off � I say at least because I�m always finding sales. I buy all my un-mounted stamps on-line. While I�m on-line buying them I�ll create a directory using the ulr that I�m purchasing from and save a copy of the image of each stamp that I buy into the directory. Then I do the same as I mentioned above that I put the images in a document broken down by categories and print them out.
I store my un-mounted stamps on 81/2 X 11 boards that are made for the stamps to be stored on and I have a few boxes filled with file dividers breaking up the categories. Doing it the way I do it�s really easy for me to not only remember what I have but find it and put it away when I�m done.
I LOVE going unmounted! Like everyone else says....I should have done this sooner and it really DOES free up so much space!
I do something a little different. I use craft foam that has one sticky side to it. I put my stamp on the sticky side and trim the foam. I then use Aleene's Tack It Over and Over and let it set up for 24 hours. When it is done, I stick my stamp using the tack it over side, onto the acrylic block and then stamp the image on a paper that is the same size as my CD case. I will also stamp other images that will fit into that case onto the paper. I put the stamps in the case along with all the stamp images and then I know what is in that case. The tack it over is cheap and can be found just about anywhere.
I was EXTREMELY hesitate to go unmounted but started mid-November and I am almost done with unmounting and indexing. I TOTALLY love it. I use all my stamps SO much more since they are easier to find!!
__________________ "The earth laughs with flowers" Ralph Waldo Emerson
I went unmounted and love it! The storage is great. I have my CD cases labeled with the name of the set. One thing I did do was put a colored dot on the end of the name label(created in word using the CD template and printed on to plain white cardstock). I have assigned each company I buy from a different color. I organize my stamps by subject based on the SU catalog but I also like to pull by company sometimes...like my Bellas.
I ordered my EZ Mount on eBay...love the company out of Modesto, CA that I got it from...super fast ship. I averaged about 10 sets a week and was done in about 2 months. I didn't stress...I took my time and I love it!
I have all my stamps indexed in a binder. AS I USE THEM, I am stamping the back of the CD case...this will give me an idea of the stamps I really use. I am trying to be more accountable in my hobby as you can see by my signature line. Here is the link to a previous thread about this subject...hth!
__________________ ...I'm just meandering through life; trying to have some fun along the way!!!
I unmounted all my wood mounted stamps onto EZ mount. I too went through a store on Ebay and it was much cheaper.
On all my new SU sets that already had the foam I tried the cling vinyl. I purchased white and stamped my image on the vinyl and then attached it to the foam. I would not reccomend this! It worked just fine for a while and then "lost" it's cling, it seems. I had high hopes for this stuff but it just doesn't seem to work. So, for these sets, I use tack it over and over (just a small dab in the center of the stamp is plenty, this stuff is super sticky.) So far that seems to work just fine.
Now all new sets I will use EZ mount.
So, my only regret is not using EZ mount for everything.
I started going unmounted due to space limits. I was nervous at first, but I like it better now. It did take a little while to become very comfortable with it. Any rubber ones, I put on EZmount foam. I found that I use my unmounted stamps more, b/c they are easy to tell where they are going.
I keep my acrylic blocks handy and it only takes a few seconds to take the stamps on and off. All the rest of my SU stamps I am getting rid of or unmounting.
To stay organized, I store mine in clear CD cases in photo boxes, and I can fit 22 CD cases in one box. (Then they are out of sight in a cabinet). I also purchased some clear address labels, and put the name of each set on the spine of the CD case. HTH
One thing I did when I unmounted that I regretted was I took the cushion off of the stamp as well. So I don't think the images are as nice or as easy to use. The cushion makes alot of difference. If you go all unmounted be sure to catalog, I didn't- and ended up not using them and eventually got rid of them all together because I didnt use. I remounted all the ones I wanted to keep, now I am remounted again, yes it takes more space but I use them alot more mounted. I think it just depends on your stamping style. I like the feel of the wood mounts to use also.
If I were you, I would try the unmounted for a while and see if you like it before going all the way unmounted.
I have not unmounted any of my mounted stamps (too chicken), but any new unmounteds that I buy go straight to EZ Mount and I mount all my new Stampin Up stamps on the thin mount. Love the stuff. Plus, Sunday Intl is celebrating their 10th anniversary for EZ Mount, and has it all on sale.
I didn't unmount mine, but i do store mine differently, which definitely cuts down on the space crunch. Here is a picture of the trays on my table and here is a tray full of sentiments What i do, is when i get a new set, i scan the sticker sheet and make two copies, one stays in the plastic box, and one goes in my binder under its category(flowers, bday, baby...) Then the stamps go on a tray in their category also, so in a set like "Time Well Spent" the flowers would go on the flower tray, the butterfly on the bug/animal tray and the sentiment on the misc sentiment tray. Then those trays are stacked right on my stamping table and when I want to use a set or am wanting to use say, a butterfly, I can go to my binder or just take out that tray and choose the ones i want to use. Especially with the sentiments, it works great, cuz sometimes i am just looking for a "happy bday sentiment" It doesn't have to be the one that came with the set, it may have to fit into a space. This works extremely well for me, cuz I love the feeling of the wood and the unmounteds i do have like PTI and bellas kinda intimidate me and i find i use them alot less than my wood mounteds.
Anyone with Unmounting regrets??
