how do you save techniques
 

There have been so many techniques I have tried and loved but then I forget about them until I see a card posted using them again. Does anyone have a good way of keeping track of techniques? I'm thinking of maybe a spreadsheet with pictures and directions...I'm going to start a binder, but thought I would check in to see if anyone has perfected something that will save me some time! If not, and even if so, I will keep you posted on what I end up doing. This community of friends has helped me so much already!

Techniques would also include special folds, etc.

I use Pinterest to collect techniques. Among other things!

Fancy Fold Cards


Lesley

I'm not sure why I never thought of pinterest!

I love Pinterest but live in constant fear of it closing down!

Lesley

I doubt if they are going to close it... got a email the other day that they intend to start letting people "shop" via pinterest... :mrgreen:

but, I also have a pinterest tech. board where the pins go to the directions. I used to print them and have a binder but, I never looked at the binder so, it freed up a lot of space in my closet to let a lot of that misc. paper go.

I would probably look at a binder quicker. The reason is I check online through my phone or tablet. I don't turn my computer on as much. So looking at them on my smaller screens is a bit difficult. I did do a binder today. I put tutorials in plastic pages and put them in my binder. some tutorials are an actual sample with the directions written down on them

I have a "Smash Book" that I put all my ideas in. I take it with me when I go to crops. It has technique ideas and card measurements. Drawings, sketches of layouts. I call it my Recipe book.

This is exactly what I've done for years. They stay in the binder until I'm so comfortable doing them that I don't need reminders any more.

Diane:-D

I also use binders because it's easier for me to use while I'm doing the technique. I then keep a sample of what I did and toss the technique. If the technique is one where I feel I'll want to refresh my memory, I'll store a sample of my finished card with the tutorial.

I have a tendency to re-format tutorials to save on the amount of paper. A pet peeve of some tutorial publishers is that they do not put a picture of the finished product on the 1st page of the tutorial so I can easily see the finished product. When I reformat I put the pic of the finished product on the 1st page so flipping through my binder is easy.

I use Pinterest for ideas but I don't print them until I decide I want to make them.

I sometimes cut and paste techniques with pictures into a Word document. Then I can put it in columns and make pictures smaller, so like Pauline, it takes less paper to print.

I did something like that also, saved images online and printed them out using a fancy recipe Word template. I made a couple cardstock covers and clipped them all together with a large binder ring.

It wasn't the quickest thing to make, but it's good to look through for inspiration, I keep it on my desk.

I did like Pauline and Kathy...copy, paste to Word, reformat to take up less room, print, and put in a binder.

Problem? I haven't opened that binder in a long time.

Maybe I should...No. I won't. Because if I were to do what I was thinking, I'd go get every technique I could find online and pin them to a Pinterest board. But if I'm not opening the binder, well, would I use the board either.

Today, many of those techniques are standard fare for me, and I don't really need them. Others I will probably never use because I don't really care for them. What to do. What to do. But one thing for sure...I don't need to start another organizing project! I need to get back to creating!

When I'm in the mood for doing a new technique or re-visiting one I've done before, I just take a whirl through the Resources section here on Splitcoast. There is so much there, I don't need to have techniques anywhere else.

I do that too but I've done the last fifty so I would have to go way back to find some I haven't done!

I save the picture of the card with the blog name where I found it and the date it was posted. If I need to refer to the instructions I will go to the blog and find the original posting. A lot of the time I will print off a picture of the card...not the blog name and date...and write down any instructions I deem I need (i.e. measurements I used etc.). I like the visual in front of my face because the monitor is too small and it causes pain to "turtle" (stick you neck out to see the monitor from the chair).

Cathy

I don't save blog links to cards anymore because sometimes people delete their blogs and then the link leads to no where. That makes me sad and then I kick myself for not saving some information.

I cut single layer cs into card size. I make a technique card. I write or type measurements and instructions. I paste a sample if possible. ( Usually just made with scraps) . For years I had these on rings, but am now into fridge bins for everything so i file them in one.
I do this when i see an idea in a magazine, from a picture I take at show, or from pinterest. This is easy, quick and efficient. I file into subjects. I.e embossing ideas or boxes, or fancy folds together. Hope this helps.

I too tend to use Pinterest, but have recently been toying with the idea of an Art Journal, just to try out new techniques. Then I could record, maybe on the back of a page, what I used/how I did it? I think this might work well, but it's still at the idea stage, lol.

When you get past the idea stage, Shaz, please share! This sounds like a great idea!

Just start at the last page of the archives and work backwards ;-)
Splitcoaststampers - Help (I know this says "Help",:roll:, but actually it's page 24 of the archived tutorials).


ruby-heartedmom makes a little ATC for each new technique. Some of them, folds, must be tricky to work out but I would LOVE so much to see her album!

This one sounds like an excellent idea and similar to the idea I used when I was a SU demo. Except mine were 6x6 pages in a little 3-ring binder

Thanks Sabrina! Got my first one done!


faux rimmed tags by muscrat - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

i love pinterest and you tube just can not live with out them :)

I have a binder with printed pages from Word. (so I have the backup in the computer if I mess up a page) I need to do that b/c I need to write directions for a 5 y/o. lol. I learned the hard way that what I assumed I would remember as "so obvious" wasnt a few months down the road. I have some samples stapled to the page.

Also I can suddenly have a junior senior moment and not remember something I normally know like the back of my hand. Or I just dont remember if enough time has passed. I cant tell you how long it took me to "get it" about dye vs pigment ink. I get very complicated things for work but sometimes this stuff just totally eludes me. I have a post it note on my desk lamp with standard card dims.

I have looked at that book repeatedly. Mostly it is basic stuff b/c I find most everything else is just ramping those up...so I make a note for variations on that page.

Unless it is about a product or product category. Then I am adding pages.

There is also always what I call YT university-I can usually find a demo there if I need to.

I like the idea of saving techniques in a journal, but it's so much easier using Evernote. I can easily search for just what I'm looking for or just browse through my Evernote technique notebook. It's nice that I can upload the web pages and they're not tied to a link, at least they don't to be since I can edit the text.

I use the cut-n-paste in word, clean up, then put in binder technique. I would like to use pinterest, but I find too many of my pins have dead-ends because they are too old now :-(

Because the newer techniques are more popular, its hard to get myself to go through the binder to look up something that was popular two years ago so my binder stays in the corner for longer periods of time. But when I need inspiration for a new project, i like to pull it out again and browse :-)

Evernote! I even store techniques in Evernote. Can you tell I love this program? I can save pics, snapshots, or website to Evernote. I do pay for the upgraded version, but it's money well spent IMHO.

I feel like dummy. I have downloaded evernote twice, but can not figure how to use it. Any advice on a tutorial that is easy to understand.

There's videos on YouTube, but I found just playing was easiest for me. I gave permissions for Evernote to access my photos and Safari in my settings. I use the iPhone and iPad app, there's an app for androids as well. When I want to upload a stamp set, technique, or any other document readable by Evernote, I click on the save to and choose Evernote. You'll be able to name and insert any text into the file before hitting the done button. You can edit the name or insert text directly into Evernote app after uploading too. Create directories and add tags in the application. Evernote reads the text in jpg, PDF, and text files. How cool is that? It even reads text from screenshots and web pages. Tags allow you to add something that makes searching for a file easier. For example, a word Evernote failed to read, like a written stamp sentiment it may have missed or misread.
You'll also get an Evernote email address and you can email anything to your Evernote email address. You can use any or anyone's computer or mobile device to email directly to Evernote.

It works the same way on my laptop, but I have to use the web version. You'll have a link that takes you to your files in the web version, can't use the web version on phones or iPads.

If you just play around, knowing delete is always an option, you'll be a pro in no time. Above is just a quick simplified explaination, hope this helps. BTW, sometimes the text in jpgs and other formats may take time to complete once you sync. Sync is the little circle icon that spins, showing its syncing, once you click on it. It's worth the time it takes to learn, and you'll use it for lots of things. Here's some of the things I keep in Evernote.

Receipts
Recipes
Every Stamp Set
Dies
Orders
Techniques
Documents
Gift Lists (ideas, web address, and pics)

Evernote Screenshots
 

Evernote Thumbnails (Things I Upload)
http://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...08ff929daa.png
Evernote Thumbnails (Things I Upload)
http://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...0f40e71151.png
Notice "love" in search box.
http://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...ea505b297b.png
Thumbnails of my files containing search word "love"
http://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...6323dfe0ce.png
I chose a file at random. Notice Evernote found "love", and highlighted it in yellow. This one just happens to be a technique file.
http://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...b7e0975bc0.png
This one is a Stampin Up stamp set I purchased.
http://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...dc9ac2156c.png

Annecards, thank you. I will give it a try. It sounds great and WOW you are a pro and so kind to go through so much explaining to me.

You're so welcome, my pleasure. You will master it!

I've tried the binders; and found I didn't like spending time printing off, organizing; and when the technique becomes old, it sits in the binder; and computer ink is expensive to print off everything; so prefer evernote and pinterest; to print off as using for a card

I love Heather Nichols' idea using Technique Cards:

Part 1: pine is here.: stamping techniques

Part 2: pine is here.: more stamping technique cards

Thanks Brenda! Heathers cards are awesome! I like having an actual binder in case power is out and I want to play to pass the time!

I have resisted techniques in general (especially the fold-y kind - they make me twitchy), but Heather's cards may have me re-thinking this. How badly can I mess up a 2 1/4" card? Of course, the fold-y ones will probably have to be larger and not in a binder, so I may still skip those... ;)

My concern is that if I don't have a list of techniques I forget what is available and up doing the same old same old. Many times I'll see a card and say "wow! I forgot about doing that!" I could look through a binder when I'm stale and need an idea. I may just keep two lists. One for card fold ideas and the other for technique ideas. If I list the names of those I can at least Google for ideas. And possibly I could add website addresses if I find specifics.

Some people make techiques recipe cards that are 6" x 6" (someone's husband makes holders with two rings that they hang them from) and swap them at shoebox events or some people make technique tags and hang them on a ring.