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I have been threatening to reorganize my stamps for over a year. Or ..... maybe two years. I want to adopt the Jennifer McGuire pocket system but I just can't get started. It's totally overwhelming to me. Currently my SU stamps are all unmounted and in the DVD type cases that SU sells. All other stamps (and there are a lot) are in their original packaging.
I've bought the pockets. I need encouragement and words of experience and wisdom. Help me get started!!! What did you all do with the different sizes of stamps sets? Did you cut cardstock to fit the pockets? Did you laminate it? HELP!
I bought all 3 sizes of the pockets and failed terribly at guess-timating how many I would need; I had to make additional orders as time went on.
I purchased poster board (lots) and cut them down to fit as backing boards. This saved money but was time consuming do you might what to consider that if you're in a hurry.
I put the stamps/dies in whichever pocket they would fit; most are in the medium size. If there are matching dies I put them in the same pocket on the back side (some people like to keep their dies separate). I also label them with the label maker but I just use the company name and name of the stamp (I don't use the SKU #s like Jennifer does).
As I'm also a supply collector and part-timer crafter, I work on this whenever I have time and do what I had time for, such as, when I don't have time to cut up the poster board I just put the stamps in the pockets then eventually go back and add the boards, sometimes I'll make a stack of boards to have ready; I usually make the labels while watching TV at night. I have bin/baskets from the dollar store that I use to keep them organized by where in the process they are so I can just grab what I had time for. Right now I just have to cut up a few more boards then I'm onto dividing them into categories.
Organizing my stamps and dies has been eye-opening. I discovered I've forgotten what I have, I've noticed little trends in what themes I seem to gravitate to, and I've found that I like some things so much I've bought duplicates. Hopefully this organizing will stop that! Even with the process incomplete, its made it quite easy for me to find and use stamps and has made me more creative because I can see what I have now. I've also been able to see what I don't want anymore and have given those sets new homes where they will be appreciated.
I switched to the Simon brand small pockets when I needed some and they had a sale. I personally don't like them as they are smaller, tighter, stiffer, and the flap closes on the outside instead of tucking in. (The flap doesn't fit well if you try to tuck so I cut the sides at an angle and then trimmed it straight across so I can tuck. I won't be buying these again when they run out)
I say go for it and don't put pressure on yourself to get it done in 1 day (or 1 week). I think my stamps are actually happier, too!
Thanks for the encouragement!! I think I am making this much harder than it needs to be. I currently have a broken rib and thought I might be able to get started on this while sitting in my recliner healing.
This might be a personal preference, but I was not a fan of using Avery Elle pockets with rubber or cling stamps. I love them for my photopolymer stamps, but not rubber/cling. It made the envelopes feel too bulky and the stamps were squished. One of my cling stamps is actually permanently squished on the bottom and uneven because it sat in a tight space for too long.
So, my recommendation would be to just get one set of storage envelopes and see how you like them. If you don't like them as a storage solution, you could use the rest of them as a clear card envelope saver (so your lovely creations don't get dusty), or you could use them to organize paper scraps. If you have a fuse tool, they make a great clear shaker pocket (or just split them up and use as a general transparency).
Also, big yes on organizing being an amazing thing! When I'm too stressed out or too tired to make a card, I grab a box of random stuff from my stash and organize it. It's soothing and I always walk away with ideas of what to make next.
Elle --
How have you stored your cling stamps? I currently my SU stamps in their DVD boxes but my other manufacturers are in the original packaging and stored in big baskets. That packaging is falling apart and it's a nightmare finding anything.
This might be a personal preference, but I was not a fan of using Avery Elle pockets with rubber or cling stamps. I love them for my photopolymer stamps, but not rubber/cling. It made the envelopes feel too bulky and the stamps were squished. One of my cling stamps is actually permanently squished on the bottom and uneven because it sat in a tight space for too long.
I have my rubber stamps in the pockets and they're working fine for me - so far. Thanks for the tip, good to know. I'll keep an eye on them in case problems start to arise.
Vicki-
I have 6 SU sets that are in DVD boxes - since there are so few, they don't take a lot of space. The rest of my stamps are currently sitting in a couple of boxes, waiting to be organized. I've been looking at several solutions, but haven't found anything that clicked yet.
What I'm thinking of doing is making thin boxes out of cardstock or thicker patterned paper. They would give me that little extra room for the foam, but I could still easily stack them in a row of a basket. I can glue the stamp sheet to the front of the box and add a little tab with the name for easy flip-through. Plus, I can color code them by stamp type or by manufacturer.
I love the SU stamp cases. SU did advise not to store sticky side of their cling stamp directly to case. It will affect the cling side. It is supposed to be safe for polymer stamps to stick directly to case.
For both, I use the Duralar and add a piece of cardstock for support if needed.
Ah, Vicki...I don't want to be on the starting end of that project again. But I am sure happy that I did it. It really isn't hard...just time consuming.
So. I cut laminated cardstock sheets that were about 3/8 inch smaller than the pockets. They need the space for the pockets to go around the stamps. The stamps are actually mounted to that laminated sheet. I also rounded the corners with the corner chomper. They go into the pockets much easier that way.
The reason for NOT using the original index sheet that comes with the stamps is that you have no idea whether the plastic sheet is stamp-safe for long-term storage. I choose not to take the chance. Besides, I did separate my sets for the most part, although you don't have do do that if you don't want.
In addition I cut plain cardstock sheets the same size as the laminated sheet to use as an index for the pouch. I've been just dropping the sheet with the stamps into my MISTI and inking the whole batch at one time to stamp the index. Just in case you wonder how that works, my rubber and my polymer are on different sheets.
So. Two sheets, one laminated and one not. Index for the pouch is stamped on the one that is not laminated.
Late to the Avery Elle Pocket Party!
