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There is another thread discussing whether to use CD cases or binders and I have a different way so rather than hi-jack that thread I thought I would post this separately.
Here are the pictures, I'll post details behind them.
The box and the dividers all come from Office Depot. The Rubbermaid box is $5.99 so since it is rubbermaid they may have it at Walmart a little cheaper, I hadn't checked there because I buy the office supplies from my office at Office Depot and I bought all these supplies with my rewards card!! The dividers are found in the same area as the file boxes, there were 26 of them one for each alphabet and they are $4.99 a set. They are a heavy plastic so when I originally started this project my plan was to stick the SU image sticker on the plastic and then the new ezmounted stamps on the image sticker. That did not work too well it was like the ez mount stuck to the image sticker too well. It actually roughed up one of my ezmount mounts. So I thought about it further and decided that way wasn't good anyway because the index cards are bright pretty colors and it was hard to see the image sticker on them. At the same time I found info on a video tutorial I found somewhere that said the ezmount stuck perfectly with no disadvantage to the ezmount when applied to regular old packing tape. So I took white card stock cut it to the size of the index card, used my ATG gun and attached the card stock to the index card. I then applied the SU image sticker to the white card stock and then covered the card stock/index card with three strips of packing tape. The white CS makes the images so easy to see and the ezmount stick to the packing tape just like it would the CD case or the acrylic block. By the way the box is 6" tall x 9" wide x 5" deep.
I really love the system. I haven't yet unmounted my old stamps but everything new I get I mount this way. I currently have 2 boxes filled with 38 stamp sets!!! Wonderful for crops and the space savings as been unbelievable. The boxes weigh hardly anything either so transporting or grabbing out of a cabinet is a breeze.
Hope this helps someone. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks for sharing. I think I'll do something like this for my clear stamps. I currently do something similar to create the cards for my rubber stamps. I stamp the image on one side of a sheet and "laminate" both sides with packing tape. At first I stuck my stamps onto their stamped images and put them in clear cd envelopes. It then occurred to me that the envelope is clear so I placed the stamps on the back side of the stamped sheet in the spot corresponding to its image in the front. Then I placed the sheet into the cd envelope facing out so I can see what each stamp looks like without removing rubber from the sheet first. The envelopes are stored in alphabetical order of the stamp set name.
The best part of this system is that I can say all of my rubber stamps have seen ink (I save the sticker sheets for my inventory binder).
I haven't started on my clear stamps yet, but was thinking of doing something different from cd envelopes just so I can easily tell them apart.
...Wow. Wish I had thought of this when I was stripping my rubber from blocks. I saw a storage system very similar on someones blog the other day and I was thinking about trying it. What a fantastic idea!
Besides saving storage space, what other reason is there to unmount all of the stamps? Also, is it easy to get the unmounted stamps to adhere to an acrylic base? What about those itsy bitsy stamps? I love the idea. Thanks for your help.
This is really cool! I'm using CD cases right now for most of my stamps, but I have one binder (doesn't really work for me). I'll give it a try with my clear stamps that come in packages that hang. Those are currently thrown all together in a basket (also doesn't really work for me). Thanks for taking the time to explain the system!
This is exactly what I have been doing for almost 2 years now...though mine are a slightly different size card, and I laminate my cards instead of coating with packing tape. My experience with tape is that the adhesive deteriorates over time and the whole thing disintegrates. I bought 200 sheets of laminating film from Sam's for about $16. That is 400 cards.
I put my rubber on the *back* of the card, however. That way I can see the images way better...really helps with the sentiments stamps, KWIM? I put each stamp directly behind its stamped image on the front.
Quick question - how does the packaging tape compare to the clear plastic sheets? I know someone posted about a problem with the ezmount bonding to the sheets if you used the wrong sort of acetate/transparency sheets. I'm wondering if in time it would do this to the tape as well.
Quick question - how does the packaging tape compare to the clear plastic sheets? I know someone posted about a problem with the ezmount bonding to the sheets if you used the wrong sort of acetate/transparency sheets. I'm wondering if in time it would do this to the tape as well.
I wish I could find the video tutorial that I saw that made me decide to use this process but I've checked everywhere I thought it was and haven't been able to locate it. But I do remember specifically that the person in the tutorial had actually checked with the ezmount vendor and had been told that packing tape would not have the adverse affect that we've all been hearing about that acetate can cause. Mine have been setup now for about 6 months and I'm having zero problems............I know that's not long in the scheme of things but I guess only time will tell.
Besides saving storage space, what other reason is there to unmount all of the stamps? Also, is it easy to get the unmounted stamps to adhere to an acrylic base? What about those itsy bitsy stamps? I love the idea. Thanks for your help.
Caterina
Well honestly my main reason was space. I have a very small house, my crafting area is in my living area and the stamp sets were taking over the place. One benefit that has become a big one to me that I hadn't even considered when I was deciding to go this route, is the ease of image placement. I use to use the stamp-a-mig all the time, I find I use it rarely now. And I love being able to take huge assortment of stamps to crops easily with this method.
Well honestly my main reason was space. I have a very small house, my crafting area is in my living area and the stamp sets were taking over the place. One benefit that has become a big one to me that I hadn't even considered when I was deciding to go this route, is the ease of image placement. I use to use the stamp-a-mig all the time, I find I use it rarely now. And I love being able to take huge assortment of stamps to crops easily with this method.
Diane
Thanks, Diane. Still not sure about it mostly because of the problem I had in the past with having the rubber stamp fall off the acrylic base just as I was about to stamp on the cardstock making a mess of the card.
Thanks, Diane. Still not sure about it mostly because of the problem I had in the past with having the rubber stamp fall off the acrylic base just as I was about to stamp on the cardstock making a mess of the card.
Caterina
Maybe the acrylic blocks you use can make a difference? Or did you use something besides actual Ezmount before (I know there are other brands out there)? I can't imagine that ever happening with the ones I'm using now, they adhere so well that I'm able to rub them on the stamp cleaning pad and they don't even turn loose then. You actually have to lift an end to break the connection to remove them. But I certainly understand your reservations, that would be a huge problem!!
Diane
This is a great idea to store your unmounted stamps. I will suscribe to this....as one day I may have to unmount all my stamps once I have too many. I've been into it only one year...and I already have approx 70 sets!! TFS!!!
Cool idea. I saw something simliar posted here a few weeks ago. I am tempted to try this.
Caterina: If you are having problems with the stamps falling off the blocks, try cleaning the blocks with soap and water as well as cleaning the tacky part of the stamps. If the blocks or tacky part of the stamps has any kind of residue or dirt they lose their stickiness. But is easily remedied by cleaning with soap and water.
I love my unmounted sets and will eventually unmount my 200+ SU sets. It's a lot of work, but worth it if you plan to keep them or don't mind a lower resale value. Great space saver.
Well they are all in several boxes right now, I hate to throw them away but not sure what else to do with them........does seem a terrible waste! :(
Diane
Cool idea. I saw something simliar posted here a few weeks ago. I am tempted to try this.
Caterina: If you are having problems with the stamps falling off the blocks, try cleaning the blocks with soap and water as well as cleaning the tacky part of the stamps. If the blocks or tacky part of the stamps has any kind of residue or dirt they lose their stickiness. But is easily remedied by cleaning with soap and water.
I love my unmounted sets and will eventually unmount my 200+ SU sets. It's a lot of work, but worth it if you plan to keep them or don't mind a lower resale value. Great space saver.
Melissa,
Thanks so very much for the tip - will give it a try.
Have a blessed day!
Caterina
I guess you could sell them on ebay maybe... Not sure what to do with the unmounted wood blocks... But I am really toying with the idea of having all my stamps unmounted. You can have a ton of CD cases in a little CD storage crate and have everything on your desk. I wish Stampin Up would give us all the option of buying them unmounted. I think it would be kewl just to buy the rubber stamp and then mount them.
I am so close to unmounting all my Stampin up stamps and having them on easy mount in CD cases. Because the storage space saved is incredible and I dont reall plan to sell my stamps.. Even if I do sell them on ebay they will still probably sell even unmounted.
wow love that idea! I stre mine in binders and I have a few of the stamp and store ez mount pages but now I can make my own with divider cards, cardtock and tape! thanks!
That is a great idea. I have the hard acrylic hinged case, like the ones Flourishes sells and they are great. I converted my DVD tabletop turntable thingie and store them in that. BUT, I may use your system for the words/alphabet stamps.
Janice, I have a 19 month old grandson so I take the block and paint them for him to use as building blocks. My blosck reage from 2" square to 5 x 7 inches. I paind them solid, them either put alphabet letters or numbers on them (I stamp these or free handthem f I want largers sizes) or stamp images like trucks, cars animales and print (stamp) the name on it to use as teaching tools. I do wood crafting also so I made a box on wheels (with a rope attached to pull it) to keep the blocks in like the one that IKEA has. It is convenient for him when he comes to visit. He loves to sit on the lanai and "build" things. I am now saving up for one for him to keep at home too.
The 1" stamps are too small for his hands right now, so I save them to use later.
BTW I have used the cd box storage for years and am really excited about the card box storage. Even CD boxes take up space, but more important they crack and break when the kids I teach use them. I think the cards will work great for them. What size box did you start with??
I checked this link from Riverisis and did not find a video on card storage, only a product for storing in binders. Did I do something wrong?:confused:
Looks great.....I could never do the box though......too many stamps for that!
That's what I was thinking too. I have over 400 CDs so I think my stamping room would be overrun with the boxes. But I can see how this would be a great system if you only had a few sets.
Kimberly
__________________ "There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness." -- Dave Barry
I have to chime in--I unmounted nearly all of my stamps and it is so wonderful. I have them in a 3 drawer rubbermaid container that sits at the end of the desk--it is so much nicer-I have space for everything else. I absolutely love having them on the acrylic blocks--I can finally stamp exactly where I want!! I didnt have a clue what to do with all the wooden blocks so they got tossed, I have kept the plastic boxes for storage of other things--hate to throw things away, but I will keep all future blocks to do something with--love the idea of painted blocks--I might just have a grandchild someday!
__________________ Valerie in SCN2/12-O14/10 J14/30M43/30A34/30M43/31F47/40J102/312014-293/365
Do you use some sort of envelope to enclose each card?
I'm assuming not, but I wonder if the stamps would ever fall off the cards?
If you have more than one box, how to you categorize your boxes?
Thanks for sharing!
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!
No I don't put them in a envelope of any kind. And I've never had them fall off at all, they adher to the card just as securly as they do the acrylic block.
I have 4 full boxes now and one about 1/2 full. There are currently about 90 sets in the 4-1/2 boxes. I don't have any specific filing system I just add the newest stamp set to the back of the open box. I do have a binder where a copy of the image index sheet is put. In this binder I file in the same order as the catalog. These sheets are indexed by which box the set is in. So for example Wanted is in Box 3 Card D and that is what I write on the binder index sheet. So it's very easy to find the set I'm looking for. I love being able to thumb through the binder to pick what I want to work with.
My unmounted stamp storage solution.
