Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Stamp Storage- my solution

I have- I hate to admit- THOUSANDS of stamps- how to organize it all with all the things I still keep collecting becomes an issue- Space is always a premium so I have been unmounting for several years now and I have to tell you I LOVE it! However there has been several discussion forums on SCS and other sites re: safety of CD cases with clingmount which has been my choice for mounting my stamps- I am concerned that if unmounted in envelopes or bags that the image will get squished and distorted somehow- I've destroyed some stamps having them lay about and having something on top and having the imprint of something permanently imprinted on the rubber- not good- so I like the hard case of CD's. The thin clingmount will allow deeply etched stamps like SU to sit without the opposite side of the DC case touching the rubber. Thin clingmount from Harry at Rubberstamp Concepts offers the best deals on it if you buy bulk.

I cut a piece of paper with stamp images and insert it into what would be considered the "front". Inside the stamps are mounted onto the EZmount Stamp storage panels from Sunday International- again the best price I could find- 10 for $3.49 plus tax and shippping and on the back side I stick on the index images from the stampset. On the spine I stick the label on so so that the "front" in on the bottom so the stamps sit on the storage panels.


By doing it this way I can have a whole mess of stampsets close to me so that I don't have to get up in the middle of stamping to see what sets I have to fit what I am doing. Try stacking this many stamps in the regular boxes and you will have a tower that undoubtly will topple over regularly. I put a 1/4 inch strip of white paper that I am always cutting off to highlight the name of sets- my Christmas sets have a strip of red paper behind it so I can tell- Fall/ Halloween is orange- you get the idea.
Best acrylic handles to use with these? basically whatever you can afford. My favorite? Close to My Heart with grid vinyl attached for perfect placement each time.
I llike being able to see through my handle to place my stamps and even with rubber stamps this works really well.
Just my humble opinion.
Lynda

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