Language of Friendship

Back in January I posted THIS card that was a case from Chat W.  I never did get around to including it in a class before the stamp set - Punch Potpourri - retired.  Now that Language of Friendship is out (main catalogue, page 101, Wood Item 122750 - $19.95 or Clear Mount Item 122752 - $14.95) I remade the card using it.

I stuck to my original colour scheme of Marina Mist and Cajun Craze with Whisper White because I love how they go together.
Stamps:  Language of Love, Swirls & Curls Verses
Ink:  Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Marina Mist
Paper:  Marina Mist Patterns DSP
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Old Olive
Other:  Marina Mist Satin Ribbon (retired can use bashful blue instead), Bird Builder punch, Boho Blossom punch, Antique Brad
  Whisper White - 8.5 x 5.5
  Cajun Craze - 5-1/8 x 3-7/8
  Whisper White - 4.25 x 2.5
This stamp set - Language of Love - comes ready for punching.  It matches the Bird Builder punch (page 213, Item 117191 - $22.95) and the Boho Blossom punch (page 210, Item 119858 - $22.95).  The stamps even come in the formation you need to match the punch!  You can't get much easier than that.  I always order the Clear Mount stamps and once I get them ready to use, I cut them apart!  I know, GASP!!  But it allows me to stamp only the image I want when I want, or use the whole image together punch ready.  I will show you what I mean.  Here is my Language of Friendship stamp set and how I get it ready for me to use.
Here is the stamp set ....

As you can see, the flowers and the bird/wing/branch are all set up for the Bird Builder and Boho Blossom punches.  This is how I keep my stamps inside the case.

I always keep the entire rubber that comes with it so I know when I put away the set, that I have all the stamps.  This came from a hard learned lesson.  I have one stamp set - Tote-ally Tess - that I lost one of the stamp images from.  She has very small stamps that go with her, and I believe it got swept into the garbage along with some stuff from my craft table.







In this picture you can see how I cut apart the flower image into 3 pieces so I can stamp any of the images separately.  Because they are clear mount, I can place them all on an acrylic block and stamp them all at once then just punch them out with the Boho Blossom punch.








Here is the bird image and how I cut that one apart.

And, finally, I have been asked how I keep track of all of my stamp sets.  Well, when I get them in I assign a number to the stamp set - you can see this in the picture of the stamp set box above (well just barely).  In the top right hand corner there is a number (you can just see the bottom of it).  I use a label maker and mark the number on the front and side of each stamp set.  I get a photocopy of the stamp label and it goes into a book that has all the Stampin' Up! stamp sets I have ever owned in numerical order.  Each of the stamps gets a tiny number on it too so I know which stamp set it comes from just incase one gets misplaced, or I have lots of them out during a creating session!  Here is what the bird/wing/branch image looks like with the numbers on it.

This numbering system has saved my buns more than once when I have stray stamp sets.  Also, when someone asks me which set a particular image comes from, I can go to my book and tell them, and show them the rest of the images from that set.  Also, I take most of the sentiments out of each box and group them together - Birthday - Thank You - Love - Sympathy - etc.  Makes it easier to decide what sentiment image I want, and allows me to put the sets back together when they retire.
Yup, I am anal retentive that way, but the system works for me.  I also have an excel spreadsheet that lists all my stamp sets numerically so when I want a particular stamp set, and can't remember the number, I just search it out on my database, then go to my cupboard and voila, there it is!
Sorry to be so long winded today, but I needed to answer a few questions that have been floating around out there unanswered.
Happy Stampin' ....