Monday 10 May 2010

alfkseotu nkvnor


Oh look, another tale of my slovenly behaviour; imagine how smug you'll feel by the end of this post! Well, if my story hasn't set your teeth on edge or made you run as far away as your legs can carry you, that is.

Therefore, a preface: this with a warning: SLIPPER LADY - LOOK AWAY NOW!

Here's a lovely picture of a portion of my stamp shelves. This section is loosely deemed the 'alphabet section' and if it's not a foam set, and still in a useable box, then this is where it will live. Yes I have more than a handful, and yes, I use them a lot, and I love them. But and oh my, here's a revelation, I don't look after them properly. This is not a confession, it's a conversation piece - just so you know! As you may know, I conduct the odd workshop (and if you didn't know, where've you been? Everyone else is bored rigid by now). And as you realise, I use stamps a lot, and I am in the habit of making cards that have messages on the front. So alphabet stamps are a must. On the whole though, they aren't popular - concentration, spelling, neatness, correct pressure - all skills required to stamp in a staight-ish line and to increase the pressure, it helps to spell the message correctly. I completely get all of that.

What I don't have a problem with is the way I use and re-store them - once cleaned, they go back in their boxes. And as you can see, that doesn't necessarily mean in a particular order. Alphabetical, any way. Now this is probably a slightly peculiar thing, but it really doesn't bother me. Slipper Lady, on the other hand, gets an eye twitch and has to put them in alphabetical order before she can use them. I understand. I think it's hilarious, but I understand! I've taken to trying to relieve the OCD problem by arriving at the workshop with just the letter stamps needed....but to be honest, that's dangerous..mostly these are small stamps and they can go astray really easily. Check yourself though - does this make you twitch, or do you get that I'm just storing them in a box, like all my other stamps...they are loosely categorised on their shelves but certainly in no apparent order. I;m probably not going to change, it's too late, I'm too old, blah blah, but it is a matter of huge interest to me. Remember, I have an obsessive compulsion to lift foam pads from their sheets in a particular order and the thought of an ink pad without a lid for too long makes me panic....so how come I don't need alphabetical stamp order? b ns aiy urts. (I do not know). Help, any one - for me or the Slipper Lady, whichever is easier!


Recognise this fabulous artwork? Yep it's Linda's. I whinged at her for so long about wanting it that she eventually caved in and very graciously gave it to me. How lovely it is, and how generous of her. I may have changed the note - apparently she has a 'thing' to go to that she'd be really miffed to miss. Thanks Linda, really.

27 comments:

Mummylade said...

well, you obviously only need a very good excuse for not arranging them in order and here's one:
you make up new words each time you put them in the box (like in the headline to this post) and by doing that you will eventually create a whole language and you can sell that to Hollywood and they will use it in a new sci-fi movie and you will become horribly rich and famous. Eh, how about that?

Helen said...

I'd never really thought about this before, but I DO put my alphabet stamps back in the boxes in ABC order - not for any compulsive reasons but just to save time when I want a letter next time... I think! But then I clean my stamps as I go,(I know, we've done that one before!) so they just slots straight back in the gaps...
Love that artwork you nagged Linda into giving you!! Where's she going?!

Annie said...

Hmmm you have made me check out mine and they aren't in alphabetic order either. So there you go....I'm not such a neat freak either....bet that suprised you :-)
A x

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Think I have OCD, I like to have my alphabetical stamps in alphabetical order, strange really cause its not like its important but I do find them easier to use the next time if they are stored that way. I always clean my stamps with a baby wipe too after I have used them. Oh and inkpads must must have their lids put back on. Oh dear I do need to get a life lol... Tracy Evans x

Kaz said...

Funny you should blog about this as Lucy the Magpie used my alpha stamps on the weekend and I nearly freaked as they were put back out of order. I really didn't think I was that anal, but alas I am. You may laugh at me, I do not mind, you could even send the stamps so I can rearrange them if you like!! xxx

Charlie said...

My QK alfabeth dies MUST be in the correct order - but that's more to avoid loosing one. But I could easily live with these stamps. But don't EVER mix up my Copic pens!!! I need them in the correct groups and numeric order thank you very much. Aren't we a crazy group all of us??

Unknown said...

And there I have been having sleepless nights about the fact that you think I have two opened bottles of Glossy Accents on my desk at any one time ... with your comment I realised that I have issues!!! One of those bottles is Crackle and the other Glossy because I WILL not open a new bottle until I have used the very last drop of the old one :0) I have a thing about the order of my Pro markers too and I do store ALL alphabet items in alphabetical order ... but give me a stack of papers and I just chuck em in a drawer and rarely look or touch them again ... Hey Ho ... tis good that we are all different ... just don't ever ask to borrow my alphabet stamps ... EVER!!!!
P.S Loving that new note ... a LOT!

Paige said...

I love it!! mY friend comes over and sorts all my alpha stamps and dye's into ABC order in their boxes. Me... well they just go back in any old order where ever they will fit. loving that post it note holder!!!

Hazel (Didos) said...

LOL you made me laugh, hee hee. Mmm now that you pointed it out though I am off to colour index my promarkers. Oh no OCD must be catching!!!
Love the post it holder. Is Linda off to Ranger do you think!!! Hazelxox

Nicki said...

You mix up your letters {{{shudders}}} - oh, that is just so WRONG! The alphabet is a thing of beauty, it's nice and orderly and tidy and... omigod, I really need to get a life! My alpha stamps are all in perfect order (and all the right way up), and my scraps box has separate wallets for each colour... filed in the order they come in the rainbow. Yep, I am freakily organised - can't help it, I worked in a library for 9 years!

Nicki, :0)

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Phew, thank goodness, I thought I was going to have to decipher the code in order to make sense of this post ;)
Fab hanging thingy from the fab Linda - I'm jealous now!
My stamps aren't really sorted though in order to make a bit more room in the stamp drawers I'm trying to put some into a ring binder, but it's proving tedious as I'm having to punch holes in the laminated sheets I'm using and punching the first 2 holes is fine, it's lining up the 2nd 2 that's troublesome (th8is is for only a few of my stamps and I'm not keen on mounting all unmounted stamps onto EZ Mount 'cos I find it difficult to cut through with ease and have to keep cleaning my scissors and/or craft knife) Howeveer I do put my alpha stamps back in order :-/ I think perhaps most people are a little OCD even if it's just about 1 thing. I could tell you about me and pegs but think I've gone on long enough :)
Anne x

Chris said...

Doesn't bother me either :D, I have one alphabet set and it's the peg variety, they're all jumbled, upside down, you name it!

Sheilagh said...

My alphabets are in order, not OCD, lol you should see how untidy I am. But alphabets are alphabets, the need to be in order..Really the should..What you looking at me like that for? Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz...See? told ya..:o)

Sheilagh

Helen Laurence said...

I'm just sat having a chuckle to myself!! When I lived at home & probably right up until a few years back I was VERY OCD. You couldn't read or touch my magazine before me, you couldn't touch or watch my new video before me (didn't have dvd's then!) All notes in my purse (back when I had money before craftying lol!!) all had to the right way round 10's on 20's 5's on top of 10's. Back then i'd probably be cringing at your alphabet stamps, but I'm not I'm chuckling because although I have some major OCD issues still I do have my alphabet stamps upside down & in the wrong order...how weird!! I have found my CFS/ME has slowly taken its toll so I am too tired to care - with some things at least!!

Sorry I've not visited you in ages. What with the CFS/ME & knitting I seem to have had no time to craft or blog. I will try to WOYWDW this week as its all moved...not telling but you'll love it as you will never ever guess where its all moved too....make sure your sat down when you see my post on wednesday!!

Helen x
I have blog candy!!

Darcy Marshall said...

my alphas are all jumbled up, still covered in ink and then all squished higgeldy piggeldy in a big box. In fact the only things in my room that are in any sort of order are my promarker unit and my ribbon jars.

Linby said...

I haven't got any alpha stamps -oh no shock horror - just prefer to have the words already made! I spent ages working out the title of this post before reading it - lesson learnt, felt sure it was a code or written backwards etc.....
Linbyx

misteejay said...

Chuckling away here...only have foam alpha stamps and I know they are not in alpha order as they wouldn't fit in the box if they were.

My copics are in the order of the colour chart and woe-be-tide anyone who gets them out of order (thats if they are allowed to touch them in the first place LOL).

Toni :o)

mckinkle said...

Well stoooopid me didn't even get half way through your post before I had to check that each and every letter was present and correct in that box! How bad was that?!
Then I read on and wished I hadnt stopped to check them all!! So you see Julia, its not just the Slipper Lady!!

I do have all my PMs' in colour order according to their own colour chart and yeah, so what if my coloured card is all in colour order???? At least my buttons and ribbon lengths are all mixed up!! phew!!

Do you realise what you have started??!!

Keryn x

Angie said...

I'm strange ...clear alphabets have to go back in order but when it comes to those blocks if mini letters ...I put them back where ever they fit in. Any pens are just popped in their pot ...tried organizing but they only stay like that until I need to use them ...then they get mixed up ... so I've given up

Jan Hennings said...

LOL! Mine are just all over :)

Rosie said...

Um I haven't actually got any alphabet stamps either, or promarkers/copics. It appears I am missing something ... but feel sure I wouldn't be quite that anal about the letters in order though you'd definitely have to put them back in the box clean. There are some things I do get all OCD about, but am not admitting to them here!!

Pam said...

Im with you life is just too short to be sat sorting stamp into alpha order, although my OH is a bit obsessive all his CD's are in alpha order, he hangs his work shirts on different style hangers from his everyday ones he rotates his tshirts, underwear etc so they all get worn(takes a long time as he has over 100 shirts) and when he helped me reorganise my craft room the other week I noticed that he grouped my stamps in themes; they won't stay like that for long!!!!! Hugs Pam x

Carmen said...

My stamps are all chucked in a big metal former make-up box. I'm with you on this one. Though I hyper ventilate if the girls lose a lid off any of my pens - that includes the humble biro! *g*

Lucky you owning a piece of Lindas work - mucho pretty it is too.

Lyn said...

Breathe, Lyn, BREATHE, it's ok, it's ok, BREATHE!

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KEEP ALPHABET STAMPS IN ORDER? (and, yes,I'm shouting!)

Me? OCD? Have NO idea what you are talking about....

*breathes in, breathes out, breathes in, breathes out, breathes .....**

Unknown said...

I'm really with the slipper lady here Julia - having said that, i don't even own any alphabet stamps - I had one set and gave them my mum... prefer to pc generate my sentiments... (prob cos i'm crap at stamping)!!!

Anyway - IF I had any, I may even put them in order of the qwerty keyboard as I'd find them much easier - I hate it that my sat nav is in alpha order and not qwerty - I have to TYPE in a post code for god sake!!! Oops, sorry - went a bit off track!!!

Anyway, horses for courses and all that - wouldn't do for us all to be the same LOL

Now, I wonder if I pester Linda enough, I get to own a piece of her artwork.... :O)

Paula x x x

Anonymous said...

Holy Moly! I'm a neat freak! I'm shocked, but I do like to keep my alphabet stamps in alphabetical order. I'm very impressed that you're a rebel!

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