2020 in review and plans for 2021

2020 was a year of buying a new house, moving into it, fixing it, and buying new furniture and freezers (yes, that’s plural).   It was an expensive year. 

My main goal was to set up my fibre art studio and finish some projects. Covid did interesting things to that plan. By fall all the rug hooking conferences, workshops, and seminar had gone online. I ended up taking classes in September and October.  In September I was teaching fabric dyeing workshops as well.

Then November I pulled out my stamp collection again, with the idea of valuing it for dispersal in a new will. I also wanted to get rid of the deadweight in it - the CTOs.  And I wanted to sell off my general worldwide collection.

I didn’t sell or give away anything!  Instead I realized I had gained a couple of collections this year that needed integrating into my collection before I could see what I had. I am still doing that.

On top of that was the need for new wills, having moved provinces.  The lawyer asked if we had any items that needed special dispersal instructions, such as a stamp collection. I mildly panicked. I went home and searched online for inventory software. I landed on StampManage and decided to try it. The rest is history, as they say. 

I’ve been organizing and labelling my collection, as well as entering my stamps into StampManage. 
I’ve written a collection overview and dispersal guide, seeing as no one in the family wants my collection.
I’ve been sidetracked into having some fun with my collection, and did research on Canada’s #334, and wrote a short piece on it to be fleshed out with philatelic material as I find it. 
I rejoined a couple of stamp forums, and several online stamp websites. 

What’s in store for 2021?
I want to finish integrating the other collections into mine. 
I want to reorganize my Newfoundland stamps and put them in the album I downloaded from The Stamp Web.
I would like to upgrade a couple of binders. 
I’d like to start selling and giving away the worldwide collection. 
I want to focus on my worldwide textile/handcraft collection.
I’d like to properly sort out and mount the Canada Centennial issues.
I want to learn more about stamps and philately.

I am not an enthusiast for making New Year's resolutions but some general goals for my stamp collecting hobby are as follows and I will keep them in mind for 2021:

- I want to remain a worldwide collector but want to focus on one country/collecting area project until I am satisfied I can do no more with it, and move on. I have a tendency to start on small projects but don't complete them, and then leave them on my desk until I am tired of looking at them and clean them off into glassines, incomplete and unfinished.

- Put more items up for sale. I have not only a lot of dupes, but also, a lot of dupes of more desirable items that I know will sell, but I only sporadically put items up for sale and, so, don't sell anything but rarely. I can't sell my stamps if I don't post them up for sale. It is a logical axiom that I can't seem to take to heart.

- Finally get my "new" stamp room/office organized and get the cluttered shelves organized and walk-in closet cleared out and accessible. This will also mean putting other non-stamp items up for sale which has been an ongoing desire of mine and which will allow me to have a larger budget for buying stamps.

- Post more to my FB and Instagram pages.

- Now that I have started putting together videos, try to do something that is more interesting and detailed. Find a niche area of stamp collecting that others are not doing. Possible look at posting videos on Youtube.

2020... made a fair amount of progress getting stamps sorted and placed into Varios. Made more stamp pages (some of which I have since re-redesigned  )and increased my reference 'library'

what I didn't do was get to the GB penny red stars, although I acquired more

2021- as it  has now been proven i can work just as effectively from home, I expect the coming year will see me mainly work from home (which is just fine with me!)- and during the slow moments I can get some stamping done! but come 2021 I hope to:

-    complete my pages from Great Britain, Queen Victoria issues ( so i can truly know what i need)

-    make a major dent in plating penny red starts ( goes with the above)

-    Complete France Sage pages and then focus on the Ceres and Napoleon issues

-    Focus my purchasing on higher value stamps I need

-    Start liquidating those stamps (study lots) that have been gone through and those retained are mounted 

-    and maybe, finally let go of the recording equipment and turn the "studio" into a dedicated stamp room

-    and last, but not least, stay active on the forum and stay in touch!

Cheers

Stan
        

Not sure about StampManage......I like EZStamp a lot and covers more Countries and lots of Images and tweeks.......I respect each one's choice - 35,000 stamps inventoried in EZ and can change catalogs (works with Scott) and values etc.......let's not get into another thread of discussion here LOL


René

This year. Joined TSF and found several new collecting friends (thanks Kosmo).

Next year. Hope to write at least one article for the newsletter.

My very best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, 2021 with great stamp finds!

2020 started off great; I had gotten back into stamp collecting the summer of 2019 and I was buying world-wide by the pound and some of the more expensive US needed to fill in some holes. I was spending 5 or 6 hours every month cleaning aquariums, which brought in about $350 each month (most of that was used on my stamp and music hobby). After the virus hit I was unable to gain access to the fish tanks so my stamp fund was seriously depleted. During the down time I started sorting the 7 pounds of US stamps I purchased back in March.

In 2020 I started cataloging my collection into Colnect and Stamp Mate.

During these last few weeks I've returned to transferring my US stamps to the new albums purchased in 2019.

2021 might very well be when I finish getting things organized...or near completion. Though I doubt it!

First of all, since this is my first post in 2021 Happy new year to all of you. 

Then I had to find my 2020 list to see if I had reached some of the goals for 2020.

1. No, wingeling all over the place!
2. No, I din't really get into that ....
3. I think I could have done more. 
4. Not up to me to decide, but I'm still living with my lovely wife
5. No no no no

1. I have to reduce the 'areas' countries that I collect. I have started to reduce, need to reduce more.
2. Bay less moving boxes with stamps. In 2020 they have got more expensive and they contain less interesting stuff.
3. Bay more quality.
4. Get more control over my collection. This I have started in 2020 and I will continue tat work.
5. Get into regular training. (Need to do this as things are getting out of control)

Did we not do this last year ;-) It is like something out of Dinner for One and just like in the film, it is the "same procedure as last year".

For myself, 2020 was another year where the ups out-weighed the downs. There was much to be thankful for including the various fun activities, engaging friendships and a number of opportunities that presented themselves within my philatelic circles; broadening both my horizons and outlook.  I am fortunate enough to be engaged in a hobby that allows me to be in dual worlds at any given time, such is my imagination :-)


For now though, best wishes to one and to all for a joyful and prosperous new year!
Happy collecting!