Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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I'd like that, for sure!
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Hi Les,
I think that would be a good idea too. We chat a lot here about how we like to mount stamps and how to identify them etc. I for one would learn a lot from you all by seeing how your favorite album pages look.
I'll add this request to the list.
Regards ... Tim.
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10:39:51pm
I agree that this is a great idea. Especially as a relatively new collector, I would love to see other people's album pages. Tim, would it be easier for you to just have people do this as a thread? Or is that what Les meant?
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This may not be my favorite album pages but it reflects how my pages look in the album.
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Perry
I admire your posts and the scans. You must tell me how you do it.
Regards
Les
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Hi all
I use the Steiner albums which costs $ 20 for the disc It covers every country in the world. It is based on the Scott albums without the Scott numbers. You can print off duplicate pages where for instance you can have mint stamps on one page and used on the other. There is also a way of printing off a page inserting your own description at the top
Regards
John
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Les,
If you read my article: CREATING A STAMP BOOK, It explains how I make my books. The only change I had to go to the 1 & half inch books because of so much material. By saving my pages in my computer I can change page design as I acquire new items.
SAMPLE PAGE
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perry, dumb question... Which are you using (mounts or hinges) for the stamps? (and what are you using for the covers?)
Reason I ask.. i'm not liking my current set up for my Hungarian stamps.. and was thinking some DIY's might be the right thing for me..
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The great thing about this hobby of ours is that you can do it any way that you want. I am particularly fond of a program called AlbumEasy, which can be down loaded along with documentation from http://www.thestampweb.com. AlbumEasy enables you to create your own album pages using a file of parameters that you build using a text editor. Obviously this option is not for everyone, but I love the flexibility that it gives me to create the album page the way that I want and group the stamps anyway that I want. The following are three examples of pages that I have created:
The next page is an example of fitting in non-standard sized stamps.
And the third page gives you a better look at how it can look with gaps that still need filling.
Regards ... Tim.
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I use Shogard mounts to surround the stamp(s) and insert them inside clear acid free acetate sleeves to fit the books. Each sleeve contains two paper printed pages back to back to show page separation. The covers are in acetate sleeves cut to fit and mounted exactly like the stamps. I use Scotch double stick REMOVABLE tape for easy removal in case I need to redesign the page at a later date.
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One of our members, Ray Garnett, asked if I could load this page for him.
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Here's a link to my US album pages that I have been working on - this is still under construction therefore open for suggestions.
http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b58/samcam61/US%20Album%20Images/
Earlier I used Adobe Pagemaker 5.0 but later I traded it in for Adobe InDesign ver 5.0 and this is a wonderful software for designing pages once you get used to it.
The album is designed keeping in view the limitations of my collection - I have tried to bunch together the Special Reprints, Very High value items, rarities, etc on single pages at the end of relative period so that the album pages wouldn't look like having too many gaps. And as I do not collect coil pairs, booklet panes or plate number blocks I have left these out.
The album will be in six or seven parts with an exclusive part for the Airmails in which I will be having spaces for on cover usage also. I always like to read a bit about a particular stamp in my collection therefore I am accumulating data on US issues and this is taking time in finishing the album pages.
If you have any difficulty in opening the album link than please let me know.
Here is an image not posted at photobucket:
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Saleem I really like the use of the image of the variations of rare stamps on your pages, wish I would have thought of that. I will borrow that idea for my pages. Great addition and very nice looking pages you have. Perry
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07:38:58pm
All the pages posted here are beautiful! Thank you all for the ideas and keep them coming!
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Don't you just love all the different styles of album pages. I love seeing what other people are doing with there album pages. As Lisa say, keep them coming. I love this hobby.
Regards ... Tim.
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05:13:55pm
I just started making my own album pages. I was very hesitant to try to use mounts because of my unsteady hands and I was afraid I would make a mess of things. A friend of mine suggested using clear mounts, that way I didn't have to worry if the mount wasn't perfectly centred.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share the following pages I made. I'm just using MS Word to design the pages. Using 65lb Beige paper that looks like parchment to give it a personal touch. I just measure the stamp and then make the box a bit bigger, all just using tables. I made one table as a template and then just copy it to wherever I need.
It may not be fancy but I think they look pretty good.
Kelly
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Well done Kelly, they look great. How heavy does the paper feel? I got some archive quality paper but it is too light.
Regards ... Tim.
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05:43:18pm
Beautiful, Kelly! And I love the paper!
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Great job! The nice thing about printing your own pages is that if you make a mistake, you can always print another page!
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06:28:27pm
Tim,
The paper is perfect. It's card stock, not flimsy but not hard - just perfect. I'm placing the sheets into heavy duty sheet protectors so that my pages are back to back. This is one of the reasons I also went with the top opening mounts - they're easier for me to handle and no worries about the stamps slipping because they are in the protectors. Even with it being 65lb paper, the back to back still leaves room in the sheet protectors for air circulation. Even just using one single sheet, you could easily use it as a stand alone in your album without fear of being damaged. With the back to back in the protector, it's about the thickness of a double sided Vario.
I'm quite impressed. I like the parchment design. The white paper is just too much and this gives it a nice "me" style.
From the "history lover" in me, I'm creating articles on each specific event. So, at the beginning of each decade will have the history articles as well as each issue and issue date. So I'll have sort of an index and cross-reference system inside my album.
I bought the paper (250 sheets) at Staples and really cheap as well. I'm amazed at this because I figured my ability to use mounts would be hopeless. I bought a special paper trimmer at Michaels that is so easy to use and I have no problems with anything slipping. It actually has a wire that shows where the cut will be so with the clear mounts this makes it even easier. I can leave the stamp in the mount, then line up the mount against the top edge of the cutter (I can't see a straight line and I can't feel the texture of the mount to know if I'm actually holding the mount) and then I just slide this little plastic thing up to the top and voila! The mount is cut.
My friend was absolutely right about using the clear mounts for me, even if they go over the black box I make, you can't see them. Looking at what I've done so far (6 pages! LOL), if someone didn't actually know that I can't centre the mount, they would never be able to see if it wasn't.
Lisa - thanks
Michael - you are absolutely right about that! I learned that the first four attempts at printing! LOL
And using the MS Word program is just so easy - I just centre the entire document, write up what needs on it and paste the already created table (I just measure each stamp and then make the box the right size, so far so good) and off I go into la-la land 
Thanks everyone for your thoughts on the pages
Kelly
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06:40:55pm
One more for the road - I kind of like this one too
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06:59:47pm
That's fabulous too! I use Word or Excel to make my pages, too. When you say that you use tables, do you use tables with just one cell? Or is the whole page a table? I use text boxes and put a border on them to outline the stamps.
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07:51:17pm
Just make a table with one column, two rows. Then inside the top row I make another table that is just one row, one column and then click on border to choose your border width/design etc. I just use a single line border with 1.5 point. Then make sure you make the big outside table borderless so that it won't show up when you print.
On my last page, I leave this table and then copy it and paste it when I'm making my page.
Then when you measure your stamp, you just click on the black bordered box and make it the dimensions you need.
Hard to explain, but I hope that helps?
If you want to put two stamps side by side, just paste a copy of the table beside the other one. When I have 3 stamps to the set, I put two tables side by side and two underneath. Then merge the two underneath and they become centred. I keep my entire document set on centred and I don't have to worry about something getting thrown out into left field somewhere.
Kelly
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Kelly, sounds like you could write an article about how to create album pages!
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09:07:02pm
There's a great idea Michael. Now you've got my little brain working. I like to do things from scratch so that's why I'm glad I am able to use the MS Word for the pages.
K.
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Thanks for reviving this thread Kelly. It’s fun to see how different people approach their pages. Here are a couple of mine that I made when I was on a Pacific Ocean kick. They were made using Microsoft Word. I printed on 90lb paper and used Showguard mounts. (Most of my collection is not nearly this elaborate. But sometimes with topicals I get the urge to fancy it up.)
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Kelly and Heyralph,
Those are nice looking pages.
Alyn
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09:34:50pm
Thanks Alyn.
Ralph - great write-up! I originally started my DDR design with write-ups included within the album pages but then I realised that some of my write-ups were over a page long and there would not be any stamps in that section until the very end! Then there are others with the definitives that obviously don't need a write-up once the person has already been identified. That's what gave me the idea to do an "article" section at the beginning of each year. So I moved all my write-ups to a different file and will work on them at leisure. I also realised that if I waited until I was finished my write-ups, I'd never get the stamps mounted! LOL
I love seeing how people design their pages.
Kelly
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Here are a few of favourites that I have come up with. All the pages were designed with Album Easy.
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Nice Alyn! Very inspiring.
Kelly – Yes…the more detailed the write-up and layout work the fewer stamps get mounted The bulk of my thousands of stamps are on Vario pages with printed notes slipped in alongside stamps and sets. But it is nice to slow down sometimes and really focus on just a few stamps. I do find the detailed topical write-ups get a nice response from non-collector friends and family. I like your DDR pages – I was just recently working on some Leipzig Fair material myself – a very interesting theme.
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10:43:39pm
All of these are really beautiful pages! Thanks for the info, Kelly, and believe it or not, I did understand it! You defintiely should write an article. I have tried some other software to make pages but I find that using Word is easiest.
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08:13:22am
Indeed. Many computer users often overlook the tools they already have. Word (and my fav, WordPerfect) is a powerful and many faceted program that has a myriad of usages beyond writing letters and making labels. We all ought to explore the features which often set idle on our computers.
Bobby
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Everyone posting some great sheets. Ralph, Those are fantastic. I wish I had more time to devote to those kinda write-ups and making my own pages.
Clayton
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I've enjoyed seeing these creative album pages, too.
Have more album covers, ring binders, stamp scribblers than I would like to admit. Have sent more preprinted album pages to recyclables than is humiliating to think about. Have spent more $$$ mounting and remounting stamps than is worthy of record.
My excuse for not designing my own album pages is the lack of inexpensive and understandable software for my Apple laptop ( and I decline to give that company more of my money).
Won't live long enough to redress all my grievances but, my smallest album, in stamp numbers, is Winston Churchill, and I may have a go at emulating the superb pages that our foregoing members have created. HP is flogging an all-singing-all dancing electronic ensemble that it guarantees even I will become a book publisher.
Beautiful pages, beautiful stamps. Thanks for the eyeful, comrade members.
John Derry
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Hi Guys,
Those are really beautiful pages. Is it possible for you to devise a step by step (what to do and where to click) instruction manual that we could download and print? You could sell it on the auction. I know I'd be happy to buy it.
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One of the neat things that’s clear in this thread is how many different ways there are to use software to make album pages – and we’ve barely touched on all the possibilities. There are specialized software packages for free or purchase, and virtually any word processing or desktop publishing software can be used. Even when two people are using the same software (MS Word), they are likely to take a different approach – that’s the case here where Kelly and I are both using Word but she is using the tables feature and I’m using graphic boxes. I’ll be happy to put together some tips showing how I made my pages and it sounds like Kelly is thinking of putting something together also. The more the merrier.
Ralph
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People learn to use software like Word or WordPerfect different ways, and are better using some functions than others like tables versus graphics. I think a help sheet on the different ways that people create the pages, and with the different software, is a great idea to cover the different ways that people use the programs.
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Although I would like to see and hear how other people are putting together these amazing album pages I have to provide a similar caution as HeyRalph. The differences between Microsoft Office 2007 and 2012 are enormous. Also there are various versions of the same software, Home, Student and Professional. Unless you have the Professional version you don't have all the bells and whistles.
For the Microsoft fans amongst us I would highly recommend Microsoft Publisher for creating album pages or even web pages. If you would like to see what Publisher can do before you buy it sign up at Lynda.com for a couple classes. I think a month worth of as many classes you can take is about $30.00.
I am inspired.Keep posting those album pages.
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07:10:23am
Yes, I'll put together an article on how I create my pages.
Kelly
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Someone posted a response about using MS Publisher to create pages. I have an add-in application designed by a stamp collector in Japan that will create album page designs using MS Publisher. You need to have the MS Office versions 2007 or 2010 to make it work. I'd be glad to send it to anyone who would like to give it a try. Just shoot me an email. Here is a screen shot of the business part:
And here is a couple of sample pages created:
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Here's a suggestion for the SOR community... has anyone considered adding a "downloads" for these kinds of pages, so that anyone who creates album pages (and would like to share them) could easily do so? I make my own pages and would LOVE for someone else to get some of the benefit... except that I use scott #s on my pages and would have to strip them all out before they could be posted. But I could easily start saving a "no scott #s version" to share.
I understand that it would add to the storage burden of the SOR website & that may be too expensive. But on the other hand, it may help bring some new collectors in, which is good for everybody.
Just a thought...
BG
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Beautiful Pages Everyone
lee
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10:53:04am
Excellent idea BG! You might request a license from Scott (Amos Publishing) to send the pages as is - sometimes they feel generous and do such things. Make sure you get it in writing (if email, print it out with full header).
Unfortunately, I use stampalbums.com (Bill Steiner) for my pages and their copyright under which I made my purchase does not permit sharing anything (although there are FREE downloads for US issues from 2005-2011).
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I use Bill's pages as well, but only to get the frame sizes. Everything else is changed... I add descriptions and captions to each stamp, change the type, add stamps, etc. I was lucky enough to get a disk that had the PageMaker files on it, and just the other day upgraded to a used copy of InDesign 3 for $200. I'd want to clear the sharing of my pages with him first, of course, but I don't think he'd mind too much.
I may ask Scott, but they used to be very tight with their numbering system. Still, doesn't hurt to try. I greatly prefer albums with the Scott #s and descriptions visible. Plus it makes it much easier to value and sell when the time comes.
Best
BG
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02:15:43pm
BG - where I'd you get the discounted copy of InDesign 3. I've been looking for software that allows me to edit pdf's and can't find anything that's not overly expensive.
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@ Terry
Absolutely terrific Kurland bisect cover. I am really not an expert, but this got to be a $1,000 cover (?). Did you have it expertized? I am sure you know about the history of the provisional. I know a little bit about the Kurland situation, German troops cut-off by the Soviets in the Latvian Hinterland, establishing provisional airmail service etc. I think this is just such an enormously interesting and probably rare piece, you really should show it off in a new topic and share the story. How did you even find this?
Stunned,
Arno
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07:51:57pm
Hey guys - what do you think of this for a basic album page? I'm just going to *gasp* hinge my stamps according to design and denomination for now. I suppose I could do the black boxes for each one or just simply hinge them and figure out how to make sure they all come out in a nice even row.
I don't want to put too much work into it but I still want it to look nice. So what's your vote on it?
Kelly
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09:38:03pm
Is this one better than the one above? I'd just need to change the box directions for the upright ones.
Here are both of the styles. For those of you who wonder - I use Word and to create the basic page took me about 5 minutes and to create the boxes, took about 10 minutes for the first page and then I just copied the page and changed the column width and then individually changed each of the rows size. Then simply copied the last two columns to create the 4 column vertical which took about 10 minutes. So it's pretty easy to create an album page. My more detailed pages with writing take about 15 minutes to create the template and then it's just a matter of putting in the writing. When I've got a page with numerous sizes of stamps, it could take up to 30-45 minutes depending on number of stamps per page, but generally it takes a lot less time than that.
Kelly
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Most women know that they way to a man's heart is through his stomach. However, for some guys, the way to their heart is through trains!
Nice pages, Kelly. They are both good. One for singles, and the other for multiples like pairs, block and even covers.
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10:42:57pm
Thanks Michael - great idea
I'm glad my trains can excite others 
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When I started designing my own album pages and exhibit, I included borders, thinking that they would visually "contain" the stamps and covers. Which they did. And they looked nice. Then one day I had a cover that fit on the page horizontally, but overlapped the border on both ends, and didn't look at all nice. Since then I've dumped borders.
Bob
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I design my own pages as well. Here's my latest. Working on filling in Italian East Africa for my worldwide airmail collection.
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I would like to make a suggestion. How about having a section where we could upload favorite pages from our albums.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Hi Les,
I think that would be a good idea too. We chat a lot here about how we like to mount stamps and how to identify them etc. I for one would learn a lot from you all by seeing how your favorite album pages look.
I'll add this request to the list.
Regards ... Tim.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
01 Jun 2012
10:39:51pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
I agree that this is a great idea. Especially as a relatively new collector, I would love to see other people's album pages. Tim, would it be easier for you to just have people do this as a thread? Or is that what Les meant?
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re: Favorite Album Pages
This may not be my favorite album pages but it reflects how my pages look in the album.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Perry
I admire your posts and the scans. You must tell me how you do it.
Regards
Les
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Hi all
I use the Steiner albums which costs $ 20 for the disc It covers every country in the world. It is based on the Scott albums without the Scott numbers. You can print off duplicate pages where for instance you can have mint stamps on one page and used on the other. There is also a way of printing off a page inserting your own description at the top
Regards
John
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Les,
If you read my article: CREATING A STAMP BOOK, It explains how I make my books. The only change I had to go to the 1 & half inch books because of so much material. By saving my pages in my computer I can change page design as I acquire new items.
SAMPLE PAGE
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re: Favorite Album Pages
perry, dumb question... Which are you using (mounts or hinges) for the stamps? (and what are you using for the covers?)
Reason I ask.. i'm not liking my current set up for my Hungarian stamps.. and was thinking some DIY's might be the right thing for me..
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re: Favorite Album Pages
The great thing about this hobby of ours is that you can do it any way that you want. I am particularly fond of a program called AlbumEasy, which can be down loaded along with documentation from http://www.thestampweb.com. AlbumEasy enables you to create your own album pages using a file of parameters that you build using a text editor. Obviously this option is not for everyone, but I love the flexibility that it gives me to create the album page the way that I want and group the stamps anyway that I want. The following are three examples of pages that I have created:
The next page is an example of fitting in non-standard sized stamps.
And the third page gives you a better look at how it can look with gaps that still need filling.
Regards ... Tim.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
I use Shogard mounts to surround the stamp(s) and insert them inside clear acid free acetate sleeves to fit the books. Each sleeve contains two paper printed pages back to back to show page separation. The covers are in acetate sleeves cut to fit and mounted exactly like the stamps. I use Scotch double stick REMOVABLE tape for easy removal in case I need to redesign the page at a later date.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
One of our members, Ray Garnett, asked if I could load this page for him.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Here's a link to my US album pages that I have been working on - this is still under construction therefore open for suggestions.
http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b58/samcam61/US%20Album%20Images/
Earlier I used Adobe Pagemaker 5.0 but later I traded it in for Adobe InDesign ver 5.0 and this is a wonderful software for designing pages once you get used to it.
The album is designed keeping in view the limitations of my collection - I have tried to bunch together the Special Reprints, Very High value items, rarities, etc on single pages at the end of relative period so that the album pages wouldn't look like having too many gaps. And as I do not collect coil pairs, booklet panes or plate number blocks I have left these out.
The album will be in six or seven parts with an exclusive part for the Airmails in which I will be having spaces for on cover usage also. I always like to read a bit about a particular stamp in my collection therefore I am accumulating data on US issues and this is taking time in finishing the album pages.
If you have any difficulty in opening the album link than please let me know.
Here is an image not posted at photobucket:
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Saleem I really like the use of the image of the variations of rare stamps on your pages, wish I would have thought of that. I will borrow that idea for my pages. Great addition and very nice looking pages you have. Perry
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
23 Jun 2012
07:38:58pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
All the pages posted here are beautiful! Thank you all for the ideas and keep them coming!
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Don't you just love all the different styles of album pages. I love seeing what other people are doing with there album pages. As Lisa say, keep them coming. I love this hobby.
Regards ... Tim.
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02 Feb 2013
05:13:55pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
I just started making my own album pages. I was very hesitant to try to use mounts because of my unsteady hands and I was afraid I would make a mess of things. A friend of mine suggested using clear mounts, that way I didn't have to worry if the mount wasn't perfectly centred.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share the following pages I made. I'm just using MS Word to design the pages. Using 65lb Beige paper that looks like parchment to give it a personal touch. I just measure the stamp and then make the box a bit bigger, all just using tables. I made one table as a template and then just copy it to wherever I need.
It may not be fancy but I think they look pretty good.
Kelly
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Well done Kelly, they look great. How heavy does the paper feel? I got some archive quality paper but it is too light.
Regards ... Tim.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
02 Feb 2013
05:43:18pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Beautiful, Kelly! And I love the paper!
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06:19:46pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Great job! The nice thing about printing your own pages is that if you make a mistake, you can always print another page!
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
02 Feb 2013
06:28:27pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Tim,
The paper is perfect. It's card stock, not flimsy but not hard - just perfect. I'm placing the sheets into heavy duty sheet protectors so that my pages are back to back. This is one of the reasons I also went with the top opening mounts - they're easier for me to handle and no worries about the stamps slipping because they are in the protectors. Even with it being 65lb paper, the back to back still leaves room in the sheet protectors for air circulation. Even just using one single sheet, you could easily use it as a stand alone in your album without fear of being damaged. With the back to back in the protector, it's about the thickness of a double sided Vario.
I'm quite impressed. I like the parchment design. The white paper is just too much and this gives it a nice "me" style.
From the "history lover" in me, I'm creating articles on each specific event. So, at the beginning of each decade will have the history articles as well as each issue and issue date. So I'll have sort of an index and cross-reference system inside my album.
I bought the paper (250 sheets) at Staples and really cheap as well. I'm amazed at this because I figured my ability to use mounts would be hopeless. I bought a special paper trimmer at Michaels that is so easy to use and I have no problems with anything slipping. It actually has a wire that shows where the cut will be so with the clear mounts this makes it even easier. I can leave the stamp in the mount, then line up the mount against the top edge of the cutter (I can't see a straight line and I can't feel the texture of the mount to know if I'm actually holding the mount) and then I just slide this little plastic thing up to the top and voila! The mount is cut.
My friend was absolutely right about using the clear mounts for me, even if they go over the black box I make, you can't see them. Looking at what I've done so far (6 pages! LOL), if someone didn't actually know that I can't centre the mount, they would never be able to see if it wasn't.
Lisa - thanks
Michael - you are absolutely right about that! I learned that the first four attempts at printing! LOL
And using the MS Word program is just so easy - I just centre the entire document, write up what needs on it and paste the already created table (I just measure each stamp and then make the box the right size, so far so good) and off I go into la-la land
Thanks everyone for your thoughts on the pages
Kelly
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
02 Feb 2013
06:40:55pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
One more for the road - I kind of like this one too
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
02 Feb 2013
06:59:47pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
That's fabulous too! I use Word or Excel to make my pages, too. When you say that you use tables, do you use tables with just one cell? Or is the whole page a table? I use text boxes and put a border on them to outline the stamps.
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
02 Feb 2013
07:51:17pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Just make a table with one column, two rows. Then inside the top row I make another table that is just one row, one column and then click on border to choose your border width/design etc. I just use a single line border with 1.5 point. Then make sure you make the big outside table borderless so that it won't show up when you print.
On my last page, I leave this table and then copy it and paste it when I'm making my page.
Then when you measure your stamp, you just click on the black bordered box and make it the dimensions you need.
Hard to explain, but I hope that helps?
If you want to put two stamps side by side, just paste a copy of the table beside the other one. When I have 3 stamps to the set, I put two tables side by side and two underneath. Then merge the two underneath and they become centred. I keep my entire document set on centred and I don't have to worry about something getting thrown out into left field somewhere.
Kelly
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09:05:03pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Kelly, sounds like you could write an article about how to create album pages!
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
02 Feb 2013
09:07:02pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
There's a great idea Michael. Now you've got my little brain working. I like to do things from scratch so that's why I'm glad I am able to use the MS Word for the pages.
K.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Thanks for reviving this thread Kelly. It’s fun to see how different people approach their pages. Here are a couple of mine that I made when I was on a Pacific Ocean kick. They were made using Microsoft Word. I printed on 90lb paper and used Showguard mounts. (Most of my collection is not nearly this elaborate. But sometimes with topicals I get the urge to fancy it up.)
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Kelly and Heyralph,
Those are nice looking pages.
Alyn
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
02 Feb 2013
09:34:50pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Thanks Alyn.
Ralph - great write-up! I originally started my DDR design with write-ups included within the album pages but then I realised that some of my write-ups were over a page long and there would not be any stamps in that section until the very end! Then there are others with the definitives that obviously don't need a write-up once the person has already been identified. That's what gave me the idea to do an "article" section at the beginning of each year. So I moved all my write-ups to a different file and will work on them at leisure. I also realised that if I waited until I was finished my write-ups, I'd never get the stamps mounted! LOL
I love seeing how people design their pages.
Kelly
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Here are a few of favourites that I have come up with. All the pages were designed with Album Easy.
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Nice Alyn! Very inspiring.
Kelly – Yes…the more detailed the write-up and layout work the fewer stamps get mounted The bulk of my thousands of stamps are on Vario pages with printed notes slipped in alongside stamps and sets. But it is nice to slow down sometimes and really focus on just a few stamps. I do find the detailed topical write-ups get a nice response from non-collector friends and family. I like your DDR pages – I was just recently working on some Leipzig Fair material myself – a very interesting theme.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
02 Feb 2013
10:43:39pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
All of these are really beautiful pages! Thanks for the info, Kelly, and believe it or not, I did understand it! You defintiely should write an article. I have tried some other software to make pages but I find that using Word is easiest.
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
03 Feb 2013
08:13:22am
re: Favorite Album Pages
Indeed. Many computer users often overlook the tools they already have. Word (and my fav, WordPerfect) is a powerful and many faceted program that has a myriad of usages beyond writing letters and making labels. We all ought to explore the features which often set idle on our computers.
Bobby
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Everyone posting some great sheets. Ralph, Those are fantastic. I wish I had more time to devote to those kinda write-ups and making my own pages.
Clayton
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The past is a foreign country, they do things different there.
03 Feb 2013
01:48:03pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
I've enjoyed seeing these creative album pages, too.
Have more album covers, ring binders, stamp scribblers than I would like to admit. Have sent more preprinted album pages to recyclables than is humiliating to think about. Have spent more $$$ mounting and remounting stamps than is worthy of record.
My excuse for not designing my own album pages is the lack of inexpensive and understandable software for my Apple laptop ( and I decline to give that company more of my money).
Won't live long enough to redress all my grievances but, my smallest album, in stamp numbers, is Winston Churchill, and I may have a go at emulating the superb pages that our foregoing members have created. HP is flogging an all-singing-all dancing electronic ensemble that it guarantees even I will become a book publisher.
Beautiful pages, beautiful stamps. Thanks for the eyeful, comrade members.
John Derry
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Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
04 Feb 2013
03:30:54am
re: Favorite Album Pages
Hi Guys,
Those are really beautiful pages. Is it possible for you to devise a step by step (what to do and where to click) instruction manual that we could download and print? You could sell it on the auction. I know I'd be happy to buy it.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
One of the neat things that’s clear in this thread is how many different ways there are to use software to make album pages – and we’ve barely touched on all the possibilities. There are specialized software packages for free or purchase, and virtually any word processing or desktop publishing software can be used. Even when two people are using the same software (MS Word), they are likely to take a different approach – that’s the case here where Kelly and I are both using Word but she is using the tables feature and I’m using graphic boxes. I’ll be happy to put together some tips showing how I made my pages and it sounds like Kelly is thinking of putting something together also. The more the merrier.
Ralph
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02:29:25pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
People learn to use software like Word or WordPerfect different ways, and are better using some functions than others like tables versus graphics. I think a help sheet on the different ways that people create the pages, and with the different software, is a great idea to cover the different ways that people use the programs.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Although I would like to see and hear how other people are putting together these amazing album pages I have to provide a similar caution as HeyRalph. The differences between Microsoft Office 2007 and 2012 are enormous. Also there are various versions of the same software, Home, Student and Professional. Unless you have the Professional version you don't have all the bells and whistles.
For the Microsoft fans amongst us I would highly recommend Microsoft Publisher for creating album pages or even web pages. If you would like to see what Publisher can do before you buy it sign up at Lynda.com for a couple classes. I think a month worth of as many classes you can take is about $30.00.
I am inspired.Keep posting those album pages.
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
05 Feb 2013
07:10:23am
re: Favorite Album Pages
Yes, I'll put together an article on how I create my pages.
Kelly
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Someone posted a response about using MS Publisher to create pages. I have an add-in application designed by a stamp collector in Japan that will create album page designs using MS Publisher. You need to have the MS Office versions 2007 or 2010 to make it work. I'd be glad to send it to anyone who would like to give it a try. Just shoot me an email. Here is a screen shot of the business part:
And here is a couple of sample pages created:
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09:55:34am
re: Favorite Album Pages
Here's a suggestion for the SOR community... has anyone considered adding a "downloads" for these kinds of pages, so that anyone who creates album pages (and would like to share them) could easily do so? I make my own pages and would LOVE for someone else to get some of the benefit... except that I use scott #s on my pages and would have to strip them all out before they could be posted. But I could easily start saving a "no scott #s version" to share.
I understand that it would add to the storage burden of the SOR website & that may be too expensive. But on the other hand, it may help bring some new collectors in, which is good for everybody.
Just a thought...
BG
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re: Favorite Album Pages
Beautiful Pages Everyone
lee
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
07 Feb 2013
10:53:04am
re: Favorite Album Pages
Excellent idea BG! You might request a license from Scott (Amos Publishing) to send the pages as is - sometimes they feel generous and do such things. Make sure you get it in writing (if email, print it out with full header).
Unfortunately, I use stampalbums.com (Bill Steiner) for my pages and their copyright under which I made my purchase does not permit sharing anything (although there are FREE downloads for US issues from 2005-2011).
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11:12:43am
re: Favorite Album Pages
I use Bill's pages as well, but only to get the frame sizes. Everything else is changed... I add descriptions and captions to each stamp, change the type, add stamps, etc. I was lucky enough to get a disk that had the PageMaker files on it, and just the other day upgraded to a used copy of InDesign 3 for $200. I'd want to clear the sharing of my pages with him first, of course, but I don't think he'd mind too much.
I may ask Scott, but they used to be very tight with their numbering system. Still, doesn't hurt to try. I greatly prefer albums with the Scott #s and descriptions visible. Plus it makes it much easier to value and sell when the time comes.
Best
BG
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
07 Feb 2013
02:15:43pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
BG - where I'd you get the discounted copy of InDesign 3. I've been looking for software that allows me to edit pdf's and can't find anything that's not overly expensive.
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re: Favorite Album Pages
@ Terry
Absolutely terrific Kurland bisect cover. I am really not an expert, but this got to be a $1,000 cover (?). Did you have it expertized? I am sure you know about the history of the provisional. I know a little bit about the Kurland situation, German troops cut-off by the Soviets in the Latvian Hinterland, establishing provisional airmail service etc. I think this is just such an enormously interesting and probably rare piece, you really should show it off in a new topic and share the story. How did you even find this?
Stunned,
Arno
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
09 Jul 2014
07:51:57pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Hey guys - what do you think of this for a basic album page? I'm just going to *gasp* hinge my stamps according to design and denomination for now. I suppose I could do the black boxes for each one or just simply hinge them and figure out how to make sure they all come out in a nice even row.
I don't want to put too much work into it but I still want it to look nice. So what's your vote on it?
Kelly
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
09 Jul 2014
09:38:03pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Is this one better than the one above? I'd just need to change the box directions for the upright ones.
Here are both of the styles. For those of you who wonder - I use Word and to create the basic page took me about 5 minutes and to create the boxes, took about 10 minutes for the first page and then I just copied the page and changed the column width and then individually changed each of the rows size. Then simply copied the last two columns to create the 4 column vertical which took about 10 minutes. So it's pretty easy to create an album page. My more detailed pages with writing take about 15 minutes to create the template and then it's just a matter of putting in the writing. When I've got a page with numerous sizes of stamps, it could take up to 30-45 minutes depending on number of stamps per page, but generally it takes a lot less time than that.
Kelly
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09:44:11pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Most women know that they way to a man's heart is through his stomach. However, for some guys, the way to their heart is through trains!
Nice pages, Kelly. They are both good. One for singles, and the other for multiples like pairs, block and even covers.
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
09 Jul 2014
10:42:57pm
re: Favorite Album Pages
Thanks Michael - great idea
I'm glad my trains can excite others
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re: Favorite Album Pages
When I started designing my own album pages and exhibit, I included borders, thinking that they would visually "contain" the stamps and covers. Which they did. And they looked nice. Then one day I had a cover that fit on the page horizontally, but overlapped the border on both ends, and didn't look at all nice. Since then I've dumped borders.
Bob
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re: Favorite Album Pages
I design my own pages as well. Here's my latest. Working on filling in Italian East Africa for my worldwide airmail collection.
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