It's storage and organization week on the MFT Blog, which means that you get to see a LOT of storage option for your craft supplies! Today's post is on storing ink pads. How many ink pads do you have? I did a quick count and may have missed some, but I counted close to 350 ink pads, and that doesn't include the mini ink pads like my little Distress Ink cubes! It's no wonder that keeping track of all of the STUFF can be a full-time endeavor, is it? Now, I guess I'd better answer this question, since someone is bound to ask it: Does anyone really need that many ink pads? The answer is probably not; however, I've collected them over a period of about 15 years, and I often collected an entire set when I worked for different companies so that I could use that company's ink with that company's stamps. (Does that make it sound any more reasonable?)
How about some ink refills? I'm working on collecting the MFT refills these days, and when I get more, I'll need a better system of organization. I try to order a reinker whenever I order an ink pad so that I don't have to keep separate lists of what I have and what I still need.
Currently my MFT ink pads are living alongside my PTI ink pads in some repurposed Quikutz drawer units from which I removed the drawers. And, believe it or not, while I have a TON of ink pads, every time there is a color challenge, I'm missing at least a color or two to be able to participate! (That's when you get creative and use cardstock in that color, or Copic markers.) I can see that my little Quikutz cabinets will soon be filled to capacity, and I recently ordered a 120-pad ink storage unit that should take up about the same footprint on my desk, but hold half again as many ink pads.
I have several of the MFT dye ink pads, and several of the hybrid ink pads, but no pigment pads yet since I mostly stamp on paper.
I use my trusty Brother P-Touch labeler to put the name on the end of each ink pad, and it works pretty well. (Sometimes the rounded edges want to curl up at bit--I'm still learning the tricks!) The other thing that you may notice is that some of the names are upside down. I started putting labels on right-side up, then decided after a couple of months that I really wanted to store my ink pads upside down to keep the pad moist. I just need to switch out labels on my earliest ink pads that have their labels upside down.
More ink pad storage--chalk inks and miscellaneous pigment inks, mostly. (That doesn't count all of my Versamagic mini ink pads--the teardrop shaped ones, stored in a plastic drawer unit!)
And MORE ink pads--the ones that I don't reach for quite as often (unless I can't find a color in my currents batch.)
And yet MORE ink pads and reinkers. . . I think I have four or five of these acrylic containers from my very first foray into paper-crafting. (Bet my husband wishes I'd never gone to that party!)
I didn't include the mini ink pads in my quick count, but I do love and use these little Distress Ink pads. I smoosh them onto plastic and watercolor with them more than I actually stamp with them though. You may have noticed by now that I usually arrange inks in rainbow order--ROY G BIV. It's just the right way to do it. :-D
Here's an unusual view of my main work surface. Why unusual? Because it isn't usually this clean! I hope you get a chance to stop by the MFT Blog for a list of everyone participating in the craft organization posts this week; I know that I've seen some really great ideas, and I can't wait to have time to implement some of them!
Finally, I learned one more thing today as I counted ink pads. (I probably shouldn't admit this part, but I will just the same.) I have more ink pads than I need. Don't get me wrong--I'm still collecting ones that I DO need for work and will use! But I have at least a couple of sets that I use no more than 2-3 times a year. . . I've already emailed a sweet friend who is a blessing to a lot of women and asked her if she could use some of my extras with her ladies. It's a win-win proposition: I win some space, and she wins some ink pads! All of that to say that I'm glad that you "visited" my studio today. You encouraged me to clean house. :-) Thanks!
