Organizing Your Ink Pads

 Crafting is a fulfilling hobby that allows us to express our creativity and make something beautiful with our own hands. However, it can be frustrating when we can't find the materials we need or when our crafting space is cluttered and disorganized. That's why having a well-organized craft room is essential to make the most out of our crafting time. In this blog post, we'll focus on one crucial aspect of craft room organization: ink storage.

Inks are an essential part of any crafter's toolkit. They come in various types, including dye, pigment, and solvent-based inks, and are used in a wide range of crafts, from card-making to scrapbooking and even painting. However, storing and organizing them can be a challenge, especially if you have a large collection of ink pads and bottles.

The first step in organizing your ink collection is to sort them by type. This will help you identify the inks you have and the ones you need to purchase. You can use clear plastic bins or drawers to keep your ink pads and bottles organized. Alternatively, you can use a tiered storage system to maximize space and visibility. I personally use Stamp N Storage as well as the Stampin' Up! modular units for my ink storage solutions. 

Another essential aspect of ink storage is to keep them away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Exposure to sunlight can cause inks to fade, while high temperatures can cause them to dry out. Therefore, it's best to store your ink pads and bottles in a cool, dark place. You can also consider using a dehumidifier to maintain a consistent temperature and humidity level in your craft room.

Labeling your ink pads and bottles is also crucial for easy identification. You can use a label maker or create your own labels using a computer and printer. Labeling not only helps you find the inks you need quickly but also prevents confusion when working on multiple projects. And of course Stampin' Up! provides multiple labels for your pads and our refill bottles have a matching color label to make identifying the correct bottle pretty simple. 

Finally, it's essential to clean and maintain your ink pads and bottles regularly. Ink pads can dry out or become clogged if left unused for an extended period. Therefore, it's best to use them regularly or store them upside down to keep the ink flowing. The great thing about Stampin' Up! ink pads, is they are automatically stored upside down when you see the top of the case. It's truly a genius design! You can also use a stamp cleaner or alcohol wipes to remove excess ink and keep your pads clean.

In conclusion, organizing your craft room can make a significant difference in your crafting experience. Ink storage is a crucial aspect of craft room organization, and following the tips mentioned above can help you keep your inks organized, clean, and easy to find. With a well-organized craft room, you can focus on what matters most - letting your creativity flow!

So, get those ink pads organized and Happy Stamping my friends,

So Many Black Inks!

 Hello,
I wanted to take this opportunity and piggy back off of my last post regarding the many different inks and show you the differences among the 3 black inks that Stampin' Up! carries in their line, as each of the inks server a purpose.
First is the water-based dye ink, Memento® Tuxedo Black ink. This ink is formulated to work with alcohol coloring mediums such as Copic® Markers or Spectrum Noir®, however, it doesn’t work especially well with water-coloring as it does react to water and will smear, making for a bit of a messy piece as shown here:

Memento Ink

Using the Aqua-Painter

Adding Alcohol based Ink marker

Next is the Archival Basic Black® ink. This ink is also a water-based dye ink, however, it’s formulation makes it a permanent ink that does not react to water and therefore can be used for water-coloring and it will not smear and get messy, however, it does smear and react slightly with the alcohol inks. As you can see here in the photo, you could probably use the Archival ink with your alcohol based markers if you were careful to remain within the lines because as you see here, there is minimal smearing of the black color.

Archival Basic Black Ink

Water-color with Aqua-painter

Using Alcohol Markers

Last but certainly not least is Stazon® black ink. This is a permanent solvent based ink that can be used on non-porous material such as glass, plastic, acetate and tile just to name a few. It is water proof but does react to alcohol based inks, as you can see here, with the aqua-painter®, the color remains true while the Blendabilities® alcohol marker color blended with the black ink creating a much deeper shade of Daffodil Delight! Because of the solvent base to the Stazon®, you do need to use Stazon® cleaner to remove the ink from the stamp also, otherwise, you will permanently color/stain your stamps and you should never use Stazon® cleaner on your photopolymer stamps as the material used to make photopolymer stamps will react to the Stazon® cleanser and break down the stamps and will shorten their life span, and if you are like me, you love your stamps and want them around a very long time. So, to be safe, I avoid using Stazon® ink with my photopolymer stamps and then I don’t worry about that, I can clean them with the normal Stampin’ Mist®

Stazon Jet Black Ink

Using Aqua-painter

Using Alcohol Marker

Stazon Cleaner

I hope you have found this helpful in selecting which black ink to use for which coloring technique you are using. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think and please, if you have any questions that you would like me to address here on the blog, just let me know in the comments below and thank you so very much for stopping by and spending some time with me.
Have a great day and Happy Stamping!
Katrina