Distress Ink Storage Solution

If you're anything like me you've tried several different ways to store your distress inks and the blending foam you use for that color of ink. I've had the inks all in a plastic drawer.  I've had them in their own box.  I've had them sitting in piles on my work table.  In fact, piles was my favorite way before I found this.  Piles kept them handy, but there was still the time spent rifling through the color coded piles to find the one I wanted.

Then there was the blending foam issue.  First, I had only one for each color family.  I didn't like that because for me it never failed that the darker colors still came through some when I wanted only a pale shade. Then I had a foam for most colors and I had them in their own labeled zip lock bag.  How much did I hate that method?  I can't even begin to scream loud enough in frustration!  The bags were slippery all piled together in a basket and I seemed to spend days looking for the foam I wanted.  This was not going to do, but what to do.

Someone mentioned in a post that they velcroed the foams to the back of the distress ink container. That seemed like a good solution except then the inks can't be stacked on each other without wobbling and falling if the pile is high. I kept trying to think of a solution.

One day as I'm browsing a section of Michael's that I rarely venture into, the solution was staring me down on an end cap. This hanging jewelry holder!  It looked like the sections were large enough to hold a distress ink.  I took it over to the scrapbooking section and voila...the ink fit like it was meant to be.  I have every current shade of DI except Tea Dye. They all fit in here and when I get the Tea Dye there is enough room in one of the bottom sections to cram 3 inks.

I could do the velcro thing too.  No more pesky zip lock bags to search through.  I placed the velcro so I could still read the ink color.

All it takes is one side of the velcro since the foams are designed to attach to the velcro of the ink blending tool.

The jewelry holder hangs on a low closet door right next to my work table.  Now, I can readily see the colors. I grab the ones I want to work with and easily put them back when I'm done. I love it! All I have to remember is to put the ink pad in the holder with the foam at the bottom to keep my fingers from getting inky before I'm ready.

Keep your eyes and mind open to all that is out there.  You never know when you'll stumble upon a good storage solution.

Comments

[Pat]

Brilliant!!

[xanax]

Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.Excellently written article, if only all bloggers offered the same level of content as you, the internet would be a much better place. Please keep it up!

[Mini P's Madness]

I just came across your post the other day and today I found a jewelry hanger. I've done tons of searching on the internet for ideas and considering the space I have (which is a corner in the living room) this was the best yet! I love it. thank you for the great solution. :)