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It seems like every company has now come out with the mini cube-size ink pads. I've been away from stamping for some time now and would like to get back into it. But I need to update some of my tools like ink pads. I would like to keep things condensed as much as possible and easy to travel with.
Has anyone switched over to using ONLY the mini ink pads with no regrets?
Which company is your favorite for the mini size pads?
Thanks!!!
__________________ Suzanne "Wear fabulous underwear even if you are the only person that is going to see it"
This is just me, I don't pretend to represent the majority on this:
I have some mini size pads that I bought to save money, and will probably do it again, but in truth I like a full sized pad. Anything I buy as a mini and then find myself using a lot, I eventually buy in full size.
To me, having all my pads as minis would be sort of maddening. And sort of depressing. Like having all my cosmetics and hair products in sample size. I know, weird. You'll get some less weird responses, I'm sure.;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
No, I have mini inkpads, but like to have the most used colors in the big ones. If you only use smaller stamps, you would probably be okay, but it would be really hard to cover a medium or large stamp evenly with the small ones, IMO. But for lots of colors in a little bit of space, I am happy with them! I like Gina K minis and Versafine Minis.
I also have a mix of large and minis, and prefer the minis. Maybe it's how a person inks up a stamp ... but I find the minis much easier to control and get the amount of ink where I want it.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
I'm another "as condensed as possible" person - in everything, not just ink pads! The only full-size pads I have are the black/brown/gray Memento and Versafine ones used for outline stamps that I'm going to color, and Distress Oxides (brand new - haven't played with them yet). I have Hero Arts shadow inks and all of the SU colors (except the last round of InColors) in mini size. The SU ones are a DIY deal. There has been a rare occasion here and there where the smaller size was a bit of a nuisance, but most of the time it's been fine. I don't use colored inks all that often, though, to be honest...
I have a lot of minis because they are easy to travel with, and I like to go to crops. The minis let me have a lot of colors, not a lot of price. But I do have several full size pads, especially of Memento and a couple of other black ink pads, because if I have to stamp a lot of images to color, like if I'm making multiple cards for a swap, it's a lot faster.
Also, all of my CTMH ink pads are full size, as are most of my SU (but I love the minis that come in the paper pumpkin).
Memento is my favorite ink in the minis. I feel I get the best coverage and best colors of all my mini choices.
I only recently started buying the mini sizes of inks (or ink spots to make my own) because of using my Misti so much. Seems easier to control the amount of ink sometimes.
I have a few mini's and they are okay for general stamping except:
1) large / outline stamps because I'm less likely to tilt the pad as I ink up a stamp and get it into open area's.
2) odd shaped mini pads because they are near impossible to replace a lid one handed which is very likely needed after inking up a stamp. The alternative is to set the pad down until I've stamped but that is an issue too because I ink with the stamp facing up so setting the pad down means trying to flip it over as I set it down, again one handed while holding the inked stamp with the other hand and I want the lid put back on as quickly as possible
3) because I figure a smaller pad will dry out faster. Even if you have a reinker, it is annoying to have to do all the time. More importantly if it dries out faster then you have defeated the purpose of saving $$ with a smaller pad because it is wasted by the constant reinking.
I don't consider myself a master stamper by any means*, but haven't noticed that my minis dry out any faster than the bigger stamp pads. The only problem with that, that I've ever had, is the minis with the fabric top layer (and not all of them have that). If a loose thread gets long enough to get caught in the lid when it's closed and I don't notice, it can wick away a lot of ink. (so now, I'm quick to trim any loose threads)
* so how much one person uses their stash may be very different than how much I use mine.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
My regular Distress inks except for 2 are minis, and very convenient for smooshing a small amount onto a craft mat, using more than one color on a larger stamp before spritzing with water, and storage. (These small, stacking box-tray things that fit into a drawer or on a table.)
The rest of my inks are a combo of regular and minis, naturally evolving over time. All Hero Arts and Altenew are minis. I have 8-10ish of each. My Versafines are all minis except for black and smokey grey. I lost my black mini and miss it - it's easier to ink sentiments and tiny stamps with it. (And how many times do I forget to buy one at an LSS?)
Sometimes I ink small parts of large, background or huge stamps so minis are handy. But the regular sized pad is easier for an entire background stamp.
I love both large and mini Versamarks.
I think this is such an individual preference, no right or wrong. You might want to try a few of each.
And I wonder if part of what we prefer *may* have to do with how we ink a stamp. It was drummed into my head to bring the ink pad to the stamp, not the stamp to the ink pad, so that became a habit. But if your method is to bring the stamp to the ink pad, it could be awkward to pounce a large stamp onto a mini. If that makes any sense at all? :rolleyes:
I have a majority of mini ink cubes. I do have a few full size ink pads, some Stampin' Up pads and Versafine Onyx Black ink, but I prefer the mini ink cubes. I bought some of the blank ones that SU sells and am planning on buying TH Distress Oxide ink refills to try and make minis of them. I hope that it works.
I have several companies in the mini cubes and store them in a 5 drawer jewelry clear case. I am limited on space and this allows me to have a large selection of colors. Love it. My large stamps are the common colors used with a few larger colors that I purchased over the years. (found the idea for the storage unit here on Splitcoast)
__________________ Mary Jo
prairiepapercrafter.blogspot.com
There are reinkers for Distress Oxides, but there won't be any minis of them. That's because they can't create the oxide "blend" below a certain liquid volume, and minis don't hold enough ink, so at this point they cannot make a mini for the oxides. But you can definitely buy reinkers, I have them. If you get them, remember to shake them up before use. They separate and look weird, and you have to reblend them before reinking.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I bought some Distress Oxide Reinkers on sale and then got some TH Distress It Yourself ink pads...they are blank and am going to make my own pads. I hope this works because I'm not sure if the blank pads are the same one used for the Oxide inks.
Mini Ink Pads questions...
