Is 80 ink pads too many?
 

I don't feel like I have too many ink pads until it comes time to organize them. Several years ago I bought the entire collection of close to my heart ink pads. Those I can store fine in their ink pad holder. I just don't know how to store the other ink pads. No solution seems to hold the different brands. So, I was wondering if i have too many.

CTMH dye inks
colorbox chalk inks
tim holtz distress inks
some of the little inks that are brilliance tear drop shape
embossing pads
glue ink pads
of course memento.

The funny think is I mostly use my embossing ink pad, memento and tim holtz and chalk. I rarely use my dye ink pads but when you need them you need them.

"too many" is subjective. I think owning things that we do not use, that we have no way to store, and that detract from our ability to enjoy the craft is "too many." What might be too many for me might be just right or not enough for someone else.

This probably isn't very helpful but the first thing that came to mind! Good luck.

I have the space and use them but they are not stored well. THe small ones keep coming open. I can't keep the lids on the tim holtz ones to save my life

If you use all the ink pads, then no, not too many. If you Do Not use the ink pads, then yes, too many.

I have 2!

I hope not, because I probably have close to twice that many. I have all the SU craft ink pads, all the linen ones, and most of the foam ones. Plus assorted Staz-On pads, a few distress inks, various black inks, some CTMH inks... I admit I don't use them, but that's because life is pretty hectic these days. I keep hoping to get around to using them "one day"... I have them stored in 4 SU ink caddys, and have the room for them, so I've decided to keep them.

that's odd. are they the mini distress inks or the regular distress inks?

I put rubber bands around my inkpads to keep them from accidentally opening. As far as my distress pads, some of the tops are so tight fitting I can barely pry them open. Some are so loose that they won't stay closed. Oh, well, most the other pads i own are like that too. Hence the rubber bands.

Numbers don't register much with me. I have almost all of the SU dye inks. I have Tim Holtz. I have some pigments in little cubes and some Versamagic dew drops. And my go-to versamark and memento black gray and browns.

I use all of them, except the dew drops. I'm thinking of getting rid of those. Pigment inks have occasional needs so I'll keep them.

Think of what you use.

This will hold the different sized pads
Best Craft Organizer PortaInk Dual Swivel Traveler
Also get these to put in the slots for the smaller pads so they don't get lost in the back
Best Craft Organizer Ink Pad Inserts

I'm with Fionna on numbers.

What I did was I made swatch pages with cardstock and a small solid stamp (I use a 1" acorn). ie: I have all my dyes on a page and then sub-divided by color, maybe by mfg if you want. I write the color and mfg under it. I switched from copy paper b/c I get a more honest color read on the stock.

That way I can see how many of a color I have-so I can backfill what I'm missing and not duplicate what I already have-or get something too close. (I'm not into 14 shades of light blue for example.)

I share this b/c it really works to keep me from overbuying. Which is not the same as saying I dont get new colors. lol

I have the same problem with distress pad tops-it isnt you. It's worse since I store ink pads upside down (I was taught to, to keep ink to the pad surface). They stack well though-you just have to be careful how you pick them up and I am trained to that now.

I agree-keep what you use.

I have some Colorbox color wheels (like 8 colors in drop shapes in a circle) that I have not touched-and there are some cool colors esp in metallics. Doing the swatches pointed that out and now I will try.

NO, not too many, speaking as someone who can triple that number, and then add some!Actually, I just turned around and did a quick head count- 312, not including Dew Drops/Cats eyes/Colorbox. Its different inks for different projects, plus having different colours in the ranges. Also, because I love the DI's, every time he's added a colour, I have to get it! The only inks I don't use so much any more are my Pigment gold/silver/copper. Just because I don't do as much heat embossing as I used to.

I don't know how many I have. I have all the Distress. all the CTMH and all of the current colors for SU. Plus lots of Dewdrop size pads for Memento and Brilliance. Versamark, versafine in black and several other colors. I'm sure there are many more.

I have re-inkers for most of them.

I don't have that many, but I do have too many. I only use a few - mostly Memento black, brown (sepia), and grey - just because I mostly colour my images with Copics. I thought in the beginning I needed all the colours, but my style isn't with solid stamps & different coloured inks. I'll be moving soon, so I'll probably be selling those off in a garage sale this summer.

I have evolved in my stamping just like you, Cat. I have many colored ink pads that I bought when I first started, but hardly ever use any of them. I like to stamp in black and color my images.

I do have quite a few of the little small cubes from Studio G and others that cost about $1 each. I use them sometimes to ink the edges of cardstock, and they don't take up much room to store. If I ever get around to "purging" I will probably keep those small pads of color for that purpose.

It's not too many if you use them and have a place to keep them!

I use Stamp 'n Storage units for my ink pads - the Distress Ink holder is especially useful.

The dividers in the S'nS units are removable which I've found helpful - I've been able to use them to store other things as well by "customizing" them. I also have the 8-1/2 x 11 cardstock holder.

I too don't count any more, I've been stamping for too many years! When I used to teach, I even had extras of some for classes! I was a CTMH consultant, so.....yep, have all those pads, and now find I'm picking up certain SU ones that fill in gaps - probably have 5. I rarely buy a new pad, since I have so many, but over the years I still find I make background papers, emboss, watercolor, you name it, I use it; so I haven't gotten rid of them, because I still like to play!!

If you have unused pads, I would look on these threads or Google your brands and you would be amazed at what you can do with them, if you want to stimulate your creativity. If not, you can get rid of them or donate them to someone who will put them to good use. Either way.......have fun, that's the important part!

I say..........ONLY 80? Heck no!

For me that would be too many. I have reached a stage in my life where simplifying is more appealing than holding onto to stuff I might use "someday". I have purged so much stuff (creative and otherwise) in recent months and it feels so good.
I think if you don't have the proper storage for them (proper=easy access) then you might have too many. If you haven't used some in over a year or longer then you might want to consider letting them go. If you haven't used them in that long then you probably won't.

xayide2, I really like that option. I am having a hard time figuring out if i need the inserts? Does anyone know if this holds ctmh pads as well. the problem i currently have is the ctmh doesn't hold other brands

I just counted and since I have 85 ink pads I say no, 80 is not too many :) And that's full size, I also have a tub full of mini and cats eye pads too.

I "borrowed" (stole) my husbands old cassette tape holder and have most of mine store in that, it works perfectly.

Ooooohhhh ... I'm not counting, but I do have both the 48 +/- SU Craft pads, all of the SU dye ink pads in foam and also linen, plus other brands as well in various numbers. The ones I use daily are in SU pad caddies and a few fairly regular ones such as VersaMark, Memento are in a small plastic drawer storage at hand. All others stay away from air flow in plastic 'sweater'boxes or plastic 'shoe boxes'. I love having choices. ;)

If you use them, definitely not.

I just counted mine, I currently have 67 not counting cats eye and Colorbox multi pads (at least another 30) and there are quite a few I would like to add to my inventory.

I finally ordered myself some storage shelves from Scrap'N'Storage so I can organize them properly (anyone know how long shipping to Canada takes?).

I do use most of mine on a regular basis.

I definitely have too many ink pads. For this reason (and because I am moving in just a few weeks!) I am selling all of my 50+ SU inkpads, along with the reinkers and that huge honkin' color caddy that takes up so much room. (And no, I will not ship them to you, so do not PM me! Unless you live in the Pittsburgh area and want to know the date and location of my garage sale!) I realized that I was NEVER using them anymore, and they took up so much space at my craft desk.

I've decided that I really like little ink cubes for their easy storage and adaptability, and so I've purchased them all from PTI. I plan on buying some Distress Ink cubes and maybe some Hero Arts inks in the cubes as well.

I agree with Joan. It's only too much if you are not using it. That's a tough concept for us crafters to grasp because we often repeat the mantra of the hoarder in our heads: I might need that one day! LOL!

I have more then 115 ink pads from various companies. All I know is that I want more!!!!!

Last year I went through all my pads and did a comparison of the colors and kept only colors I know I use. I have multiple of colors depending on ink types (pigment, dye, & solvent) and duplicates for pad size (cube, cat's eyes, and full size pads). I was able to get it down to around 300. I don't feel like I have too many because they all get used at some point.

I have a variety of storage methods depending on the pad type. Small pads are in drawers and large pads are on my desktop. I do wish the Distress Inks had more secure tops. Of all my pads, they are the only ones with tops that don't seem to want to stay in place.

Well, you inspired me to index my ink pads and reinkers and get them organized, so thank you! (I have 164, if anyone was curious... I was curious!) I have my most used 'practical' colors in a desk drawer next to me. The rest are in stacking totes by brand, and reinkers are now stored with their inkpads instead of in a box all together. Much easier to use this way, especially with them cataloged. Here's how I did that, just for fun - these are 2" swatches, tucked in coin collection sheets.

http://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.spli...37ccc13315.jpg

While we are on the topic of inks. What brand works better with clear stamps? I was using my SU Ink spots this weekend and the ink kept pooling. It was very frustrating.

I find that dye ink does not work too well with clear stamps. It is water based and does not like to spread out on plastic. That being said certain brands of dye ink work better than others. The dye inks work very well with rubber stamps.

Some people suggest roughing up the surface of your clear stamps to give them some tooth to hold the ink. Personally I use pigment type inks with clear stamps. I also have good luck with the Archival Ink brand (which is water proof) and use it almost exclusively.

I have no experience with chalk type inks but I hear they work reasonably with clear stamps.

General consensus in threads seems to be chalk inkpads, although I find Versafine work well. Very 'wet' dye inks will pool on the stamp, such as DI's. Pigment inks work well too, because they are thicker.