I never took a beginner’s class. I taught myself to stamp, and I learned about pigment inks versus dyes the hard way. I stamped some white glossy wrapping paper with gold and purple metallic ink and wrapped a Christmas present. It was beautiful! At least until I touched the ink... Needless to say, it smeared.
Have you ever looked closely at an inkpad? Did you ever notice that there is a difference between the construction of a pigment pad and a dye pad? Let’s take a closer look.
Pigment inks are thicker inks. They don’t dry very fast, if at all on some surfaces, so that they can be embossed. Pigments inkpads are manufactured using a foam type pad. The ink soaks into the pad, yet is available when you are ready to stamp.
Dye inks are thinner in consistency and will dry quickly on most surfaces. The felt in the inkpad keeps the ink from leaking.
Dye inkpads should be stored upside down. This keeps the ink at the top of the pad, which is where you want it to be when you are ready to use it. Pigment inks can be stored with either side up.
I like to store all of my pads upside down. That eliminates the need to stop and think, "Is this dye or pigment?" before putting them away. One could say that it is irrelevant, since I store them by brand therefore all the pigments are together, and the dyes are together. But this method works for me.
When I purchase a new pad and remove it’s cellophane wrapper, I take a Sharpie marker and write the color name on the end of the case. Since I keep them upside down in a shelf unit, I can see the color without having to remove the pad. 
There are literally hundreds of products available for storing inkpads. I use the same shelves I use for my wood-mounted stamps for my inkpads. These units are available from Bonnie’s Best (www.coilconnection.com). Reinkers are kept in the same type of unit.
You can scour your local thrift store for "old-fashioned" cassette tape holders. If you are lucky to find them, they are the perfect size for many inkpads.
For the on-the-go stamper, CDJ Designs (www.cdjdesigns.com) makes PortaInk cases. These totes look really nifty! They look great sitting on your workspace at home, keeping your pads and inkers handy. But when it’s time for Stamp Club, just grab it and go. 
Another product I like is the holder by Wisconsin Stamp Supplies (www.wistampsupplies.com). These simple acrylic holders keep your pads within easy reach. 
Lastly, Stampinktons makes an economical storage unit made from white corrugated board. They are designed to hold the larger Stampin’ Up pads, as well as regular pads with their reinkers. As an added bonus, the units are perfectly sized to hold the small and medium Sizzix dies.
Just remember: There is no right and wrong product to use to store your inkpads. Hopefully I have given you enough information to decide what’s right for you.
This article is Part 3 of an on-going series about storage and organization. Next month: Storing Un-mounted Stamps.
