I use lots of different types of ink in many, many colours and so I like to have the equipment ready to hand for when I change the colours.

And, maybe like you, I can't afford to go out and buy them at the prices in the shops.

So here's what I did.....

I bought a long length of wood form the DIY shop, that was
4.5cms wide by 2cms deep. (1 3/4" x 3/4")

I had the length of wood cut into small pieces, to make blocks that are 3cms wide (1 1/2") and had the top of each one drilled with a counter sunk hole.

I bought a pack of wooden cupboard door knobs and some screws.

Make sure the screws fit through the wood into the knobs, and assemble them together....

...and this is what you get.

A nice neat and easy to hold tool for all your needs...


but it's not quite finished yet....

For the next step you will need some strong stick on Hook and Loop tape, (Velcro) and a sheet of white felt.

You can buy the foam blending pads if you want to use water based inks.

Cut the velcro to fit the bottom of the block and leave it to set really hard overnight.

Make sure you buy the part of the Hook part of the Velcro that the felt or foam pads will stick to.

Cut the white felt into pieces that will fit the bottom of the block, and these will now attach to the velcro for you to use.

Or if you have the foam pads then these will just press into place.

The foam pads are better for blending Distress Inks and the felt is ideal if you like to use Alcohol Inks.

And there you have a whole lot of your very own blending tools for a fraction of the cost of shop bought ones.

(Any that you don't use for the Inks can be used to glue any small sentiment stamps on to and then they will always be on hand too.)

Store them together with your inkpads.

With a marker pen write, on the handle of each block, the colour of the ink you have used it for.

And save it just for that particular ink.

Now your colours will never get mixed.