Organizing Your Sponges

Do you use sponges on your stamping projects? Do you wonder how to store them after you use them? Here’s a letter from another demonstrator’s newsletter:

Dear Mad Stamper:  I can't figure out what to do with my sponges after they have ink on them.  I have seen that some stampers keep them in divided containers, one for each color of ink.  That just seems like too much trouble, and meanwhile I never know if I am going to pick up a clean one or not!  What do you do?--Stumped

Dear Stumped:  I have chosen a very simple solution.  I have a small drawer I keep clean sponges in.  They don't look clean because they are stained with ink, but if they are in that drawer I know they are clean. After I use them they go to my kitchen.  Next time I do dishes, I drop them in the soapy water, squeeze a few times, rinse, and set out to dry.  When they are dry they go back in the drawer.  I haven't gotten them mixed up so far, and the system works for me. 

Another option is to collect the dirty ones in a lingerie bag, then the next time you do laundry, throw them in the washing machine.  When they are clean, just hang up the lingerie bag while the sponges dry.  I have thought about trying this, but have found it so convenient to do them in the dishwater that I never got around to it.--The Mad Stamper

I’m one of those stampers that likes to have everything organized, so I have a container for all of mine.

And they’re all labeled. I know, Obsessive Compulsive! I can’t help it!

Here’s another shot, just you can see how purty they are, all lined up!

You can do the same thing with Sponge Daubers. I only have one set of them, and I keep them in a small stamp case.

Next Month: Ink Spots