MFT Creative Chat - Ribbon, Ribbon, Ribbon

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were asked the following questions:  

Show us how you store your ribbon.

What are your favorite types of ribbon?

Any tips or tricks on how to use ribbon on stamped creations?

Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.

Hello!!!  Welcome to February's Creative Chat for My Favorite Things :)  Are you ready to see my ribbon collection and how I store it?  Let's get right to it, then.  I sit at an L-shaped workspace, and this is what is to my right.

I showed you those little drawer units at this post back in December for our Creative Chat about embellishments.  On either side of them I have some of my ribbon and all of my twine stored on Ribbon Carousels.  The Ribbon Carousels are on a lazy susan platform and spin smoothly and silently.  I love them because they look so pretty and I can SEE what I have - I use what I see and what is accessible so this is a double plus for me :)

This is an original 4-post wood Ribbon Carousel on which I store all (or most) of my full spools of Ribbon - PTI, SU, CTMH, and a few others.

The Carousel on the left holds all my Divine Twine and The Twinery twine (this is an original 8 post wood model).  I store the two brands together by color family (Divine Twine on top - alphabetical order, what else? lol).  The Carousel on the right is the only model that is currently available (and currently on sale, too!).  It is made out of Marine Board Plastic with clear acrylic rods.  It doesn't look plastic at all, and is very easy to assemble and switch your spools around.  You can remove some of the posts to allow for more space for larger spools on one side while keeping the other side available for storage of more compact spools.  As of the taking of this photograph, I was storing some jute, MS twine, and some random cording on it.  Those lovely wooden spools, I also got from The Ribbon Carousel.  They are similar in size to a large spool of thread and you can store any ribbon or twine on them (you can also order your twine or jute spooled for a small fee).

I have a drawer unit directly below the counter with my Ribbon Carousels that holds additional yardage of ribbon.  I got the idea to use foam board pieces and hair elastics from Becca Feeken.  I bought the foam board by the sheet at Staples and using an exacto knife and my large quilting cutting mat cut it into 2" x 2.5" pieces.  I bought a giant package of "Scunci No Damage" hair elastics at Target.  They are multicolored - you can see them in this drawer off to the right side.

Colors.....

Neutrals......

Seam Binding....

Hmmmm, I thought there was actually punches in the 4th drawer - totally forgot about this!!!  This is a foam insert that was in a ribbon case that CTMH used to carry.  I removed it with the small ribbon spools and stuck it in the drawer and clearly forgot about it  :(

I keep my most recently acquired ribbons in the open in plastic containers on my desk surface, so that I will remember what is new :)  I usually order ribbon every 2-3 months, unless I run out; then I will put these away in their appropriate place. 

I felt so guilty for hiding all that CTMH ribbon and forgetting about it, that I promptly put it on my newest Carousel!!  Maybe I will use it now!

To answer the second question for this chat - what are my favorite types of ribbon?  I love twill ribbon - I find it the easiest for me to tie a bow (and the PTI saddle stitched ribbon ties great, too).  MFT also just started carrying grosgrain ribbon (and returned the coordinating cardstock to the store!!!).  I ordered some, tied a test bow and yep, nice & smooth - I wouldn't have expected any differently, though ;)  Oh, and let's not forget about seam binding - love it, especially for tying a double bow.

And the last question, any tips or tricks for using ribbon on stamped creations?  I always wrap my ribbon around the entire card front when tying a bow - you use more ribbon, but I find it much easier this way.  Joanne has a great video HERE on tying pretty bows.  If I am adhering a bow or ribbon to a card without doing the wrap around, I have recently started using Fabric-Tac and LOVE it.  My glue gun doesn't play nice with me, so this is a great option for me (it does have an odor though).  Red line tape (or Scor-tape) also works well for longer pieces of ribbon.  I also use Fabric-Tac for felt and it works like a dream.  There are so many ways to use ribbon on your creations, not just bows - use as borders, to make rolled flowers, for little banners, as tabs, thread narrow ribbon through a large button, and lots more.

Well, thanks for sticking with me!!  Remember to stop by Kim's blog to get linked up with the other designers participating today.  Have a great day!!  Teasers start tomorrow :)