RQOTD: How to pick a brand of dye ink pads?

I have a lot of cubes too.  I wanted full size pads that had a variety of core colors but not an overwhelming variety because I have a major case of full set syndrome.  I went with Gina K for a few of reasons: 1) Smaller spectrum of basic colors, 2) felt pad, 3) cost taking into consideration shipping charges.

I love Altenew inks but there are too many colors to get the full set.  I just don't have room for that.  I feel the same way about Pink Fresh Studio and Hero Arts (although HA seems to have streamlined their ink line).

When I got the Concord & 9th full size pads at Crop & Create, I found that I really liked the way the foam pads stamped.  However, I don't think they have a good variety of core colors.  I feel like they are severely lacking in orange, yellow, true blue and purple colors.

I've heard nothing but good things about The Stamp Market foam pads but I think they may be expanding their colors spectrum too much.  The last release just seemed like overkill of blue and greens.  They've also raised their free shipping threshold to $125. I know shipping is expensive but if I'm spending $75 with your company, I think you should give me free shipping.

Also, I have purchased a few Taylored Expressions full size pads in colors that I don't have in any other brand.  I really like their inks but they are felt pads.

One thing I cannot recommend enough is that you swatch EVERY one of your ink colors. Also, make sure you swatch on good paper not cheap paper. This will tell you which companies have the same colors.  It's my understanding that many ink colors are used by the same companies just branded differently.  If you don't swatch, definitely watch this Jennifer McGuire video:

www.jennifermcguireink.com/2014/03/video-ink-swatch-book.html

She has free downloads for most inks/brands and there is an editable file as well.

www.jennifermcguireink.com/2014/03/even-more-free-ink-swatch-downloads.html 

If you search ink swatch on her website, there are ton of other videos.  I cannot stress enough how great this swatch system is especially when creating.  

If I had it to do all over again, I might pick colors (from my cubes/manufacturers) that I like and buy full size pads in each giving me a wide variety of full size colors. If I had started mixing and matching full size pads from the beginning it may have cured my full set syndrome.  Picking from swatches would make this super easy.

I have maybe half of Simon Says Stamp Positively Saturate felt pads. They do require re-inking more often than dye pads. I own all of Gina's and Pink Fresh inks in cubes. But, want more full size pads.

I'm waiting on Pink Fresh to restock their full collection of full size pads and then plan to go with those.

I like their quads of colors, feel like the overall range is more manageable than Altenew (and I'm not a fan of their oval pads).

Gina's inks are great...but I'll stick with cubes for hers and use those for traveling to crops.

I fill in with other brands if I feel I'm missing a color.

Was one of those supposed to be dye instead?  Or am I having a reading comprehension fail moment?  Either is possible.

It is hard to figure where to start or end up, and usually ends up in the direction of what you are used to working with. Well, that's my theory, anyway.

My first inks were black inks and embossing ink. I didn't know what brand to buy, I went with what the gal whose videos I was binge watching used. So, a memento black ink pad and versamark, respectively. Then I started looking for card making videos, and landed among the Stampin' Up! crowd. On a whim, I joined just to get some product I was looking at, and over 3 years ended up with all their core inks and papers (they have 40 core colors, and I definitely have full set syndrome, by the way). Not that it is a bad thing, I actually like them. What I didn't like was their add 5 and take away 5 every year gimmick. So, I started looking at other companies, too. Right now, I just completed my distress inks and oxides pads collection (as far as it has gone thus far). I find myself loving the 72 color selection of Distress, but I also still love my foam pads from Stampin' Up! and I do a lot of mixing and matching. I figure I can get away with it with the Distress Inks and Stampin' Up! as they are all dye based. So far, so good. I haven't done too much with oxides, yet, though it is my understanding oxides blend better.

I don't know where Stampin' Up! orders their inks from, but they make the claim they manufacture just about everything in house, and I know they add a defoaming agent to their inks, maybe after receiving ordered product from an outside manufacture. Supposedly make their own paper too, but I think more it is more likely they order it up to specification and cut it in house. No clue, honestly.

So, between the Distress Inks and oxides and the Stampin' Up! inks, I'm ok with what I'm working with, but they are what I have learned with over time. If I go out trying Simon Says Stamps inks or Catherine Pooler or some such, I am likely to end up with another entire collection of inks. I'm holding off on that, and working with what I know for now.

As for stamp pad holders, I went with Best Craft Organizer Standard cases, and got three in white from Scrapbook.com, they hold my Stampin' Up! pads perfectly. They also hold my Memento, Versamark, and full sized Distress Archival pads (Tim Holtz Distress line is by Ranger). When I decided to grab all the Distress and oxide inks, I bought another three standard cases in black along with the short pad inserts to house the oxides. The Distrss Inks I got in the minis, so I have the tins for those, but I'll likely end up with the full size short pads eventually.

I have several brands I like and I buy by color not by brands (out of the brands I like). Concord and 9th has some great inks and so does versafine clair.