A: I have dye reinkers in my stash that I purchased at least 12 years ago, and they're still fine - they've outlasted some of my inkpads, which were exposed to humidity overseas. Pigment or chalk inks tend to settle and separate over time in their bottles - if you're able to shake them back into their proper state they should be fine. The concern over time would be the solvent (water or alcohol) beginning to evaporate, as it can do in inkpads, rather than the dye or pigment going bad. Be sure to store your bottles away from light and humidity, too.

A: Most of my stencils and texture plates are stored in hanging file folders, and they're separated by category. Some of the categories are botanical, nature, repeating patterns, tiles, architecture, textile, and seasonal. Larger stencils that don't fit in folders are hung on a cork board with pins.

A: When you choose inks for a project, just be sure that they don't have the same solvent as the medium you'll be coloring with. If you plan to watercolor you'll want to use an ink that's not water soluble, so avoid dye inks. My favorites for watercolor are Archival inks and Stazon - both of these are permanent and dry quickly, and they don't react with water.

A: I've had the best results with soft watercolor paper that has some cotton content - the Fabriano Medioevalis stationery cards are my favorite. A little spritz of water before embossing can help the fibers of the paper stretch and conform as well.

A: I tend toward organza and silk ribbons most often - they are less bulky and keep cards easy to mail. Seam binding is easy to customize by dyeing with inks, powders, or markers - if you scrunch it up when wet, it has a nice vintage look as well. Organza and satin ribbons can be heated gently with a heat tool for some neat effects. I got rid of all the grosgrain in my stash - I found it too bulky for bows, and just not practical for mailable cards.