EASY DOES IT: RIBBON STORAGE

One vase: This one was a forgotten relic in the back of a closet.

One two-part round plastic ornament: It has to be large enough so it doesn't not fall into the vase; fill it with small items (this one has twisted threads and silk flowers).

Various types and widths of ribbon to fill the vase: I wrapped the ribbon around three fingers to form a sloppy ball and placed it into the vase, leaving a long end dangling over the rim of the vase.
To pull ribbon from the vase: Hold the filled ornament in place in the top of the vase; use the other hand to pull the ribbon from the vase; cut the ribbon in the needed length, leaving a long end dangling over the rim of the vase.

A little different than containers normally used for storing ribbon? Yea, but it's about as inexpensive as it gets, plus it's easy and quick, colorful, suitable for all widths of ribbon (and/or rick rack, lace, twill tape, etc.), holds an incredible amount of stuff in a small space, and tells you in a glance the colors and types of things stashed in the vase. I prefer to place a mix of various colors and embellishments in a vase, but the contents of a vase can be limited to either single colors or types of embellishments.

If you're fresh out of odd-ball vases, head to the local thrift store to grab a couple. They don't have to be clear; they don't have to be tall, they don't have to be plain. Two-piece round plastic ornaments come in three or four sizes, so you shouldn't have any problem finding those that will be a good 'cork' for your Ribbon Vase.

Buttons are another thing to store in vases; clear vases work best for them. But those two-piece plastic ornaments also work well with buttons (eyelets, brads, snaps, etc, too). Fill only one side and make sure they close tightly. Those ornaments are available in a variety of shapes...more options! Hang them on the wall or put them into baskets or boxes.

One way or another, we'll figure out ways to store all this stuff we keep acquiring...maybe!