Recently Picket Fence Studios came out with their "Paper Pouncers" which is a take off of the Local King Rubber Stamps version of these ink applicators and the Picket Fence Studios version sells for $40.00 for the set. Their version is done in rainbow colours but is basically the same design.
When blending brushes were first introduced for stencils they were offered in black. One of the online stores then offered a set of rainbow handled brushes so each colour could be used for that colour ink. But I bought the cheaper black handled brushes and went to Etsy.com to buy a set of snap on colour markers for the brush handles:
These colour markers snap on to the brush handle easily and stay in place so at a glance I can see which brush I need for my inks. The paper pouncing tools have a mushroom shape and it has a top and bottom piece for it for storage. I looked on Amazon and I ordered a set of 6 mushroom shaped make up applicators in black and here is a photo of those:
To mark my "pouncers" for colours I used a small circle punch, scrap card stock, and a glue dot. I punched out two circles for each colour - one for the top of the outside case and one for the top of the handle:
I store my blending brushes in clean vegetable cans that I covered with gift wrap paper. I have all these items together on an Ikea Raskog cart. On the top shelf of this cart I have a clear plastic organizer also from Ikea and I store all these items in that so everything is together and next to me at my craft table:
These makeup applicator "pouncers" work well to cover die cut pieces with ink -- for this sample I die cut two words from scrap white card stock and used the "pouncers" to add ink:
The mushroom shaped top of the applicator holds a lot of ink and I used two different brands of inks for my samples and one pounce on the ink pad holds a lot of ink. Unlike blending brushes, you "pounce" your ink onto your die cut piece,. The more you "pounce" your ink on your die cut piece the darker it will become. With blending brushes you have to move your brush with the ink to fill your area. The "pouncing" is a lot easier on your wrist and adds the ink quickly. Amazon sells these make up applicators in sets of 3, 6, or more. For my craft room budget these applicators are a more affordable option. . .