Space Saving Ribbon Storage

I really don't use ribbon very often in my projects but a spool here and a spool there and pretty soon there's a mess of ribbon on the shelf of my craft studio.

Since wall space is a premium in the room and shelf space is abundant, I decided VERTICAL was the way to go.

Here's how I made it:  I had this piece of craft wood from a previous project that had been retired.  It's 5x5 inches.

And I had found a 3/8 inch dowel rod when I cleaned the back room last month, proving once again it pays to clean that room occasionally!  Most of the spools barely fit on a 3/8 inch dowel rod, but I don't mind a tight fit since I have a pretty curious kitty who frequently hangs out with me while I'm working.

I marked center on the base and drilled a hole, starting with a small bit and working up to 3/8 inch to avoid splitting the wood.

Then I squirted a generous amount of wood glue into the hole and inserted the dowel rod.  Wipe the excess glue with a damp cloth, ensure the dowel is centered and allow to dry overnight.

Paint the whole thing black, and now I have a spool that holds plenty of ribbon and only takes up a 5x5 inch space on my shelf.

I'm linkin' up...