I have a Pro-Tools session titled "Licks & Ideas"........
I open it up & record ideas to be used at a later point in time.........(Sometimes I even bounce them to an mp3 & put them in a set folder)
That way I've got the Rig saved (embedded) too........
My boy Mr. Mark Tremonti uses a cheap digital recorder & saves ideas into different folders as well........Like "Intro ideas", "Verse ideas"...etc...etc..etc...& uses them when he needs them......
I use to do that as well..........fwiw
Good luck!