Whistle Ink ‘Office Supplies’ Blog

This has to be one of the crazier stories I have come across where after seeing post it notes displayed on windows of a company, a company on the opposite side were inspired into getting into contact with them with post it notes.

So they raided their stationery cupboard and responded with ‘hello’
Just to be able to write that backwards is a skill but in post-it notes? That’s just pure genius (and a sign the boss is away!)

Anyway in the end they managed to arrange a drink down the local!

You can read the full story here

Or so Stefan Aschan writes in his blog titled ’5 Excercises you can do anywhere’. Just make sure you have raided your office supplies cupboard before hand for rubber bands.

Stefan writes

Rubber bands are light to carry, provide you with different resistances and are cheap to buy. You can workout at the beach, by the pool or at your home. It really is the on-the-go workout gym.

Right…..

As I do Bicep Curls in a proper gym I was interested in his first tip.

Biceps curls: Stand on the rubber band with your right foot. Take both ends and pull your hands to the shoulder and release slowly.

There are five tips in total and I’m not too sure too sure I have any rubber bands that would stretch that much. I may even injure myself as they snap easily.

To read the rest of the workout click here

If you want to try these exercise out using rubber bands please write in and tell us how you get on or maybe even send a picture!

If you are looking to stock up on rubberbands we have a budget stretching (get it?) range of rubber bands so check out our site.

According to recent surveys as many as 46% of office workers have had an office romance. Hardly surprising given that we see our colleagues more than we see anyone else. This is not good news though for partners left at home while their other halves make whoopee in the stationary cupboard!

Heres a sickly sweet Youtube video of a couple that ignite an office romance using Post-it notes.

Its quite funny and cleverly made. The music that companies this mini silent movie is reminiscent of childrens fair ground rides and adds to the films cheese factor!

Be warned though, post-it romance is on the increase and an admirer near you could be sending some post-it art romance your way very soon!
Either that or youll be the one sending the post-its.

Another great way to let your hearts desire know you admire them is to simply pop your telephone number on a post-it or if you have none of these use some blue tack and a piece of office paper and affix it to their pc monitor. They wont miss it there thats for sure.
0D
Alternatively you could just approach them and invite them for lunch.
Far more civilized but much less fun.

Meanwhile why do office workers always retreat to the stationary cupboard for secret love making sessions? Is it the irresistible allure of the ..

Clean white sheets paper sheets that is

Or the

Stacks of large brown envelopes?

I doubt it. Its more likely due the fact its dark, its discreet and its that or the cleaning cupboard.

If you know of any other ways to romance colleagues in the office using office supplies let us know!

HHmmm strange one this

The first sentence in the article in the Times reads ‘A group of office staff have discovered they work better together when they are NAKED.’

I can see how this might be true after all if you were naked at work you wouldn’t want to get up out your chair so work would get done.

A psychologist was brought in to boost team spirit at ‘onebestway’ and suggested going naked.

Personally I would have suggested a booze fuelled weekend on the company credit card after which colleagues would either love or hate each other. If they hate each other, then another booze up would be needed. : P

The front of house manager says:

It was brilliant. Now that we’ve seen each other naked, there are no barriers.

One comment writes ‘If you have to strip off to talk to each other “much more honestly” than you’ve got real problems to boot (and not just communication ones)’

Which is spot on really.

Would you get your kit off to better connect to your colleagues or would you not be able to talk to them at all after?

Heres the rest of the article and some pictures.

I came across this review of pens that Times (www.thetimes.co.za) asked an actress to review.

They asked Cherie van der Merwe to try some ballpoint pens and see which would be ‘good for writing the plot of her novel and which would be good for ’signing her publishing contract’!

Writing about the Pilot pen, Cherie says ‘it fits comfortably into her hand and has an added rubber triangular grip to stabilise the writing position. The pen uses oil-based ink which flows smoothly from the ballpoint tip.’

Van der Merwe thinks ‘the trusty, no-frills Bic pen, made of plastic with a plain black cap, now comes in a gel ballpoint with dark ink’ is better for drawing than for writing.

“It writes like a fine liner and the ink is very dark,” she says.

‘The Papermate pen has a retractable spring nib that can be clicked out with the thumb.’ The rubbery feel is appealing to her.

I’m not so keep on rubbery bits on pens maybe because these pens are big – they just don’t feel right if you know what I mean.

“It has good grip,” she says, “but it feels too thin in my hand. It writes well and produces a medium-dark script.”

Lastly, she tries the metal Parker pen, which she rates the highest of all.

“This pen is far more solid than any of the others. It has a very nice weight and is comfortable to hold.”

“This is the kind of pen you’d take care of. It is the one you wouldn’t want to lose.”

This is so true but I haven’t had a Parker pen for years, in fact many many years since high school I think then I gave up. I only really see them as a gift item for some reason. In this day and age would we really get be overjoyed writing in a cartridge pen?

What pens do you like? Do you like pens with a grip? Do you own a Parker Pen? In fact does anyone still write with a cartridge pen of any kind? Do let us know.

Source

I’ve been looking around the Internet for ideas on how you can use office supplies to make craft projects and to my great delight I found quite a few actual crafts made entirely from office supplies.

One of the best samples of novel office supplies art I’ve seen is post-it art which you can see here

Artists around the world have created enormous art pieces using different coloured post-it notes, mosaic style to create dynamic original art.

Some have gone so far as to cover their cars in these brightly coloured post it notes. I doubt these would fair well in the rain!

Meanwhile there are many great crafts that children can make using inexpensive office supplies, i.e.:

Paper-clip jewelry.
Paper clips come in various shapes, sizes and colours and link easily together to make necklaces or bracelets.

Post-it beads
Using post-its again, cut the coloured post-its into thin strips.
Roll the strips around a pencil or knitting needle and glue the free ends to the paper below. When you roll the paper off the pencil you should have what looks like a bead. If you make lots of beads you can make more great jewelry.

You can experiment with different widths of paper for different effects

Scrap-booking with office supplies
Meanwhile office supplies can be used to make any craft and here one woman demonstrates how useful office supplies can be for scrap booking enthusiasts.

Office supplies can be used for card making.

Guillotines are great as many now come with a range of cutting edges.
You can create fancy edges to cards or to card toppers as well as being able to trim your pieces to size for a nice smooth professional looking edge.

Other great card making office supplies include small desk tidies and storage boxes for all those small fiddly bits you don’t want to lose.

Meanwhile printers and printer ink are always necessary for printing off papers and patterns from craft projects you found on the web.

Why don’t you see what great craft project you can make using office supplies.

Ball Point Pens - there’s so many of them at so many different prices!

Ok I have to say I’m not a fan of those cheap ball point pens. You know the ones you get in boxes of 50 and are clunky and just don’t feel right and writing with them is a bad experience. I must have a bad case of ‘office supplies snobbishness’ But I’m right.

They don’t exactly cost too much more compared to the bic ball point pen. And if you think they DO cost alot - consider how long these things last (before we chew them or lose them).

It might interest you to know that both Biro and Bic are both peoples names. Biro (László József Bíró) invented the ball point pen. Ink would be put on the paper after being picked up by the ball. The ink was thicker than it would be in a fountain pen.

In 1950 Marcel Bich bought from Bíró the patent for the pen, which is what they are probably most famous for now apart from Bic razors.

The market is dominated by just a few players and it’s like beer - you tend to stick to one brand.

The first one is Staedtler and the popular Staedtler range of ‘fine ball pens; which they call ’sticks’

Staedtler 430 Stick Ball Pen Medium 1.0mm Tip 0.35mm Line Black Ref 430M-9 [Pack 10]

And there’s the ones from Bic themselves - of course I never see this in my office as I don’t order it.

Bic Cristal Ball Pen Clear Barrel 1.0mm Tip 0.4mm Line Black Ref 837363/847822 [Pack 50]

And if you want one that looks like those orange razor they used to exist (or maybe still do) then here they are:

Bic Orange Ball Pen 0.8mm Tip 0.2mm Line Black Ref 1199110114 [Pack 20]

I was looking for Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson and was diverted for a minute by a video on You Tubes homepage.

The title was: How to Hack the Staples EASY button!

It’s a fantastically hilarious clip about Staples EASY button.

Do you have a Staples EASY button? Let us know what you thinkof the clip!

Everyone has either pulled an office prank or been the victim of one at some point in their office based career, here is one of the most elaborate office pranks ever as seen on youtube.

This office prank video has been named the best ever office prank, see if you agree.

The pranksters build a wall at the start of a corridor confusing office workers who cant quite fathom whats happening. Initially they think theyve taken a wrong turn. The hidden camera shows them scratching their heads in confusion as they return to the spot.

My office pranks were never so elaborate but Ive pulled a few in my time.

One of my best was learning how to do the trick whereby you look like youre levitating. This is great for showing your staff or colleagues who has the power.

You can learn how to levitate yourself here

http://www.howtodotricks.com/balducci-levitation-blaine-levitation.html

Meanwhile here are some office pranks you can pull on co-workers using office stationary. You are responsible for the consequences!

Paperclip trick
Link your colleagues paper clips together and then put them back in the box. This will drive them mad trying to unravel them all.

Sticky tape trick
Tape the wheels of your colleagues chair so that they cant roll. This will drive them potty.

Post- it note trick
Put your litter - bin on your desk and label it with a post-it note with the word “IN”.

Pen trick
Stick the lids on some cheap pens using glue then swap with your colleagues pens. Imagine their frustration as they try to wrench the lids off without success.

If you can think of more great office pranks using office stationery let us know.