Office Supplies

Custom and Unique Business Envelopes

Stand Out from the Rest!

by Joi

Below is a guest post from Ace Envelopes. I just visited their website and am in love with the vibrant colored envelopes! Talk about making sure your correspondence stands out from the rest.  I just can’t decide which color I’m craziest about.  Something occured to me when I looked at the pink envelopes – they’d be the IDEAL way to show your company’s (or your own personal) support for breast cancer awareness.

 

Ace Envelopes

Having your own business is hard enough in itself, but then you have to factor in how you will make your particular stand out and differ from the crowd. There always needs to be a little bit of yourself in every part of your work whether it’s website colour scheme or something simple such as business envelopes.

It’s the first thing people notice about a letter they’ve received from a particular business or company. Colourful envelopes or ones with different styles of fonts typically grab more attention than a plain white one. Although that may seem like such a small trivial issue it could be what’s standing between you and big business.

Custom Designed Envelopes:

Custom Envelopes can say a lot about a particular person or a business as well. They could be trimmed in a certain colour around the edges or the whole envelope itself could be colourful. When having anything specially made they should reflect you and what type of business you are representing.

If you have a lawn care business then maybe on back of the envelope there should be a stamp or picture of a lawn mower or some kind of greenery. The envelope could have green letters or anything to make it stand it from a regular bill envelope.

Salon and spa owners typically mail out newsletters in envelopes with lipstick printed on them and mirrors. Some business owners may not see the point in having decorated or custom envelopes but it does matter, a little pop of colour can definitely bring you more clientele no matter what type of business you may have.

Printed Envelopes:

Envelopes can be printed using special machinery or from recycled paper. It all depends upon your likes and wants, some envelopes come from a Lithograph machine. A lithograph machine can print high quality colours and fonts at very high speeds. These are best for big business that has a lot of post to mail out to people.

Whereas Flexographic machines can only print out 1 or 2 different colours and it takes a little bit longer because the envelopes are folded during the process as well. The Flexographic machines aren’t the same quality as the others. But they get the job done just the same. There are many different types of envelopes available to business; you just have to know what your specific mailing needs are.

Seeing as there are many different types of envelopes available, you have to know exactly what you are looking for. Maybe you want to use some plain white envelopes and customize them yourself with a special pen or maybe you want to order them in a certain colour for a special occasion. But while ordering printed or custom designed envelopes you have to know exactly how many you will need to send out, which can greatly affect the pricing of this service. Either way you do it, if you decide on the printed envelopes or the custom ones your business will more than likely improve because of it. It will draw people to it and make them wonder more about your business.

Company’s Profile:

Ace-Envelopes is one of UK’s leading suppliers of over 700 types of plain envelopes, bespoke custom made envelopes, business envelopes and printed envelopes for next day delivery service to meet your business needs. If you need more information about envelopes please visit – http://www.ace-envelopes.co.uk/

Paper Mate’s Ink Joy Pens Make Me Happy, Happy, Happy

So Bright, So Colorful, So Irresistible...

by Joi

Paper Mate's Ink Joy Pens

I’ve got nothing but crazy love for pens and Paper Mate is one of my favorite brands. I think it’s safe to say that I”m a bit of a pen junkie.  My family knows that if they lie a pen down and walk away, it won’t be there when they return.  It’s never too hard to find, though. It’s always in one of my pen holders.  Yes, pen holders with an s.  I told you I’m a junkie.

The Paper Mate InkJoy 300 RT Retractable Medium Point Ballpoint Pens, Assorted Colors, 8 Pack (1781564) shown here are so bright, colorful, and inviting that I’m getting a bit of the shakes.  I can just feeeeel that purple one in my hand right now…..

Pen Details:

  • Features Paper Mate’s revolutionary new writing system, giving you the best in effortless writing
  • It starts quickly without dragging, requires minimal pressure from your hand, and delivers crisp, clean lines every time
  • Extended rubberized grip for optimal comfort
  • Metal clip provides long lasting durability
  • Set of 8 Colored Ink Pens includes 1 each of Black Ink, Blue Ink, Red Ink, Purple Ink, Green Ink, Turquoise Ink, Orange Ink and Magenta Ink

Click through the picture or the link above for more information.

Wire Mesh Desk Organizer

I Love Desk Accessories with Organizational Skills

by Joi

Mesh Desk OrganizerAs God as my witness, I’ll never step on a thumbtack again. Or caterpillar crawl around the floor looking for a paperclip.  That last one’s going to disappoint my cat, she loves that particular show.

The Rolodex Wire Mesh Three-Tier Swivel Tower (62533) can save you your sanity and dignity as well. Desk organization 101 teaches that you NEED a mesh desk organizer such as this one.

A place for everything and everything in it’s place. Why is it that every time I think of those words, it’s in a prim and proper librarian-type voice?

Product Description

Swiveling tower design makes smart use of vertical space and keeps supplies at your fingertips.

Technical Details

  • Wire mesh tower with three dishes that swivel
  • Tower holds three round wire mesh dishes for paper clips, binder clips and more
  • 3 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 6 Inches

See Rolodex Wire Mesh Three-Tier Swivel Tower (62533) for more information.

SkyBrush Dry Eraser Board Eraser

Well Played, SkyBrush, Well Played

by Joi

Sky Brush Dry Eraser Board EraserSkyBrush Dry Eraser Board Eraser: It Had Me At Unzip

I’m probably the biggest fan of dry eraser boards in all the world. Left to my own devices, I’d have one in every room of the house. As it is, there’s one in the kitchen (for grocery lists, memos to family members, quotes, etc) and one in the office. The erasers used for each were unsightly and kind of clumsy – that is until I received a SkyBrush to review for Office Freaks.

When I opened the box, I knew right away that I was dealing with something special. The SkyBrush comes in its own little stylish case, which makes storage a breeze. I can’t tell you how much better it looks lying near the dry eraser board than that frazzled little eraser we did have did. It looked like something that’d been kicked around the school yard a few hundred times.

By contrast, the SkyBrush is elegant, classy-looking, stylish, and lets the world know you don’t shop at the Dollar Store for your office supplies.

Features:

  • Glass Bristle Technology:  A revolutionary design that the other guys will wish they thought of
  • Ergonomic Handle Design: Provides the most traction with the slightest amount of effort on your part
  • Grip Band:  For firm, comfortable grip
  • Elegant Colors:  Color Coordinate to your office, home, or even your clothing (hey, why not?)
  • Logo Plate: Because it looks cool

Go to SkyBrush’s Website for more information and to order your own classy SkyBrush today!

SkyBrushSkyBrush’s Glass Bristle Technology: Tres Chic

Livescribe Echo SmartPen

You Won't Believe What this Pen Can Do!

by Joi

Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen
This isn’t just any ballpoint pen. The Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen has an embedded computer and digital audio recorder. Sounds like something Q would come up with for James Bond, doesn’t it?

When used with special paper, the Smartpen records what you write for later uploading to a computer, and synchronizes those notes with any audio it has recorded.  There are different Smartpens (2 GB, 4GB, and 8 GB) available – it all depends on how you’ll be using your Bond-licious pen.

From Staples:

say and write, while linking your audio recordings to your notes. Quickly replay audio from your Livescribe paper, a computer, or a mobile device – all with a simple tap on your handwritten notes. It’s never been easier to take notes and stay organized. From now until January 31st 2012 anyone that purchases and registers a Livescribe smartpen will receive a free one-year subscription to Evernote® Premium! Get access to more online storage to easily organize and play back all your Livescribe pencasts on the go.>/p>

  • Capture over 400 hours of audio or thousands of pages of notes
  • Instant play back of your recorded audio by tapping on your notes
  • Share notes and recordings privately or online with 500 MB of free storage
  • MicroUSB connector lets you transfer notes and audio to your Mac or PC
  • Standard 3.5mm audio jack for use with your favorite earbuds
  • Note: Smartpens can carry up to 8 journals or notebooks ( No.1 through 8 ) at the same time. When you’re done with a one, you can archive it with Livescribe Desktop and start a new one.

Staples sells the brilliant Smartpen, as well as all of the accessories and notebooks you could hope for. They even have a Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen Bundle (shown below).

Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen Bundle
The Smartpen Bundle Includes:

  • Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen with 4 black medium point ink cartridges
  • Echo™ 3-D Recording Premium Headset
  • Livescribe™ Smartpen Notebooks Series 1-4
  • Capture over 400 hours of audio or thousands of pages of notes
  • Instant play back of your recorded audio by tapping on your notes
  • Each single subject notebook has 100 college-ruled perforated sheets. Perfect to take to classes and meetings
  • Perforated 8.5″ x 11″ dot paper, college ruled, three-hole punched
  • Dark blue, red, black, and orange colored covers
  • Note: Smartpens can carry up to 8 journals or notebooks ( No.1 through 8 ) at the same time. When you’re done with a one, you can archive it with Livescribe Desktop and start a new one.

Click through any of the links (or images) for more information, including videos, larger pictures, etc.  It sounds terribly cliche’, but, seriously, what will they think of next?!

It just occurred to me, you’d be hard pressed to find a more useful and ingenious gift for the high school or college student – whether it’s a graduation, birthday, or Christmas gift. The Livescribe™ 4GB Echo™ Smartpen would also make a great gift for any Office Freak you can think of.

Super Cool Speedy Spine Binders

For the Office Supply Freak in a Hurry

by Joi

Speedy Spine Binders

Recently, I was sent a cool Speedy Spine Binder to review for the office supply blog.  It’s a real looker and has a penchant for speed, which I like.  I must confess, I have a bit of an obsession with binders and notebooks. I even color co-ordinate my binders for organizing my home web publishing business:

  • Red Binders: Health and fitness articles and research.
  • Blue Binders: Articles, pamphlets, etc. for my Kentucky Website.
  • White Binders: Articles, circulars, and information for Office Freaks and All Handhelds (a site I recently brought back to life just last week).
  • Green Binders: Recipes, articles, and drafts for my food blog.
  • Etc…

I thought it was incredibly ironic and fortuitous (big word for a Monday – I don’t even know who I am right now), that the binder Speedy Binder sent me was white. Perfection.

This great looking binder, like all Speedy Binders, is constructed in a way that allows for easy drop-in of spine inserts for custom graphics in seconds. Whether you work outside of the home or inside the home, speed matters. Think about it: The quicker one task can be completed, the sooner you can move on to the next task. I have always hated (with a cruel, mad dog hatred) binders that I have to coax into closing or opening. I’m a mild mannered gal, but binders like that make me want to drag them into the driveway and run over them with my car… like a gazillion and one times.

I’ve yet to have that problem with my Speedy Spine Binder. It’s so easy to use that it makes me wonder why binders haven’t always been constructed like this. It’s like they found the holy grail of binders.

More about the Round Ring Speedy Spine Binder from Speedy Spine Binders.com:

Round Ring
Loads spine inserts 5 times faster than traditional view binders.

Save time and be more productive. Speedy Spine™ binders feature a Patent Pending channel construction that allows for easy drop-in of spine inserts for custom graphics in seconds. The dilemma of tight, almost impossible to insert spine graphics has plagued view binders since the inception into the office products industry.

Now Speedy Spine™ solves that time wasting problem by loading spine inserts 5 times faster than a traditional view binder. No more wiggling, fighting or sweating to customize presentation binders. Locking round ring keeps documents secure. Rings mounted on back lid allow pages to lie flat and adds a sleek, clear appearance with rivetless spine. Clear overlay on covers and spine for customization. Two inside pockets provide extra storage for loose documents. Holds sheet size 8.5×11. Contains 45% post-consumer recycled content. A Binders for Life™ product – Lifetime Guarantee.
speedyspinebinders.com

  • Patent Pending spine channel construction for the fastest and easiest spine label insertion
  • Save time by loading spine inserts in seconds – five times faster than traditional view binders
  • No more damaging spine labels by wiggling, pushing or forcing them down the spine
  • Locking round ring keeps documents secure
  • Rings mounted on back lid allows pages to lie flat and adds a sleek, clear appearance with rivetless spine
  • Clear overlay on covers and spine for customization
  • Two inside pockets provide extra storage for loose documents
  • Contains 45% post-consumer recycled content
  • A Binders for Life™ product – Lifetime Guarantee

I love my Speedy Spine Binder muchly and I know you’d feel the same way. Visit Speedy Spine Binders for more information and to take a closer look at their different binders.

St. Louis Cardinals Office Chair

This Beast is Gorgeous

by Joi

St Louis Cardinals Office Chair

Yes, please, I’ll take two. The St. Louis Cardinals Leather Office Chair has me wanting to Christmas shop for only one person – me, me, me!

My beloved Cardinals have made it far in the playoffs, and after a year of epic and creative injuries and set backs – that’s nothing short of phenomenal. Even when it looked like their season would end pre-playoffs, I was proud of my guys. They just grinded it out and it’s been one of the funnest baseball seasons I can remember. They play tonight, as a matter of fact, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ll finish this post and begin my pre-game routine of fixing game-time snacks and pacing frantically in circles while talking a mile a minute.

Drives my cat nuts.

See St. Louis Cardinals Leather Office Chair for more information about this gorgeous chair. There are other teams available as well.

Also for St. Louis Cardinals fans:

St Louis Cardinals 2012 Calendar

St. Louis Cardinals 2012 Wall Calendar 12″ X 12″

Winning the Desk Clutter Battle

A Desk Organizer with Office Supplies? Sweet!

by Joi

3M Rotary Desk Organizer with Supplies

Somehow, a cluttered desk leads to a cluttered mind. It’s just hard to concentrate on what you need to concentrate on when you’re surrounded by clutter and nonsense.

Perhaps even worse is the stress and strain that comes from constantly having to search for a particular pen, post it pad, paperclip, or piece of chocolate.

Don’t judge me.

The 3M Rotary Desk Organizer with Supplies shown here has office organization on its mind and I love it for that.  This organizer has 14 different compartments which means it has a place for absolutely everything – including chocolate.  Heck, I could put all of my chocolate candy into the compartments and still have 3 to work with.

Product Description:
Put everything in its place! This efficient organizer has a place for everything so you can eliminate desktop clutter. Plus, it rotates 360 so office essentials are within easy reach. Includes Post-It flags, 3 x 3 notes and Scotch tape. Open and hidden compartments. Contains 50% post-consumer recycled content.

See 3M Rotary Desk Organizer with Supplies for more information on this as well as other office organization supplies.

LED Desk Light

The following article, about a very important subject,  is a guest post by Erik Braunitzer.

By: Erik Braunitzer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Company, agents for New York City Apartments.

With company expansion comes increased resources and entirely new ways to enhance collaboration. In terms of design however, what most executives tend to overlook is long term sustainability. There are multiple ways to reduce your company’s carbon footprint.

Lights

One of the easiest changes any company can make to their office space involves removing traditional halogen light bulbs in installing more eco-friendly LED fixtures and bulbs. LED lights are initially more expensive, but last much longer and provide for a brighter atmosphere mixed with a new-age appeal.

Water Usage

But 21st century contemporary design isn’t narrowed to light bulbs only. Companies are now installing infrared faucets and water sensor systems that conserve water.

Waste Disposal

Distinguishing between recyclables and non-recyclables is very important. This is particularly vital for items that are technology related. There are programs in place that are catered towards harvesting specific items in the office like batteries and ink cartridges. Improper removal is highly detrimental to the environment. Hiring the right company for waste disposal and management goes a long way.

During design, there are large amount of volatile materials that should be properly tossed or recycled. This includes things like:

  • Foam
  • Paint
  • Stains
  • Metal
  • Insulation
  • Wood
  • Materials

Using paints with low VOC ratings will help ensure cleaner air and a safer work environment for your employees. And whenever the opportunity to introduce reclaimed wood or other recycled materials into your design, you should do so. Other materials may include:

  • Tile
  • Wood
  • Insulation
  • Metal
  • Ceramic
  • Porcelain
  • Plastic
  • Electricity

Almost everything in your office that uses energy can have an impact on the environment, as well as your monthly utility bill. This includes things like printers; fax machines, servers and more. If left on continuously, computers can waste a tremendous amount of energy, but as technology advances, so does power consumption. Be sure to always investigate energy efficiency ratings prior to purchasing new equipment.

Air Flow, Heating & Cooling

As in any modern household, you’ll find furnaces and central air/heating systems that are energy star rated. It would be wise to investigate the difference between something with a rating of 90% as opposed to 95. There are other heating and cooling options for companies really looking to make an impact including geothermal. When the sun is at it’s hottest, the ground temperature remains steady. And during the winter, the same is evident. Geothermal heating and cooling utilizes energy stored in the earth to produce heat or perhaps remove humidity from the air. It’s beneficial for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that it’s 400% efficient. Initially, the cost is greater, but you’ll certainly save a ton over the long haul.

Supplementary to this are office air purifiers, designed to address allergy and asthma symptoms, which are common amongst most individuals. They provide a more breathable environment and make your office a better place to work.

Ultimately, knowledge is key in creating a greener workplace. Next time you’re looking to upgrade, compare your consumption ratings to other’s employing similar sustainability efforts. Likewise, don’t hesitate to drop a few extra bucks on organic and reclaimed materials. And lastly, don’t forget to educate and inform fellow colleagues, clients and partners about your efforts.

Zebra Pen Z-Grip Retractable Gel Ballpoint Pen
The Zebra Pen Z-Grip Retractable Gel Ballpoint Pen, shown above, is from one of the coolest shopping spots online, The Nerds.net. Seriously, no Office Freak in their right mind could resist this website.

This handsome Gel Retractable Pen offers a soft rubber grip which provides the writer with absolute comfort and steady control.

Acid-free, archival-quality gel ink glides on smooth and easily, no hudging and certainly no budging. Sturdy, metal pocket clip allows easy storage in pockets or on notebooks and binders. See, they’ve thought of everything.

An office supply collection that’s worth anything begins and ends with great pens. This, fellow office freaks, is a great, great pen.

See Zebra Pen Z-Grip Retractable Gel Ballpoint Pen to take a closer look at this beauty.

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