The Well-Appointed Desk

Arrow Plier-Style Hand Stapler

AnaNovember 26, 2012Leave a comment

This, the Arrow Plier-Style Hand Stapler Model P-66, is not actually a vintage score. I know, its hard to believe but I picked this up at The New Dime Store in Kansas City. Genuine new old stock for a whopping $7.99. The staples (Arrow Precision Made S-66 staples) were and additional $3.99.

The packaging totally makes this! It is actually a lovely compact size, perfect for your office.

The staples are about the same width as vintage Swingline TOT staples but they are just a tiny bit longer.

Works like a champ. Keep your eyes peeled for such great vintage NOS treasures at your local shops. You never know what you might find.

Arrow no longer lists this small plier-style stapler on their web site but I have owned an Arrow light duty staple gun since college (perfect for stretching canvasses) and it still works well.

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Hermes Rocket

AnaNovember 26, 2012Leave a comment

Beneath this beautiful wrapping paper and twine is a new-to-me Hermes Rocket typewriter.

The Hermes Rocket is a slimline manual typewriter is battleship grey with minty green keys. It was designed to be durable and portable, weighing about 8lbs with the case/lid.

It was acquired through the Letter Writers Alliance and is a fine piece of machinery kept and maintained in great working condition. Its about 60 years old and will continue to be useful for another 60 years if I can keep it in ribbons.

On that note, I’ve found that Scantracker (out of Kansas City, KS) is an excellent source for typewriter ribbon including the two-color red/black ribbons. Their website is a little antiquated but I got my pack of ribbons in just three days at a great price.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

AnaNovember 19, 2012Leave a comment

Hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving week and I hope you get time to write, draw, plan out your holiday projects, address your holiday cards and make your list for Santa. I’m going to be busy for the holiday week but I’ll be back on Monday, November 26 with lots of ideas to fill your wish list and maybe even your gift lists.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In feature

“Where are my keys?” “Where is my phone?”

AnaNovember 17, 2012Leave a comment

If you have trouble locating your keys and/or your phone, this package from Bikn made up of sensor tags and iPhone case/app might just be the saving grace for your sanity. The sensors can attach to objects like keys, a camera, tossed in the bottom of a handbag, your work ID, etc. If you misplace an item with a sensor attached, you can use your iPhone and app to trigger the radio wave sensor that will beep. If you misplace your phone, the tags can “page” your phone. There is even an option for the sensors to beep if an item is outside of a predetermined range from 100 to 500 feet (great if you have a tendency to leave your phone on the bar).

The case and fobs can be color coordinated to match your iPhone 4 or 4s (no iPhone 5 version is available yet) and then custom color the trim on the case and fobs to your personal taste with a selection of six trim colors. The case does add bulk to the phone but not much more than the add-on battery cases.

This kind of peace of mind doesn’t come cheaply, the base sets sell for $99 to $129 but if you’ve spent 45 minutes running around trying to locate one or more of these items, the price tag might seem worth it.

(via PureWow)

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When is an office less like an office?

AnaNovember 16, 2012Leave a comment

Are employees more creative problem solvers when they are not tethered to a specific desk or cubicle? Is the new modern office an open modular space with cubbies or offices for when you need privacy and then open, airy spaces for idea-generation and collaboration? The interior design firm O+A has designed the workspaces for many of the best known west coast tech firms. I love the casual, homey vibe of a lot of these spaces.

Why go to a coffee shop to work if your office has coffee-shop-style nooks AND you can draw on the walls with white board markers or chalk?

Industrial elements like particle board benches and exposed HVAC give a quirky loft-style look to AOL and Dreamhost’s spaces.

Dreamhost LA Office 2 — Dreamhost LA office

Dreamhost LA Office — Dreamhost LA office

With more and more mobile tools, its easier than ever to work on-the-go from a laptop, ipad or tablet or even from a mobile phone. Is the age of the cubicle over?

Would you feel more productive in spaces like this or more apt to goof off?

(all images from O+A)

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Oh, no you didn’t!

AnaNovember 16, 2012Leave a comment

Sometimes, its good to remember what NOT to do at your desk. While some of the 15 Crimes of the Cubicle may seem obvious to most, so people might need a subtle reminder (I’m talking to you, Nail Clipper on the other side of the cubicle wall!).

(via Salary.com)

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Blooming Desktop

AnaNovember 15, 2012Leave a comment