Office Supplies!

I will admit, I am one of those people who go crazy for office supplies. I have drawers full of supplies I use, trying to stay as organized as possible. When it comes to my desk, I am definitely OCD. I love going back to school shopping to get fun notebooks and pen, and even have a slight sharpie addiction. One thing I have found throughout years of wandering through Staples and Office Depots is that they are always trying to sell customers cute little things for tons of extra money. Previously I was one of those people who got suckered into buying all the pretty things for double or triple the price, but recently (due to a severe money crunch thanks to MRU tuition...) I have stopped buying unnecessary products - and am I ever glad I did! I still love those cute office supplies, but I have found a way of making my desk at home look just as fun, with a fraction of the cost. Today I am going to show you how I made super boring paper clamps into something fun :)

First, I took simple paper clamps (I got a box of 50 for $3 at Staples), and cut scrap paper out to fit the top of the clamp. Then, I used Mod Podge (a crafters bff) and glued the paper onto the clamp. I then put another layer of Mod Podge on overtop of the paper to make it more durable. Thats it - all it took. Seriously one of the simplest crafts I have ever done. I finished "fancifying" over half the box in under and hour.

I know a lot of people will think this is entirely useless, which in a practical sense it is. This is just an idea for those of us who like the cute little things, yet don't have the money to spend on it. Being an office supplie freak myself, I am constantly using thing such as paper clamps, and while I am using them, why not have them look fun too? My program at Mount Royal (Information Design) plays on my creative side, allowing me to look at things in both a useful and aesthetic light. Simple craft projects such as this is not only way to do something fun, it provides me with a much needed break from school, and results in something fun to use. I have friends who love office supplies just as much as me, so it can even be something I add to a birthday card, just as a little extra something.