Wednesday 27 April 2016

WORLD STATIONERY DAY

 



The Power of the Written Word

Writing, and being able to write by hand matters and is as important as ever, even in an increasingly digital world.
92% of adults think that writing by hand is important and 97% think it is important for children to be taught to write.
You can never have too much stationery!
The aim is to get people all over the world talking and writing about stationery, and why writing by hand is important.
Let’s get more people putting pen to paper and writing more often – especially children – and send more letters and cards, especially to those we care for, rather than just text or email. It’s much more personal.

A is for: Archives. Handwritten documents and notes have been passed down through centuries to permanently record some of history’s most important events – not just consigned to a virtual trash bin

B is for: Beauty. A hastily-drawn up email will never capture the beauty of a handwritten letter. 

C is for: Caring, Courtesy, Creativity and Convenience. Handwritten notes, letters and cards are the most personal form of communication. Emails declaring ‘I love you’ just don’t cut it! Think love letters and cards that are treasured for decades. A handwritten letter also shows courtesy. 

D is for: Diaries. Imagine pouring out your innermost thoughts, feelings and emotions and keeping it stored in a computer file to treasure for all time. Doesn’t have the same ring does it? 

E is for: Education. The computer era is upon us but when schools, colleges and universities set a project they still expect it to be completed in legible handwriting. It’s up there with reading and ‘rithmetic as one of the cornerstones of literacy.

F is for: Failsafe. There’s no need to rely on computer batteries or storage space. Handwriting can be enjoyed anywhere, at any time, without the need to rely on technology. 

G is for: Generations. If something ain’t broke then don’t fix it! Generation upon generation has used handwriting to get its message across. It’s as important now as it ever has been in the past. 

H is for: History. We know so much about the rich past of the world we live in because of handwritten documents passed down over time. There were no emails when the Magna Carta was drawn up.

 I is for: Imagination. Crafting a handwritten letter stimulates the brain and imagination, and is proven to heighten the feel-good factor. 

J is for: Jargon. Can you remember the most important documents of all time being littered with LOLs, ROFLs or L8Rs? No, neither can we! Handwriting encourages the correct use of language. 

K is for: Knowledge. They say that knowledge is power. It is proven that the brain takes in far more information when it is being written down. 

L is for: Learning. Evidence suggests that the links between handwriting and broader educational development run deep. Children not only learn to read more quickly when they first learn to write by hand, but they also remain better able to generate ideas and retain information. 

M is for: Memory. Handwriting enhances brain activity and memory, helping to keep the mind sharp.

N is for: Nostalgia. Have you ever dug out old school notebooks, diaries and cards from years gone by to relive happy memories from the past? Threads to text messages and emails just don’t provide the same sense of nostalgia.

O is for: Opulent. It’s not just artists that get to go wild with creativity. Beautiful handwriting brings a page to life. 

P is for: Personal. There’s nothing more personal than a handwritten letter or card to say thank you, sorry or congratulations, or simply that you are thinking of someone. It means a lot, which is why handwritten letters and cards will always be opened first. 

Q is for: Quill. Take a moment to step back in time! The quill was used to write with ink before the invention of the dip pen. Shakespeare’s world-famous plays would have been written down using a quill – and the literary masterpieces have certainly stood the test of time. Many of today’s authors still write their first drafts by hand. 

R is for: romance. Great love stories tend not be to rooted in the foundation of a text message or email! Think instead of soldiers in battle taking hope from letters sent from their loved ones back home or cards filled with soppy scribblings and cherished for years. 

S is for: Signature. Even if you’re never intending to become a scribe, everyone should practice their signature. Some of the most memorable moments in history have come from people signing on the dotted line….think treaties, marriages, births, autographs – or even football contracts! 

T is for: Text Messages. Texts are a handy way of quick communication but they’ll never beat a carefully crafted handwritten message. 

U is for: Unique. Nobody wants to follow the crowd so handwriting is a perfect tool to express personality and individuality. Every person’s handwriting is unique and says something about them. 

V is for: Vision. Our vision is for writing by hand to co-exist in perfect harmony with technology in this digital age. 

W is for: Writing. Writing by hand matters….worldwide.

X is for: X Factor. Handwritten notes have that extra little something that makes them super special! 

Y is for: You. Just like fashion sense and choice of hairstyles, handwriting says a lot about who you are. 

Z is for: Zeal. It’s what people feel for writing and stationery

Friday 22 April 2016

World Earth Day




9 ways to travel more sustainably


1. Pick destinations based on their commitments to sustainable practices
Take some time to research travel companies before booking your trip, and choose organisations that have a proven record in environmental best practice and that support local communities, suppliers and artisans in the destinations that they serve.

2. Travel with a refillable water bottle
Knowing that you can’t take liquids through airport security, many people buy expensive bottles of water in terminal departure lounges, which then need to be thrown away on, or after the flight. Instead, clear security with an empty refillable water bottle in your bag, and top up from a water fountain or ask a coffee shop or restaurant to fill it for you when you get airside. Not only will this save you money, but it will reduce plastic consumption, as well as giving you a reusable water bottle to keep filled when exploring your end destination. Plastic consumption is a very real problem; every single piece of plastic ever created still exists today.

3. Avoid using hotel amenities
Using the single serving shampoos and shower gels offered in hotel bathrooms creates a lot of wasted plastic. By bringing your own products from home in refillable bottles, you can significantly decrease the volume of single serving containers consumed

4. Don’t brush your teeth with the water running
Leaving the water running wastes six litres per minute, so taking this simple step can save up to 12-18 litres per time and, cumulatively, can have a big positive impact on water preservation.


5. Reuse towels and turn off air conditioning
Turning off lights, appliances and, most importantly, air conditioning units when you leave your room can have a big impact on the amount of energy consumed. Hanging your towels once you’ve finished with them will signify to the housekeeper that you are happy to use them again.

6. Buy locally
Shopping with local vendors, eating in locally-owned restaurants and hiring local guides are great ways to financially support the communities that you visit.

7. Choose low-impact recreational activities
Engage in low-impact activities on holiday. These are sports and excursions that don’t disturb the environment or local communities, and that avoid using a lot of fossil fuels. 


8. Don’t disturb the flora or fauna
It’s important to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and to avoid making loud noises or using motorised equipment in close proximity; animals don’t like to be disturbed and it can disrupt their natural habitats. Don’t pick flowers and definitely don’t remove shells from the beach, tempting though they may be. Shells stabilise beaches, anchor sea grass, and provide homes and hiding places for creatures such as hermit crabs and small fish, so reducing shell abundance can disrupt aquatic ecosystems. And, of course, don’t litter! Make sure you take your rubbish with you, and find somewhere suitable to recycle it.


9. Contribute something to the place you’re visiting
Supporting local businesses and spending money in lesser-visited communities helps to give something back to the places that you visit, but there are many things you can do to make a more significant impact


Wednesday 20 April 2016

No Paper Clip? DO NOT PANIC Here's What To Do

No Paper Clip? DO NOT PANIC Here's What To Do

1. Align the papers. Here we’re using 5 sheets of letter-size.
2. Fold a triangle on the left-hand corner and crease. The fold (the longest part) is about 5.2cm long, however measuring is not necessary.
3. Make a 1cm-long slit using a scissors , about 2cm from the edge, then cut another about 1cm away from the first one.
4. Fold and crease the flap as shown.
You could stop at Step 4, which is officially the end. The next 3 steps seek to hold the flap down.
5. Lift up the flap from Step 4 and create that little hollow space.
6. At the top of the flap, press it down to flatten.
7. Fold down the 2 halves.
Finished!
This is how it looks after you’ve completed all the steps, except for the triangle (Step 2), which has been folded over to the back of the stack instead of forward.
Tips
The heavier the paper, the bigger the triangle fold and the deeper the slits. The maximum is 15 sheets.

Wednesday 6 April 2016

How to clean your screen and your keyboard


It is springcleaning time, but today we would like to give some advice in an activity that needs to happen more than once a year!.

Cleaning your screen and your keyboard is a boring job, it takes time and, expecially for the keyboard, it seems a hard operation.

Furthermore, all electrical devices are pretty delicate, and a wrong cleaning operation might damage them.

But, with the right equipment, you will reach an excellent result in no time.

FOR THE SCREEN


  • Use a specific detergent for screens. Common detergents for glass are not really suitable, because their composition is many times too aggressive for special surfaces like LCD screens.
  • Don't spray the detergent directly on the screen. It is preferable a soft antistatic cloth, previously wet with the cleaning solution, and to use a light touch during the cleaning operation.
  • Pay attention to the cloth. Wrong materials might scratch the screen.
  • Use a small brush for the frame's angles.
  • If you are cleaning your laptop screen, before closing it wait a complete drying.
FOR THE KEYBOARD

  • Use an air duster for removing  the dust present between tastes. Start from the center and then, slowly, move towards the sides.
  • Use a small brush for eliminating eventual residues.
  • Clean the entire keyboard surface with an antistatic cloth and a suitable cleaning solution.



We have a wide range of specific computer cleaning products. For all your necessities, visit our website. You will find the right solution!