bltd

Combine a letter opener with a ruler? Sure, why not? Made from brass-plated alloy, one side has centimeter metrics with the slogan, ‘Follow the rules.’ The other side has inch metrics with the slogan, ‘Break the rules.’ Actually, it looks like that’s opposite from the image shown, so be prepared for a flip flop of slogans. Regardless, it’s always nice to see one tool with multiple functions.
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Yellow Owl Workshop have been known for creating fun and beautifully illustrated stamp sets, but for the latest kit, they’ve decided not to hog all the fun. The Print Workshop Carve a Stamp Kit is an all-in-one kit to create and print your own stamps. The kit includes: 3×4 linoleum block with cutters, stamp pad, cards, envelopes, gift tags, and an autographed version of Print Workshop, Yellow Owl’s DIY guide to printed matter of all mediums and STUFF, all packaged in a handprinted gift box.
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Add this to your office stamp collection and see how many phrases you can use on paperwork without annoying your coworkers. Or buy as a gift for someone else to purposefully annoy their coworkers. It should be noted that it would have been enormously helpful to include the phrase ‘this should have been emailed’ just to truly thumb one’s nose at others and, of course, align oneself with the paperless movement.
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This won’t be going anywhere. It’s made from heavy cast iron, so you can be sure it’ll keep your tape in place no matter what. It’s just too bad that it also has a hefty price tag. Available with black or white text.
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Cute, right? These little clips might be an improvement upon your regular paperclips, especially as they could be used for bookmarks as well. There’s also a Fasten Set but it’s temporarily out of stock.

Package contains 30 metal clips (.5″ x 1″) in 3 shapes: Pliers, Wrench, and Hammer.

It’s the end of the week, and just as you think your liquified brain can do more creating, your hands can clasp no more writing utensils, and the spittle from the corner of your mouth is the only means to communicate your displeasure and utter lack of interest, these block crayons come into view. These non toxic pure beeswax crayons are easy to grasp, no matter one’s age or hand size, and allow for artistic expression wherever one’s state of mind happens to be. Plus, each set is $5, which says you should buy a few extras and pass them out to others in need.
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Folding scissors. Is there need to explain further? It is, simply, a compact pair of scissors which fold away safely in a pocket or bag, or even to slip on a keyring. Use them for cutting out those annoying clothes tags, for a quick hair (beard? nose?) trim, or making paper snowflakes on the subway, or for whatever else you can think of.
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Sometimes minimal decoration on presents and packages looks much better than a bunch of fancy bows, case in point is this gift tag stamp from Yellow Owl Workshop. To win recycling points, use newspapers or paper grocery bags for wrapping, and then some string and this stamp to state the giver/recipient. Ta-da. You’re done.
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Here at BLTD we love sharing products with you that are readily available to buy. Occasionally though, we’ll come across a product in development that is just too exciting not to post. The PHX-1 is an artist/designer tool that combines the Hi-Tec-C and Signo DX pens, a hobby knife and a designer ruler with 7 measurements into a stainless steel body and a sustainable bamboo case. Hooray for more dorky design tools! I’m also quite excited to see a hobby knife with a proper safety cap to it. The plastic caps that fall off are a real pet peeve of mine.
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Regardless of your thoughts on our original ancestors, this eraser does a clever job of making an ordinary desk eraser into a small sculpture. Modern Homo sapiens is at one end, and a monkey on the other; it can be sliced into segments to show the different stages or even used as an ink stamp, if you wish. Or, just use as usual and slowly watch as one end gets worn down into the other.
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At times it might seem as if there’s a slight disposition on this site to feature the more expensive items available in the marketplace, however, know that this tape dispenser by Makoto Koizumi is one of today’s picks primarily for its design and weight. Cast iron would ensure a one handed operation (one can assume) and the design is naturally minimal. Also, if you’re interested, Makoto Koizumi also designed a simple cast iron Tetu door stopper and paper weight that has the form of a rounded stone (see below).
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Add this to your desktop tools wish list pronto (along with the Eraser Brush). It’s a ruler and bookmark all in one, which makes it perfect for planners or journals. Make note that this is marked with mm and 1:500 scale, as you’ll not find your usual inch markings.
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Bring out that inner geometry teacher in you with these neat graph stamps. These are indeed the real-deal and are actual teaching tools, but if you’re like me, you’ll be using these for crafts projects instead of graphing inverse trigonometric functions.
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Hmm, I’m not sure how functional this dispenser is compared to a traditional version, but it sure beats the heck out of it in terms of interest. Made from die-cut aluminum, you hold the dispenser in one hand while pulling/cutting with the other (see note above regarding functionality). It’s certainly minimal, and has the ‘ooo, what’s that’ factor.
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Why-oh-why does the local art supply shop not have this in stock? An eraser on one end of a solid wood block, and a natural hair brush to sweep away the rubbings… it makes so much sense, and is so simple and utilitarian (=lovely) that you’d think it’d be a no brainer to have a big box of them available. If anyone sees a U.S. retailer carrying this, please let me know.

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