Wednesday 1 May 2013

5 creative uses for your DYMO label maker


It may come as no surprise that I'm an appreciator of stationery and office-related tools and accessories. However, anyone who steps into my craft studio would be forgiven for thinking I was moonlighting in office administration. I like to be organised and I like the challenge of using seemingly boring and conventional items in a variety of creative and unconventional ways.

So I was rather excited to be set a challenge on how to use a DYMO label maker creatively. Sure, you can use it to add labels to index tabs in ring binders and the like, but I have come up with some other ways in which you can get creative mileage out of your label maker at home.


ONE: organise your craft tools 

I have sets of drawers throughout my craft studio. It's the only way I can stay semi on top of where things are stashed. Plus drawers can put a pretty face on the mess that might lay within.

It's all about the pretty face. Especially if you're anything like me and regularly do a craft "dump and run" when cooking and other domestic duties call.

So, why not make things even easier by creating labels for your drawers.





TWO: give your notebooks names
I like a good notebook. I have one for "ideas", one for scribbling in, another for art journalling, one for sticking random memorabilia into and a few more with to-do lists and equally as random stuff in them.

I do my best to remember which is for what, but now I have my handy-dandy friend to help me give them all names.

Use some contrasting washi tape as a base for your clear plastic labels. It will add a bit of fun and element of colour.





THREE: magnetic meal planner
Over the years I've tried various methods to staying on top of planning dinners for the week. The fridge is the obvious communal place for family members to have their input on what will be consumed for the week.

Print out labels for each day of the week along with each dish that's in your dinner repertoire. Stick the labels onto unwanted large flat advertising magnets (eg "Jim's Plumbing") and trim them down to the size of the label.

Stick them onto your fridge and each week, planning out dinners (and grocery shopping) will be a breeze!



FOUR: jars need names too
A few years ago, in a bid to be more grown-up, I started making my kitchen more functional. After several trips to Ikea, I had lots of lovely, some fancy and many functional things to make our home work better for us.

I bought jars. Lots of jars. I started filling the jars. I arranged them all in a pretty line. I forgot what was in some of said jars. I labelled jars. I now know what is in my pretty jars.

I realise "sprinkles" don't really need to be identified, but I couldn't very well leave them nameless.




FIVE: visual cues
Upon the suggestion of an instagram friend, I recently started a vision board. I chopped up magazines and collected lovely pictures and phrases of how I'd like my life to shape itself.

I started glueing all of my gathered items onto a large piece of poster card. But there were some obvious words missing which could not be found in my magazines.

I adjusted text heights and formats before printing labels with key words to add to my vision board.

You could do the same with scrapbooking. It's much quicker and economical than printing a page, cutting and then glueing. Especially if you only need a few words.

Here's some nifty facts about the DYMO LetraTag which I've used in these projects:

  • The labels come in paper, plastic, metallic and iron-on finishes in a range of colours (depending on the type of label).
  • It has the capabilities to print onto two lines
  • There are five font sizes
  • You can add borders around text
  • It is super easy to use 

Do you own a label maker? If so, have I inspired you to dust it off and use it creatively? What will you use it for?

Don't own a label maker? Well then, this is your lucky day. The folks over at Newell Rubbermaid have been very generous to give me a DYMO LetraTag to giveaway to one of my readers along with refill tapes.

Would you like to win? Read ahead for details...




DYMO COMPETITION DETAILS

  1. Entrants MUST be Australian residents. 
  2. To enter simply leave a comment on this post. It can be anything. You can tell me what you'd like to use the label maker for. Or whatever you'd like to say is fine.
  3. Entries open Wednesday 1 May 2013 and close Friday 3 May 2013. 
  4. I will randomly select a winner on Saturday 4 May 2013. Winner will be notified by email.
  5. The prize is a DYMO LetraTag LT-100H along with two refills with a RRP of AUD$69

17 comments:

  1. I love how my old Dymo labeller is now retro and cool again!! Way to hang in there Dymo!!!

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  2. We have a label maker at work and I think it might just be coming home with me of a night time...
    Thanks for the tips lovely lady!
    Xo

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  3. I'd love to use the label maker in the same way you have. Especially on those little Ikea jars! I always forget to label things and have a terrible time remembering what's what! :)

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  4. Wow! What a fabulous product and thanks for all the great ideas on how to use it.

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations Sally, you've been randomly selected as the winner of your very own DYMO label maker! Can you please email me your details so we can get the prize out to you?

      Delete
  5. thanks for a lovely offer.. I would definitely use this to keep the entire house organised (as much as a label maker can assist!) - and I too would label sprinkles.. just because x

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  6. I love the meal planner idea too, so clever!! If I had one I'd love to label all my jars too! xo

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  7. I am always asking hubby to bring the Dymo home from work so I can label my jars and heaps of other things - would be great to have our own

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  8. Love all those ideas on things to use it on especially your meal planner...
    I had one but my teens thought it would be a great idea to take it apart and then put it back together and of course it doesn't work..
    I would use it in my crafting and in lap books for the kids....

    Maria

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  9. I love labeling things - but sadly don't have anything as useful as a DYMO! My husband keeps telling me to get my craft stuff organized and this may just make it happen!!!

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  10. Oh I have always wanted a labelmaker! I am so glad I popped round here when I did! There is so many things I want and would use alot but just can't afford everything I want. So to win one of these would be AWESOME!
    A creative way of using my labelmaker would be to make little sub-headings in my letter writing to pen pals and such! Just to jazz it up abit!
    Thanks for the opportunity for this giveaway :-)

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  11. Hi these are excellent pics. Labelling is always a fun to do activity & to keep oneself organised. Check out my blog on usage of DYMO Label software at http://improveurproductivity.blogspot.in

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    ReplyDelete
  13. We are very impressed with your creativity and originality! Do you mind if we twit the link to your blog in our twitter profile @DymoSupport? We would love to share these inspirational ideas on how to turn a Dymo label maker into a great art tool. As a symbol of our appreciation we'd like to send you a small surprise. For that, you can send us your contact details to 'helpdesk@dymo.com' stating as subject "DYMO Social Media Blog" . Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

I like reading your comments, so thanks for taking the time to write something. I try to respond to each and every comment, but please be patient as I'm not always online.

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