| One thing that the majority of people in our | | | | setting is emotionally safe for the serious |
| society have in common is that they strongly | | | | person who isn't quite sure how to leap into |
| desire some level of creativity in their | | | | the creative world. An art supply store might |
| lives. At one end of the spectrum are people | | | | be intimidating with its gessoes and |
| who are fully engaged in artistic work as a | | | | canvasses and other creative tools that the |
| way of life. At the other end of the spectrum | | | | individual has never used. The office supply |
| are those people who rarely indulge in | | | | store is filled with familiar, practical |
| artistic activities but do enjoy the | | | | items that sit alongside tools of creativity |
| occasional creative event now and then. Most | | | | that can make anyone want to create art |
| people fall somewhere in the middle and seek | | | | without making them feel like they must be an |
| to move towards the more creative end of the | | | | artist to do so. The key for the individual |
| spectrum. For those people, there are few | | | | is to be willing to spend time surfing in |
| better places to spend a free afternoon than | | | | places like this, letting the imagination go |
| browsing through an office supply store | | | | wild. Looking at the guillotine cutters, the |
| looking at things like guillotine cutters and | | | | person may visit the store for awhile, |
| other office products. Guillotine cutters are | | | | allowing those old memories to wash over |
| those manual paper cutters that you remember | | | | them. A memory of a childhood experience may |
| seeing in the office of administrators at | | | | get the creative wheels turning. |
| your elementary school. They allow the user | | | | Alternatively, the person may browse through |
| to measure out large stacks of paper and cut | | | | other items with a focus on how they could be |
| them into smaller pieces to make fliers and | | | | used with a guillotine cutter to create |
| other types of promotional materials. So what | | | | something new. Papers and fabrics that went |
| makes looking at things like this such a | | | | unnoticed before will leap out at the person |
| great experience for the person who is | | | | who is approaching the store with this type |
| seeking to further creative impulses in their | | | | of mindset. What's really important to |
| life? It's precisely the blend of | | | | remember about things like guillotine cutters |
| practicality and creativity that is available | | | | are that they are simple. The smart |
| with equipment like this that is what the | | | | individual will not overwhelm herself by |
| individual who wants to be more artistic | | | | purchasing complex machinery that may |
| needs to have. Guillotine cutters serve to | | | | intimidate her too much to actually allow for |
| inspire the user into wondering what she | | | | creativity to flourish. The fancy sewing |
| might cut on these machines. Seeing them also | | | | machine is of no use to the person who |
| stirs up memories from the past of being a | | | | doesn't have a clue how to use it. Simple |
| child and seeing this equipment used by | | | | equipment that we're familiar with is the |
| adults. This combination of inspiration and | | | | best place to start when trying to choose |
| nostalgia is ideal for setting off the | | | | tools that will allow us to develop our |
| creative spark. Of course, it isn't just | | | | creative impulses in more depth. It's things |
| guillotine cutters that can inspire people in | | | | like guillotine cutters that people need to |
| this way. That's what makes visiting the | | | | look at for some creative inspiration. |
| online office supply store such a great place | | | | |
| for an afternoon of creative browsing. There | | | | Andy West is a writer for iShopPaperCutters, |
| are dozens, maybe hundreds, of different | | | | which offers many name brand guillotine |
| items that can be used to further creative | | | | cutters. Visit to learn more about their |
| urges but which are rooted in practical | | | | products. |
| applications for the business world. This | | | | |