Most educational facilities will have an art and design department where various artistic abilities and talents are discovered and where many students find their hidden passion for art and all this entails. However in order to encourage this lust for imaginative, creative work, the correct tools must be provide so that students are able to flourish! The basics can never be forgotten such as the medium which will be used in class (paint, charcoal, pencil, pastel etc) and the basics such as paper, knives, brushes and so on. However many people leave it to the last minute before they purchase cutting mats.

A cutting mat is strongly advised wherever cutting implements are used. So this of course is not just in educational facilities. You will find as standard, cutting mats in areas such as photography studios, design and advertising studios, in the home for card and paper crafts, for quilting and other fabric work, the list is endless. It is used not just to protect your surfaces (and your blades), but also as a measuring tool to ensure a clean and straight cut. All cutting mats will feature a measuring grid printed onto their surface for guidelines.

Another less common use for a cutting mat is to aid in handwriting, this is most common with calligraphy as the mat can be slipped under their paper and used as a reference to ensure letters are written evenly and in a straight line. Of course this then also doubles up as a protective layer for your desk or table, protecting it from impressions and ink spills or seepage.

Here at LA Office we have a selection of self healing cutting mats which are made by the brand Linex. Available in A1, A2 and A3 sizes, you will find a mat suitable for your task and your space. Take a look at our A2 Linex Cutting Mat for example.

• Three layer, one hard layer between two soft layers
• Can be used on both sides
• Anti-slip, self-healing material
• Metric millimetre grid on one side
• A2 Size
• RRP £36.45 – Our price just £13.18 inc VAT!

You can simply order on line, or if you’re looking to purchase in bulk, we can look at giving you an even better price. Call us on 0870 766 1722 for quotes, ordering and more information. And remember, orders over £30 qualify for free delivery!

I’ve been pondering today’s blog for some time now and have been trying to understand one thing. Why is it so many more people have taken to home crafts? Is it that with our current economical crisis many of us can no longer afford the expense of birthday cards or could it be that there are more craft magazines these days teaching us the art of home crafts and giving away freebies? Alternatively, maybe the older generation have better eyesight due to laser eye correction or improved eyewear thanks to ‘Specsavers’ and so are able to take up bobbies such as home crafts after retirement? Hmmm, well whatever the reason, home crafts is definitely on the rise and I have to admit, I quite like it. It is so much more personal to give someone you care about a homemade card than it is to just go out any buy one. Although she doesn’t know it yet, I have bought my eldest various stamps and stamp pad inks for her birthday with little bits to play with like butterfly stamps, alphabet stamps, bird stamps and loads of different colour stamp pads; I just know she’ll love it. Other than this, I have bought her some Calligraphy pens so that she can learn the art of this beautiful writing form leaving lovely artistic messages in each of her cards.

Here at La Office we have some beautiful Edding Calligraphy Pens (featured to your right) which are water based and so perfectly suitable for beginners like my daughter. They feature;

·         Set of 3 calligraphy pens

·         2mm, 3.5mm and 5mm tips

·         Black

·         Water-based ink

·         Complete with plastic wallet

·         Just £3.20 Inc VAT

The art of calligraphy is based upon the visual expression of words. Calligraphy pens enable you to develop your skills and express your ideas through beautiful calligraphic designs. This form of writing is ideal for adding your very own personal touch to shop bought and homemade occasion cards, invitations, announcements, place cards, fancy labels, flyers posters, signs, certificates and awards. Calligraphy is basically a form of italic writing which has more of an artistic flare. You can truly express yourself with an Edding calligraphy pen; writing is not just a way of presenting thoughts and ideas, your own handwriting can also become an important design tool.