Big Pimpin'
Our 2nd DIY tutorial pimps an often overlooked and totally rad office supply.
Our sourcing trips are all about puttering and random chance. We grab a city map, locate key landmarks, break down the ‘hoods and work each block. A good map is key – the ideal one has clearly marked streets and includes public transportation routes.
But for us a map is more than just a vehicle for exploring – it’s also a record of where we’ve been and what we’ve seen. It’s one of the many ways that I create a visual archive of my life. My travel tool kit includes a few sheets of neon colored hole reinforcers (maybe y'all can tell, but we got a thang for neon!). I sticker-up maps with reinforcers after I’ve checked out different spots.
Green is for trip essentials, like our hotel, ATM and supermarket. Pink means designated shopping areas, orange for spots where we purchased STMT goods, and yellow for museums and design or architecture spots. My method isn’t an exact science, but it was ideal for a city like San José where streets are rarely marked and navigating the city is about landmarks, not street names. It’s a modern day version of Hansel dropping white stones to mark the way back home.
But our love for hole reinforcers doesn’t stop with maps. Pair them with round color-coding labels and doll-up the Latvia Kit’s note cards. Or pair the white glossy ones from the Costa Rica Kit with neon rubber bands and index cards to create gift tags. Quick and easy way to create a personalized gift tag for someone rad (and yeah, we might also use them as hang tags around the office).
Check out our DIY Tutorial on how to create your own stash of goods with hole reinforcers.
PS :: The super rad ‘80s looking wrapping paper? Hit up a Korean grocery around New Year’s, and you’ll probably be able to snag a free calendar with graphics and images so bad that they’re awesome for wrapping gifts.
