Rhi Axtell – Writer

A surprising creative boost appeared in my life this week in the form of a tiny printer. My wife presented it to me – a before-Christmas present* – and I found myself hooked.

*The idea of the before-Christmas present is this: you have bought your significant other a present for Christmas**, but you are so eager to see them happy that you give it to them well in advance. In our case, almost a month in advance. What can I say? We are weak and I love that about us. I gave my wife a before-Christmas present last week.

**Or whatever the non-Christian version of Christmas is. ‘Present and food day’, perhaps?

Here is the deal with the tiny printer:

• You have an app on your phone.
• You gather all the little doodles you make during the day, or photos of things that make you smile.
• You put them into the app.
• You print tiny sticker versions of these doodles/photos out of your tiny printer (which needs no ink and therefore is superior in every way to a standard printer)
• You stick the stickers all over your home.
• You draw more doodles.
• You take more photos.
• You print more stickers.
• Repeat until the eventual heat-death of the universe. *

*Or until your landlord kicks you out for covering every surface in stickers. Whichever comes first.

I have started using stickers for random quotes on gratitude, little notes to myself and my wife, and also as a fun, French-learning tool.

If you can’t find me in the new year, look under the pile of stickers. I’m probably there.

See you next time.