Recently I picked up this fun Washi Tape Crafts book at the library. The author Amy Anderson writes the blog by the same name (Washi Tape Crafts). She writes in her introduction that "washi tape is truly one of those craft supplies that is 'no fail,' and there's aren't many that can be said about." I would have to agree with her. You can put washi tape on pretty much anything and have it look cute.
I learned some new tricks from this book. Did you know you can attach washi tape to waxed paper and then cut out shapes? I've always just used strips of tape, so this was a revelation. The author also shares some 3-D projects like flowers and bows.
The most awe-inspiring project was a bicycle completely decorated in washi tape. It was so pretty! (You do need to seal the tape if you want it to be permanent.)
My favorite project in the book is where the author covered those cheap plastic window blinds found in every apartment in America. Because the tape is not permanent, it's a great way to add a little cheer to your surroundings when you aren't allowed to hang anything on the walls.
A Few Project Ideas
I've been using washi tape for a few years, but mostly just to decorate envelopes and postcards. This book encouraged me to up my washi tape game! Here's what I've made over the last couple of weeks:
- Gift boxes.
Sometimes the little kraft boxes I use for jewelry will have marks or imperfections on them. I hate to throw them out, but by recovering them, I've made them perfectly beautiful and usable. For the round box, I used ModPodge as a sealer since the tape kept sticking up on the edges.
Tip 1: I like to buy sets of tape, rather than individual rolls, because then I don't have to worry about finding color combinations that work.
Tip 2: I only covered the lids, but you could do both the top and bottom. Just make sure that the layers of tape aren't too thick on the bottom or you won't be able to slide the lid back on. - Name badge.
I started a volunteer job at a local craft recycling place and needed to make my own name badge. I was given one of those plastic buttons where you can insert paper inside the two plastic halves. (It looked like this one from Jo-Ann if you haven't seen them before.) I had all sorts of grandiose ideas for decorating, but in the end, I needed something quick and cute. I just put the strips of tape on a piece of paper, traced around the circle, and cut out the shape. Washi tape for the win!
Tip: The piece with my name on it is just a plain printout on white paper, but the book does give some suggestions if you want to actually print on the tape itself using your printer. - Clipboard.
My to-do list tends to get lost in the mound of receipts and other paper on my desk. The book showed a project covering a painted clipboard with washi tape. I liked the idea of attaching my list to something colorful so I could easily find it. I decided to try the technique of using cut-outs to decorate the edges of my own clipboard.
Tip 1: I decorated only around the edges so that the middle of the clipboard would still be smooth for writing on.
Tip 2: The book gave several options for cutting out shapes with washi tape. I used my three different flower punches. I first tried sticking the tape to waxed paper and punching. This worked fairly well, but I had difficulty removing the waxed paper from some of the tape, probably because my shapes were so tiny. (I did find that the metallic tape which is a little thicker was easier to remove.) The freezer paper option worked better for me. The tape did not stick to it as completely, which made it easier to pull off the punched shape.
I'm honestly not quite sure if I'm done with this clipboard or not. I want to add more flowers, but I think I want even more colors and patterns than I already have. There may be a little shopping in my future!