Jessica Okui - Fun With Washi!: 35 Ways to Instantly Refresh Your Home, Accessories, and Packages with Washi Tape

Text and illustrations copyright 2014 by Jessica Okui.

Photographs copyright 2014 by Angie Cao.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Okui, Jessica.
Fun with washi : 35 ways to instantly refresh your home,
accessories, and packages with washi tape / Jessica Okui.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-4521-2919-8 (pb)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3671-4 (epub, mobi)
1. Tape craft. 2. Gummed paper tape. 3. Masking tape.
4. Japanese paper. I. Title.

TT869.7.O47 2014
736.980952dc23

2013040459

Designed by Cat Grishaver

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

Fun with Washi could not have been created without the support, encouragement, and love of many important people past and present in my life. Thank you to:

Lisa Tauber from Chronicle Books who guided and
supported me throughout the creation of this book.

Mrs. Ann Thorpe, my high school graphic design teacher,
who encouraged me to pursue a degree in the arts.

Ms. Janice Golojuch, my college graphic design instructor
and mentor, who inspired me.

My grandmothers, Barbara Roehl and Ruth Spring, who
would always have craft projects for me when I visited them.

Above all, I am thankful for my loving husband, Jason,
who has supported and believed in me from the very beginning.
Also my children, Evan and Morgan, who inspire me
with their creativity.

Welcome to the wonderful, versatile world of washi tape. Washi is a traditional Japanese-style paper made out of natural materials such as bark, bamboo, and rice. When combined with masking tape, washi paper becomes the beloved craft material washi tape, also known to some as Japanese masking tape, paper tape, or tissue tape.

Washi tape is similar to traditional masking tape in that its a low-tack tape thats easy to remove from most surfaces, but its thinner, more flexible, and has a smoother texture.

Washi tape comes in a wonderful array of unique colors and printsperfect for all sorts of craft projects. You can use the tape on a variety of materials, from paper to glass to fabric, to add color and sophisticated accents to your home, your stationery, and even your clothing. And washi tape is easily removed and repositioned, so you can change up your dcor whenever you want, but the tape will stay in place until you remove it.

When I discovered washi tape, I instantly fell in love with the medium. I had never seen anything quite like it. Unlike most types of artist tape, it has a translucent quality that adds a unique look to craft projects. I also like the organic character of it; you can just rip the tape instead of cutting it with scissors and it still looks nice. Washi tape has inspired me to think of new and exciting ways to add details to everything around me, many of which youll find in the thirty-five projects in this book. Embellish a wall with removable wallpaper, cut the tape into tiny pieces to make mosaic coasters, iron it onto fabric to add a bold print to your tote, or wrap up your gifts with a distinctive bow. Since washi tape is so simple to use, the projects are easy to make no matter your skill level. In fact, all of the projects can be created in less than an hour, some in a matter of minutes, and many only require basic materials like scissors and glueperfect for spontaneous crafting. And because of the low-tack quality of the tape, the projects can be redesigned when you want to create something new.

This book invites you to explore the endless possibilities of washi tape. I hope the projects will inspire you to discover your own uses for this versatile craft material. Now lets get started adding bold and colorful details to your dcor, accessories, and packaging!

Many of the projects in this book require only a few basic supplies. Refer to this section when you have questions about the materials youll need for your project.

Extra-Strength Glue (E6000)
E6000 is extra-strength liquid glue that will bond heavy materials to each other permanently. Its also waterproof.

Glue Dots
Glue Dots are small rounds of double-sided, dry but sticky adhesive that instantly create a bond. The benefit of Glue Dots is that you dont have to wait for them to dry. They work well for light materials such as paper.

A bone folder is a plastic tool (traditionally made from bone) with a pointed edge used for creasing, scoring, and smoothing out paper. A Popsicle stick can be used in place of a bone folder.

Clear acrylic paint is commonly used as a top coat to protect and seal an item, such as a decoupage project of layers of cutout paper pieces. Unlike other decoupage products, clear acrylic paint is water resistant when it dries, so I prefer it. Acrylic paint comes in various finishes, like gloss, matte, and satin.

A craft knife is essential for cutting out areas that are hard to reach with scissors. Its important to have a craft knife with a sharp blade to make clean cuts.

Use a cutting mat to protect your table when using scissors, craft knives, and even markers.

Decorative hole punches come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Just like a standard hole punch, they are used to punch out a shaped hole in a piece of paper or card stock.

Card Stock
Card stock is a heavyweight paper. It comes in varying weights, but I prefer to work with 110-lb/50-kg card stock (weight per a certain number of sheets). Its strong enough to construct a box, but its thin enough to be used in a printer or copier.

Office Paper
Office paper is a lightweight paper, weighing 20 lb/9 kg (per a certain number of sheets). Its most commonly used for printing and copying.

Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is most commonly used in the kitchen these days, but it is also a useful craft paper. You can place pieces of tape on it for future use, and the tape will peel off easily when youre ready to use it.