Tutorials & Techniques

Have you ladies stepped outside your usual wash tape usage???  I tried to think of something easy and simple to do with washi tape and came up with this incredibly simple project..........

 A container for my glitter pens!!!

All the flowers on the container I made with washi tape.  I also ran the tape on a curve around the container.

Items you will need:

unused container

(I used a beverage container with the inside removed)

plastic container

A4 sheet of copy paper, washi tape

buttons, lace, scrap piece of paper

scissors, circle punch
bone folder, scoreboard
glossy accents, glue or glue gun

To create your washi tape paper line the paper with strips of washi tape until its fully covered.  Make sure the edges of your tape meet up perfectly and where there is a pattern try to line it up as best as you can.

To make the flower:

- cut a 1.5 inch strip of the washi tape paper you made

- scored the strips at every quarter inch (I used my Martha Stewart scoring board)

- using an accordion style fold on each score line - use your bone folder

- join the two ends with adhesive of your choice (I used glossy accents)

- using a scrap piece of white paper punch a circle with your circle punch

- place some hot glue on the circle

- bring the center part of your scored paper together and adhere to the punched circle

- hold down onto the hot glue for a bit and release

- adhere the buttons to the center of the flower with a glue gun or any adhesive of your choice.

The paper is quite sturdy once you have lined it with strips of washi tape.  I put my paper in my cameo and cut the delicate dress form, the Eiffel tower, the swirls and the delicate doily in the images below

I hope I inspired you to give it a try - it is very easy to do!  Plus you are also AND you are making a very pretty item to line your craft shelf!

Pop into Paper Lane...they have a variety of washi tape at very affordable prices.  

See you there...Janine

I made this 'sweetheart' card as part of one of my DT projects for Paperlane.  I used the awesome DCWV Tradewinds paper - gorgeous papers ladies; if you can lay your hands on a stack...buy it!!!

I used the trellis technique on the heart shape on the card.  It is super easy and to help you create the same effect on a card you decide to make, here is a tutorial...

Tools you will need:

cardstock and or patterned paper of your choice,
a pair of scissors,
a cutting knife,
tape, glue, a rubber,
embellishments of your choice
strips of paper cut to whatever width you decide on.

Decide on what shape you would like to use on your card; I decided on a heart shape because I wanted to create a romantic card. You can use any shape you like and if you own a die cut machine it will make this step even easier. I did not own a die cut machine at the time I created this card so I used a heart shape template.

On the front of your folded card, trace the shape of your template. If you using a die cut machine skip the next strep.

Cut out your shape. Do not throw the shape away as you can use it later to decorate the inside of your card or on other projects. If you have any pencil lines showing use your rubber to get rid of it.

If you opted for a die cut on the front of your card, you will follow the steps from here on.

You will from now on work on the inside of your card i.e. the back of the shape on the front of the card. Place strips of tape all around the shape; make sure the tape is placed at least a quarter of an inch from the shape itself. It does not matter if it does not look 100% neat, we will be covering this with paper later on.

Start placing the strips of paper across your shape securing it on each side with the strips of tape (I used double sided tape). Make sure you cover the whole shape and ensure that your strips are as evenly spaced as possible.

                      

Starting in the middle of your shape, secure the one end of your next strip on the tape and start weaving over and under and over and under the strips of paper you taped down, When you start on the second strip make sure you do it in reverse. For example where you went under previously you now go over. Remember you are weaving the paper to create the trellis effect.

                     

When you are complete your shape should look something like this...make sure your ends are securely taped down and evenly spaced.

For the next step you have several options...you can choose to cover the inside of the card with patterned paper, or with plain cardstock. In my example for this tutorial I decided on pale green cardstock. 

Measure the size you want. Tape or glue the cardstock onto the inside of your card. The paper you used with be visible through the front of the card as shown below.

Decorate as you wish!

In my project I cut black cardstock to measure 16 x 12 inches; scored and folded in half - I opted for a landscape card shape as you can see. Next I matted gold cardstock onto the front of the card. I chose the rose patterned sheet of paper from the DCWV Tradewinds paper stack, measured it to mat on the gold cardstock and glued it down after I created my trellis. The Tradewinds paper stack is not double sided so I traced my heart shape onto the back of the pattered paper and did exactly as the steps indicate in the above tutorial. In my project the gold cardstock is revealed through the trellis effect created by the white paper strips. I used the cut out from the heart shape to decorate the inside of the card.

Idea:  You can use a decorative scissors or cut your paper strips with a perforated blade like I did.

There you go!!! Super easy.  I do hope you give it a try and create your own card.  If you do please post a comment on my blog with a link to your creation; I would love to see it!

Thanks for dropping by and see you again soon!