Washi, washi and even more washi...

I seem to have a bit of a problem with washi tape.  I can't stop buying it.  So many pretty patterns on those cute little rolls!  I know that some people just love patterned paper but for me, my obsession is tape.

So when I saw that the new tubes of tapes from My Mind's Eye had arrived in the shop, I couldn't resist.

I find it so much more adaptable than paper.  It's repositionable.  It can be crumpled up and unrolled yet still will look brand new.  It can be punched.  It's both pretty and an adhesive.  You can write on it.  The list goes on...

So for my pages this month I wanted to show a number of different ways in which it can be used.

Layout one:

For my first layout, I was inspired by the tapes in the tube.  I decided to create a background using strips of the tapes in the order in which they were stacked in the tube.

I also wanted to explore ways in which to use the tapes for actually sticking things down so I experimented with using it to stick two 6x4 photos together along the left hand side so that they open up like a card (more detailed photos for this technique are included later with lyout two).

As I'd made a section of the layout which is openable, I also made a little tag with which to open the photos up.

I attached a loop of yellow tape to the bottom of the top photograph and then punched a heart through both layers.

I then opened the tape back up.

The next step was to stick a small piece of a contrasting coloured tape inside.

I then closed the looped tape back up again.

This allows the photos to be lifted open.

Now for the final touch of washi on this page, I have my daughter to thank.  When she looked at what I'd done, she pointed out that when the photo card was open, the back of the photograph wasn't very attractive.  Using strips of the yellow tapes from the tube, I covered up the back of the photograph to tie it in with the yellow photo mat.

The completed page which tells the story of our camping trip to the Gower Peninsula last August:

View one (photo card closed)

 

View two (photo card open to reveal photo underneath)

Layout two:

I continued to find ways to use washi tape to add a a number of photos to my page.  I love using Instagram to share photos and had a selection of pictures from a recent snowy walk that my husband and I enjoyed together.  After printing and cutting out 3 square photos, I lined them up in the order in which I wanted them to appear to tell the story.

I then picked out an aqua tape and stuck strips along the edges of each photo to stick them together.

I folded them to create a concertina.  This pile of folded photos was stuck down onto my page and held closed with a phototurn.

Another way in which I regularly use washi tape is to add a border to my pages.  The repositionable qualities of washi mean that it is very easy to create a neat mitred corner with it.

Stick strips down to the edge of the page.

Gently lift up both overlapping strips and cut across the diagonal from outside to inside corner.

Stick back down again and you should have a perfect mitred join.

The finished page where I also used small strips of tape as a design feature to make it look like I'd stuck the elements down with it: 

I hope I've given you some ideas for how to use tapes on your pages.  If you have any ideas to share then leave a comment or link for us either here or on our facebook page.

My supplies:

My Mind's Eye - Decorative Tape Set - Red & Turquoise

My Mind's Eye - Decorative Tape Set - Yellow & Grey

My Mind's Eye - Boy Crazy - Decorative Tape