Ever heard of washi tape? This colorful adhesive tape is ideal for customizing your objects, creating a playful universe and personalizing your decor. Something to delight the creative ones 🤩 !
Washi tape is a repositionable decorative tape that can be used to embellish just about anything. Also known as masking tape, this patterned sticky paper is widely used for creative hobbies such as scrapbooking. Perfect for personalizing photo frames, wall decorations, pens and other accessories.
Check out these decorating tricks that will sublimate all of your supports and objects of choice in an instant!
💡 What is washi tape?
In Japan, washi (和紙) refers to a handmade piece of paper, conceived from mulberry tree fibers since the 7th century. We all know what tape means.As a result, washi tape literally means "Japanese paper tape".
Presented in the form of a roll of tape, with various thicknesses and has the particularity of being nicely decorated with patterns. It is easy to tear and reposition, without damaging your supports, which makes it an indispensable tool for scrapbooking. Inexpensive and fun, the masking tape is ideal to decorate surfaces, personalize your stuff or hide small defects. It's a great opportunity to express your creativity!
🙋♂️ Washi tape and masking tape, what is the difference?
Washi tape is often called masking tape. However, it is actually the most famous brand under which the magic paper was marketed.
Masking Tape or MT is an invention by the Japanese company Kamoi Kakoshi. Originally an industrial masking tape, it was used by painters to protect surfaces from paint. Then, its use was diverted from its primary function, adding a decorative dimension. This adhesive paper, which can be easily applied and removed from any surface, was particularly popular among hobbyists.
In addition, there exist other variations of decorative adhesive paper. Thus, washi tape should not be confused with plastic-based deco tape or with fabric tape, a sticky strip of fabric.
🤔 What to do with washi tape? Our 40+ decorating ideas!
Now that we have been through the theory, it's time to get practical! The good news is that there are many ways to use masking tape. So we are going to show you 47 easy decorating ideas you can do at home whether you want to scrapbook, create pretty photo frames, dress up your walls, decorate your belongings, organize your planner or host a creative workshop.
✂ Become a scrapbooking pro
A mix of photo collage, paper, decorations and accessories, scrapbooking enhances your most beautiful memories while embellishing them with details. This artistic hobby consists of a jumble of different techniques such as calligraphy, drawing, collage or sewing. Simply use what you have at hand! The washi tape is a very common tool in scrapbooking just like stickers, die-cuts and wooden shapes. By combining it with other elements, you can easily compose your scrapbooking albums or decorate your bullet journal.
- Create a souvenir photo album
- Personalize a greeting card
- Customize a poster
- Create a bullet journal
📌 Hang your photos and posters on your wall
If your room is filled with beautiful posters and your most beautiful photographs, know that it is very simple to personalize your decoration with washi-tape. There are several possibilities:
- Stick photographs on the wall
- Customize a photo frame
- Create a washi tape frame
🎨 Try out wall art without too much risk
Dreaming of dressing your walls with your personal creations, but don't dare to take the step? Wall art is a very fun activity, however if you don't have a Picasso's soul, or if you are a beginner, washi tape will save you from butchering your home 🤦♂️ !
This colorful, infinitely repositionable tape is perfect for creating beautiful wall decorations without stress. It allows you to start over and over again without leaving any ugly marks. As an excellent alternative to paint, washi tape allows you to fully express your creativity and test your decorative ideas endlessly. In addition to decorating your walls, you can customize your furniture such as your tables, dressers, doors or your headboard. For sure, washi tape will delight those who like to change their home decor regularly!
If you have children, this magical tape is great for creating play areas on the floor. Spice up your playground with arrows on the floor, create a hopscotch board or even top secret messages to decode with them. Here are some ideas of things to do with washi tape:
- Create a wall origami (crane, cat...)
- Create a graphic design effect (lines, perspectives, geometric patterns...)
- Design shapes in pixel style
- Do a wall decorating workshop with your children
- Draw a hopscotch or arrow game on the floor
🍽 Decorate your dishes, jars and storage boxes
Do you wish to create a table decoration using washi tape and delight your guests? It's quite easy: simply stick colorful patterns on the outside of your glasses, bowls or on the sides of your plates. This is of course only a temporary decoration since washi tape is not yet dishwasher safe.
Feel like bringing a little fantasy to your home decor? From jam jars to storage boxes to everyday objects, washi tape can be used to decorate all of your items. Moreover, it is the perfect solution to personalize your gifts. If you are giving a candle or jars of jam, why not add your personal touch with washi tape? That's way more fun than a plain container, don't you think? Here are some DIY ideas with washi tape.
- Customize a jam jar
- Customize a water bottle
- Decorate plates and glasses
- Personalize a small box
- Adorn a toy box
🔑 Customize your personal belongings
Feel like styling your favorite personal belongings? Washi tape colors and beautifies your objects. For example, you can embellish a pen with washi tape, add a touch of color to your pencil case or decorate your binders or notebooks in just 1 minute. You can also decorate your keys using washi tape to make them easier to recognize. This magical piece of paper is perfect for transforming simple utilitarian accessories into original and fancy objects.
- Decorate a pencil or a pen
- Personalize a leather pencil case
- Embellish a pen holder
- Customize a notebook or binder
- Brighten up a set of keys
- Embellish a laptop case
📅 Organize your agenda and calendar
With washi tape, you can organize your schedule with various color codes and patterns. For example, you can use green chevrons to mark your days off, blue arrows to mark a week of seminars, or washi tape with specific patterns to note a meeting or birthday. This colorful, easy-to-tear tape will draw your attention to important events on your calendar or bullet journal. Naturally, you can reposition them endlessly and write down your information over them with a pen.
- Customize a planner cover
- Create a color code
- Mark important events
- Note birthdays and anniversaries
- Indicate your vacations
- Embellish a bullet journal
🌟 Create pretty ephemeral decorations for your parties
Are you planning to invite your friends or family to celebrate a birthday or the Christmas holidays? The washi tape will be your ally to create an original home decor in the blink of an eye. You can dress up your table, make garlands or even create an ultra-modern Christmas tree.
- Decorate a table
- Make pretty garlands
- Make cake or appetizer picks
- Create place cards
- Customize candle holders
- Create a personalized birthday card
- DDecorate a menu
👧 To propose creative crafts for children
Very easy to use and particularly fun, washi tape will enchant your children. This tape can be easily torn with the fingers without the need for scissors, which can be very practical for the little ones. This activity will awaken their creativity while entertaining them. For the little ones, it is also an opportunity to teach them colors in a playful way as well as to develop their motor skills or their orientation in space. You can for example organize a decoration workshop, customize an object or create a disguise.
- Decorate a cardboard dollhouse
- Create a circuit for toy cars
- Decorate a child's room
- Invent a disguise
- Create an indoor floor course
- Create a gift for Mother's Day
- Organize an educational workshop
💝 Personalize your mail or gift packages
The advantages of washi tape are the infinite possibilities of personalization. You can add that little touch that will make the difference on a letter or on a gift package. Your attention will be appreciated for sure. This colorful ribbon is perfect for decorating kraft paper, embellishing a greeting card or personalizing your envelopes.
- Customize a greeting card
- Personalize an announcement
- Brighten up an envelope
- Personalize a gift package
As you can see, there are many different ways to use washi-tape. You simply can't get enough of this decorative tape... to the point of becoming addicted to it! With a wide range of patterns and colors available, this pretty Japanese adhesive paper will fulfill your wildest ideas. Use your imagination and become a true decorating fairy... creativity is limitless!
