DIY washi tape notebook

I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that I love washi tape. I've used it for a variety of projects, including photo displays, creating paintings and word art, just plain decorating my walls, and even for manicure inspiration. today I'm going to show you another ridiculously easy DIY project - how to cover your notebook with washi tape.

start by selecting your tapes. I'm realizing now that my colors look a lot like Christmas... in real life the greens are more minty and the pink is less red and more pink. or maybe I should use this notebook to get a head start on making my Christmas lists?

anyway. you'll also need a blank notebook. I used white since some of my tapes were a bit transparent, but another solid color would work well. you could also use a notebook that already has art on it and come up with something really interesting.

start by cutting a straight edge on your tape, then run your first color along the top edge. if it's not straight, just pull the tape up and reposition. cut a little excess tape and fold per to the inside cover of the notebook. add your second tape, your third tape, and so on.

I decided to keep things simple with just horizontal stripes, but you could go vertical or diagonal, or even weave or cut sections of the tape to create a pattern.

I initially added a vertical strip along the wire to reinforce it, and then removed it because I decided I liked the look better without. that's one of the great things about working with washi tape... removability!

this project was really easy and I'm tempted to cover all my notebooks and planners now. this would be a great way to personalize your notebooks for school, or make a cute journal to give a friend. washi tapes come in so many colors and patterns now, the possibilities are endless.

linking up with Nicole for treat yo self Thursday

neon washi tape wall

I have a bright and fun home project to share with you today: my new neon washi tape wall.

I found this neon multi-pack of mt washi tape on sale at my local bookstore [I love you, Asia!] and knew it was just the crazy pop of color my dining room needed. mt masking tape is by far the best brand that I've tried, but there are plenty to choose from. I opted for a multi-pack because I knew I would spend an hour trying to come up with the perfect combination by buying individual colors and patterns.

I've been fighting with blogger/google to try getting the colors to show up right... but they really are neon!

as you can see, we have a chalkboard wall at the far end which sucks out all the light from the room. not that this room gets much light to start with. my walls needed a little bit of something, and when you're living in on-campus housing with walls made of concrete... the easy thing to do is washi tape them.

the process of putting up the wall was pretty simple. I took a ruler and made marks every 10cm along the left + right edges, and down the center of the wall. this wall is not exactly flat, so I just eyeballed adjustments as I felt were needed. the hooks and little birdhouse keyholder were already attached to the wall, so I just cut the tape and continued on the other side. the lightswitch was pretty icky... that got covered in another washi tape.

I'm linking up with Melyssa for the creative collective today. the challenge this week was to bring a Pinterest project to life - and so I have to admit the idea for a washi striped wall came from this blog [via Pinterest.] I also found several other washi tape wall ideas that I'm planning to do in the near future, so keep your eyes open!

DIY photo wall display // 52 weeks project

back in 2011 I completed my first 52 weeks project: one photo a week, for one whole year.

I knew I wanted to work on another photo project after we moved to Taiwan, but I wanted to give myself some time to get settled before starting. my 2011 project was self portraits, and this time I settled on a new challenge: instant film. just before New Year's [regular, not Chinese] I purchased an instax mini instant camera. since then I've been snapping at least one photo per week.

the first five weeks were easy... the excitement of a new project, traveling to Thailand and the Philippines and being surrounded by beautiful beaches. I actually brought a whole extra roll of film which I shot in Thailand.

then we came home. and it rained. and I struggled a little to find things to shoot and at one point considered giving up and only using the instax for "fun things". but I didn't quit. yesterday I shot week #14. which means I am already 1/4 though the year! and I decided it was about time to share. so I slapped up my weekly shots on my chalkboard wall with some washi tape to show them off.

  1// Guan Gong at the statue garden
  2// our backyard
  3// ferris wheel in Bangkok
  4// Railay beach
  5// Husband and I in Boracay
  6// rice paddy outside the Kalibo airport
  7// spring arrives in Taiwan
  8// a walk in the park
  9// mini temple gazebo at the lake
10// my chevron wall
11// gouache ampersand artwork
12// earth hour in Hong Kong
13// big bowl of produce from the market
14// Lady in the grass

I really love the chalkboard / washi tape display. but usually I use my chalkboard for other things, so I have been keeping my project photos up on a different wall. I wanted a way to display my instax photos that was easily re-arrangeable and that could be added to as I took more.

all it took was twine, tiny clothespins, and 3M hooks.

since I've used up this much space already [only 1/4 through the year] I've been thinking of adding another display similar to this elsewhere in our home. I could dedicate the wall in the office to the photos from my project, and mix the other instax shots with prints from my holga, regular 3 x 5s, and maybe some instagrams.

working with film has definitely been a challenge for me. I've grown so used to the world of digital photography that I don't always stop and think before I shoot. but using the instant photos for my project has helped me to be more thoughtful with what I shoot, and to be more accepting of the imperfections.

DIY jewelry display wall

I'm kindof sentimental about my jewelry. every necklace I own has a special significance to me. in some way they are all connected to a loved one, a personal moment, a meaningful event or place. these are not the kinds of things I want to keep hidden in a drawer where they get all tangled up together or worse, forgotten.

so I set out to create a jewelry display. I don't have a dresser or large bedside table, so I knew if would have to be something on the wall. if you scour Pinterest you can find dozens of ideas, but I had one major obstacle: all of my walls are cement.

let's talk about cement walls for a minute. in Taiwan, that's what we have. in our entire house. [I guess tile in the bath + kitchen, but that's just as bad.] putting a nail or screw in the wall involves power tools. and a lot of dust. instead, I have been using 3M command hooks. they are manufactured in Taiwan, so just about every store carries a huge selection. 3M hooks have saved my life. I used them to hang up my belts in my closet, my bags in the bedroom, our towels in the bathroom, our helmets in the entry, hot pads in the kitchen... you get the point. and when I found clear hooks with clear stickings? I knew it was the answer to my jewelry problem.

this little nook in our bedroom was the perfect size for the display. I measured the space and used my bed to lay out all the necklaces in the arrangement I wanted, and matched each up with the appropriate size hook[s]. the different sizes are for bearing different weights, but for this project it was more about what size of chain will fit. then I moved everything to stick on the wall. the best part is you can easily remove a hook and replace it with a clean sticky if you aren't accurate in placing it on the wall. and no ugly nail holes. [this would be perfect for renters]

since the hooks are clear, I decided to use a few strips of washi tape to add a little color + structure to the display. there was also a hideous light switch right in the middle of the area I wanted to use... washi tape to the rescue again!

I love this display wall. every time I walk into my room I see it and smile. organized things make me happy! it's also been helping me wear a little more variety with my jewelry, now that it's all out there to see when I'm putting together an outfit. kindof like an interactive wall art installation.

maybe it's the spring cleaning bug, but I can't stop thinking of what else I can organize and/or cover in washi tape... any ideas?