Category: DIY

DIY – Washi Tape Earrings

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A while back the lovely folks at The Washi Tape Shop sent me a gorgeous selection of washi tapes. I used some to make these fun kokeshi-style dolls, but I’ve been trying to think of other ways to feature the designs. I was inspired to make these fun. stylish, and easy washi tape earrings! Including dry time for the optional paint and varnish, these come together in less than an hour.

You will need:

  1. Washi tape
  2. Earring hardware
  3. Work-safe mat
  4. Sharp scissors or a craft knife
  5. Fine-grit (180 to 220 grit) sandpaper or file
  6. Pliers
  7. (Optional) Paint brushes
  8. (Optional) Metallic paint
  9. (Optional) Varnish or Mod-Podge

You don’t need to paint the blanks, but personally I think it makes the end product look a lot more finished and professional. Metallic paints also help tie in the metallic accents on the washi tape.

How-To:

  1. Gently sand the edges of your wood pieces. They may be cheaply machine cut and not properly finished, and you don’t want rough wood near your ears or neck.
  2. If painting your wooden blanks, do this next. Do two thin coats on either side and make certain to paint the thin edges, as these will be the most visible.
  3. Once paint is fully dry, carefully smooth a piece of tape onto one flat side of the wooden blank. If your washi tape has a specific direction or accent you want to feature, take the time to align it properly. It will make the finished piece look much more professional.
  4. Using your scissors or knife, trim the excess tape off, following the shape of the wood piece.
  5. Flip the blank over and do the same taping-and-cutting on the other side.
  6. With the tip of your knife or even the hook of one of the earrings, pierce through the tape on both sides of the tiny hole at the top of the piece. If you’re having trouble finding it, hold your piece up to a bright light; the hole will shine through.
  7. Varnish isn’t necessary but it will help seal the tape from peeling off and give a nice shine to the earrings. If you choose to varnish, do it now.
  8. Once the piece is fully dry, open one jump ring with the pliers and attach a hook to each earring.
  9. Voila! Your stylish new pieces are done.

Now you’ve got beautiful, one-of-a-kind earrings that you can pair with funky kimono outfits or to add flair to a western outfit. You can also turn these into unique necklaces by using attaching a decorative bail or even just a jump ring and threading it on to a chain. These would make beautiful gifts, too.

Have fun and experiment with paint colours and tape placement or even add decorative items, rhinestones, or other personal touches!

 I received this item from the retailer or manufacturer for honest review purposes.This post contains affiliate link(s). If you choose to purchase, I receive a small rebate or commission which goes to the continued maintenance of this site. 

DIY Kokeshi Dolls featuring The Washi Tape Shop

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Washi tape comes in so many beautiful and versatile designs, and is an important part of any Japanophile crafter’s arsenal. While most often used for journaling, scrapbooking, and wrapping gifts, there are so many other ways you can feature the gorgeous designs of traditional washi tape.

Today I’ve teamed up with The Washi Tape Shop to bring you a quick, affordable, and fun DIY project. If you’re stuck inside the house (aren’t we all nowadays?) this is a great way to spend an afternoon, and is easy and safe for kids to do as well! Many of the designs available at the Washi Tape Shop are clearly influenced by traditional Japanese textiles and patterns, so I figured what better way to feature them than to make your own kokeshi dolls?

Keep reading for detailed instructions!

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Q is for Quilting

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Quilting, the process of sewing two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material

 

Q, much like last week’s letter L, is a letter that has no equivalent kana or phoneme in Japanese. Typically, Q-words that are transliterated from other language end up being written with a K-based kana. For example – my last name, Quintal, would become クインタル, or Ku-in-ta-ru. I don’t mind it!

However, it did make finding a topic for today’s entry a little difficult. It took me a while but then it hit me; sashiko is a form of quilting. I thought I’d share a larger project I finished a while back. It’s a beautiful pattern, a collage of kamon, or family crests, designed by Susan Briscoe.

I haven’t gotten around to edging it yet but it will eventually be a wall-hanging, possibly double-sided. I haven’t figured out the details yet. I love sashiko stitching because it’s technically such a simple thing, but the results are so striking, especially when it’s done with white thread on dark indigo fabric like this. I love that it’s often used as a very practical, utilitarian handicraft, reinforcing fabric and adding weight and heft for warmth. And yet, it’s so beautifully decorative!

If you’re interested in doing this panel yourself, it’s available directly from the artist who designed it, Susan Briscoe.

O is for Orizuru

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Orizuru, 折鶴, origami (lit. folded) crane

I’m feeling somewhat under the weather again today, I’m afraid. I was going to create a coordinate using some pieces in my collection with the origami crane motif but I’m just not up to it.

Instead, I thought I would share some quick and easy instructions for a really charming little mobile. This piece was made over a year ago and I never thought to take photos of the process, but I promise it’s incredibly simple.

I had the cranes already; a couple I made myself but the bulk of them were included in packages from friends or as little gifts with kimono purchases. I really wanted a way to show them off, rather than have them all languishing in drawers.

All I did was carefully pierce holes through the centre of the body of each crane and feed through some very fine beading wire, I used a small jewellery crimp beneath each one so they wouldn’t slide down to the bottom of the wire, and interspersed a few tiny orgami lucky stars for some visual interest.

I made several strands of varying lengths, and attached them to the solid piece from an embroidery hoop set, again using the crimps to fix the wires in place. Another wire to form a hanging loop and voila, your own pretty little flock of orizuru!

 This post contains affiliate link(s). If you choose to purchase, I receive a small rebate or commission which goes to the continued maintenance of this site. 

K is for Kintsugi

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Kintsugi, 金継ぎ, golden joinery

If you’ve ever seen a beautiful piece of Japanese pottery or ceramic shot through with a line of warm gold filling a crack, you’ve seen kintsugi. It’s the art of using lacquer and gold dust to repair an item, giving it a new life and a new purpose. Kintsugi exemplifies the Japanese qualities of mottainai (regret over waste) and wabi-sabi (the acceptance of impermanence and imperfection). Rather than throw out and waste a broken item, it is a way to give it new life, and create something unique.

You can buy kits to do your own real kintsugi repair, but they are expensive and hard to find. If you’d like to do an inspired DIY version using things you may already have at home or that can easily be bought online from places like Amazon, keep reading! You can follow this tutorial to repair an already-broken item or use it to create a new, unique item like a coaster or trivet. Instructions for both are below.

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