How Many is Too Many?

 OK, I may a have a problem.

Are there interventions for washi tape-aholics?

Hahahaha!

A few nights ago I decided I needed more washi tape.

(I guess around 100 rolls is not enough.)

I soon found out that there are 118 pages of 

Japanese washi tape on Amazon.com.

I was amazed and impressed!

So I ordered a couple.

What you can not tell from the photo above is

that all of those boxes are at least two deep.

What a great deal I got!

And they arrived in two days!

 Yes, I already had bunches of washi tape.

They aren't expensive so it's easy to gather a lot.

But

Japanese washi tape is soooooo cute!

I couldn't decide what to do with it all,

so I pulled out a journal and started putting

samples on the pages.

Page one above. 

I love, love, love the donut tape!

And the Hello Kitty tape!

And the rhinos in pink sweaters tape!

 Some of these rolls were wider. 

Top, middle and bottom are my favorites here. 

Wish the colors had photographed better.

 Just look at those fairy tale castles on the bottom!

Love it!!!

I am having a bit of a problem with the tape adhering

on the ends. I don't know if it is because they were

subjected to freezing cold on the way here or not.

So I took a longer piece of tape and ran it down the binding of the book.

The ones on the long side edge - if I could I wrapped

the tape around to the back of the page.

Couldn't do that on every page.

And I had exactly three pages of tape <3 .

My plan is to use these tapes in my 

Tangle Starts Planner.

Once I start over.

I took my planner to the local print shop earlier today

to have the spine cut off and a spiral binding added.

They texted me photos of a completely messed up

planner that is unusable. 

I will have to start all over again.

I am hoping the watercolor pages I did can be

glued into a new book.

Not happy.

At all. 

See all those little boxes?

That is how the washi tape came to me.

I spent part of this afternoon cutting pieces of each

box to keep and use on art journal pages in the future.

I don't waste a thing!

Hahaha!

Can you see Zen in the back partially buried

under washi tape boxes?

Good thing he has a good sense of humor!

Washi tape.

It's where it's at. 

Today at least. 

And my post title?

One can never have too many.

That is how many is too many.

It isn't.

Washi Tape as a String

Here is a little project for you to try.

Easy peasy.

I promise

 But first - a look at my cute little journals

I made while Mark was off bear hunting.

This mini journal's pages are 4" x 6".

Every other page is either scrapbook paper,

or a gelli print I made,

or a piece of Dylusions ink sprayed wonderfulness

that I love making. 

Sandwiched between each of these pages is a

sheet of either mixed media paper

or watercolor paper.

All in all 36 sheets with 72 work surfaces 

in this cute little mini journal.

 I opened up my little mini journal and used

3 different roles of washi tape to section

the page off into 6 different areas. 

If you don't know what washi tape is -

well, I don't know if I can help you or not.

Hahahahaha!

Totally just kidding.

Friend that is reading this, meet Washi Tape.

Washi Tape, meet Friend.

Mr. Google describes washi tape as 

a do it yourself delight. Easily confused as masking

tape because of its look and feel, typically made from

fibers of the bark of trees native to Japan.

OR

if you buy yours from Walmart, Michael's 

or Hobby Lobby

washi tape will be a paper tape that is beautiful and

colorful and highly addictive.

Commonly used in art journals, scrapbooks, mixed media projects, 

there is no end to the wonderful uses for washi tape.

And now you must run out to your local Walmart 

or craft store and buy 100 rolls

because that is the way of the washi.

 So, my sections are sectioned. 

Hehehehe.

Here is a look at the inside of that little

mini journal I was explaining.

I picked a section and added a tangle. Of course I started with Printemps - that one  in the center - because I pretty much always start with Printemps. I did all the sections in that purple pen first. Then I moved to my favorite black Sharpie fine point and finished out my sections. For this particular piece I opted not to shade. This page lays next to that beautiful watercolor page and I don't want the graphite having a field day with my watercolors. My art. My choice. Hahahaha!
Super easy project to do and the very newest tangler can do this and be successful every single time! I promise!
Tangles are from top to bottom: crescent moon, All Boxed Up, pinz, printemps, athitzi, and golden.  Some of these tangles are not published anywhere online. 

I Washi Taped My Bible :)

 Having a lot of fun and enjoyment working 

in my journaling Bible. 

Still not comfortable with any of the preparation

steps I've tried in order to use watercolor

on those thin pages yet.

In the interim, I though I'd use washi tape

to mark the first page of every book

in the Bible.

It's a good thing I have a ton of washi tape.

I had no idea I had around 100 rolls. I guess a girl can never really have too much washi tape. I do use it for a lot of things. Hahaha!  I like the color it's bringing to my Bible. And it is a 'dry' media. That's a plus.

Tangling on Scraps

This was a fun project! I took a leftover piece of scrapbook paper and trimmed it down to 5"x 7".

 I trimmed one edge with a bit of washi tape.

At first glance, this section reminded me of an underwater cavern.

Of course, most things remind me of underwater scenes.

Hahaha!

So I started sectioning off what I thought might be 

a big piece of coral.

 I finished tracing it out and used my tangle

coral for the main part,

then started stacking in some tipple at the base.

 That tipple slowly evolved into my signature printemps, 

forming the base in the shape of a hill.

 I really liked the orange band across the center and thought it would be a lovely place for a school of little fishies to be swimming past!

 And underwater you are going to have a little bit of current flowing, 

especially with those swimming fish - so I added some movement with beadlines. 

Perhaps that could be some algae or reeds growing along the bottom, moving in the water.

Then I added more beadlines,  and a few more swimmers. All in all, about 15 minutes time invested in this really simple to make  leftover scrap of paper project!

Build a Basic Art Journal Page

New to art journaling? Afraid to get started? Unsure of where to go with your page? Not sure what product to use? 

Today let's start with a basic two page art journal spread. If you don't have the specific products I use, just remember - these aren't rules, they are more like guidelines. (To quote an old pirate or two.) So grab whatever product you do have and jump right in.

Facebook has a new group for all of us die-hard Dylusions Ink Spray people! Check out the group - The Dylusions Facebook Challenge. This month's challenge was to use turquoise, pink, leaves, and as many Dylusions products as you could. Here are two pages in my art journal.

I am working in my 7 3/4" x 9 3/4" Strathmore watercolor journal. The dylusions colors I used are - bubblegum pink, calypso teal, fresh lime, and vibrant turquoise. Remember the colors blend and bleed better when you spritz on some water. Once I got the colors the way I wanted them to be, I used a stencil from Joggles called Endless to make the curling bits of water. Next I randomly added white acrylic water bubbles using the Dylusions Dotted Flowers stencil. 

With a StazOn ink pad, I stamped a school of fish using the Ocean Backgrounds Dylusions stamp set, and at the bottom I stamped some waving bits of seaweedy stuff from the Dylusions set Doodle Parts. 

These little sea critters are the Dylusions Under the Sea stamp set. I stamped them onto some cardstock and colored them with Pitt Artist Pens. 

I cut out all the little guys and started arranging my elements on the pages. Several different washi tapes called my name - and they had leaves! Even better!

Then I started attaching it all with score tape and some tape runner adhesive. 

Here are some fun details.

Left side page.

Right side page. 

 So much fun! Again, the Facebook group is called The Dylusions Facebook Challenge. Check it out - you know who you are. Please don't be shy about starting an art journal - if you don't already have one. Just jump in with both feet and get started. You'll be glad you did!

Therapy Has Begun

I started physical therapy today for my achilles tendonitis. 

Whoa! Stretching, pushing, pulling, straining.

And that was just the assessment.

If you were wondering about the two larger hearts -

they are from a paper punch I have.

Punches both hearts at the same time

and I just put my chop in the centers. 

Tangled a bit, made up those balloons,

threw on a little washi tape and called it done.