Washi tape shapes

Last weekend I had a chance to play with the products in the new This and That line from Stampin' Up!^®. I really like the colors in the products, the patterns on the journal pages and the Designer Series Paper (DSP), and the coordinating stickers. I haven't decided how I want to use the journal yet (right now I'm thinking maybe a summer 2013 mini scrapbook), but I decided to use the DSP to make some cards. It was also the first time I had ever used washi tape, which is a repositionable decorative tape that is thin enough to tear with your fingers. I discovered that if you place strips of tape on a piece of card stock, you can use punches (or dies) to create different shapes from the washi tape -- almost like make-your-own DSP. I'm sure I'm not the first person to "discover" this technique, but I thought I'd share it for others who may be new to the world of washi tape. I created three different cards, each with different washi tape shapes.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Paper: Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla card stock; This and That Epic Day DSP
Accessories: Pop 'n Cuts Card Base die, Houndstooth embossing folder, Elegant Butterfly punch, Bitty Butterfly punch, This and That Epic Day washi tape, Basic Gray stitched grosgrain ribbon, rhinestones, Mono Multi liquid glue, Dimensionals

The base for this card was made with the Pop 'n Cuts Card Base die. This die cuts a standard-size card base with the fold on the short side of the card. But I love the extra little touches of the decorative front edge and the little tabs to  hold the card closed. I embossed the front of the card base with the Houndstooth embossing folder to add some texture while providing a subtle background for the butterflies.

The Calypso Coral butterflies are punched from one of the patterned papers in the Epic Day DSP, and the striped butterflies are made with washi tape. I adhered the washi tape to Very Vanilla card stock because I wanted the Basic Gray stripes to really stand out, but you could get a different look by using a different card stock color. It would even be fun to try applying the washi tape on a piece of DSP. I added a rhinestone to the middle of each layered butterfly for a hint of sparkle and attached them to the card with Dimensionals.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Curly Cute
Paper: Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla card stock; This and That Epic Day DSP
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: 1-1/4" and 7/8" scallop circle punches, Itty Bitty Shapes punc pack, corner rounder, This and That Epic Day washi tape, Neutrals brads, Printed Designer Brads, linen thread, Dimensionals

On this card I used two different washi tape patterns: the larger flowers are made with Calypso Coral washi tape with a subtle hexagon print, and the striped circles in the middle of the flowers are made with the same striped washi tape as the butterflies in the previous card. Layered between those two shapes on each flower is a Very Vanilla scalloped circle. To create petals on the flowers, I snipped between the scallops toward the center of the circle.

For the background of this card I used a piece of DSP from the Epic Day pack, rounded the corners and added a strip of another DSP pattern (the chevron pattern is actually the back side of the polka dot design). I added a Calypso Coral brad and a piece of linen thread wrapped around the card twice and tied in a knot. The one thing I think I should have done differently (and may still go back and change) is the sentiment -- I should have stamped it on a separate piece of card stock (or a lighter DSP print) so it is easier to see.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla card stock; This and That Epic Day DSP
Accessories: Honeycomb embossing folder, This and That Epic Day washi tape, Star punch, Merry Minis punch pack, mini silver brads, Dimensionals

OK, this card gave me fits, and to be honest, I still don't like it very much. I like the different elements, but I couldn't get everything to come together right. I just don't think I do "funky" designs very well. Give me a cute or clean and simple card any day. So this may be one of those cards that gets disassembled in a couple of months. We'll see.

At any rate, I used a piece of the Calypso Coral washi tape across the top of the three DSP strips. (I cut the end instead of just tearing it because I wanted a smooth edge.) I adhered the Crumb Cake washi tape, which has numbers and lines on it and reminds me of a ruler, to Very Vanilla card stock to punch out the stars. To make the Calypso Coral hexagon shapes on the embossed layer I used the Honeycomb embossing folder to emboss a piece of Epic Day DSP and then I just cut the shapes out of the embossed lines. I like how the coral hexagons repeat the pattern in the washi tape, but I wonder if it would have been better to leave them off of this card. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!