So what to do with Washi is the question? I mean what can’t you do with Washi? It’s plastered around my studio, holding up photographs, drawings and jammed in-between the pages of my sketch books, either holding dried flowers in place, or simply becoming part of my illustrations.
I’ve also used this versatile tape to create tiny paper flags with toothpicks to decorate drinks, and made mini bunting to dress up an everyday adventure that might be hiding in a corner of my home at any given moment.
But today I wanted to go a little further and make a tiny world using Washi tape as my inspiration… it was time to break out a diorama! I also gave myself the added challenge of only using supplies I currently have stocked on my studio shelves. So after running around the house and gathering up my materials, I had a stack of stuff, that I knew once covered with Washi, would combine and make a sweet and wonderful world!
I love dioramas! There is something so fun about crafting a tiny space, where anything is possible. Where some simple corks can be transformed into a posse of friends, warming their spirits by a colorful camp fire.
To make my Washi World, I decided on a theme. I wanted it to be a bright and happy winter woodland camping trip… mostly because my family and I have been wanting to go on one of these, but the schedule has not permitted it this year, and well, it really hasn’t been all that wintery.
I chose about four different shades of Washi tape from my collection that meshed and felt somewhat wintry. I found a suitable sized box, cut in half, cut off the top and then painted it white using acrylics. I made some trees by covering paper with my Washi tape in strips and then cutting out simple triangle shapes that had a small flat that could fold under them to keep them upright.
The “flower blocks”, which aren’t wintry, but more for displaying a Washi pattern I love (come on this is make believe, I’m just going to say they are winter flowers), well these floral pieces are just tiny wooden craft blocks covered in tape! So simple. And the camp fire sticks, tooth picks also covered in Washi… I think you can see the theme emerging here— Just cover it in WASHI!
The bunting, if you haven’t guessed it already, just a piece of Washi folded over a string and cut into a triangle shape!
To create my tiny spirits, I used some small corks I found in a dollar store, and then painted them different colors and added some faces. To give them a bit more interest and tie them into the scene, I created a pattern on each one of them using pre-cut Washi shapes. I placed a strip, sticky side down, on my cutting board and cut into it with an exacto knife and then pulled the shapes up one by one and placed them on the spirits. It worked out pretty well!
The only thing I didn’t cover in Washi was the sun, because I didn’t have any yellow! But it is taped up with Washi, so that must count for something! Ha!
Once I had all my pieces, I put this little scene together! And I’m pretty thrilled with how it turned out. What fun! It’s like I have my own little winter world to keep me company everyday!
This is a fairly opened ended craft. Anyone can make a Washi World… all it takes is some imagination, some key materials and a whole lot of WASHI! I wonder what your world will be?
Materials:
- Box - size of your choosing
- White craft paper - For painted sun and Washi covered trees
- Washi, Washi and more Washi!
- Wooden blocks
- Corks
- Toothpicks
- Acrylic paint
- Scissors
- Exacto knife
- Cutting board
Oh and of course a little magic and imagination!
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