Japanese Washi Masking Tape

Items decorated with Washi tape.

OH-OH!  I feel a new collection coming on… but masking tape?  Do I really need to collect masking tape?  Have you seen this tape?  It is actually Japanese Washi paper made into adhesive masking tape.  It’s gorgeous and brilliant!

Washi paper masking tape (6 rolls) in a special box! How could I resist?

I found some that I had to have on Etsy at Felt Cafe.  I didn’t realize that it would be shipped from Japan.  I got a 6 roll set in a lovely decorated box.

The washi tapes come in solids all across the rainbow, traditional Japanese washi patterns, plaids and more.

Gorgeous striped Washi masking tape.

I can hear someone out there thinking: this woman has gone mad!  Nope.  It is actually a craft supply.  There are people out there that are figuring out uses for this tape this very minute.

So far I’ve seen pendants made with this tape, cool bottles and packages decorated with this tape and I’m sure there is much more to come.

The interesting thing about this tape is that some of it is semi-transparent.  There are also metallics and they’re gorgeous.

Old Vintage Book Washi tape!

There is even text printed tape and collaged tape, too.

I can see custom decorating the solid color tapes with paint, rubber stamping, and actual collage. That would be cool.

I can also see using this tape in altered books, making new handbound books, jewelry, and collage.  Like I said: OH-OH! I feel a new collection coming on!  I don’t know what the Japanese are doing with it but I can’t wait to see.

Collage Washi tape.

Because this is a paper based tape you can write on it easily. It won’t smear or run like on the regular masking tape.  However, it does come with writing on it and collaged text like that at right.

These are pendants made out of the Washi masking tape. Aren't they cool?

I found these Washi tape pendants at:

http://craftapalooza.typepad.com/crafted/2009/09/washi-masking-tape-pendants.html

I love the variety and it gives me quite a few ideas.  Who knew that a simple thing like masking tape could be improved on?  It is indeed an amazing world.