Ways With Washi: STRIPES + a Giveaway

Good Monday morning to you, friends! I'm so excited to be sharing my very first monthly feature for the DeNami blog: Ways With Washi! My goal for this feature is to inspire you to use washi tape in lots of fun and unique ways. Each month I will highlight a particular way to use washi tape and give you some project-based examples to show you what I mean.

This month we are starting with a pretty obvious use for washi tape: making stripes. We have to start somewhere, right? Washi tape is perfect as a replacement for ribbon on cards. It is much thinner, which is great for mailing, and so much easier to adhere. Plus, washi tape is removable, so it's easy to gently peel up and adjust the placement if it isn't straight.

Shall we take a peek at a few examples? I was in the mood to make Valentine's Day cards ;).

On my first card I used this sweet red stripes washi tape (available in the DeNami Design store) much the same way as I would have used ribbon in this card design. The advantage is that it is less bulky-- so easy to slide into an envelope--keeping this card nice and flat for mailing. No extra postage required here!

Squirrel, Nuts About You stamp set, Teeny Heart Background, Double Circle,
white cardstock, red cardstock, Satin Red Versafine ink, embossed bracket border punch

Now, how about a bit of a twist? On my second card, I've used the DeNami white/red hearts washi tape and set my washi stripes on a diagonal. I'm still taking a page from the ribbon playbook here, but the process of finishing off the ends is so much easier! Simply wrap the ends of the tape around the edges of the card. Done. If you've ever tried a similar maneuver with ribbon, you know what a pain it can be to secure ribbon ends that have been wrapped around to the inside of a card on a diagonal. And over the card fold? Forget about it!

Cupid Chickie, Elegant Square Frame, Love Sentiments stamp set, white cardstock, red cardstock, Satin Red Versafine ink, Onyx Black Versafine ink, Wildflower Boutique Buttons, clear rhinestones

Finally, here on my third card I've let my washi tape stripes take center stage. Don't these pink stripes washi and pink chevron washi tape stripes look awesome as the base for that stamped Valentine's Day sentiment? Together they create a unique focal point.

Happy Valentine's Day, Hearts stamp set, Small Scallop Heart, Decorative Flourish, white cardstock, petal pink cardstock, magenta cardstock

Well, that wraps up this month's Ways With Washi! But, how about a little giveaway before you go?

GIVEAWAY

I have a brand-new roll of Pink Chevron Washi Tape from DeNami Design--the same tape that I used on my third project--that I'd love to give away to a reader of this post. Want to be in the running? Just leave me a comment on this post telling me whether you've ever used washi tape. There's no need to be a follower of my blog to enter, but if you are a follower (or become a new follower!), you can have a second entry in the drawing--just leave me a second comment telling me that you are a follower and how you follow. :)

I'll leave commenting open until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, and will draw a winner at random from the entries. The winner will be announced right here on my blog on Thursday, Jan. 31, and if I'm able to find an email address, I'll be sure to contact the winner as well.

Thanks so much for dropping by to visit today--it's always such a treat!!
Emily