Fun Ways to Use Washi Tape

I'm still working on getting my craft room organized so you'll be my posts will be a little crafty-heavy for the next little while. To follow up my washi tape storage solution, I've rounded up a few of the ways I've used washi tape around the house, as well as some super fun ideas from around the web.

We do a lot of color-coding around here. Washi tape is a fun way to identify items you don't want mixed up. For example, both our son and I have inhalers. A quick strip of washi tape means we don't have to worry about grabbing the wrong one.

Along the same lines, we use washi tape to color code our toiletries when we travel. I made this toiletry wrap several months ago for our toothbrushes.

We use the free toothbrushes from our dentist when we travel. At the moment, they are all different colors, but sometimes they are the same, so washi tape makes it easy to keep our toothbrushes apart.

A few months ago I moved our family calendar to our kitchen wall. Living with a brain injury means I don't have a busy social schedule. I soon realized that there was plenty of room for me to add my menu calendar to the week calendar...all with a little help from washi tape. 

Another popular labeling use for washi tape is to color code each family member's chargers, like this example from Delicious Spaces.

Washi tape is also pretty great for labeling cords, like this example from Neat Method. If I didn't have such awesome in-home tech support (aka The Hubby), I would be labeling all of the cords to our TVs, DVRs, Wii, and our techie gadgets. As it is I just stay away, far away!

One of my first home decor projects after we moved in the dream house was to make a glitter mirror. It's not quite washi tape because it was a lot harder to find two years ago. 

Washi tape is an easy way to spruce up a picture frame...or a contribution chart.

It's a little hard to see, but our son came up with the idea of using "his" washi tape to decorate his bedroom door.

I love this idea to from Crab & Fish to cover light switches with washi tape.

Using washi tape to create frames is a no-commitment way to add some color to your galleries. I like this example from iVillage.

My son's favorite idea in my Washi Pinterest board was this washi tape rocket from Sweet Rose's Studio

He also loved this idea from RS Designs.  Both ideas are low-cost ways to customize what you already have, a great solution for kids who change interests often!

Speaking of kids, here's a way to for little ones to decorate their toes without making a mess with polish. I think it might be fun for big kids, too! Thanks to Lebenslustiger for the idea!

I've seen cookie cutters as tree ornaments before, but I thing A Night Owl's idea to use washi tape is brilliant. I think I will be busting out my glittery washi tape next Christmas. 

I used knife racks all around my house. I like how Kim Vallee covered hers with washi tape.

I use these exact gift tags on totes all around our house. I think these washi-wrapped labels from Etsy seller Melissa Marie Russell are so creative. 

Lastly, I know a lot of people have noticed that tea lights are just the right size to be dressed up with a little washi tape. What Happened Next posted a pretty selection of washi-adorned tea lights.

You can find more washi tape ideas on my washi tape Pinterest board.

Follow Jen | de Jong Dream House's board crafts :: washi tape on Pinterest.

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Top 13 Posts from 2013

Here we are at the end of 2013. It seems like just yesterday that I was writing my top 12 posts of 2012 recap,  2013 project list, and 2013 Pinterest challenge post.

I didn't quite get all of the projects I wanted to get done, and while I thought this was going to be the year of the Silhouette, it turned out to be the year of the Singer instead. This year I learned to sew! I started with unpaper towels, then quickly moved to my first quilt. With a little bit of luck, I will finished my 14th quilt before the clock strikes 12 tomorrow night.

Our most popular posts this year were a nice mix of house projects, recipes, family traditions, printables, and even a couple sewing projects. 

#1: DIY Craft Table

By far, the most popular post written this year was my DIY craft table. By coincidence, this is my favorite project of the year. I love how easy and relatively inexpensive it was to put together and I put it to great use nearly every day. 

#2: Uses of Tension Rods

My first round up post was a smashing success! I'm glad to know that others are now sharing my love of tension rods. I may need to finish a few of the other round up posts sitting in my draft box. 

#3: How to Make Saving A Little Less Painful

Like many of you, I'm always looking for ways to save money. This is one of my newest posts, but it's already becoming one of our most . These two printables offer two tweaks to the ubiquitous 52 Week Money Challenge. Rather than starting with $1 in week one, our printable starts with $52 and ends (in money-tight December) with $1 in the last week of the year. Because I spent my 2013 savings a little early to take advantage of a Black Friday deal on the Nikon 7100 camera I was saving to buy, I was inspired to make a second spreadsheet, based on the same idea, to reach $1500 by Black Friday. 

#4: The December List

Our December list printable resonated with a lot of readers who are looking to simplify their holiday gift-giving. For us, December brings Sinterklaas (Dutch Christmas), our son's birthday, and Christmas within a twenty-day period. When our son was born, we made the decision that he would receive four gifts from us for each occasion: something he wants, something he needs, something to experience, and something to read. The December list is a way for us to teach our son how to prioritize his wants, to note the cost of things, and yes, it makes a good suggestion list for grandparents and others who want to bless our son with gifts. 

#5: Homemade (Sort of) Healthy Nutella

I have Amy at New Nostalgia to thank for all the love this post has seen this year. Who doesn't love Nutella? And who doesn't love Nutella made without all the yucky stuff?

#6: My Sister's (Dairy Free, Grain Free) Stuffing

My sister is a rock star. If you don't follow her Clean & Lean Facebook page, you are missing out! She came up with this stuffing alternative for Thanksgiving and man, is it yummy! The recipe makes a TON, so if you aren't making it to share, you'll likely want to half the recipe. 

#7: The Sparkle Box

Another family tradition that resonated with readers. It is important to us as parents that we raise our son to be grateful for what he has and generous to those who have not.  Inspired by the book by Jill Hardie, we look for opportunities throughout the year to serve and be generous to others. We then write down what we did on a piece of paper and put it in our sparkle box. On Christmas Eve, we read all the slips of paper as our gifts to Jesus.

#8: Minky Rag Quilt Tutorial

My most popular quilting project was my easiest to make, and also my first with super soft minky. 

#9: Silhouette Cameo Confession

This is the one post on the list that doesn't actually have a project to share. Well, at least not a project I did. Here's another Cameo confession. My Silhouette is still collecting dust in my craft room. But, I do have a local friend who has offered to tutor me. Will I master my Cameo in 2014? Stay tuned.

#10: Paint Tour

Inspired by Allison at House of Hepworths, I added a paint tour to answer all the "What color is your _____ room?" questions. Plus, it's a handy way for me to remember what color is in each room, too!

#11: Unpaper Towels

My first sewing project made the list! I wanted something easy as a test to see if I even liked sewing (I did!). I figured I couldn't mess up rags too badly (I didn't!). As an added bonus, they helped us reach our goal of a paperless kitchen.

#12: Spice Drawer

One of my favorite rooms in our new house is the kitchen. And one of my favorite features in the kitchen is my spice drawer. It's conveniently placed under the cooktop and I use it every.single.day.  Me + my spice drawer = true love forever.

#13: Gevulde Speculaas (Stuffed Gingerbread Bars)

Last but not least is another holiday post. I first tasted the deliciousness that is gevulde speculaas a few years ago when we were in the Netherlands for Christmas. When I got back home, I found the recipe in one of our Dutch cookbooks and quickly got to work translating it so I could enjoy it stateside, too.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our blog in 2013. We hope to stick around in 2014!

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Back to School Traditions

1. Celebrate Plate. 2. Annual "Class of" Shirt. 3. Lunch Box Note. 4. First Day Photo. 5. Growing Up Gallery. 6. Lunch List. 7. Driveway Message. 8. First Day Interview

Our son just finished his second week back at school. We're still getting into the swing of things. All day school is pretty rough on a four-year-old who still needs a nap, but we'll get there. 

Since he is currently taking his much-needed post-school nap right now, I thought I better round up the school traditions we started this year, so I can remember to keep up with them next year!

1. Celebrate Plate. We kicked off a new family tradition last week with our "Celebrate Plate." It's a way of marking special days and milestones.

2. Annual "Class of" Shirt. Take a picture of your child at the beginning of each school year to see how he (or she) grows into the shirt.

3. Lunch Box Note. I wrote a pretty basic note, but these free printables from A Little Clairification are adorable.

4. First Day Photo. I took the obligatory first day of school photo in front of our new purple door with D holding a free printable from Yellow Bliss Road.

5. Growing Up Gallery. I made a special photo gallery to showcase D's school photos. I actually started with a photo of myself a few weeks before D was born. I put up all the frames when I designed the layout so that it is a piece of art in progress.

6. Lunch List. One of our son's responsibilities is to pack his own school lunch. I made this free printable as a guide for him to make sure he packs everything he needs.

7. Driveway Message. Art is not my strong suit, but it was fun to write a welcome home message for D to see when he arrived home that first day.

8. New Year Interview. Each year we do a written and video interview on D's birthday. This year we started using these slightly different questions from Precious Designs for the new school year. The written version of D's back to school interview goes in the frame behind his school picture in his growing up gallery.

Thanks to Pinterest, there are a ton of great back to school ideas out there. How to you celebrate back to school with your family?

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