A Yen For Paper

mt masking tape

Whilst travelling in Japan last week and browsing in as many stationery shops as I could find, I was so taken with this wonderful mt masking tape. Their website states that it is made from rice paper which has “just the right degree of transparency” and it can be written on too.

As you can see it comes in a huge range of  cute colours, patterns and widths and believe it or not, I don’t have them all, yet. Unfortunately, it only seems to be available in Japan at present - if you come across it anywhere in Europe I would love to know about it.

I also purchased the little paperback book which they have produced showing some inspiring uses for it, including wrapping, collage and interior decoration, sticking postcards on the wall, photos on the fridge, labeling things etc - needless to say, I can’t read Japanese, so I just have to be content with looking at the images.

Here is a little practice book I made today, which I decided to decorate with the masking tape - just for fun.  I am sure I am going to enjoy using this tape and will find endless practical and decorative uses for it. In fact I love it!

THE GREAT CHIYOGAMI GIVEAWAY

The Paper Place is having a contest to win a sample of each pattern of Japanese Chiyogami paper that they stock. To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is leave a comment on their website. I often use Chiyogami paper myself as I just love the colours and the intricate patterns and you can see an example of it being used as endpapers for one of my handbound books here. You can also see some lovely japanese stab bindings with chiyogami covers here. Anyway, good luck in the prize draw to all of you with a yen for yet more paper :-)

AN ARTISTS DATE, WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS

I decided to take myself on an Artists Date today - a la Julia Cameron and her famous book The Artists Way. Incidentally, I would thoroughly recommend this book, or the website, to anyone wishing to live life more creatively. My particular date was with VV Rouleaux, in Miller Street in Glasgow and my excuse, as if I needed one, was that my recent binding projects had left my supplies of wired silk ribbon a little low!

Fortunately for those of you who live far from their stores in London and Glasgow you can have a virtual artists date by checking out their great website. I usually go with the idea of purchasing one or two items required for current projects, but I always leave with a bag  (and even their bags are delightful) full of goodies and my mind buzzing with all of the tantalizing things that I might do with them.

The most difficult part of the date is always choosing which of the lovely ribbons and trimmings to take back to my little workshop, so I just suspend any rational judgment and go with my intuition, if it makes my heart sing and I can imagine making something really great with it - then I buy it. You can see here photos of today's delicious selection.

Do you have a favourite supply store you love to visit for your Artists Dates?