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Clever Washi Tape Ideas For Your Bullet Journal

by Ambassador Team 20 Sep 2023 0 Comments

Hello, Neus Cañas here, @Miss.Meissa on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and today I’m going to be showing you some bullet journal washi tape ideas.
So if, like me, you love to collect washi tape and wonder about washi tape uses or how to use washi tape in bullet journal, this may help you. And if you are not into bullet journaling, these ideas with washi tape can also be used to make handmade cards, for your planner, to decorate notebooks, for scrapbooking or even for wall decoration. 

Bullet journal supplies

(Depending on the idea)

(You can use my affiliate code MISSMEISSA for a 10% off at archerandolive.com).

Supplies (notebooks and washi tape)

Create washi tape mini stickers

The first idea is to use washi tape to create mini stickers. 
The easiest way is to stick a strip of washi tape on sticker paper and cut out the shape you want, but you can also use regular paper and some paper glue. 

You can use a shape punch to make stickers quickly and of the same shape and size, as I have done in the example of the photo, but if you don't have one or want different shapes you just need a little more patience to cut them out.  
You can also stick several strips together to create larger stickers.

These stickers can be used to decorate the pages of your bullet journal or you can even use them as symbols. For example, use stars to mark special dates or hearts for family time or time with friends.
You can also use them to decorate objects, as you would do with any other sticker.

Mini washi tape stickers

Use washi tape to correct small mistakes

This is a simple but great trick when you make a small mistake in your Bullet Journal such as a title. And this is super easy. Just use a piece of washi tape that you like to cover it. In this example I used one to cover a headline that I didn't like. And I used a plain one so I could write a new title on top of it. The important thing is to cut a strip that is long enough to cover the whole mistake. Stick it on top and goodbye mistake.

You can use the washi simply to decorate and leave it as it is, writing below, or write over it. 
To write on the washi I recommend you to use acrylograph pens or gel pens. Use them slowly so that the ink flows well and if necessary or if you want it to be thicker you can do a second layer of paint leaving the first one to dry well first. 

Correcting small mistakes with washi tape

Use washi tape to correct big mistakes

I must confess, I used to be a little afraid of using pretty notebooks in case I ruined the pages. And it still happens to me a little bit, so I'm always happy when I find ideas to fix it. And the easiest is, as we've seen before, to cover it up.

But if your error is bigger and occupies more part of the page what you can do is add a piece of paper covering the whole error or even the whole page. And to make it look nice you can make a washi tape frame to stick it. In this simple way you have a whole new page to create new content.

Correcting big mistakes with washi tape

Use washi tape to complete a composition

Sometimes we create a lettering, we write a quote or something important that we want to be beautiful but we end up with a page that is a little empty. 
To complete this composition nothing easier and nicer than combining washi tapes to create banners and decorations that fill the page. For example in the photo, you will see that the lettering alone would have been a bit dull, but the composition is complete thanks to the banners created with washi tape and with some finishing touches made with a fineliner. 

How to complete a composition with washi tape

If you want a lot of examples of banners like this, don't miss my previous blog article Creative Ways To Use Washi Tape In Your Bullet Journal which has a lot of examples of washi banners (plus many other ideas).

Create shapes for bullet journal covers (or garlands)

For this idea you only need a piece of paper, washi tape and a pencil. 
Draw a simple shape on the paper; I have drawn a heart. You can erase and redraw as many times as you need until you like the shape and once finished I recommend you to go over the drawing with an intense line to make it super visible. 

Once you have done this, choose two styles of washi tape that you like and alternate them to cover the whole drawing with strips, sticking each strip next to the other without leaving space. I like to do it diagonally.
You can measure the washi strips before cutting them so that you don't overdo it and the whole drawing is covered. It is always better to go a little too much than too little so that there are no gaps.
You can alternate more colors, use three different washi tapes or you can even use all different washi tape strips, but I like to use two. And for this, the prettier the washi tape chosen, the prettier the final result will be.

Once everything is covered, follow the line of the drawing to cut out the shape you had drawn. That's why it was necessary to go over it before, so you can see it through the washi. 
Try to cut out from inside the line so that it doesn't show when you finish. Carefully so that the shape looks good.
And once cut out we have a beautiful heart that we could also use to make a card, for example for Valentine's Day or trim more washi tape hearts and make a garland. For that you just need to make a small hole in the top in the center with a punch or a pair of scissors and pass a string through each heart.

But in this case we are going to use it to make a month cover in the bullet journal. You just need to glue it on the page you want and complete the cover by writing the corresponding month, for example February. Although you can also use these shapes to accompany a quote.

Create shapes for bullet journal covers

Create letters for bullet journal covers

This is a variation of the previous one but instead of drawing a shape we are going to draw a letter. I have decorated my initial, the N for Neus, which is also the N for November. And the first step is to draw the letter. 
If you are not very good at drawing letters, don't worry because you can use any typeface on the computer or you can use the printable that you will find at the end of the article with all the letters and some shapes.

Once the letter is drawn with a very strong line, we are going to cover it with washi tape strips, as we have done before. In this case I have covered the letter with strips horizontally, using the Everyday Collection washi tapes that have different shades of the same color, making a gradient from light to dark. 
Start cutting strips of the lighter washi and fill in the letter. This time horizontally, taking the dot grid as a reference. I recommend you first calculate how many strips of each color you will need to cover it all.
Once covered, all that remains is to cut out the shape of the letter. Carefully, as straight as possible and trying to leave the line of the drawing outside. 

You could also use this letter for a garland, with your name or a word or phrase, or for a greeting card.
I have used it again to make a quick and pretty cover for the month by sticking the lettering to my notebook and writing the month with the help of my favorite calliograph

Create letters for bullet journal covers

Thank you for reading this article, I hope you liked all these ideas. If you want, you can also watch the video I recorded with some explanations and the tutorials:

And here is the printable as promised.
Click to download now:

Download printable

If this blog post has inspired you and you post the result, you can tag me, @miss.meissa, and @archerandolive so we can see them (we would love that!). Don’t forget to add #AOShare and #archerandolive 😊

And if you want to see more washi tape project ideas don't miss my previous post:
Creative Ways To Use Washi Tape In Your Bullet Journal

And check out these articles from my fellow ambassadors as well:
Creative Craft Ideas Using Washi Tape by Caroline
Take Your Illustrations To The Next Level Using Washi Tape Art by Jane Maday

You can also check my resources or see more of my creations and videos on my Instagram and Youtube accounts.
I also recommend you to visit Archer&Olive's Instagram and Bonnie Kuhl's account to see the fantastic compositions she makes with washi tape.

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