Craft Workshop: Upcycling Used Paper into Personalised Notebooks

In March 2017, WahSoSimple facilitated a series of upcycling craft workshops with Primary 4 students at a primary school in Singapore. The objective of the sessions was to teach our young friends through crafting to appreciate our forests. The grand forests accounts for a third of land area on our planet, but is unfortunately disappearing at an astonishing rate, due to deforestation.

The students were asked to come to school with sheets of one-sided used paper. There were lots of chatter and excitement as they marvelled with disbelief at how they could transform the used paper they had painstakingly collected from rummaging through their recycled bins at home, into personalised notebooks.

We showed and taught them how to make and bind their own book, and personalise it with attractive washi tape.

Our young friends were delighted with their handmade notebook. They also went home with a deeper appreciation of the forest, the source of where paper is made. They all learnt the startling fact that along with losing endangered animals, to deforestation, we are losing forest area  the size of Singapore every 2 days (source: worldwildlife.org).

Till out next blog post, craft something! =)

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Event: Upcycled Fun at Car Free Sunday

WahSoSimple joined in the fun at CarFreeSunday on 22 January 2017! It was a great way to spend our Sunday morning along Connaught Drive. We ran a crafting booth, sharing how easy it is to upcycle everyday items at home with the help of some washi tape. It was great fun making bookmarks at our booth with used envelopes and gorgeous washi tape. 

Next time, before you throw something away, why not pause and think if you can make something useful with the help of washi tape. 

Till our next blog post, craft something! =)

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Event: The UP Market @ Toa Payoh Hub Atrium

Happy New Year!! May all the good things happen to you in 2017! =)

WahSoSimple conducted a hands-on workshop and ran a selling booth at the The UP Market @ Toa Payoh hub atrium area on 18 December 2016. We showed residents how to make an upcycled pot coaster from pre-loved T shirts and how to use washi tape on old envelopes to make bookmarks.

This day marked our second year as a participant in this meaningful event.

Our hands-on Workshop: We brought in many pieces of old t-shirts and showed residents how they can cut the t-shirts into smaller pieces to tie them to a piece of anti-skid rug to make pot holders.

Photo courtesy: Singapore CDC

Our Selling Booth: We show residents how they can use washi tape to upcycle common everyday things to something useful.

Upcycling examples:

• from toilet rolls and used envelopes to gift wrapping
• from a old DVD box to a travelling colouring kit
• from an old cassette box to a holder for your 2017 calendar
• from cereal boxes to Christmas decorations and mini-magazine holder
• from one-sided printed paper to a notebook
• from a used envelope to a bookmark

We sold washi tapes and had a hands-on 'make-a-bookmark' activity. It was fun! =)

Photo courtesy: Singapore CDC

Till our next blog post, craft something! =)

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DIY Craft: Decorating Your Notebooks With Washi Tape

Following our previous blog post on how you can monogram your notebook with washi tape, here two more ideas for you. Love the washi tape combinations. Enjoy! =)

Till the next blog post, craft something! =)

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DIY Craft: Washi Tape Monogram Notebook

I like collecting washi tapes. It is impossible not to fall in love with the variety of prints on these rice paper tapes. Here is how to personalise your own notebook - hand make a pretty monogram on the cover with washi tape. 

This is what I used:

• Washi Tape (With so many pretty designs to choose from, deciding on which to use is indeed tough!)

• A pencil for tracing

• A pair of scissors and/or a penknife

• A cutting mat

• Baking paper 

• A notebook with a plain cover

• Printer

This is what I did:

1. I had decided to make a B letter Monogram notebook and I print a mirror image of the alphabet.

2. Trace the mirror imaged printed letter on the baking paper. Taping some washi tape on the baking paper over the printed alphabet helps keep the baking sheet in place when tracing.

3. Flip the baking paper with the traced alphabet right side around and paste the washi tape over the alphabet, covering up the entire printed alphabet. Washi tape picks up lead/ink stains easily and so the tape must not be pasted on the side where the alphabet has been traced. This explains why the printed alphabet needs to be mirror imaged. Start pasting from the bottom of the alphabet and move upwards as the tape is pasted. It is also important to ensure that the washi tape overlaps as each new piece is placed over the previous piece. This ensures that the Monogram does not break apart when we peel it off the baking paper.

4.  Flip the baking paper with the alphabet all covered with washi tape back to the mirror imaged side so that the traced alphabet can be seen. Cut out the alphabet.

5. Slowly peel the washi tape off the baking paper from the bottom of the alphabet and paste it on the cover of the notebook and it is all done!

Till our next blog, make something with your hands!

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