If you’re one who says ‘I am NOT creative’ or ‘I cannot craft’ or ‘I just cannot stand the mess crafting makes!’, have I got a thing to share with you.
Now, before I tell you more about my latest play tool discovery that I’m adding to my Organic Play Parties {My Home Edition}, let me tell you my lifelong encounter with this wonderful invention called ‘tape’.
Eons back, when I was younger and still just a daughter, I had a mother who would magic-tape all the wrappings on presents. And I would marvel at just how this magic tape could lift off from about every conceivable surface without leaving a mark or rip.
Years back, when I was still young and just a new mom, I began to realise how a mom’s life – especially a mom to active boys – needed the sticking powers of tape. Once, I was almost about to turn into a fearsome shrieking Momster over my then-tot ripping his new toy cereal box, my dear Australian mummy-buddy, Nat, jumped in with some of those super sticky tape to bring back peace and joy again.
As she quite rightly put it, “There’s nothing some good old sticky tape can’t fix!”
So since my household now has not one but TWO boys, I’ve always got sticky tape handy.
Mama! My book is torn? Where’s the tape?
Mama! I broke my crayon. Where’s the tape?
Mama! Didi broke my cardboard robot arm? Where’s the stape?
Mama! I broke my crayon. Where’s the tape?
MaaaaaMaaaaa….. I cut my own hair! Where’s the tape?!!!
Afterall with tape so cheap and easy to use, it’s really easily our favourite choice of fix-it-all.
Tape- can really hold a Mummy’s universe together.
Now, with all the progress we’ve made with R&D and technology, is it any wonder now that sticky tape isn’t just sticky tape any more? Well, as we had the good luck of discovering last weekend, not all tapes are created equal.
What’s more?
Tapes Can Colour & Beautify My World!
Yep. You can even use tape to do art, to craft and …. to play!
My boys and I were invited by 3M to a private craft tea party to have some fun with its new line of tapes aptly called ‘Scotch Expressions Tapes’.
It’s tapes! It’s craft! It’s play! It’s tea! It’s mom-kids bonding time! What’s more? It’s 3M – an icon from my childhood days.
Being a great fan of playing with craft stuff, how could I resist?
Needless to say, my boys and I got on a roll. We’ve since spent many hours since Saturday decorating and making things!
We’re a Family That Sticks Together!
My oldest son, Lee, 5.5, was so enamored by the gorgeous colours and prints of the tape that he literally went crazy grabbing at the many different packs of tape on display for us to use. You would have thought he was in a candy shop.
He chose a PINK ( yes, he’s a boy but his fave colour is pink) chair to decorate. Instead of decorating the given cardboard rocket template to be stuck on the back of the chair as instructed, Lee had to transform it into a ‘Rocket Booster Jetpack’ for wearing on his back.
Lee’s Jetpack with ‘Toilet Roll’ Boosters
Di Di also needed a ‘Rocket Booster Jetpack’ of his own but they ran out of cardboard templates. And fortunately, quick-thinking Mama here transformed the paper plate angel wings into rocket boosters. ( Just had to say that because I’m so darn proud of my surprise crafting-on-my-wit’s-end smart-thinking!)
Zee Man’s Super Power Rocket Booster JetPack!
And so over the course of the afternoon and the many past days of playing with this thing called ‘Tape’. I’ve come to learn that Not All Tapes Are Created Equal.
I’m pretty sure almost every crafty Mom has already some of those washis at home. But ashamedly, I have not really played with real good quality washi. *Ahem* I’ve only started buying these cheap washi versions form Daiso at the start of the year… and those always seem to leave a sticky residue on my scissors! Well, you can’t really blame me for wondering what’s all the fuss over paper tapes, can you?
BUT THEN….
Not All Tapes Are Created Equal.
So after playing with our box of complimentary 3M Expressions Tapes, I’ve learnt some useful facts about Tapes. I’m sharing them here just in case anyone else like me is still *ahem* a little ‘suaku’ a.k.a. clueless about Washis and wah-got-what-other-tapes-there-be.
3M Expression Tape Range
Top Row: Washi Tape in 2 different widths
Bottom: Masking Tape
Right: Expressions Magic Tape
- 3M Magic Tape is still one of my favourite sort of sticky tape. As its name goes, it is really like magic! Sticky but lifts so easily without stick-marks. It also tears off pretty neatly by hand.
- Coloured Scotch(R) Expressions Magic Tapes are THE tapes to go for if you want a pearly sheen to your projects. I thought I would hate the plasticky-feel of the tape but after some tries, I’m so wrong. I LOVE IT! Check out my above photo on how these tapes really put a polished finish to the paper-plate Rocket Booster JetPacks for little Zee!
- Washis are paper-based tapes. Works like magic too in how they can stick and peel and re-stick again.
- Masking tapes work like washis but come in a larger roll. Super handy for decorating projects with a lot of surface to cover!
- Washis should just be renamed ‘WOW-shis’ because no matter how much you screw up in sticking all sorts of schizophrenic colours and prints together, the end product still seems to make any audience go ‘WOW!’
- Just Brilliant for Cardboard Projects! You know just how much I love cardboard right? Yep. Love enough to create and host Singapore’s 1st Cardboard Creativity Festival. However even in our cardboard-crazy household, I have truly found painting cardboard to prep it for crafting one of the most detestable things. But now with my discovery of these tapes, I think I’ve found crafting enlightenment! No more messy paint! No more wasted hours waiting for paint to dry or sulking over soggy cardboard from too-wet paints.
- You Can Fantasize About Tapes! It’s true. I just cannot stop fantasizing now about how wonderful it would be to be able to get a mountain of these marvellous 3M tapes for families to make cardboard magic at this year’s Voyage of Dreams and Organic Play Parties! Wouldn’t you just love to craft up cardboard magic with some of these trim beauties too? But I digress.
- I’m now an official TAPE Evangelist!
Tape isn’t just confined for craft projects you know?
You can even dress up gifts, utensils, and even jewellery!
How’s that for being economical?
Need new shoes? Washi-fy them.
Need new accesories? Washi-fy your own?
Need new stationery? Washi-fy the old.
Now, is there anything we cannot washi-fy into something wonderful?
Tape Fashion
There are more ideas found on My Activity Room.
I’m told that 3M Expressions Tapes will be soon sold at selected POPULAR Bookstores and other leading retailers in Mid-March – which is anytime now! Prices range from $3.90 to $6.90 for individual rolls, depending on type. And economical 3-packs for Magic Tapes retail at $9.90.
I know, they don’t sound very cheap. But I think they’re a pretty good investment considering how a little goes a loooooooong way, and you can do so many things with them!
By the way, there are also two upcoming Make Amazing workshops you can find too happening during the School Holidays.
- March 15-16 at POPULAR Northpoint
- March 21-23 at POPULAR Bras Basah
And for any reason you miss these sessions, and want a good dose of play even after the school holidays, be sure to sign up to be on my Organic Play mailing list!
Meanwhile, we’re still not done washi-fying with our chairs! I’m converting their chairs into dual-function PLAY & STUDY chairs. How so? Can you guess?
Racing Down The Washi Field
Well, stay tuned as I update you on the finished products of our Washifying Project!
Disclaimer: We were invited by 3M to a Make Amazing craft and tea party, and received a set of complimentary products for the purposes of this review. However, all opinions expressed here are 100% my own. And you know, I am always selective about the products and experiences I share on this blog.
