How to: Decorate a Clock with Washi Tape

Washi tape is my new favourite thing. Had you asked me a year ago what it was, I probably would have been stumped. Washi tape? A tape to help with the washing? But once you get the idea that it's basically masking tape with cute patterns printed on, you can see the allure of it. I am a stationary fiend anyway, so any new kind of pretty stationary is fine by me. Washi tape has so much potential that once you buy a roll, you keep finding new ways to use it. It originates from Japan, so used to be quite hard to find in the UK, but now it's popping up all over the place.

Here's my growing collection of Washi tape. At the moment I'm trying to gather a wide variety of colours, so that if I need a specific colour I have it to hand.

From left to right:

These two monochromatic designs have train tickets, cinema tickets and old newspaper cuttings on them, and are by Tim Holtz. They are a little more pricey than the other rolls I have bought, but there is a lot on each roll, and the tape is very high quality. The great thing about this pair is that the black and white patterns go with any colour project I am working on.

The two pink rolls came as a pair from Wilko's- is there anything you can't buy from Wilko's? Although they are quite thin and translucent, I love the pastel pink colour and the gingham and butterfly patterns. The white areas are near transparent, so you can put the tape over a coloured background to change the look of the tape quickly and easily.

This Washi tape with a red flower pattern is from eBay. There are a wide variety of Washi tapes on eBay, and if you are prepared to wait a long time for the postage, the designs from Japan are amazing. There are some equally lovely designs a little more closer to home, and this is one of them.


I originally got Washi tape to use whilst I was book-binding, to add a nice touch to notebook covers and also to tidy up any rough edges. However, I am starting to branch out and use it in different ways. It's a very easy and non permanent way to decorate - ideal if you live in rented accommodation.

I decided to update the look of this simple alarm clock. I find it hard to come by nice looking clocks that come with an alarm, and I'm one of those people that need a big ass alarm in order to get up in a morning.

This was very easy to do, I just cut the tape to shape and then stuck to my alarm clock. And ta-dah! It's suddenly a lot more nice to look at. Which might help me to get up on time in a morning (maybe).

You can tell how long it took me to do this by the time on my clock in the before and after pictures! Fifteen minutes at the very most, and if I ever feel like trying a different look on my alarm clock, all I have to do is peel off the tape and do it again.

Do you have a favourite brand of Washi tape you would like to recommend? Or maybe a fun way to use it? I'd love to hear your ideas!