New Products: Washi Tape Edition

It’s always exciting when we get in new styles of washi tape. In the last few days we have received a lot of new styles, see below!

Thin pastel washi tape on the left. A collection of chairs, tables, animals, and Studio Ghibli on the right (check out the tiny Miyazaki)!

We love rainbow washi tape. We also have some new cat and dog themed tape!

However, even though we are enamored with washi tape, customers often ask, “What is washi tape?” or, “What do I do with washi tape”? So, we thought we would dedicate a blog post to answer those very questions!

Washi tape is a high-quality masking tape made from natural fibers like bamboo, mulberry, or hemp (the word “washi” means “Japanese paper”). You can conveniently tear it with your hand, and it’s usually translucent. You can use it to wrap gifts, to seal envelopes, or to decorate and organize a planner or calendar. You can also write on top of washi tape, so it can be used for labeling too.

All of the collage stores have LARGE selections of washi tape; the most diverse and abundant collection of styles is at our Alberta St Store, where we have nicknamed it the #greatwallofwashi.

A section of our massive #greatwallofwashi at our Alberta St location!

Click below to learn more about the history of washi tape, and to see some washi tape DIYs!

Product Spotlight: DIY Crafting Books for Your Summer Party!

Summer is almost here, which means a lot of graduations, weddings, and summer parties are just around the corner. We recently got in a few books at the store that include some awesome ideas for party decorations, gift wrapping, and card making.

Paper crystals, "collage" pop-up card, and gift bag created from DIYs in the books Oh Joy!, Sunshine Spaces, and Hello Tokyo

Keep reading to see sneak peeks of these books and get fun ideas for party decor. All books and supplies for these DIYs are available at collage, although the stock on books is limited; be sure to call before visiting if you have a certain book in mind!

Click the link below to read more about these awesome books!

Product Spotlight: Das Air Hardening Modeling Clay

We love Das Modeling Clay! It’s affordable, it’s great for kids, and adults can have fun with it too. It's easy to sculpt, it's non-toxic, and it looks great when you paint it. Plus, there are a million things you can make with it: trinket trays, beads, decorations, figurines, ornaments, magnets, coasters, and more! 

Mother's Day is this weekend (May 14th), and if you're still thinking about making a handmade gift, consider Das clay. We have some helpful hints and tips for working with it, below!

All supplies are available at collage!

New Products Roundup: the Annex Edition!

Mother’s Day is May 14th, and with so many people shopping for gifts for their loved ones, we thought we’d remind you about our fun gift shop, collage annex! 

We opened the annex in October 2016. It’s located on NE Alberta Street, on the same block as our original supply store, just a few doors down, at 1607 NE Alberta St.
The annex is open from 10am-6pm every day.

If you’re wondering how the annex is different from the original collage store, the annex focuses on fun home décor, accessories, and creative gifts. We found that people were asking for more gifty and pre-made items, and we just couldn’t fit all of it into our original supply store! We also couldn’t resist all of the creative gifts we were coming across. 

The annex will feature thematic displays of items that will rotate and change, so check back often for new goodies.  Currently the themes include: celestial/space, garden, woman power, beach/ocean, pacific northwest, cats and dogs.  Alongside the themed displays are an assortment of other curated gifts such as beautiful candles, glassware, party and home decor and patches, pins, and prints by some local artists.

Classic cat goodies.

Below are some photos of new products for you to check out, and be sure to stop by next time you get the chance! While you're there, you might also stop by our supply store, where you'll find lots of ideas to make your own creative gift for Mother's Day; you can also check out our recent DIYs, including paper flowers, and textile kits for some ideas!