Cabin Crafting Series #1: Washi tape tubes

February 21, 2016: For our week-long lake getaway, I chose to bring a few crafting supplies so I can indulge in my condo-crafting habit while on vacation. My first mini-craft project took place in the second tiny house cabin that we stayed in at Blue Moon Rising – Bella Donna.

I often wondered what it would be like to do craft and DIY projects in a tiny home space. I am fascinated with the idea of building a tiny house for myself as a crafting studio. Although I also thought about it as a full or part-time living option for both Bruce and I, his “we need more space with two bathrooms” mantra has made me abandon that idea. It’s a minor miracle that I got him on board with spending three nights in these cabins!

I packed the car with two baskets of project material (one of which includes my Mod Podge, wood stains, hammer and chisel…I left the DeWitt drill at home for this trip). But I was modest in my crafting ambitions at the Bella Donna (it is, after all, a pretty small space that I’m sharing with another). So I chose to limit myself to crafts made with Washi tape and stickers.

These wine cork tubes have appeared in many Vida DIY posts in the past year (usually in the background of featured projects). I first bought the cork tubes from Michaels last spring. They were a part of the Make Market 2015 collection. Eventually, they were marked down to 60, and then to 80% off. So I stocked up on tubes, thinking they would make great storage containers – for wine and other little knick knacks.

My first cork tube container was designated for holding the many rolls of washi tape I accumulated. So what better way to decorate it than to wrap it with strips of washi tape from each roll. That is how my TapeTube creation came about. I absolutely love it. It is my most favorite craft supply carrying case because it’s so personal and colorful. So very Vida DIY. 🙂

Another cork tube was also decorated with washi tape and is at home serving as a vase for my faux hydrangeas.

I’m down to two more unused and undecorated wine tubes. I decided to bring one with me to the lake since I have idle time for tube decorating.

The washi tape I’ll use for this tube, coincidentally enough, is also from the Micheal’s Make Market line. I picked up a few rolls of their featured tape last Friday (at 40% off – yippee!). So this cork decorating project will be a Make Market creation through and though.

I thought the color and pattern combination of these washi tape rolls were especially eye-catching and unique. They will look great when wrapped around the tube in decorative rings.

This project is quick and easy. Just take alternating washi tape colors and wrap the tube with tape from bottom to top. It took me less than 10 minutes to complete the tube wrapping.

Here is the finished product. As I expected, the wrapped tube looks great. Very pretty, in a boho chic way.

I can use letter stickers to label this tube (and also the wood burning kit, which I used on my first cork wine tube to burn in the Vida DIY label at the top). But I’m good with my wrapped tube for now (and I’m already thinking ahead to the next project).

I will, however, seal the tape wrapping later with Mod Podge at the next cabin (since this tape is not as sturdy or sticky as the others I’ve used).

NOTE: If you’re thinking of giving this project a try, as a heads up, you may have trouble finding these cork wine tubes. They’re not a part of this year’s Make Market line and I combed the web for other similar options. But you might try this project using paper mache tubes with handles instead (which are very similar to these). I found those at Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago. V-