washi tape

With my girls back in school, I’m starting to find more time for myself and am happy to be able to craft. Last week I visited one of my favorite stores, Ben Franklin Crafts, to scout out the cool new supplies that had filled the shelves over the summer. The most noticeable addition was washi tape, something that was already on my radar but that I can never have enough of. Washi tape is made of Japanese paper and is similar to masking tape, but much more beautiful. I’ve been using it for a while to embellish cards and tags and to pretty up wrapped packages. I love stacking a few tapes, like layers of a cake, to decorate a birthday card or cutting smaller pieces into little flags. Washi tape used to be hard to find but now it’s everywhere, so try some the next time you need a little crafting pick me up. These tiny tapes make a big impact.

picking blackberries

Right now, all the blackberry bushes around here are covered with ripe berries, and the whole town it seems comes out to gather a few. Last year we were able to pick berries from the bushes in our neighborhood all the way through the fall; it was so much fun for the girls, and I loved all the sweet pictures I got. Today my dad and brother are visiting so we went on a nature walk and picked some berries along the way. I’m looking forward to making a berry crisp tomorrow after a day of sightseeing – just another little thing to love!