by Rock Paper Scissors -

Face Mask Tutorial

When the COVID-19 was becoming a problem in Japan, my parents told me that they were scarce on face masks, sanitizers, and yes – toilet paper. Knowing that it is uncommon to wear masks here in the United States, I didn’t really see it as a problem. Then I thought, why not make a few masks out of fabric and send it to my family and friends in Japan? That was in February.

Now fast forward to March, before the COVID-19 became a pandemic, I decided to make one for each of our family and friends. I still remember when the clerk at JoAnn’s Fabric asked me what I was making, and with hesitation, I told her I was making face masks. And just as I imagined, she gave me an odd face. And now that it is recommended to wear a face mask to protect others and ourselves, I thought it was time for me to share a face mask tutorial.

The best way to protect others and ourselves is to stay home, but of course, not all of us can stay home. There are many ways to make masks, even with household items such as paper towels, staples, and rubber bands, but the great thing about fabric face masks is that they are washable and reusable.

After working with this face mask pattern, I felt that this would be the easiest and comfortable face mask to make. In this tutorial, we will need a printed pattern, fabric, and elastic bands, and pencils, scissors, and a sewing machine. (but you can sew by hand too!) For the elastic band, my daughters insisted that the elastic would get uncomfortable, so I found a upcycle solution – grab an old leggings or stockings and use it as an elastic band. It may not look the best, aesthetic wise, but my daughters actually agreed that they were much more comfy. Please feel free to download the pattern, and I hope this tutorial and face mask pattern will be useful in these uncertain times.

don't touch the front of the mask with your hands
Don’t touch the front of the mask with your hands!

Important reminders: Never touch the front of the mask. Remove mask by the elastic band. Always wash your hands after removing the mask. Wash or discard the mask after each use.

Materials Used
Fabric
Elastic bands (or old leggings or stocking)


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All downloads are for personal, non-commercial use only. Please do not redistribute and/or modify any of the downloads. Please link to this post if sharing, and not directly to the pdf file. Thank you. © Asami Hasegawa
by Rock Paper Scissors -

DIY Hand-painted Wood Crafts

DIY Hand-painted Wood Crafts

Hello! I hope you are having a great week. Wood is one of my favorite mediums, but it is also by far the most challenging DIY project that I tend to avoid. I am terribly clumsy and accident-prone, so I make sure to be extra careful. In my previous post, I hand-painted on an old wooden chair – that was an experiment! This time, I decided to use some of my precious wood craft supplies that I bought from Japan. (If you have an opportunity to go to Japan, you will need to visit this store! The store is so adorable and ridiculously affordable. )

DIY Hand-painted Wooden Crafts

When working with wood, I sand the surface lightly and apply primer with a brush. I usually let it sit for at least three hours. Some primers will ask you to wait for 24 hours; however, I apply a thin layer for it to dry quickly. This method works for me, mainly because I don’t take on big projects. If you plan to do a big home project, I really suggest waiting for 24 hours. For these projects, I freehanded and let my creativity flow, but I sometimes sketch a draft with a pencil (very very lightly) when hand-painting intricate designs. I personally don’t like erasing the pencil marks after painting, and pencil marks can eventually show through. If you aren’t confident, use a transfer paper and trace your design!

Paint pens and sharpie oil pens are also great if you prefer a firm brush tip. I personally use brushes to give it a soft and uneven look. I would definitely use a paint pen for calligraphy on wood. And follow me on my Instagram account @byasamihasegawa for more tips and more. Happy crafting!

Materials Used
Wooden Blocks
Sand Paper
Primer
Acrylic Paint
Painter’s Tape

by Rock Paper Scissors -

DIY Wooden Alphabet Blocks

Diy Hand-painted Wooden Alphabet Blocks

Alphabet blocks are a great way to introduce letters and develop motor skills for babies and toddlers. My daughter used to stack the blocks when she was a baby, but now that she is a toddler – she loves shouting out the letters.

When my daughter was born, wooden alphabet blocks set was on top of my daughter’s toys list. While I found many bold color/font alphabet blocks, it was hard to find something aesthetically pleasing without being too expensive. I remember taking my daughter to Book Culture and Bank Street Books on the Upper West Side, and just drooling over the beautiful toys. When I found the Uncle Goose Nursery Rhyme Wooden Blocks, I fell in love and bought them right away. I must say the toys can be a bit expensive, but both book stores have the best selection of books and toys.

Although I dream of having the entire Uncle Goose Wooden Blocks Sets, I decided to make them myself this time. It was a half-day project and I had my daughter help me out painting the blocks. I suggest to always sand the blocks and paint them with a primer first, it will be much easier when you paint the letters and illustrations. I found the unfinished wooden blocks on Amazon, but I believe you can find them at Etsy or Michaels too.

Happy August and craft away!

Materials Used
Wooden Blocks
Sand Paper
Primer
Acrylic Paint
Painter’s Tape

by Rock Paper Scissors -

Beaded Hair Comb

diy beaded hair comb

diy beaded hair comb

The other day, I was cleaning out my closet and found some beautiful beads that I bought from La droguerie and a flea market in Paris several years ago. This adorable shop carries beads, buttons, ribbons and everything that a crafter would want. The beads are very well crafted and they are very hard to come by here.

During the Paris trip, I remember just wandering the streets and taking pictures of apartment doors and graffiti with a very confused husband. The beads remind me of the elegant color palettes and brings back great memories of my trip to Paris. It was definitely one of the best trips I ever had – which I hope to do with my daughter some day.

After reminiscing and sharing my Paris trip memories with my daughter, we decided to spend some time making jewelry together. She insisted on making a hair comb and bracelet, so we used beads, hair combs, copper wires, elastic cords and some E6000 glue to reinforce and strengthen the knots. My daughter enjoyed choosing the beads and is very excited to wear it to preschool tomorrow!

Materials Used
Beads
Hair Combs
Copper Wire
Elastic Cord
E6000 glue
Pliers

by Rock Paper Scissors -

Wooden Chair Makeover

Hand Painted Modern Flower Kids Chair Makeover

Hand Painted Modern Flower Kids Chair Makeover

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! We spent our weekend relaxing at home with friends and I was finally able to work on a project I had in mind for awhile – wooden chair makeover.

We found this ikea chair at a garage sale a while ago. It was a plain white wooden chair that wasn’t in perfect condition, but the scratches and dings definitely gave it character. Although I had no plans to do a chair makeover when I bought the chair, I have been in the painting mood ever since my mom visited us from Japan.

My mom is an expert at tole painting, a folk art and decorative painting, and she taught me how to paint on various surfaces using unique brush techniques. She gave me and my daughter a painting lecture, which was a whole lot of fun. While I always and love to paint by freehand, it was interesting to learn that tole painting uses patterns and unique techniques. I will definitely be incorporating some tole painting techniques in my future work.

Crafting and painting is always a wonderful way to bond. I would love to hear how you bond with your family and friends!

Materials Used
Primer
Acrylic Paint
Satin Finish

chair makeover

by Rock Paper Scissors -

DIY Wooden Circle Magnets

DIY-Wooden-Circle-Magent-with-Toddlers

Although crafting with toddlers are always fun, it can be difficult to find a perfect project that will match your preschooler’s interest level. This project is quick and easy – perfect for toddlers! These wooden circle magnets make a great gift for grandparents, which are heartwarming and actually useful.

My daughter really enjoyed making these wooden circle magnets and was excited to send these out to her grandparents. I hope your toddlers will enjoy making this project too.

Supplies

Wooden Circle
Acrylic Paint
Magnet
E6000 Craft Adhesive

Directions

1. Paint the Wooden Circles with Acrylic Paint

2. Let it dry for an hour.

3. Glue the magnet to the back of the wooden circle.