April's Review	Renee's Review	Stephanie's Review	Pomaika`i's Review	Donna's Review

Review by April

One of the reasons I enjoy being on the ScrapFriends review team is because I frequently get the chance to review innovative new craft supplies and tools that I might never have thought to try. This month I got the chance to play with artistic paper, wood sheets, and washi tape from Kodomo Inc. Kodomo creates products that are inspired by traditional Asian designs combined with American country influences. They started out producing rubber stamps and have since developed several other one of kind papercrafting products!

For this review I received five different 12x12 patterned papers, one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of decorative vellum, four wood sheets, and one roll of washi tape. All of the patterned papers (Kimono, Four Seasons, Heart Sutra, Phiox, & Winter Garden), were elegant and contained designs like delicate flowers, trees, birds, streams, and Asian writing. With the exception of Winter Garden which was filled with brightly colored images, the other papers were more muted in color and consisted of subdued purples, yellows, pinks, greys, and greens. The vellum sheet, Fan Pattern, was composed of several overlapping fans in pastel pinks, yellows, blues, purples, and greens. The wood sheets were approximately 4x6 in size and were about 1/16th of an inch in thickness. The wood had a beautiful light timber color almost like a slightly bleached cherry wood and this made it perfect for accepting paint or other colorings. Washi tape is made from Washi paper which is a type of Japanese paper originally made by hand from stalk fiber. The adhesive on the back of the washi tape is acid free and temporary which makes repositioning easy. The washi tape has a width of 0.6" and is 16.4 yards in length. Normally they are sold in packages containing three different colored rolls. Kodomo currently offers them in eight different color combos. If you visit Kodomo's website http://www.kodomoinc.com/ you can view their gallery of project ideas and also check out all the other unique craft products they offer.

To create my first project, I painted a sheet of corrugated cardboard and then added Kodomo's lovely "Phlox" paper to the center to use as my background. I painted one of the wood sheets to match the background, adhered it to the page to add dimension, and then started embellishing from there. I embossed part of my photograph and then sanded it down. Afterwards I applied pop dots to the back of the photo. Before I adhered the photo down, I created a ruffled frame around it using the washi tape. I really enjoyed how easy it was to use the washi tape. If I stuck it down in the wrong place, or created a ruffle that didn't look right, I simply just pulled it back up and started over using the same piece. I loved the natural look of the wood sheets so I tore a small strip off of one and placed it below my photo as an embellishment I could journal on. To complete the layout, I added several other fun embellishments and lavender glitter glue to add sparkle. I liked how the subdued colors in the Phlox paper coordinated well with the brighter colors of my embellishments.

Title: Fabulous Chopsticks
Products used:
Patterned Paper (Kodomo Inc.: Phiox)
Wood Paper (Kodomo Inc.)
Washi Tape (Kodomo Inc.)
Glitter Glue (Ranger: Stickles)
Embossing Plate (Provocraft)
Chipboard (Jenni Bowlin)
Sticker Heidi Swapp)
Flowers (Fancy Pants, & Prima)
Rhinestone Brad (Karen Foster)
Cardboard/Sequin Sew On (Personal Stash)
Metal Clips (Lil Davis, & 7gypsies)
Felt Bird (Maya Road)
Paint (Jaquard)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I used two of the wood sheets to create a wall hanging for my second project. I covered each of them with sections of the "Winter Garden" paper, and left a small uncovered section of wood on each. I punched two small holes in each sheet and used jeweled clips and beads to attach them together. The wood sheets were thin enough to easily punch holes in, yet strong enough to endure altering. I added a small strip of the washi tape to the bottom of the second wood sheet and colored it with a green glitter pen. To complete the project, I used glitter pens to add a little more detail to the papers, added flowers, jewels, and rub ons. Last but not least, I adhered ribbon to the back of the top sheet so I could hang it on the wall.

Title: Serenity Plaque
Products used:
Patterned Paper (Kodomo Inc.: Winter Garden)
Wood Paper (Kodomo Inc.)
Washi Tape (Kodomo Inc.)
Flowers (Prima)
Rub ons (Luxe, & Three Bugs in a Rug)
Metal Clip Jewels (7gypsies)
Green Beads (Hobby Lobby)
Glitter Pens (Sakura Gelly Roll)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I enjoyed creating with the Kodomo products and I was thankful to be included on the review. The patterned papers were very unique and although I do wish they would have been a little heavier in weight, I thought they were beautifully detailed. I can see several uses for the wood sheets and I'm glad I had the opportunity to play with them because I might not have tried them otherwise. I think they would be great for creating mini albums or books, and in my opinion they made really cool page embellishments. My favorite product from this review was the washi tape. The color of mine reminded me of a darker masking tape and I happen to adore masking tape. Kodomo offers several other colors of washi tape and I can't wait to get my hands on them. The tape was easy to remove and re-apply when needed, it tore easily so there was no need for scissors, and I thought the size and width of the roll was perfect. I always enjoy trying out new craft supplies and would recommend these Kodomo products to all types of crafters!

---

Review by Renee

I am always intrigued by new scrapbook products and papers. When the February reviews were announced, I immediately went to the Kodomo website to see what the products looked like. I was struck by how beautiful the Asian inspired papers were. Consequently, I was very pleased to find out that I would have the opportunity to play with these beautiful papers and other products from Kodomo. My mind immediately began to think of ideas for using such pretty papers. However, when my review team box arrived, I could not believe how beautiful the products were in person. Almost so beautiful that I was afraid to work with them, …almost!

For this review, I received an assortment of Kodomo products including Edo ori bako Wood sheets, Washi Tapes, a mixture of patterned papers, and vellum paper. I received a total of 4 edo ori bako wood sheets, which are approximately 4 x 6 in size. They are fairly then, and can be cut with an ordinary exacto blade. I also received five sheets of Asian inspired patterned paper, as well as one sheet of Asian inspired vellum paper. In addition, I received another unique product called Wasba tape. This is a tape with similar tackiness as a lightweight masking tape, but which has a nice sheen to it. It is very decorative and could replace ribbon in your pages and projects.

For my project, I decided to use an idea that I saw produced by the Kodomo company. I had recently watched a video where the wood sheets were used to make a mini album. I could not figure out how to recreate the particular project on the video, but decided to use those sheets as the base of an accordion fold mini album. The sheets are just thick enough to make a really nice cover for the book. I selected the patterned paper from those I received that had four block patterns on it. I used one of each block to cover the fronts of my mini album. I then used the Washi tape to make nice finished edges on the covers. At one point, I did not get the tape down straight. Because of the low tack of the tape, I was able to easily lift it up and reapply correctly.

Title: Memories Mini Album
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Patterned Paper (Kodomo)
Edo ori bako wood sheets (Kodomo)
Washi tape (Kodomo)
Glitter Glue (Stickles)
Die Cut Machine and Cartridge (Provocraft Cricut and Graphically Speaking cartridge)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

For my interior pages, I used two of the sheets of the other papers glued back to back. I cut these sheets in half, and then carefully glued them together at the short ends to make a 24 inch sheet, which I folded at every four inches. These particular papers had a calm pattern to them which made them perfect for use as a background sheet. I was able to make use of the small pattern on the papers when applying my pictures and embellishments on them.

Title: Interior Pages
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Patterned Paper (Kodomo)
Washi Tape (Kodomo)
Flowers (Prima)
Ink (Colorbox chalk)
Dimensional adhesive (Mrs Elizabeth)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I was very pleased with the Kodomo products. They are simply beautiful and have such a sophisticated flair to them. I found them easy to work with and loved the look of the finished project. These products are definitely work giving a try!

---

Review by Stephanie

The Kodomo company has been in business for approximately 20 years creating Asian-inspired stamps, papers and embellishments. Kodomo’s website shows their full product lines which includes many new and exciting products. Their stamp designs are quite intricate and their papers are stunning. I was introduced to Kodomo last year when Scrapfriends reviewed some of Kodomo’s stamps. I loved the reviews and was really excited to get a chance to work with Kodomo products this month.

For my review I received a sheet of vellum, 4 sheets of 12 x 12 pattern papers, 4 pieces of Edi ori Bako Wood sheets and a roll of Washi tape. The papers are intricate, with beautiful scenes, floral arrangements and Asian lettering. The Washi tape is made from Washi paper, comes in 24 colors each containing 16 yards and is repositionable. The Wood sheets are approximately 4” x 6” and about as thick as a pop dot.

Because of the design of one of my papers, I decided to cut it into 4 pieces and create four different cards. The paper is very pretty, easily tears and takes ink well. I used the Washi tape on one card and stamped on it. I was excited to see it also held the ink well and didn’t smudge. Since I didn’t put the tape on straight, I pulled it up and repositioned it several times. The tape came up easily, smoothly and didn’t tear – another bonus.

Title: Cards
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Desert Coral Light, Iced Azalea, Rose Light, Frosted Cobalt)
Pattern Paper, Washi tape (Kodomo)
Stamps (Stampendous)
Ink (Staz on)
Brads (Making Memories)
Ribbon (Michaels)

I then moved onto the wood sheets, but had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. After much debate, I decided to create a card using a large floral stamp. I stamped the image on the wood, then colored it with chalk, using a water brush and a sponge. I was very pleased to see that water did not affect the wood. I thought it might buckle somewhat, but I’m happy to say it did not. Adding color with the sponge just enhanced my flowers. I love the crisp image on the wood and was pleased to see how easily it accepted the colors. Since my wood sheet was a little large for my card, I needed to trim it. I used a pair of scissors, but really should have used a craft knife. The wood splintered when I used cut it with the scissors, but that only added to the knobby look of the window frame, so I wasn’t alarmed. I would, however, recommend a craft knife and metal ruler for a cleaner cut.

Title: Thank You Card
Products used: Pattern Paper, Wood sheet (Kodomo)
Stamp (Stamp Happens)
Chalk (Craf T)
Rubons (Miss Elizabeth)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I now had 3 additional wood sheets to work with so I decided to make a mini album. Using the beautiful papers I received, I covered the front and back of the book in the same paper. I then used another sheet of paper for the inside covers. Cutting cardstock slightly smaller, I created the interior pages. I stamped words on the Washi tape, bound my book and added ribbons. A very quick and beautiful album was created in no time.

Title: Mini Album
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Iced Orange)
Pattern Paper, Washi Tape, Wood sheets (Kodomo)
Stamp (Delta)
Ink (Colorbox, Staz on)
Acrylic (Nicole)
Binding (Zutter)
Ribbon (Unknown)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

If you love to experiment and try new and different products, then you will love working with Kodomo’s Wood sheets and the Washi Tape. These are definitely exciting new products and create wonderful projects when combined with Kodomo’s papers. You will not be disappointed.

---

Review by Pomaika`i

Kodomo Inc. began selling rubber stamps when it was established in 1983. Currently according to their website, Kodomo products are sold in many places around the nation as well as world wide. A quick look at their products reveals a variety of stamps in Japanese as well as Western style. Their newest addition, Zigen 12 x 12" paper and stamps are beyond gorgeous.

This review is the first time I worked with Kodomo products. I am always on the look out for quality Japanese style products since I grew up in Hawai'i where there is a substantial Japanese influence, and because my son is half Japanese. I was excited to have a chance to try some of Kodomo's offerings.

For this review I received five 12 x 12" pieces of patterned paper, one 8.5 x 11" patterned vellum, five sheets of Edo Ori Bako Wood, and a roll of Washi Tape. Every one of the 12 x 12" lightweight, one-sided patterned paper had a unique design, and each one more gorgeous than the last. My favorite was a late winter, early spring scene that included blooming plants, snow and birds in a gorgeous river scene. I am not exaggerating when I say that many of these papers can be taken as is and framed to create beautiful wall art!

The Edo Ori Bako wood sheets are very thin wood, a little larger than postcard size, shiny on one side, though you could use either side for creating embellishments. The wood is a light color that reminds me a little of balsa wood color, delicate, and strong at the same time. To cut Edo Ori Bako, you use an exacto blade and make many light passes with the knife rather than one deep cut. The wood is like a pressed sheet, and layers can be left behind if you make one large cut.

The Washi Tape is made from Washi, a traditional Japanese handmade paper. The adhesive is temporary and allows for repositioning, but is strong if left in place. The roll is 16.4 yards long and is .6" wide. The color I received was grey. I checked the Kodomo Inc. website and the Washi Tape comes in many different colors. They are available for purchase in sets of three different colors.

For my first project, I created a little vase from the Edo Ori Bako. I used one sheet and cut it into three equal parts (cutting parallel to the shorter side). I reconnected the three pieces to each other (leaving a little gap between each piece to fold) using washi tape on the front and the back of the Edo Ori Bako.

While my wood piece was still flat, I added three pieces of patterned paper to cover the Edo Ori Bako and Washi tape. I used Washi tape to make a triangular tube by connecting the two free ends of the Edo Ori Bako to each other. I did not want the Washi Tape to show, so I cut a .75" strip of patterned paper and covered it. I later wrote "Arigato" (thank you) on that strip.

My vase needed a bottom, so I used what I had handy, I found a spare piece of foam stamp mat, traced the shape of the bottom of my vase, cut it out and glued the base into the bottom of my vase "tube".

This vase was a thank you gift for my son's Dentist. In the pictures, you will see two mizuhiki (paper cord) flowers that were made by my son. Japanese tradition is not to give even number of flowers, so I needed one more flower. For the last flower, I used some of Kodomo's wonderful paper and a large flower punch to make a tiny three- dimensional flower. I punched out three large flowers from patterned paper, cut out their petals individually (wedge shaped), then attached the individual petals to florist wire using floral tape. I was really surprised at how good the little flower looked, almost like cloth, the paper design is that good!

Title: Edo Ori Bako Vase
Products used: Patterned Paper (Kodomo)
Wood (Edo Ori Bako Wood Sheets, Kodomo)
Ink (Adirondak Ranger)
Pen (Sakura Micron)
Rhinestone (Bead Party)
Other (Florist Wire, Florist Tape, Mizuhiki)
Adhesive (Matte Gel Medium, Claudine Hellmuth Studio)

My second project is a layout using the beautiful Kimono patterned paper I received. I tore a matt of solid cardstock to use behind my photos. I trimmed the sides of my photos slightly so that they could fit side by side on my pages. I took 100 grit sandpaper and sanded the edges of my photos revealing some funky color patterns.

For embellishment, I cut a 2" square of Edo Ori Bako, covered it with gold metallic ink and attached a mizuhiki knot to it by threading strips of wire through the wood to the other side. I stapled the long ends of the mizuhiki cord in place to frame my layout.

Title: Bon Odori 2001
Products used: Cardstock (Prism)
Patterned Paper (Kodomo)
Wood (Edo Ori Bako Wood Sheet, Kodomo)
Ink (Adirondak, Ranger; Colorbox)
Pen (Mircon, Sakura)
Other (Mizuhiki, Staples, Wire)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner, Joanns Tacky Glue)

My last projects for this review were a couple of "Thank You" cards. I used the paper left over from my first project to create these. It is such a beautiful scene! Can you tell I love this pattern?! You will see that I added some mizuhiki knots on my cards. The white one wraps around the card to hold it closed and the blue and white knot was placed to hide half of a duck that I had cut when I used the piece for another project. Again, I mounted my mizuhiki knot with a wire that goes behind the cardstock to hold the knot in place.

To create my "Arigato" or thank you sentiment, I cut my Edo Ori Bako Wood Sheet into a 2" x .5" strip, and wrote my sentiment directly onto it. I made one card before I thought of using the Edo Ori Bako for the sentiment. You can see the difference between the two cards (one is paper). I like the wooden sentiment much better. It is very classy! One last little touch was to add some clear micro beads to add dimension to one of the blooms on the hidden duck card.

Title: Arigato Cards
Products used: Patterned Paper (Kodomo)
Wood (Edo Ori Bako Wood Sheet)
Ink (Adirondak Ranger)
Other (Mizuhiki, Micro Beads, Wire)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

It was a joy to work with these Kodomo products! I truly loved having the opportunity to play with Japanese themed materials to create some fun projects! The paper designs speak for themselves, and, there are many more designs offered, each more spectacular than the next! Washi Tape and Edo Ori Bako will make a great addition to your basic tool kit. As you can probably guess, I definitely recommend these products to scrappers, cardmakers and altered art enthusiasts looking for Japanese style materials, or something unique to play with!

If you aren't familiar with Japanese style or would like some ideas to try out, take a look at our review projects, and also go to the Kodomo Inc. website for tutorials and gallery inspiration. There is no shortage of inspiration to create your own style projects using Kodomo Inc. products. Arigato Kodomo Inc.!

---

Review by Donna

Upon learning that we would be reviewing products from Kodomo, Inc. I must admit, I was a little intimidated. It was a name that was unfamiliar to me, and I was somewhat shocked that there were any paper crafting products out there that I wasn’t familiar with. Once I did a little research, I couldn’t wait for my products to arrive!

Founded by Hisako Nakamura in the early 1970s, Kodomo Inc. began first, as a gift company and later began selling rubber stamps. Today, their product line includes even much more. Its name symbolizes a Japanese expression "KODOMO NO KAO" which means "the look on a young person's face when they are absorbed in play “and, should you browse about Kodomo's website http://www.kodomoinc.com, you’ll immediately be struck by each and every one of their beautiful products, the line up of which now includes paper tape, embellishments, rubber stamps, patterned papers, vellums and more, all inspired by Asian art as well as nature, all with that playful edge. There’s even ribbon made from kimono fabric. The name certainly fits!

For this review, I received a wonderful mix of several of Kodomo’s products, including five pieces of 12” x 12” mid-weight patterned papers, some brightly colored, some softly muted, some with beautiful images of gardens and nature, some with prints of a more traditional asian flair, one sheet of fan patterned vellum, one roll of brown Washi tape and four pieces of 4” x 6” wood paper, a/k/a KYOUI.

In no way similar to the designs we usually see on patterned papers, the artful and unusual designs on these patterned papers are full of intricate details and beauitful imagery and easily lend themselves to creating projects using one sheet, or many. I adored the peaceful scene of the Winter Garden patterned paper so, for my first project, I created a couple of cards. I wanted to capture the gorgeous red flowers and soft touches of blue within the pattern, so I focused my cuts on that area of the paper. Next, I layered scalloped cardstock behind the patterned paper and then ran a quick hand stitch along those two edges. After adhering the patterned paper pieces to the card base, I added gesso coated chipboard photo corners at the lower, left of each card, and then embellished them with paper flowers, buttons and wide metallic gold mesh trim.

Title: Lucky Card Set
Products used: Cardstock, Blush Red Dark, (Prism Prismatics)
White Scallop Edge Cardstock, (Bazzill)
Winter Garden Patterned Paper (Kodomo, Inc.)
Chipboard Elements (Basic Grey)
Foof-a-la Bag of Buttons, Savannah (Autumn Leaves)
Gold Mesh Trim (local fabric store)
Small Greeting Tags (Making Memories)
Shipping Tag (DMD Industries)
Paper Flowers (Prima)
Golden Gesso & Grounds (Golden)
Embroidery Thread (Making Memories )
Small Safety Pin (Making Memories)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I was really curious when I heard about Kodomo’s wood paper sheets and knew even before I received them that I wanted to use them to create a mini book and that’s exactly what I did when they arrived. Kodomo’s wood is just perfect for the mini-book lovers out there. Its not too thick nor is it too thin. It can be stamped on, painted on and I found as well, that rubons applied on the wood wonderfully.

Precut to measure 4” x 6”, the wood paper is somewhat sturdy enough to feel just like a piece of wood, yet, is also thin and pliable enough to use as you would a piece of paper, so do handle it with care. Although the wood doesn’t’ tear like paper, it can easily be broken should you be looking for that rough edge effect and a craft knife or strong scissor will cut through it with ease. For purposes of adhering patterned papers to the wood, however, I found that the use of a permanent tape runner worked far better than the liquid glue that I tried.

For the Chinatown mini book, I cut down the wood sheets to measure 4” x 5-1/2” inches. I then adhered various pieces of patterned paper to each piece, in some cases, layering pieces of the fan patterned vellum paper (another design that I lvoed) over the patterned paper, resulting in a striking effect. Next, I embellished the pages with buttons, pearls, tabs, rick rack, ribbons, staples, rubons, stickers and transparency pieces (I was thrilled to find that rubons applied nicely and stuck to the wood wonderfully). Lastly, I bound the book with a Bind it All and found that the wood took the hole punches with ease and without incident.

Title: Chinatown Mini Book
Products used: Wood Paper (Kodomo, Inc.) Glossy Black Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Phlox Patterned Paper (Kodomo, Inc.)
Four Seasons Patterned Paper (Kodomo, Inc.)
Heart Sutra Patterned Paper (Kodomo, Inc.)
Fan Pattern Vellum (Kodomo, Inc.)
Patterned Paper (mfg)
Narratives Epoxy Stickers (Karen Russell for Creative Imaginations)
Journey Rubons(Making Memories)
Black Frame Wallpaper Transparency (Hambly)
Transferware Gold Flowers Rubons (Jenni Bowlin)
Just So You Know Rub On Transfers (Daisy D’s)
Symphony-Classical Spring Roll Ribbon (Magic Scraps)
Pearl Stickers (Karen Russell for Creative Imaginations)
Book Works Tabs (Sticko, EK Success)
Foof-a-la Bag of Buttons, Savannah (Autumn Leaves)
Ribbons and Rick Rack (Local Craft Store)
Binding Tool (Zutter)
Black Fashion Script Alphabet Stickers (Pink Paislee)
Black Detail Pen (Roseart)
Staples (Bostitch)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I was as intrigued about Kodomo’s Washi tape as much as I had been about the wood sheets, so, for my third project, I incorporated some of it into my project. Washi is a decorative paper tape that measures approximately 5/8” wide, is repositionable (but at the same time is very sticky and stays put), and comes in a variety of colors. It’s a perfect addition to the card maker or scrapbooker’s stash as it offers a variety of uses – you can tear it, twist it, stamp on it, tie it, knot it or cut it. I ultimately pleated a piece of it and used it as an embellishment on a card.

Title: “Thanks” card
Products used: Washi Tape, Brown (Kodomo, Inc.) Card Base (Gartner Studios)
(Prism Prismatics)
Intense Pink Cardstock (Prism) Sprinkled patterned Paper (Sassafras)
Sunshine Lollipos Cardstock Stickers (Sassafras)
Holly Doodle alphabet stickers, Pink (Pink Paislee)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I so enjoyed creating with every one of the Kodomo, Inc. products that I received. It was my first time creating with any of them and I found all of them to be of excellent quality. The papers are beautifully designed, the wood really is wood, and the tape really does reposition without any problem whatsover. Its certainly no surprise that Kodomo, Inc. received the coveted Best of Show award at CHA Summer in 2008.

---

Visit the ScrapFriends Kodomo Gallery

 
   For more information visit Kodomo