Are your rolls of washi sitting on your desk like cute and colorful trophies? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to join Hey Kessy’s Washi Workshops. Conducted by Mansy Abesamis, the workshops are designed to help you get started on washi projects while teaching you how to become more creative, too. She offers two kinds of workshops—the Hey Kessy Messy Washi Party and Wear Washi: Hey Kessy Washi and Twine Jewelry Workshop.

Tell us about the workshops you conduct.

Hey Kessy Messy Washi Party is like a get-together for crafters, makers, and washi lovers. All the materials will be provided, they can take as much as they want to make washi projects such as jewelry, postcards, fabric gift wrapper, personalized kraft paper, upcycled bottles, garlands and mini notebooks! It’s not really a formal workshop because we want the participants to experiment, explore, and come up with different projects. It also encourages collaborations and exchange of ideas.

Before, people thought they could only use washi tape on their notebooks, or mostly with paper. But in the Wear Washi: Hey Kessy Washi and Twine Jewelry Workshop  workshop, we teach them how to make washi projects that they can wear such as necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

What is included in the workshop fee?

Everything they need to make the assigned project for the day. We also make sure that we add extra so they could make more when they get home. They are also encouraged to experiment and hopefully share and inspire other people to create.

Can anyone take the workshop? Is there an age limit?

Yes, everybody is welcome! We had a washi workshop last year where the youngest crafter participant was a 10-year-old boy! He was so endearing.

What made you decide to create crafting workshops?

When we started, we envisioned Hey Kessy to not be just about selling washi tape. It is also about helping foster an encouraging, happy community for crafters and makers. It’s an avenue to meet, collaborate, inspire, get inspired, and create with kindred souls.

For more info, visit www.heykessy.com.