BIMD: The Rise and Fall of Michael’s Watercolor Washi

Back in My Day is a new series I plan to write about good ol planner lore. The stories you’ve never heard, have long forgotten, or perhaps wish you could forget. I’m going to retell them to the best of my ability and memory but of course feel free to chime in the comments and let me know if I got any of my facts out of order!

We’re going to start this series off strong with a piece of Planner Lore that sticks real strong in my memory: Michael’s Watercolor Washi

Let me first set the scene, its 2016, mainstream paper crafting is still largely focused on scrapbooking, stationery items are very business focused, and the planner community etsy explosion has yet to happen. I know it’s hard to remember a time before washi being everywhere, but imagine it. At the time I think Michaels maybe had an end cap or two, certainly not the full aisle of it it morphed into. And they were just starting to really pay attention to the planner community - largely, I think, because of their involvement in Go Wild.

And so they release a new line of washi in the Spring that includes a watercolor themed set. Full of vivid colors, ink splashes and words and phrases. It’s also got some gold foiled elements which at the time was really hot. and It. Goes. VIRAL.

I mean really viral, the Planner Community is hunting and reselling this stuff like it’s printed with actual gold. Buy/Sell/Trade Groups pop off with people looking to buy or sell their watercolor stash. Samples of rolls are going for more than the price of the whole set.

 I actually remember driving to three different stores to find the set at my local Michaels and then sharing that information with my local planner group so other people could go snag sets for themselves. And the store being sold out before the end of day.

So big corporate Michaels does what big corporations do, and misses the ball entirely. Instead of seeing the success of their washi selling out as an indication that they should make new washi that was similar in style… they decide to print more of the same. The exact same. So much of the same that all of a sudden the stores are flooded with watercolor washi.

Soon, it’s the washi tape that everyone starts getting at conferences in their swag bags. Michaels discounts it in their store, and still can’t get rid of it. If you attend multiple conferences in 2017 you can bet you got a set at every single one. Somehow I had three full sets by the start of 2018.

And from there, it was the washi that ended up on every Trash to Treasure table. To this day I still see it mixed in piles of washi that people donate.

Personally, I still really like the washi set as a whole. It was a beautiful rainbow of colors and I’m a sucker for all things watercolor. But it’s also a symbol to me of how drastically supply and demand can shift in the planner community. And even more so, how quickly trends come and go.

If you liked this blog, please let me know in the comments what other Planner Lore moments you’d like me to revisit!