Basic Books

I feel sorry for books.

Not all books, just those already-read, can't-sell-at-a-yard-sale, obscure little books that end up at the thrift store collecting dust.  I keep waiting for my brain to kick in with all sorts of wonderful inventions.  Every once in awhile a new idea crops up, but alas, I feel there must be more creativity stuck inside my gray matter that just hasn’t surfaced yet.

Maybe some of my already created treasures will inspire someone else to save a few trees, and a few written words from ending up in the recycle bin.

Crackle finish memory book trio

Burlap covered book duo - Spray paint burlap using an old lace curtain as a stencil

You can use your printer to create a fabric accent on muslin.

Another pretty book.  I printed the burlap on my printer then stitched the fabric layers before gluing to the book.  Highlited with a rhinestone and a ribbon.

 If you are in the mood for a little more effort, see what you can create after you pull some books apart.

Hard cover text book repurposed into a journal for my sister.  (PS, we're dutch)

Wedding, Tea, Birthday Party Centerpiece - A New Idea

Here I go again.  Someone just needs to take these stupid books away from me.  I guess I am just feeling sorry for the poor things.  With the introduction of electronic readers these paper books are going to go the way of the VCR and the home telephone line.  There are so many books out there someone has to plan for their inevitable demise and find a new use for them.

So here is my latest idea.  Use old hardcover books to create a centerpiece for a wedding table.  Perhaps the same idea could be used for a tea with the ladies or even a girls birthday party.  This was my first rough draft using thrift store lace & flowers, yard sale beads and some card stock paper.  I threw in part of an old bracelet for a little punch.

 

Of course you can decorate this with all sorts of colors, or themes but I thought it would be quite unique.  For stability I used an old hair crimper to bulk up the books pages to ensure it remains open and standing no matter what impact might befall the table.

Here are a few progress photos.

 

I cut the book with a jigsaw.  My hope is to find a cheap scroll saw on Craigslist.  This will give me the options to try some other ideas I have for these poor dead trees.

Use a thinner book.  It's easier to cut.  I suggest leaving the bottom of the "skirt" as wide as possible for strength and stability.

I added plain card stock paper to the center binding, and printed card stock paper to the front and back of the dress.  Stay away from the thin scrapbook paper on all of these projects.  It wrinkles and tears too easliy.

I sprayed glued the larger pieces of lace on.  I didn't want to cake it with layer upon layer of Modge Podge.

I trimmed the lace back.  Next time I think I will wrap it instead.

I found that the best way to add bulk and keep a nice appearance what to crimp at the lower end of one page of the skirt and the upper end of the next page.  It was faster than trying to crimp everything and leaving part of each page straight kept the crimping from gathering together.

If anyone has theme suggestions, or if you create your own, please share here.  New ideas are always welcome.

Happy Crafting.

More Ideas With Recycled Books

The brain never stops and the ideas keep coming.

I visited Mystic Paper with my sister-in-law yesterday and they have soooooooooo much stuff.  I'm sure I could spend a whole day there if I had it to spend.  But, we had to hop across the street to the antique store before she had to leave so my time was limited.

All that "stuff" gave me a whole new crop of ideas for these books I've been playing with.  How about picture frames?  I have hard plastic trading card sleeves that I found on ebay for my ATC art, and I thought "hey, I can use those to hold a photo inside a book." (Yes, I actually said that to myself).  The question was, how do I decorate the book and allow for it to be opened and closed again so the photo could be inserted.

Mystic Paper had the answer.  I was introduced to Hitch Fasteners from Idea-ology.  These are what you might finding holding your daughters diary closed.  I picked up a packet of 12 and promptly had to try them out.  4 book photo frames later, I have worked through the how-to's. 

I made two books that have ribbon hangers and two without.  Granted, these unique picture frames will stand up on a table or shelf unassisted, but I will be making a trip back to the paper store to look for a small hanger that can be attached to the back of the book so that the frame has more flexibility for display.

The trading card sleeve holds a card or picture up to 2.75 x 3.75 inches, so I am cutting the frame openings 2.5 x 3.5.  Speaking of cutting, forget this utility knife stuff.  Ouch!  I've been going to bed with cramped hands.  I stopped by Lowe's to pick up a new Dremel tool.

I burned my old Dremel tool out out years ago helping my son create his Starship Enterprise Derby car, which, I must say, one first place for design and managed to pull off a few race wins as well.  But, I digress.

Tonight I plan on playing with the Dremel to see how the cover and page cutting goes.  I expect a lot of trial and error so I'm sure there will be at least one book in the trash can.

Time to create a youtube video for these and write and e-book.  Just more "work" taking the time away from the creativity.  We must do what me must do.

PS.  I've been pulling apart my "mistakes" to salvage the hard cardboard covers and the pages.  You never know when something will come in handy.

"Bryndal, why are you chasing your tail?  You're going to make yourself dizzy."

Creative Books

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!  Everything old is new again.   Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Enough of the sayings, let's get to the "doings".  Books!   Books are a great adventure to be sure.  But when the adventure is complete, and the book is old, and the library gets cleaned out the books can end up in the dump or they can be refurbished into something fun and beautiful.

Art and decor doesn't have to be limited to the traditional.  Spread your "decor" wings and consider something different.  The creative term for it is "Altered Art".  It's not limited to books but this is one of the  major players.

My exploration started with a few books I picked up at the thrift store.  Combined with heavy scrapbook paper in coordination prints, some trims, ribbons, cut-outs and whatever, you can create a truly unique conversation piece.  After I finished "Chrysalis" my daughter stopped in her tracks and mid-sentence said, "wow, that's really nice".

To me, one of the best compliments I can receive on my art is one that doesn't have to be requested.

"Bryndal, get out from under the chair!"

Decorating with recycled books

Here is a great way to go-green with your decorating. Use older hardcover books in your decorating instead of throwing them away.

I picked up a few from a second hand store for about $1 a piece, and chose books with a canvas type cover-not paper. Two coats of basic satin house paint covered any color that was on the book. In addition, I put a nice thick coat of the same paint over the outside edges of the pages. This had the effect of gluing the pages together.

I thinned out some acrylic craft paint with water and cut up one of my son's old t-shirts. (Do not thin the paint too much) Then using a damp piece of "t-shirt rag" is lightly wiped the craft paint until I reached the desired aged look. I touched up the edges of the books using a dry brush technique to a darker tone than the rest of the book.


That's all. Once dry I tried placing them in various combinations. This one worked well with a hardcover book I did not paint. The cover is very attractive so I left it in tact.