Bring the bookworm aesthetic out of the library and into any room of your home. No matter how much you love to read, there are bound to be old dictionaries, encyclopedias, or textbooks gathering dust in a closet or basement and lovely old volumes with pages falling out or bindings coming loose. Even books suffering water or pest damage can yield a few pages for use in crafting.
Lace together two covers to create a gorgeous vintage book vase. Place a flower arrangement in a mason jar full of water and set it inside the book covers to make a charming centerpiece for lovers of vintage volumes.
Vase Cover
Gather your materials
- 2 complete book covers of equal size
- Drill
- Jute twine
Measure and mark holes evenly down the long edges of the book covers. Drill the holes.
Lace the covers together on both sides with jute string. Tie knots on the inside of the covers to hold them together. Stand the covers up in a square shape and place on a table or shelf. Insert vase of flowers inside the covers.
Add vintage style to an old Mason jar used as a votive. We found some old line illustrations in a damaged sewing book. Simply use double-sided tape to wrap the illustration around the outside of the jar and insert a votive candle inside.
Give a simple mirror frame artistic status with a coating of page scraps from old books. The aged paper brings warmth and texture to the unique shape of the framed mirror.
Embellished Mirror Frame
Gather your materials
- Mirror frame
- Mod Podge (gloss)
- Pages from old books
- Foam brush
Tear pages into small pieces and layer them around the frame. Brush Mod Podge on a piece of paper, lay on the frame, and gently press to adhere and remove any air bubbles. Continue layering on pieces until frame is covered.
Brush a coat of Mod Podge over the entire frame and let dry completely. Add a final coat to seal the piece.
Print a favorite snapshot over a time-worn book page to add a vintage background patina to an everyday photo. Frame the portrait in a pretty frame.
Printed Photo
Gather your materials
- Inkjet printer
- Book page
In your photo editing program, adjust the size of your photo to match as closely as possible the size of your book page. If it’s a color photo, change it to black and white.
Print a test image on regular paper to verify size/placement.
When you’re satisfied, run the book page through the printer as the regular paper substitute to print the photo. Frame the image in a pretty frame.
If you love the look of these projects but don’t have a stock of past-its-prime reading material, head to a library book sale, charity thrift shop, or a tag sale. Look for old books that offer beautiful typography, wonderful page patina, decorative spines, and charming illustrations or line drawings. They are usually very affordable, too, so stock up and let your creativity write the next chapter in your home’s decor.
Projects and styling by Jodi Harris
Photography by Nicolaus Gourguechon
© Caruth Studio