Projects with Vintage Books

 

 

 

I love to use old, vintage books for projects.  You can find them at thrift stores, yard sales, etc.  Sometimes, I leave the outer covers as is, but alot of times they have printing or something I want covered up.

 

To start out this project, measure out how big you want your cut-out part to be and draw on the cover.  Then, using an Xacto knife, carefully cut out the cover and a dozen or so pages of the book giving you an indentation.  Be careful and go slow.  It takes repeated times to cut thru the cover.

 

  This book had a bold imprinted title on the lower part of the cover. So, I simply painted the whole book in a ecru color.  Then I antiqued down the edges with a burnt umber color. 

 

I then glued a wide band of lace across the bottom where the printing was.  I added a portion of a doily across the top and a scattering of tiny, vintage buttons. 

 

I used scrapbooking letters to spell out MOM because this was in memory of her.  The tiny cupie doll was found in her jewelry box after she passed away.  So, I wanted someplace to show her off and now, she sits in the book protected, on my coffee table.

 

 

 

This one is rather plain, but I still like it.  I cut the opening out to match a window frame out of the dollhouse section of Hobby Lobby.  Then painted it to match the blue of the cover.  I used an old book page to cover the spine of the book.  I use Mod Podge for alot of these projects. 

 

Then, thinking it needed something else, I glued a copy of a little girl on the inside like she was looking out the window.  I think it will be cute to put a tiny Christmas wreath at the top of the window for the holidays.

 

 

 

 

This is probably the first book I altered and one of my very favorites.  I did this for my husband.  I cut out the section of the book pretty deep to hold his belt buckle and his pocket knife he had as a child.  I included a couple of pictures - one with a friend and one when he was in a band in the first grade.  Is that not the cutest thing you ever saw?

 

I used scrapbooking "buttons" to spell out his name.  Then, I added a quote about friendship.

 

So, go get yourself some old books and go to town!

 

Enjoy!

 

Till next time, Judy