a book of books

from cover to cover, a look at repurposing pages

written and designed by

Sarah O. Hutto

© 2012 by Sarah O. Hutto

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or

otherwise, without prior written permission of Sarah Hutto.

Interior and exterior design by Sarah Hutto saraholiviadesigns.com

Photography by Edward Fieder

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . 1Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Definition Jewelry . . . . . . . . . 7Binder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Nail Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15iPad Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Book Spine Crafts . . . . . . . . . 23Wallets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Book Cover Purse . . . . . . . . . 31Shadow Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Collab: Megan Welch . . . . . . 39Decorative Trees . . . . . . . . . . 43Gift Bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Journals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Collab: Savannah Harrison . . 55Paper Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Ornaments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Papier-mâché . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Mini Paper Roses . . . . . . . . . . 71Woven Place Mats . . . . . . . . 75Candle Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Curled Paper Wreath . . . . . . 83Book Cover Frame . . . . . . . . 87Hollowed Books . . . . . . . . . . 91

Contents

1

This book was not created solely by

my hands. Many people put time and

effort into my senior thesis, and to these

people I cannot express enough thanks.

First, my parents for supporting me

throughout the entire process (and for

my mother, who inspired me with the

first project.)

My sister Laura helped and even

created many of the projects, showing

once again how big her heart is and

how deep her patience runs.

To my collaborators, Savannah

Harrison and Megan Welch, for adding a

needed variety to the project list.

And, again, to Savannah who sat

down one day across from me for lunch,

wearing the necklace that solidified my

goals. That day changed the course of

my semester.

My roommate, Lynsi, made the rose

when she probably could have been

studying, which ended up as the cover

design and my favorite project. She also

forgave the constant disaster that was

our living room due to this process.

My two models are Emily Jackson and

Laura Hutto. Thanks goes to these ladies

for not questioning me when I asked

them to model book pages.

Edward Fieder shot most of the

photos in the book, and was more than

patient through my scheduling conflicts.

Every shot was stunning and I was more

than pleased with his professionalism.

To Scott Walker for not only giving me

his input as I needed it, but also for being

there for me when I realized just how

daunting publishing a book really is.

And to anyone else I may have missed

(you know who you are): I appreciate

you. Thank you for allowing this to

become reality.

Acknowledgments

3

Books are an escape into a different reality.

Within the pages of a well written book,

readers can find solace in the characters and

stories that either mirror their own lives or

take them far from it.

To me, books have always been a source of

creativity and inspiration. After I complete a

story that kept me captivated, I feel motivated

to push further into its pages and concepts.

I research, write, design, and create based on

my feelings and curiosities.

On the other hand, I also enjoy crafting.

There’s nothing quite like discovering an idea,

executing it, and then passing it along for

another person to try.

My theme for my senior thesis

project revolves around books and crafting.

Not only their tangibility, but hopefully the

wisdom they also hold inside their pages.

Now that books have evolved into digital

devices, the physical copies are fading into

nostalgia. We hold them dearly, but how

practical are they?

Using the time given to me during my

final semester in college, I explored the uses

of the pages and covers of books that we

would otherwise donate or throw away. By

thinking of books as a material for a future art

project, new pieces can form to be something

beautiful with the written word.

This project encompasses many aspects of

my personality: design, reading, crafting, and

sharing ideas. I hope that it will show who I

am within its pages, and that it may too one

day be repurposed.

– Sarah Hutto

Introduction

5

MaterialsX-Acto Knife

This small blade is on the end of a

utensil that is much like a pencil. It allows

for precision cutting, though the blades

need to be exchanged every 100 pages

cut.

Glue

There are going to be a variety of glue

types you’ll need for many of these

projects, but I’d say that I used regular

Elmer’s Glue 75% of the time. I also had

to use a hot glue gun for some projects,

and for that I say be careful!

Pages

You’ll need a wide assortment of page

types. I found that different texts made

for different looks. The dictionary pages

were whiter and cleaner, with a thicker

text. The Reader’s Digests that I found

had antique looking pages with yellowed

corners. Then, when I cut up The Book

Thief, its pages were somewhere in the

middle.

Needle, Thread, Sewing Machine

Three of the projects required some

form of stitching/sewing: the purse,

wallets, and journal.

Ruler/Cutting Board

If you don’t have a proper cutting board

or ruler, be prepared to make several

jagged lines and cuts on a table.

Scissors

While I do love my X-Acto knife and its

versatility, sometimes you have to make

some quick and dirty cuts. Be prepared

to also have some scissors on hand.

Miscellaneous

Be creative while crafting! Grab some

buttons or ribbon and add personality.

7

Definition JewelryMy best friend and I have a lunch routine to make sure that we get to see each

other throughout the week regardless of our busy senior schedules. One day as

she sat down, I noticed for the first time a very striking piece of jewelry she wore.

Her necklace featured a simple glass dome with her favorite quote from To Kill a

Mockingbird. At that moment, I had my notebook open on the table in front of me

to ‘senior thesis ideas.’ I had been searching for the perfect project for my body of

work, and seeing her necklace finally solidified an idea I previously had after seeing

the decorative trees. I was going to craft. Her necklace inspired these jewelry pieces.

With my pieces, I decided to cut out illustrations from books and definitions from

the dictionary. Where did I get the pages? See ‘Hollowed Books,’ pg. 10. I chose

words that I could stand behind, and asked my sister and best friends what words

they’d like to see. The result allows us to stand behind words we believe in, and

accessorize with a piece of jewelry for book lovers.

8

Definition Jewelry: How-To

Materials:

• Book Pages

• Bases

• Glass

• Chains

• Circle Cutter

• Glue

Time & Difficulty:

The time varies depending on how and

what you cut and what glue you use.

The project is not difficult whatsoever,

and tons of fun to individualize.

Tips & Tricks:

Glue! How in the world do you get

a piece of glass and a piece of paper

to stick to a necklace base without

anything showing? I ended up using the

clear glue shown in the materials list

and letting it dry overnight.

9

STEP BY STEP

1 Find a setting. I chose to look on etsy.com for jewelry settings and glass inserts.

2 Using a circle cutter, cut circles from illustrations, text, or dictionary pages.

3 I used a clear glue to add my pictures to the glass and let them dry overnight.

11

BinderI love organization, and I love when repurposing projects turn old items into

useful products. Using a book cover and the metal binder rings from a thrift store

notebook, I turned this old brown book into a trendy binder to hold note cards. I

love using note cards when I study, but they’re a pain to store. This way, the note

cards fit into my bookshelf and blend right in with all my other books.

I also found a pattern for an insert on the left side of my cover to store my

notecards. The bright blue page is from a Real Simple hardcover how-to book with

several bright and inviting pages. The insert was very easy to make and adds a nice

touch to the inner pattern of the book.

12

Binder: How-To

Materials:

• Binder rings

• Book cover

• Fabric

• Paper

Time & Difficulty:

From cutting to adhering, I

spent a little over 20 minutes

on this project, and it is at a

beginner’s difficulty level.

Tips & Tricks:

Finding the binder rings to

fit a certain book size can be

difficult. I was lucky to find a

small note card binder that fit

perfectly into my book.

13

STEP BY STEP

1 Measure fabric panel the size entire length of book, then glue down fabric panel.

2 Glue binder ring to book.

3 I chose to make a little holder on the left side of my book (diagram to the right), but that’s optional. Fold and glue .5”

strips along the sides. Allow to dry.Fold upward 3”, but

only glue outer sides.

15

Nail ArtWhen accessorizing with words, the boundaries are unlimited. When my sister and

neighbor presented this image to me through a text, I immediately created a page

for it. This project takes maybe a half hour to finish, but can be fun to do with friends

and with your favorite pieces of literature. Nail art is a huge trend right now, and

finding new and interesting ways to decorate allows the creativity to shine.

My sister in the photograph once again used pages from her favorite book, The Book

Thief, but I’ve seen people use a wide variety of pages to accomplish the same effect.

Newspapers, dictionaries, books, and even textbooks can be used to imprint your

favorite words on phrases to keep around for a few weeks.

16

Nail Art: How-To

Materials:

• Book pages

• Rubbing alcohol

• Clear Polish

• White/Silver polish

Time & Difficulty:

Each nail took 30 seconds, and though

getting all nails done may be tedious,

the project is simple.

Tips & Tricks:

You have to hold the pages down or

the words will get messed up. Also, the

clear polish is a necessity. The words

will rub off within a day if that polish

isn’t applied at the end.

17

STEP BY STEP:

1 Paint nails a nude or light color. Make sure your nails are completely dry (not even slightly sticky) before moving on to the next step.

2 Cut ten pieces of paper for each nail. The size depends on your nail, but 1”x 1” strips should work.

3 Dip paper in rubbing alcohol and press on nail for 30 seconds, then remove paper. Do for each nail.

4 Allow to dry completely, then apply clear polish.

19

iPad CaseI may love crafting and being hands-on, but I love technology and computers just as

much. My iPad follows me wherever I go, often accompanied by its keyboard, and I

have to admit I’m not the most careful with it. I love cases, so I decided to make one

of my own using the cover of a book.

While perusing the book aisle of a thrift store (and picking up many other books for

the remaining projects), my mother handed me this silver cover and said, “Read the

spine.” The book was titled The Incredible Machine and was the perfect size for my

personal incredible machine. The coincidence was too perfect, so that night I went

home and cut the pages from this book so my iPad would have a new home.

20

iPad Case: How-To

Materials:

• Zipper

• Glue

• Fabric

• Padding

• Book cover

Time & Difficulty:

The fabric and book cover are easy

and only took me minutes. The zipper,

however, proved to be difficult to apply

and took most of my night to practice.

Tips & Tricks:

Research zippers. They’re not easy to

apply, especially when you’re not using

a sewing machine. Also, letting glue dry

is a true test of patience but is essential

to having a clean craft.

21

STEP BY STEP

1 Cut the pages from the book

2 Measure the fabric out according to the size of your opened book.

3 Take about 3 or 4 felt pads, glue them together, and glue them to the center of the covers of your book.

4 Glue the fabric on top of the felt pads. These are creating the cushion for your iPad.

5 Now, glue the zipper along the outer edges of your fabric, making sure that it lines up with its other side.

6 Once the glue dries, you’re done!

23

Book Spine CraftsAfter I had torn the covers and the pages from many of these projects, I was

left with a few book spines that looked too unique and antique for me to throw

away. What to do with these spines? I couldn’t bring myself to not use them, so I

incorporated them into a few projects.

First, I made a cuff bracelet with a green and red spine that says “BOOKS” in large

print. Secondly, I made a bookmark from the fabric and a green spine, and by adding

some ribbon I had it match several other projects.

24

Book Spine Crafts: How-To

Materials:

• Book spine

• Hot glue

• Ribbon

• Bracelet

Time & Difficulty:

15 minutes, and each project was just a

manner of adhering and adding.

Tips & Tricks:

Use hot glue, because adhering the

material of the cover with other

materials gets tricky, but the hot glue

worked every time.

25

STEP BY STEP

1 Clean up the sides of your spine with your X-Acto knife. Most spines are just flimsy paper so that they can bend as you read a book.

2 Glue the spine onto the material you’d like, whether it’s cardboard to make a bookmark or a leather bracelet to make a cuff.

3 Add any other accents you’d like to see. I added ribbons and more fabric.

27

WalletsBack to the sewing machine again! I received a free Real Simple hardcover book

about repurposing, so of course I had to repurpose the book about repurposing! I

love the bright colors of all the pages and decided to use them to make different

colored wallets. In addition, I also used more of the pages from The Book Thief to

make wallets with the book page feel (shown left).

Wallets are very easy to make as long as you have a pattern to follow. They can be

as simple or as complex as you’d like them to be, so for the purposes of this book,

I created several simple wallets from different types of pages. I found that by using

book pages, colored pages, and even a page out of an atlas of the moon, I could

create a different feel and texture with the same template.

28

Wallets: How-To

Materials:

• Sewing machine

• Book pages

• Thread

Time & Difficulty:

An hour. The wallets weren’t hard to

sew, but making sense of the patterns

becomes a tad difficult when resizing.

Tips:

Measure your paper first! Bigger wallets

take large sheets of paper. Also, you can

laminate or glue cellophane on your

pages to give them a glossy look and

make them a little more durable.

29

STEP BY STEP

1 Measure out your page according to the pattern you are going to follow. Look online for patterns.; they are easy to find on the web.

2 Score (using the back of your X-Acto knife) along the score lines.

3 Fold the wallets, and sew where the pattern indicates.

4 Glue on accessories (I used a button) and use velcro to allow the wallet to snap shut.

31

Book Cover PurseSeveral tutorials on this purse are floating around on the web, but the accessorizing

and customizing differs from tutorial to tutorial. I decided to go with a blue cover and

a pattern that mimics the patterns seen on many of the Reader’s Digest covers. I also

found a metal chain and metal buttons to accent my purse. Before this project, I had

only sat down at a sewing machine once before in my life. If I can make a book cover

purse, then I know anyone can.

The end result is durable and carries a normal amount for a purse. Because the outer

cover is a sturdy book cover, I found that the purse was sturdier than the purses I had

been carrying. The addition of a chain and a pretty durable fabric also made this a

tough accessory.

32

Book Cover Purse: How-To

Materials:

• Book cover

• Fabric

• Chain

• Buttons

• Sewing machine

Time & Difficulty:

Two hours, but I’m new at a sewing

machine. Then, I allowed my glue to

dry overnight.

Tips & Tricks:

Use whatever you like in terms of

accents. I use a silver chain, but I’ve seen

examples with handles and cords. Also,

it might help to have a friend for the

last step, because adhering the second

side is tricky.

33

STEP BY STEP

1 Separate the cover from its pages.

2 Cut a panel of fabric that spans the inside of your cover, and glue it down.

3 Lay your cover down onto your fabric at a 90 degree angle, and trace the triangle that the side makes. This will be the side panel.

4 Cut out that triangle, pin it to your fabric, and cut out four triangle panels from your fabric.

5 Laying the fabric back side up, sew two triangles together, leaving a hole at the bottom. Do this again with the remaining two panels.

6 Flip the fabric inside out. Line the outer edges of your panels with glue, and lay them down on the sides of your book. The tricky part is having the book slightly closed to get both sides glued down.

7 Allow glue to dry overnight. Now that your purse is ready, attach your chain and buttons and accent as you wish!

35

Shadow BoxI’m a fan of the 1950’s and an even bigger fan of Amelia Earhart. When I saw this book,

“Women Aloft,” and saw the illustrations and information inside, I knew it would be a part

of my project. I collected the images that were most striking to me and turned them into a

shadow box, or a collage. This is a way to condense a story down into one smallish box.

The box is a cigar box, which will forever remind me of my grandpa. He gave me about

four of these boxes after he was done (because I certainly do no not smoke them, that is

all grandpa). They can be seen throughout this book being used as props and as stands for

many of the projects. So, this project is not only special for its subject matter, but also for

the memories it holds for me.

36

Shadow box: How-to

Materials:

• A box

• Glue

• Cut out images

• Scissors

Time & Difficulty:

The project was very simple and at an

easy level, but the time can vary. If you

know exactly what your finished piece

is going to look like, then it should be

a snap. I took an hour deciding where

each image should go.

Tips & Tricks:

Cut out all images first before you

place them. I also recommend laying

them out on a blank sheet of paper

and imagining how they’re going to

look. Once that glue dries, you’re stuck

with what you have!

37

STEP BY STEP

1 (Optional): Line the inside of your box with pages.

2 Cut out all images.

3 Glue images to inside of box in desired placements.

39

Collaboration: Megan WelchWhat better way to upcycle than to make a new, usable material? I met Megan

Welch earlier in the year when I interviewed her for an article I was writing. As she

told me her art story and talent with paper making, I knew that I’d be working with

her again. Megan is a brilliant paper maker, and helped me make several pages of my

own out of books I had already cut up for other projects.

Here she has taught me how to cut up old pages, blend them, and create a journal.

While the process was lengthy and exhausting, I felt extremely rewarded at the end

when I finished with 48 brand new pages. I loved learning every step, from blending

(with an actual blender) old pages, to sifting with a large bucket and wooden frame,

and drying them off with cloth.

40

New Pages: How-To

Materials

• Around 500 pages

• Access to boards, clamps, and a

printing press

• A very large sink or bucket

• Two smaller buckets

• A blender

• Paper towels and sponge

Time & Difficulty:

The process from start to cleanup was

five hours. This is, however, coming from

a beginner and was also overly ambitious

in making 48 pages.

Tips & Tricks:

Know where you’re headed in terms of

thickness of paper and how many pages

you need. This will save you time and

energy.

41

STEP BY STEP

1 Tear pages into small 1” x 5” strips, and soak them in hot or warm water.

2 Mix one handful of the soaked pages and about five cups of water in a blender.

3 Pour this substance into a small bucket. Repeat until bucket is full.

4 Fill large tub halfway with water. My tub measured about 4 ft. wide, 2 ft. long, and 1 ft. deep. Then, add bucket of pulp mixture.

5 Stir the water with your hand, causing the pulp to rise to the top. Get board, sifter, and tray, and ‘prospect’ for pulp.

6 Drain water for a moment, then remove board. Flip sifter onto a sheet of fabric.

7 Use large sponge to soak up water, then cover this page with another sheet of fabric. Repeat steps 1-6 until you’ve done about 8 pages, laying all sheets between fabric one on top of the other.

8 Press the pages with the printing press. This should press all the water out, so use the sponge or a paper towel to prevent from making a mess.

9 Peel carefully! Let pages dry carefully, then begin to make journal!

43

Decorative TreesThese trees are the catalyst that began this entire thesis. Originally, my thesis project

involved a digital book that I knew was going to be too difficult and was beyond

my skill level. I came home during Christmas break to see the colored tree on the

left sitting on my living room mantel. I picked it up enthusiastically as my mother

came into the room. When she saw how excited I was about this simple craft, she

suggested that I instead do something much more fun and light-hearted for my

project. Though the idea wasn’t solidified until I saw a necklace later (see Definition

Jewelry), I will always remember how that tree led to the design and production of

this entire book.

These are a simple project and can be dressed up in many ways. I found that the

addition of a snowflake, ornament, glitter, or even a necklace can dress these trees

up for any holiday or occasion.

44

Decorative Trees How-To

Materials:

• A book of any size

• Patience

Time & Difficulty:

One hour per hundred pages. The

colored tree took my mother two

hours. The smallish sepia tree took me

one hour, and the larger glittery tree

took an hour and a half.

Tips & Tricks:

Do all the folding sharply. If you get lazy

with the folding, you’ll find that your

edges will start to look sloppy.

45

STEP BY STEP

1 Find a book with not too many pages. Remember, about an hour per hundred pages.

2 See diagram. Fold the right side down, the bottom side up, then flip to the next page.

3 Decorate or leave it as is.

The beginning. Fold top line with the left side of page, only halfway to

make triangle shown.

Again, align this fold along the left side of page.

Fold the bottom triangle upward, so that you have a

flat bottom.

Turn the page and repeat!

47

Gift BagsWith more pages and ribbon leftover, I found this tutorial on how to make a gift bag.

Unfortunately, the tutorial calls for a rather large sheet of paper to use as a pattern.

Since most books are a smallish size, I decided to use a poster board and layer

strips of paper on top to still have a page like effect. The strips are from the leftover

dictionary pages from the place mat project.

My bag ended up small, but it would be the perfect wrapping for a book lover as

long as the gift inside wasn’t too large. The bag is also sturdy, due to the lamination of

the pages, the poster board, and the layering of the pages. On the inside of the bag

are a few pages from the collaboration with Megan Welch.

48

Gift Bags: How-To

Materials:

• Strips of paper

• Lamination machine

• Pattern

• Glue

• Hole Puncher

• Ribbon

Time & Difficulty:

The longest part was cutting the strips

and placing them on poster board. The

folding and adhering took 10 minutes.

The difficulty level is at medium,

because folding can get tricky.

Tips & Tricks:

If you’d like to make a larger bag, make

sure that you stay with proportion

and don’t simply add inches to the

measurements. The bag then will not

fold correctly. Also, try to make your

holes for the ribbons before you glue.

49

STEP BY STEP

1 Get your pages ready. This could either be using newspaper, large pages, or do as I did and cover a poster board with strips of paper.

2 Cut out your pattern, then score along the dotted lines as in the picture shown.

3 The 1.25” fold at the top is optional, but it does make for a nice clean look at the top of your bag.

4 Fold along the scoring and push your bottom edges up. Glue either a cardboard insert in the bottom or glue the bottom edges together.

5 Glue the bottom side flaps together.

6 Punch holes in the sides, then attach your ribbon.

1.25”

5”

2”

4.5” 3” 4.5” 2” 2”

51

JournalsNever before have I been this excited about sewing. For this journal, I once again

used the covers of my Reader’s Digests and the pages that I created with Megan

Welch. I learned how to make signatures, do a bind, and end up with a handy little

journal. This journal opens flat on all pages due to the type of binding, and it is also

very sturdy.

I saved this Reader’s Digest for last because it was my favorite color and

pattern combination. I love the orange with the pink, and the dark green spine.

Coincidentally, my pages folded perfectly in line with the book cover without my

having to cut them. I also made a mini journal as you can see on the next page.

52

Journals: How-To

Materials needed:

• Covers

• Pages

• Needle and Thread

Time & Difficulty:

I spent two hours from start to finish

on this entire project, including learning

how to bind. If you’re already familiar

with a needle and thread then I’d say

this is an easy tutorial, but if you’ve

never bound a book before, beware.

Tips & Tricks:

Use a sharp point to punch holes in

your cover and pages before you start

sewing, or you’ll have a hard time!

53

STEP BY STEP

1 First, cut out your covers from their books. You can also use cardboard coated with pages, but I loved my Reader’s Digest cover.

2 Have your pages ready in their signatures. Mine are in signatures of four.

3 Punch holes in your cover and pages. They should be .5” away from the edge of the cover, but right along the spine on the pages. Mine are 2” apart vertically.

4 Find a tutorial on binding, and follow a binding pattern you like. I found a fairly simple tutorial and followed that pretty easily.

5 When you’re done, be sure to cut away any excess string and tie your thread tight.

55

Collaboration: Savannah HarrisonMy best friend Savannah also happens to be a brilliant writer. After inspiring me

to create some jewelry pieces, I had to involve her with a collaboration project.

Savannah is a creative writer and pieces words together in ways I know I’ll never

be able to do, so asking her to incorporate some sort of writing with book pages

was a must.

We are both fans of newspaper blackout poems compiled by Austin Kleon, and the

idea came for Savannah to do one of her own. If any writer wants to be challenged,

they can pick up a random book page and attempt to use the words on the page to

make a poem. Once the words are selected, the remainder of the poem is ‘blacked

out’ with a sharpie. The result is a new poem and a new meaning.

56

Black Out Poem: How-To

Materials:

• Page

• Sharpies

• Basic concept of poetry

Time & Difficulty: Depends upon the writer and the

creation of the poem.

Tips & Tricks:

Don’t highlight the words that you will

use in pencil or pen, because they will

show through the sharpie and may

leave indentions in the paper. Highlight

them in sharpie, since that will be your

end result anyway.

57

STEP BY STEP

1 Select a book. For a challenge like I gave Savannah, use an obscure book.

2 Search the pages for words that stand out to you.

3 Outline the words you like as you start to see your poem form. Circle or mark them.

4 Once you’re finished with your poem, black out the remainder of the page with a sharpie, swiping in lines from left to right for a consistent look.

5 (Optional): I selected a frame and to mount her page on my handmade pages from my other collaboration.

59

Paper RoseThis rose became my favorite project (if not evident by its presence on the cover

and in several project group shots). In its pages I see what my thesis project is truly

about: repurposing, and creating a new and beautiful object out of an old treasure.

The rose was actually created by the hands of my roommate, Lynsi, as I worked on

the curled wreath. I laid a tutorial in front of her, and turned around to work on my

own project. When I glanced back over after making headway on my wreath, I was

blown away. The petals curled perfectly, she laid them in row exactly as they would

lay on a real rose, and I could see that she was putting effort into every petal she

placed. Though the project took her over an hour, the end result was striking and

perfect in every way.

60

Paper Rose: How-To

Materials:

• Petals

• Scissors

• Glue

• Base

Time & Difficulty:

About an hour, but this was a rather

large rose. The project wasn’t difficult at

all for Lynsi, and she enjoyed every step.

Tips & Tricks:

Hot glue is hot! As the petals are

placed, they need to be held still and

pushed onto the base. This will hurt

your hands, so use the scissors or a

pencil to push the petals into place.

61

STEP BY STEP

1 Cut the petals out from the book pages. I used yellowed antiqued pages, but for a whiter rose use a newer book or dictionary.

2 Use a pencil or your finger to ‘curl’ the pages. You want them to be slightly rounded at all the corners.

3 Starting from the inside out, stand the smaller petals up using hot glue, which will make the inside of your rose.

4 Attach the petals from smallest to biggest, going in circles. Go from a 90 degree angle to a 45 degree angle as you progress.

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OrnamentsI couldn’t complete my paper project thesis if I didn’t have some form of holiday

item. These ornaments are very easy to make, and can be used with any form of

paper. I loved the idea of customizing each ornament by page or accessory. Here I’ve

used brass prongs to hold my pages together, but pins or buttons could also be used.

They can also easily have their size changed according to what size paper strip used.

I had fun trying out different sizes and different accessories. I hot glued buttons on

the ends of one to add a craftier flare, and it’s now the perfect book page addition

to my tree!

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Ornaments: How-To

Materials:

• Strips of paper (any size)

• Brass pin, or something to connect

Time & Difficulty:

5 minutes per ornament, depending on

the time it takes to cut the strips. This is

one of the easiest projects in the book.

Tips & Tricks:

Find some way to poke holes in your

strips before you sit down to do the

project. I had to locate a hole puncher

for my brass prongs, putting a halt to

my project. An X-Acto knife and pin

didn’t quite cut it!

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STEP BY STEP

1 Cut your strips. You’ll need about 15, more or less depending on how sparse or spread our you want the pages to be.

2 Stack them on top of each other, then punch a hole in the top and bottom.

3 Put a brass prong (or whatever you’d like to use to secure them) through the holes, fold down the edges, and cut off the excess.

4 Pull one strip away from the others, swiveling it out to the other side. Continue with the rest of them until you’ve made your sphere.

67

Papier-mâchéAdding variety to these projects was a challenge. Aside from using the individual

pages to create things that still resembled books, what could I do to create new

shapes and ideas? I wanted to sculpt, so I turned to papier-mâché. Papier-mâché

allows you to use the pages of books to create anything you like by making a wire

frame and then layering pages on top of it.

My tree took me all night to make, but I couldn’t be prouder of how it appears to

be bursting out of its book. The pages weren’t easy to sculpt around my wire frame,

but the result is a ghoulish appearance that could be perfect for Halloween or an

abstract sculpture.

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Papier-mâché: How-To

Materials

• Glue Mixture

(75% water, 25% glue)

• Wire frame

• Book pages

• Base

Time & Difficulty:

Five hours, and then overnight for it to

dry entirely. I chose a rather difficult

shape because of all the branches, so

I feel that the level would depend on

your final goal and idea.

Tips & Tricks:

Usually, newspaper is used in papier-

mâché sculptures because the paper is

thin and absorbs the glue mixture well.

Beware of using pages that are thicker,

because they don’t mold as well.

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STEP BY STEP

1 Create your glue mixture in a large bowl.

2 Create your wire frame structure.

3 Cut paper into strips 1” wide, and however long you need.

4 Dip them into the glue mixture. No need to soak them.

5 Place and mold them around your frame. You’re going to get your hands dirty as you mold and push the paper into the curves of your project.

7 After you’re done, allow the sculpture to dry overnight without touching it. Mine was even still a little damp in the morning.

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Mini Paper RosesAccidents sometimes make the best surprises. While browsing paper tutorials, I saw

these adorable mini roses that a blogger had used to decorate gift bags. After making

a few of them just for fun, without any intention of including them in this book or in

my thesis, I realized that I could use these mini roses for a multitude of projects.

Their versatility won me over and before I realized, I had created headbands, rings,

pins, and other accessories just from this one project.

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Paper Roses: How-To

Materials:

• Half of a regular size page book

• Scissors

• Accessories

Time & Difficulty:

One rose takes maybe five minutes, and

they’re extremely easy to make.

Tips & Tricks:

Wind the paper as tightly as you can, so

that when you loosen it, the entire thing

doesn’t unravel.

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STEP BY STEP

1 Cut a spiral into your page.

2 Starting from the outer end, roll the paper into itself until it reaches the center. You will have a wound up piece of paper.

3 Set the spiral down on a flat surface, and let it unroll naturally. You should see the rose shape now.

4 Put a dab of glue (hot glue or regular glue both work, but hot glue is faster) on a base. I used another sheet of paper as a base.

5 Cut the rose from your base, and adhere it to what other accessories you’d like to see.

75

Woven Place MatsThis woven pattern can be used to make baskets, holders, or as you see here, place

mats. The texture of the paper is simple to make and pretty sturdy if you have the

patience to secure each loop.

I set my sister to work on this project while I worked on research, and she enjoyed

the methodical placement of each loop. She loves projects where she can zone out

and enjoy the repetition of movement. This project was tricky, however, and took

hours for us to figure out and complete. The final look makes a nice conversation

piece, but patience is high in the list of materials needed.

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Woven Place Mats: How-To

Materials:

• Patience

• Strips of paper 1” x 5”

• More patience

Time & Difficulty:

Four hours for a 15”x15” mat, and

that’s with distractions. Folding

the paper strips isn’t difficult, but

understanding how they attach was

very hard.

Tips & Tricks:

Fold your paper tightly and crease the

edges sharply. As you layer, it will get

less sturdy, but it will help to make sure

that you take time to secure each loop.

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STEP BY STEP

1 Cut about 125 strips of paper to 1” x 5” rectangles.

2 Fold them once, hot dog style, then again to make a second fold.

3 Fold them again lengthwise. Unfold.

4 Take each edge and fold toward the crease you just made, then fold lengthwise finally.

5 Link the strip you made by slipping the fold of one into the fold of another. They should fit snugly in the corners.

6 Continue, until you have as many rows as you like in one row.

7 Join rows together by taking a long piece (only to step three) and weaving it through folded pieces. Make sure you pull tight to make a snug place mat.

79

Candle HolderSimplicity is sometimes the key to good design. With this candle holder, several rolled

pages were glued to a small jar which created a lovely candle holder. I saw the idea

on the web used as a vase, but realized that a candle (though maybe a slight fire

hazard) would be the perfect addition to my other decorative projects. Once again I

used the antique older looking pages. I scoured the thrift stores for the perfect jar to

adhere my rolled pages to.

80

Vase/Candle Holder: How-To

Materials:

• Rolled pages

• Glue

• A Vase

Time & Difficulty:The pages take a little while to roll,

since you have to do them one by one.

This project is at a very easy level.

Tips & Tricks:

Hot glue sticks very quickly to glass.

You will have no time to shift or move

the paper once it is stuck to the glass.

Also, measure your pages first before

attempting to attach them to your vase.

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STEP BY STEP

1 Measure your jar/vase to decide how long your pages should be.

2 Roll all the pages, using hot glue. Rolling the pages consistently can be tough, but I ended up using my thumb to keep them consistent.

3 Glue them one by one onto your vase, being careful to keep them vertical!

– Victor Hugo

83

Curled Paper WreathThere are some projects that, though incredibly common and overdone, must be

recreated. I saw endless examples of this wreath on the web. At the risk of walking

the trail that is certainly most traveled by, I decided to follow the tutorials and create

my own.

The result is the piece that now hangs above the couch in my and my roommate’s

living room. I’m in love with the old edges of the pages and the haste final look. The

project took the better part of an evening but the result is one of my favorite pieces

in this entire book.

84

Curled Paper Wreath: How-To

Materials:

• Book Pages

• Hot Glue

• Circular cardboard base

Time & Difficulty:

About an hour. The beginning was slow

because curling the pages just right

took a little bit of time. Then, after I

figured out the proper paper rolling

method, I had a system going and it

went very quickly.

Tips & Tricks:

Hot glue hurts! When applying the

hot glue to the page and then curling

it, make sure to not use your hand

instantly to hold the glue in place. Even

through a page of paper, the heat hurts!

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STEP BY STEP

1 Find the color pages you want. I went for pages that had browned edges for an aged look.

Roll the pages from corner to corner, not side to side. This will make a cone shape. Hot glue the edge and attach to itself.

3 Go in a circular pattern as you attach each cone to the base. I used a cardboard ring I cut out of a box I had lying around.

4 Once you’re done with the first layer, go through and add a second layer of cones.

2

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Book Cover FrameI am undeniably in love with the covers of the old Reader’s Digest books. For this

project, I selected a pattern with one of my favorite colors. Using the covers worked

out well for the remainder of my projects, because I could use the inner pages for

other assignments.

I was hesitant at first about how this project would go, because I had never

attempted to cut into a book cover and this was the first time I had taken apart a

book (by the end of the semester, however, I was a pro at disassembling and cutting).

The end result is a picture frame that demonstrates my love of books and my love

of patterns.

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Book Cover Frame: How-To

Materials:

• A box cutter (My X-Acto blade

was too weak)

• Pictures

• Glue

• (Optional): Magnets or stand

Time & Difficulty:

15 minutes! The part that took the

longest was deciding what pictures to

put in the frame. The difficulty level is

at easy, until you have to cut out your

cover, when some strength may be

required.

Tips & Tricks:

I put book pages on the inside of my

frames, but get creative! You could do

several things to add a personal touch

to your frame.

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STEP BY STEP

1 First, you’ll need to separate the cover from its pages. This is pretty simple to do, depending on what type of book you’re using. I used an old hardcover version of a Reader’s Digest, and all I had to do was cut between the inside page and the spine.

2 Using the BACK of the cover, measure out where you would like your opening to be. Then, add a half an inch so that you’ll have something to adhere your picture to.

3 Using a utility knife, score your marks first. Then, cut slowly along the lines, adding more pressure with every cut

4 (Optional): You can add magnets or a stand to make your frame stand upright or on a refridgerator.

5 (Optional): You can cut out pages from the book and glue them on the inside, so that your pictures have a little bit of an extra flair to them. Colored paper might also look good on the inside.

everyone

– Plato

91

Hollowed BooksHollowing out the books was the very first project I did, because I was so excited

about the idea of having a secret nook to stash my valuables. Little did I know, the

thickness of the books would have me questioning the remainder of my thesis. I

started out by drawing my lines and beginning to cut pages away from the center of

my book with simply an X-Acto knife. About 50 pages in, I realized how dumb I had

been and how many blades I was about to go through. My edges were getting jagged

and my X-Acto knife blades were breaking under the pressure.

Finally, the light bulb turned on and I rushed off to Wal-Mart to get a utility knife.

Now, the progress started. Unfortunately, the dictionary I had been working on was

already looking sloppy, so I started again on my sister’s favorite book The Book Thief

(big mistake, as I would find out from an angry sister later). I layered the dictionary

with its inside pages to cover my blunders, but The Book Thief turned out well and

had a title fitting for a book full of secrets.

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Hollowed Books: How-To

Materials:

• Utility Knife

• Book

• Glue

• Water

• Paint brush

• Heavy Books

Time & Difficulty:

The glue took an hour to dry

for both books. After the glue

had dried, the dictionary took

two hours because I was just

getting started and was clueless.

The Book Thief took 45 minutes,

after practice.

Tips & Tricks:

Corners, corners, corners! The

edges begin to look jagged

when you don’t pay attention

to cutting into the corners. It

may seem okay to tear the

pages from the corner once,

but do it with three hundred

pages leaves you with a big

mess. Also, if you’re planning on

doing any other projects, save

the paper you cut away!

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STEP BY STEP

1 Cut away the title page of your book. Or, a few pages from the inside. This will come in handy later.

2 First, you’ll need a glue mixture to adhere the outer sides of the book together. I mixed 50% water and 50% Elmer’s glue in a cup.

3 Use a paint brush and coat the sides of the book with your glue mixture, applying generously.

4 Stack other heavy objects (maybe a few other books you have lying around) on top of your book, so that the pages stick together when they dry. Be sure to leave the top cover off so it doesn’t also get stuck.

5 Get a ruler and measure away from the sides of your book. Mine are 1” away.

6 Get your knife and cut away, being sure to make clean straight cuts deep into the corners also.

7 Here’s where step one comes into play. I pried the back of my pages open, placed my title page, and re-glued the stack back. That way, when you open the hollowed book, you see the title.

8 Or, if you’d like to cover up the inside, you can use a few of the inner pages to make a collage of pages to cover up the sides.

a book of books

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