Gifts To Make #3 Repurposed Books Become Beautiful

Yesterday I shared with you how to make a pretty velvet bookmark. Well, doesn’t a pretty bookmark deserve a beautiful book? Gifts To Make #3 Repurposed Books Become Beautiful.

These altered books can be used as recipe holders, photo albums, journals, and scrapbooks.

Supplies Needed

A hardbound book. (I used Reader’s Digest Condensed Books found at garage sales, thrift stores, and eBay.)

Decorative tape (Known also as Washi tape~Craft stores and Etsy.)

Paper punch

A drill with a bit

A large selection of printed images. (Graphics Fairy and ImagiMeri are great sources.)

Several sheets of scrapbooking paper and/or cardstock

Scissors and a Paper Trimmer

Glue (Both hot and craft.)

Various shaped paper punches. (Any craft store)

Bookbinding rings. (Office supply and craft stores.)

Wide ribbon (I used vintage grosgrain and seam binding.)

Small belt buckles (I used vintage Mother of Pearl purchased from Redhead Sadie! Try eBay and Etsy.)

Stickles Glitter Glue (Craft and scrapbooking stores)

Various trim and embellishments.

Patience and Strength (hee hee)

How To Make The Book

Begin by removing the hardbound book cover. This can be done with scissors, an Exacto knife, or pure brute strength. 🙂 Drill two to three holes where the album rings will go.

Remove the pages of one story in the book. This is generally around 50 to 100 pages. Trim the rough, torn edges and create paper punch holes for your book binding rings.

Cover the raw edges with scrapbooking paper and washi tape.

Cut out your printed images. I usually do a printed image on every other book page.

Begin laying out your scenes on the book pages. (This is the fun and time-consuming part.)

If you add stitching, do so before you glue the paper down.

Glue the images down onto the book page. (You may want to place a heavy weight on top while the pages dry to keep them from curling.)

You can make fun pockets…

…and include paper envelopes to store treasures.

Embellish the pages with various trims and glitter glue.

Assemble the finished pages of the hardback book and add the bookbinding rings to hold everything in place.

Add a wide piece of ribbon along the front of the book cover and secure it with a belt buckle.