Friday, July 9, 2010

SUPER Easy Covered Books

This craft project is quick, easy, and cheap...3 of my favorite things for a craft project to be! It is also a really great way to introduce a little bit of color into a room without making a big commitment. You can always change out the paper and/or books if you decide you don't like the color. To get started, gather your supplies.
*A few old books*
{I suggest using old books from college. You know the ones you kept because they cost you a fortune, even though you have no intention of ever reading them again}
*scrapbook paper*
*hot glue gun*
Lay your book onto the paper and measure where it needs to be cut. Cut the paper to the correct length. If the paper isn't quite big enough to cover the whole book, make sure that the back cover of the book is what you leave uncovered.
Line up the edge of the paper with the front cover of the book. Hot glue the paper into place. Make sure to crease the edges around the spine of the book and glue the spine down well.
You can do any combination of colors or patterns. I also covered one book with the spine of the book covered with a patterned paper and the front cover with a solid colored coordinating paper.
Covered books are great just sitting on a table, or they can be used to add height to smaller objects on a table or shelf.



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28 comments:

  1. Love those patterns you chose!

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  2. That is a great idea, I have a whole shelf of engineering books that we just had to keep because we will need them again. 5 years later they have just been moved from house to house.

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  3. What a great idea, and expensive to add some color! This is a project I can do:) Have a great weekend.

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  4. I meant inexpensive!

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  5. Hey I love these. I think they would make a great gift for someone.

    I am hosting a month long Christmas in July homemade gift event and every Friday I host a linky party for about 5 days gathering all those marvelous homemade gift ideas.

    I would love it if you linked these up!

    You have such great stuff and I love seeing what you have.

    Really I would love any of your gift ideas to be linked up!!!

    I hope to see you there.

    Just Another Day in Paradise
    www.zitzmanfam.blogspot.com

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  6. That really adds a cute little somethin' to your room. Thanks for sharing. Quick, easy and cheap are always nice.

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  7. I really love the table their sitting on! I never thought to cover the spine with a different paper with a coordinating solid. Love it. Thanks for linking up...great idea!

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  8. I think you did a great job with the patterns, and I love love love that you have different spine and cover hues and patterns on the top book.

    That is truly cheap, chic, and high-impact!!

    Happy Friday,
    Laura

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  9. You just solved a deliema for my bedroom. I wanted a little something for the table next to my chair! Awesome!

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  10. Super cute and that was easy...That really looks cool on your table too. Great job.

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  11. love it! what a great project! I love using books for different things around the house!

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  12. Love it! I have a Joan Miro coffee table book that got ruined because someone used it as a coaster. This would be the perfect solution for it. Thanks for the idea!

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  13. What an adorable idea! I love you "new" books! They are truly adorable. I'm definitely going to try this!

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  14. The books love wonderful. I am going to try this on some of my old books. Thank you for sharing.

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  15. Your books are so cute! I made some a couple of months ago and used old phone books that I was getting ready to throw out! I love the paper!

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  16. Following from New Friend Fridays!

    What a cute idea! I made a few this morning and plan on linking your blog and my pictures to a blog this next week.

    www.housekeepinginprogress.com

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  17. Wow! How nice to put those little accents in the room, and for so cheap!

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  18. Love this idea. Simple but cute!

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  19. Very cute! I just recently made my husband go through and throw out the last of his college books that he was holding onto...we graduated in 1986 (ok that was hard to type that date). Anyway, now I wished I had saved some. Our 2 daughters are in college now. One of her math books was $300.00, so that one won't be covered.
    Thanks for the inspiration,
    ~Karen~

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  20. can you just come to my house and help me fix it up? We've got pictures waiting to be hung that have been sitting there over 5 years. I've got tubs of stuff still unpacked, and I've lived here 6 weeks now. His stuff + my stuff = too much stuff and I don't know what to keep out, what to pack away....
    I'm hopeless!

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  21. Like that paper. :) I love the idea of using old college books. I sent a bunch to the used book store, but I did keep the ones I knew I'd never read but spent too much on. ;)

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  22. Really cute! I love that idea...you know we have a FULL old bookcase of college books...and I love to decorate with books, I must find some time to do this! GREAT idea! Love the colors you chose too!

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  23. Very sweet! Great idea. I love the way they turned out.

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  24. Those bookcovers are great! With school just around the corner, they are perfect!
    I'd love for you to join us on It's A Blog Party, I host a different linky everyday, Mondays are all about crafting and DIY projects!
    http://itsablogparty.com
    ~Liz

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  25. I love pretty things. Way to go!

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  26. What a fun idea! My husband has a lot of those old collage books laying around!

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  27. EEeeekkkk! LOVE it. I'm a hardcover fan myself, but I do have some books that I could only get in paperback. But I don't like they way they look on my shelf. This might be the solution for me! Thank you so much. I just started a link party and I would be honored if you'd consider adding your crafts to it! We're having flower headband giveaway as part of our first party too! http://imtopsyturvy.com/index.php/2010/07/topsy-turvy-tuesdays-1/

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