What I’m Reading
Feb
22
Attempting Crafty
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Over my vacation last week I decided to finally get on the ball with my half-assed resolution to try more crafty projects. And by more I mean at least one. So after seeing a post on making book wreaths on the Apartment Therapy website I decided I would give it a go; if that evil wench Martha Stewart can do it, so can I, dammit! Ahem. Normally I place great value on the use of my hands for things like surfing the interwebs and playing video games, so I try not to do things that could potentially maim them. Had I realized that this project would include 53,756 hot glue burns I probably would never have attempted it. But behold the cuteness!
Luckily, the end result was awesome enough to warrant my fingers looking like this:
Pro tip #1: if you get hot glue on your skin, no matter how much it burns like the fire of Hades do NOT rip it off until it is completely cooled. Unless, of course, you also want to rip off twelve layers of your skin. (And why wouldn’t you? Skin is overrated.)
For those of you interested in the process I followed, please read on. For those of you totally bored by my adventures in hot glue, I’ll see you on the flip side.
First I got all my supplies together. Things I needed:
-Hot glue gun and glue sticks
-Brown or gray acrylic paint (I used gray watercolor, would’ve been easier to use a paper towel to wipe on the acrylic)
-Styrofoam wreath ($1 at the Dollar Store, a whole separate adventure in itself)
-Book (one that you don’t mind ripping out all the pages)
-Wooden chopstick (not pictured- used to press the pages into the wreath after the first layer is done after I realized exactly how much hot glue burns hurt)
As you can see, I also had my computer to follow the directions and my sister’s birthday present/my iPhone in the background. What can I say? I don’t have a ton of space in my apartment.
I started out by painting the edges of the Nancy Drew book a grayish color so that when I ripped out the pages they had a vintage look on the edges. I thought having a wreath made of mystery novel would be pretty awesome.
Sadly, I realized after two or three attempts at gluing these pages that they were just too thick and heavy to use for this project. They would not stay in place. A half hour later I gave up, frustrated, and started painting another book:
You may notice the addition of a large glass of wine to my “supplies”. Believe me, it was necessary. Pro tip #2: Use a a paperback novel because the pages are flimsy and easily glued. Again with the painting and ripping, but I didn’t mind because Charlaine Harris novels deserve to be ripped up anyway:
After I ripped out all the pages I folded them any which way I felt like it. Rolled up, curled like a tulip, S-shaped, fan-shaped, any shape you like is just fine. Then I glued them on to the styrofoam wreath like so:
It looks a little messy, right? Don’t worry your pretty little heads about it! This will actually end up being your bottom, or back layer. Once you have this layer finished all the way around (hopefully it doesn’t take you as embarrassingly long as it took me), flip the whole thing over and start with a second layer, wedging them down into the first with your wooden chopstick or unsharpened pencil.
Pro tip #3: The key to making this work is making sure to fold a little flap at the bottom of each of your pages before you attempt to hot glue it and stick it in. Otherwise, glue will end up all over the wreath and more importantly, all over the tips of your fingers. Ouch.
It doesn’t matter if it squishes the bottom layer because this is the layer that will end up being flush against the wall when you hang it. I actually weighed my wreath down with a book to start working on the next layer.
Pro tip #4: hot glue makes a considerable mess. I would not recommend doing it over a nice table or rug, like me. Anyway, then continue wedging layers in all the way around the wreath. See how you can kind of tell that I painted the edges? Cute. Once you get to the top, start filling in all the empty gaps with more pages.
And voila! A lovely, custom-made wreath, the perfect gift for any book-loving friends. I also bought a length of black sateen ribbon and hot glued it to either side on the back of the styrofoam, tying it at the top with a cute bow so that it would have a way to hang on the wall.
Dang. I guess I’m crafty after all.
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15 Responses to “Attempting Crafty”
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I love it! That’s so cute!!!
I didn’t think librarians were allowed to rip up books. However, this looks awesome and is totally worth it. And I don’t know much about Charlaine Harris, but if her writing is anything like that of Fern Michaels, her books are probably better off as wreaths.
That burn looks PAINFUL. Ouch!
LOVE. I’ve been wanting to do this since I saw that post – I have to find a terrible enough book to make into a wreath.
Look at you, Crafty Lady! Now I am considering doing this for our library. By which I mean, the room where we keep all the books but do not spend any time.
Your poor finger! Good thing you have an AWESOME wreath to look at and make yourself feel better. I bet the wine helps too.
Awesome! I’ve been dying to try to make this but have been nervous. You’re giving me inspiration!
I had never heard of such a thing but I am sold on this! Maybe that’s because I have been cleaning out the house and have lots of books that are not worthy of donating or swapping. Perfect timing!
I’m very impressed.
[...] NPW turns an old book into wall art. [...]
Look at you!
xox
THAT IS ADORABLE! Maybe you should open an Etsy shop because I would so buy one of those! I’d even send you a book to use!
Martha Stewart would be proud….should of waited for me…I could of saved your finger from getting all blistered up…lol.
I betcha magazines would work pretty well for this, too, as long as you avoid the perfume ads.
that is sooooo cool. my initial reaction was, i want to make one too. after seeing all the steps, i might pass. (though i do have a glue gun that has been collecting dust for ages.)
Good birthday gift (for me)!
I almost stopped reading when I saw you had decided to rip up a Nancy Drew book. Nancy Drew! C’mon!
But then I was mollified when I saw that you had switched to Charlane Harris.
Totally cool project! If I had any time at all *which, obviously, judging by my own lack of posting and commenting, I don’t* I would totally do it….