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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Bookish: Upcycled & Repurposed Books and Pages


I have always loved books, and have to admit I am a "book collector!" I don't just love to read books though - I love the feel of a book in my hands - it's heft, the texture of it's pages, the gilt of the artwork and lettering on an antique pressed cover...and of course, since learning to read in childhood, the thought of what wonderful secrets could be hidden inside. 
I love books.

But what about altering and repurposing books? 
Years ago the thought would never have entered my mind because my books - they were sacred to me. But after years of going to used book sales and increasing my collection to the point of ridiculousness - I mean, I had books that I bought for $1 whose pages were loose and falling out but they had fabulous antique Art Nouveau covers -  it was at this point I realized, there was no actual monetary value in this damaged book - the only value it had was sentimental value to me, due to its cover art. To most anyone else, it would have been considered trash.  This is the perfect example of a book worthy of recycling into something completely new. Check out these examples of recycled, repurposed and upcycled books and book pages and I think you'll agree that art can indeed be created from an old, damaged book.









Book page mobile



lounge chair made from old books:
Book bench




Book cover headboard


Storage bin made from book spines by Roadsidephotographs via Etsy





Utensil holder made from an old cook book



floorDSCF0034
rug




sheet music rose



Vintage Wedding Guest Books Made to Order Using Old French Books SAMPLE LISTING



Custom Wedding Guestbook ETSY WEDDING EVENT Made to Order







Shelf made from a stack of old books









Hollow Book Safe (1903 VICAR OF WAKEFIELD)


Double Book Birdie (Original Sculpture)



sculpted from old books:



Incarnate
(Three Degrees of Certainty II)








i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                                      i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
   
e e cummings 


Vintage Book Shoulder Purse, Whittier's Poems, circa 1888










Birdhouse covered with pages from an old children's book. The roof is the book cover.



mobiles





Book carvings (above and below) by Hokey Stokes






how to age paper: DIY instructions



book page wreath







paper mache birds


book tub.


book safe



Playhouse made from books Iowa City Public Library





poinsettia book page wreath how to







nails (how to)



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Have a great week!
Laura






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Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2019 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.