Books as Art

Happy Friday my dear friends!

This week, I featured crafts from this

book, by this author who also has

an inspiring blog.

Jason Thompson, the author, has this to say

{and it's one of my favorite lines}

about old & forgotten books:

Is there a purpose for some of these

unwanted books? Answering this question

leads us to artists, designers, and artisans

who appreciate books in a uniquely different

way. Although the fundamental parts of a

book might consist of pages and covers,

the artist's eye sees something more: raw

materials to create unique objects far

removed from the book form. To these

artists, books are resources to rearrange,

recycle, and re-imagine into

functional and decorative objects.

Apart from crafty ideas, the book also

highlights work by different artists.

If you think old books are blah,

take a look at these pieces and

I guarantee, you'll say "TADA!"

by Betty Pepper

by Betty Pepper

by Laura Cahill

by Laura Cahill

by Jill Sylvia

by Jill Sylvia

by Brian Dettmer

by Georgia Russell

by Su Blackwell

by Su Blackwell

by Su Blackwell

by Robert The

by Robert The

Aren't these mind-blowing?

Oh the possibility of books!

Here's to a great weekend!

A Pyramid for Presents

I've been rifling through the pages of James

Thompson's book "Playing with Books"

and I've been busy trying out the crafts.

I like them -- they're blah to TADA!

in nature.

Aged, neglected books are taken apart and are

made into something more useful & beautiful.

Like the author, I felt like a villain

destroying a book. He says, "It felt wrong

to cannibalize the essence of a book for its

elemental parts. But after playing with

unwanted and forgotten books, this feeling

eventually passed. There are a lot of books

out there -- don't be afraid to exorcise their

bookish essence for other creative ends."

These words somehow made me feel better.

So I'll proceed by making some cute

gift packaging.

We'll need pages from a blah book.

We'll also need some cardboard {this was an empty

pasta box}. Make a square base {this is 2" x 2"}

and 4 triangles that will be used as the sides.

The size of the triangle's base must match

the square base {should also be 2"}.

Keep this principle in mind if you're

making a bigger or smaller pyramid.

Assemble the box by sticking the sides

to the base with tape.

Wrap the cardboard using your book pages.

{You can wrap them in sections, as long

as the seams are inside the box.}

Punch holes about 1/2" from the tips

of the triangles and lace some cute

ribbon through them to hold the

box together.

Then tuck in a specially-chosen gift inside.

TADA!

Handmade Envelopes

Hi there! If you're a new visitor to my blog, I'd

like to say welcome. And if you're a regular

reader, I want to say thank you. Your

presence & comments encourages

me to blog regularly & think up of

more blah to TADA! ideas.

This week, I'm destroying an old book.

I know, it's cruel. I don't really do it on

a normal basis. I take good care of

my books, I promise.

But if you have unwanted books, you

can give them to a friend, donate them

to charity or use them for crafting.

Which is what this book encourages.

Its pages contain easy crafts &

many inspiring artists' work like

paper sculptures & installation.

One simple & practical project

are envelopes made of

book pages:

You'll need pages torn from a book,

a small envelope to be used as a

template, a pencil, scissors & glue.

Trace the shape of the envelope on the book page &

cut it out. Glue the two edges to form an envelope.

Embellish with magazine cut-outs or stickers.

Add a section in which to write the

recipient's name {and address}.

I used pink & white stripe tissue

left over from this TADA!

Use it for small notes or packaging for gift cards.

They're handmade and handy!

Paper Ornaments

This week, I'm shining the spotlight on this book:

It's filled with many ideas to turn lonely books

from blah to TADA!

Start with a book that you're willing to tear up.

Make paper circles with a circle puncher.

You'll need 20 pieces.

Using a piece of cardboard, make a triangle template.

Put the triangle in the middle of the paper circle and

fold the three edges around it.

Do this for all 20 circles.

Make two domes {for the top & bottom of the ball},

by gluing the edges of 5 circles together.

Make a strip by gluing 10 circles together,

alternate the orientation of each triangle

as you go along {use the triangle

images as a guide}.

Here's what it will look like.

Make sure you have 2 domes & 1 strip.

Attach the two ends of the strip with glue, like so:

Then attach the top dome & bottom dome.

Leave to dry for a few minutes.

TADA! A 3-D paper ornament.

Add some string and glitter, and you've got

ornaments for the holidays!

Playing with Books

Happy new week everybody!

Today, I'd like to share with you a

lovely book that I discovered.

It's "Playing with Books" by Jason Thompson

who learned the art of bookbinding by accident.

He did not only fall in love with the process,

he fell in love with the person who taught him!

They are now married and own Rag & Bone

Bindery in Rhode Island.

In this book, instead of teaching us how to

make a book, he provides ideas on how

upcycle, deconstruct and re-imagine

books that we no longer want.

I've seen this flower on different blogs & I've always

wanted to make one. Well, this book provides the

instructions!

I found a blah book from a library sale.

It was a good thing it was old and

my small donation made me less

guilty to tear it up & use it to craft.

Go ahead and use a book you no longer

read or need.

Ready to make a Kusudama flower?

You'll need 5 book pages.

Cut each page into 6" x 6" squares.

Fold 1: Fold the square into a triangle.

Fold 2: Fold the two creased corners down to

create a smaller square.

Fold 3: Fold the two triangular flaps in half.

Fold 4: Open the flaps up, then re-fold them flat,

so that the inner crease you made in Fold 3 falls

to the outside.

Fold 5: Fold the tips upwards.

Fold 6: Fold the triangular flaps in half inward.

Fold 7: Make the ends meet & secure with glue.

Use a binder clip to hold the ends together

as the glue dries.

Repeat with the remaining 4 paper squares.

Once you have the 5 petals, glue the ends

together. Again, use a binder clip to hold

them in place while the glue dries.

TADA!

According to the book, Japanese Kusudama were

used like incense or potpurri to dispel evil spirits

or disease. These days, they are used as gifts or

decorations.

Attach a nice note and leave it on your partner or

roommate's bedside table. Or leave one on

a coworker's desk for her birthday.

I think that's thoughtful and TADA!