HOW TO MAKE PAINTED BOOKS
PAINTED BOOK STACKS
Most of us have a bunch of old, vintage books lying around that we don’t know what to do with! I have stacks of books that fill my closet and I am most happy to use them up for home decor projects
Well, I have the answer for you! Painted books are so fun to make and they add a beautiful touch to your home decor.
They work well tucked into a bookshelf or on top of a table.
You might be familiar with my DIY Painted Book Stacks Tutorial that I did a while ago. It is the most popular craft project on my blog! But this tutorial is different since I am not using the stamps and I am tearing off the book covers.
And I think the final product is just a bit more modern and it lends itself very nicely to personalization with paint color, ribbon style, and trims.
DIY decorative book stacks are so easy to make…perfect for beginners…and they make great gifts. My friends who have received a set are quite happy to display them in their homes! With this set we are making in the tutorial, I think that picking a trim piece (like the key shown on mine) that you know your friend will love will really make this perfect for gifting! Adding favorite flowers to the top makes the painted books into a custom gift also.
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HOW TO PAINT BOOKS FOR DECOR
Let’s Gather Supplies
- Old Hardcover Books (see note below)
- Chalk Paint in your choice of color (I used Kilz Blue Juniper Chalk Paint)
- Foam Brush
- Ribbon and/or Twine
- Faux Flowers
- Trim of your choice (the key that I used is in this set)
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- X-Acto Knife
If you don’t happen to have old books lying around your house that you can use, simply visit your local library and buy some. They generally have books for sale that they are willing to sell cheap. At my library, they practically beg me to take more than I need just because they have so many. I can buy 10 for $1. I have tried to pay more, but they don’t let me.
Just a little bonus here in my small Colorado town!
This project tends to be a bit messy (or maybe it is ME that is messy!) so I like to cover my workspace with Kraft Paper. Tape the paper to the table. And since I am painting I wear old clothes that I don’t care about. I don’t like to have an attitude about a finished project due to a beloved shirt being ruined in the process.
To keep my fingers from getting burned with the hot glue, I always keep a glass of ice water close by. Hot glue is hot for a long time so dipping fingers in the cold water shortens burn time.
I learned this lesson the hard way, friends! So listen to me and get yourself a glass of ice water! Fingers with blisters on them don’t make for good crafting fingers.
Let’s get to making!
Scroll below to see the video tutorial!
DECORATIVE BOOK STACK DIY
STEP ONE: Carefully remove the hard cover of your books with an X-Acto Knife. Take care not to cut your fingers. You need to be in control of your knife at all times. It is easy to end up dragging it too hard towards yourself and getting cut. Go slow and you will be just fine.
STEP TWO: Remove the excess cardboard from the spine of the book. It is OK to have some texture after you have removed it. I think it adds to the character of the finished craft. If you accidentally remove the first blank page of the book (like I did) simply use your glue gun to keep it in place. I like a blank page on the top of the stack. OR, if the book is special to the person receiving it, leave the title page as the top page.
STEP THREE: Paint the spines of your books with light coats of chalk paint. I used 3 coats. Be careful not to get too much paint on the pages because it looks messy. Using three different colors of paint would be fun. You could use a main color, and tone each additional color down with white to give the book stack an ombre look.
STEP FOUR: Apply your ribbon or twine with your glue gun or tie it. Either way works well. You could additionally tie the ribbon into a nice bow.
STEP FIVE: I used a small piece of string to add my key and then I glued it in place on the book to keep it from moving.
STEP SIX: Add faux flowers with your glue gun or tie them on. I did both to keep them secure.
Wasn’t that simple?
Now you have adorable painted books for home decor. And you get to tell everyone that you made it!
Video Tutorial:
If you have any trouble, please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions!
And I have an idea for you regarding this tutorial!
This one would make a perfect Girl’s Craft Night project!
Gather your girlfriends and supply all of the materials based on how many people are coming. You can divide the expense among everyone and this becomes a super cheap girl’s night.
Cover work surfaces with Kraft Paper and lay it all out before everyone arrives. This makes things really simple!
Walk your friends through my tutorial with either the written instructions or the video played for everyone to see. It is your choice.
I enjoy seeing how each person personalizes their project and how cute they all turn out.
Check out my other book stack tutorials:
DIY Painted Book Stacks
Front Door Wreath With Rolled Paper Flowers
Wrapped Book Stacks (COMING SOON!)
Happy crafting!
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