18 DECORATIVE USES FOR OLD BOOKS

If you’re a die-hard bookworm, then you probably cringe at the idea of throwing away old books — even if your bookshelf has reached maximum capacity. Here’s a solution: upcycle them into things you want to keep around the house, like jewelry, furniture, and decor. You’ll still get to keep your treasured book and make good use of it while you’re at it. Read on for 21 suggestions on what you can do with your old books.

3 Wedding Paper Cones

Use old book pages to make vintage-style wedding paper cones to hold your confetti.

4 Paper Flowers

Make paper-rose decorations to add an interesting twist to items including gifts and Christmas tree ornaments. To find out how to make your own paper rose, read this tutorial.

5 Coasters

Get the look of these six Harry Potter coasters ($20) by using ceramic tiles, Harry Potter book pages, and a few layers of decoupage glue and varnish.

6 Necklaces

Create a book-page necklace with a cutout of your favorite text or illustration. You can paint the piece with lacquer, or glue a glass gem on top of the cutout to turn it into a durable pendant.

7 Gift Tags

Turn old book pages into gift tags that you can attach to presents to better personalize them.

8 Rings

You can also make book-page rings to match your necklaces.

 

9 Cake Toppers

When you’re making cake or cupcake toppers, use book pages to give them a unique look.

10 Decorative Items

Use small bits of book pages as decorative items and insert them into things like vial necklaces or even terrariums.

11 Garland

Make garlands out of book pages to use in parties or weddings. Here’s a tutorial forhow to make a paper garland.

12 Hidden Piggy Bank

Hollow out one of your old books to hide your cash and other valuables. No one will ever guess your secret hiding place!

13 Ornaments

Decorate your home and Christmas tree with handmade book ornaments.

14 Earrings

Roll book pages tightly and cut them into beads, which you can use to create earrings.

15 Charging Stations

Create a charging dock for your iPhone, tablet, or other gadgets with an old book. Here are instructions on how you can make your own book charging station.

16 Table Runners

Create a vintage runner made of old pages by taping the pages together and using a decorative edge-puncher to create a cute border. You might want to lacquer the runner so it’s not too fragile.

17 Furniture

Create furniture pieces like lamps, side tables, or coffee tables by piling up old books. Be sure to glue the books together so you won’t have to stack them up again if the pieces ever topple over.

18 Bird Houses

Create birdhouses from the pages and covers of your old books.