Book Page Crafts and Paper Christmas Ornament Tutorial

Becky's Thanksgiving Vintage Book Table Decorations From Murfreesboro, TN

Look at those gorgeous place settings above! I was so inspired by what a friend had done for holiday decor at a Thanksgiving dinner, that I decided to pay tribute to the creative hostess (and great cook) by writing about using vintage books for crafts. Even the most avid readers will sometimes find that they have a dusty tome or two that will never see the light of day, and if you lack books for crafting, check your nearest thrift store or yard sales. You can often get bargains on tattered and torn books that are perfect for crafting. In fact, the yellowing and patina of age adds a nostalgic touch. 

There are many things you can create with old books; they also look great on a bookshelf as decor. You can find instructions for advanced projects such as purses and book safes online, or you can tear out the pages to use in a myriad of ways. I like vintage books, magazines, and maps for card making, decoupage, wrapping small packages, and shredding into confetti. In the last picture, you can see how I used them to wrap small sample candles that I enclose with orders for my etsy shop. 

Today, I am going to show you an easy holiday project, making the paper ball Christmas ornament in the picture below. 

Materials:

-magazine or book pages

-quick drying glue

-large hole punch or die cutter (3 inch punch shown in picture)

-alcohol ink dyes for color, optional

-small hole punch

-string for hanging

Paper Ornament, Glue Runner, 3 inch Punch, Small Hole Puncher

 Step 1:
-Punch 14 large circles with the large die cut. If desired, use the alcohol inks to stain the paper and let it dry before punching.

Step 2:
-Fold the 14 large circles in half.

Fold the Circles in Half

Step 3:
-Using fast dry glue or adhesive, glue the 14 large folded circles together, so that it forms a sphere as the paper unfolds.

Step 4:
-Glue the first and 14th circles together, forming a sphere.

Step 5:
-Let the adhesive dry and punch a hole in the top for hanging.

Glue the Folded Circles Together

Book Pages Used As Candle Favor Packaging