Crafty Me: Vintage Book Collage

When I'm not blogging, making art, or being crafty, I am working in a gigantic used bookstore.  We get such a huge amount of books in the store that a lot of them end up in the recycling bin.  Sometimes though, a book is just too good to let it be shredded into paper pulp, and I do some recycling bin-diving.  Lately we got a huge assortment of vintage paperbacks, the kind sold for 10 cents back in the day.  The kind with really awesome covers.  As I rooted through them, an idea sparked and ignited in my head.

Behold: a way to re-use those neat old vintage paperback covers--

This collage was very simple to make.  Step one: dive into that recycling bin and rescue some awesome colorful books covers.  I used an exacto knife to cut the covers off.  Step two: find a big frame in a simple color, like white.  I got this one for around $15 at the thrift store next to the bookstore where I work.  (WOOT for so much used-goodness in one location!)  Step three: use a piece of plain brown paper the same size as your frame and line up your covers on it, trying to balance the colors a bit so it's not too blue in one area and too red in another.  For some books, I took both front and back covers because the image went all the way across, and I lined those up together.  Step four: glue covers onto brown paper with a glue stick, and frame your collage.  Step back and admire!

Hanging in our living room where I can oogle it anytime.  Don't mind Captain Janeway on the speaker there, she's just chillin'.

This is a great way to brighten up a frowny blank wall, and it's so nice to give some old cover art a second chance!

Try it yourself!