DIY Literary Accessories for the Everyday Book Nerd
Is it possible to have an addiction to books? Hell yes! Should anyone be judged for it? Only if they don’t really mean it when they say, “I neeeed that book!”
Avid readers will understand the joy of clutching a paperback in their hands, appreciating the book’s entire process as you anticipate its words through the sniff of its scent (whether musty or new, there is just something about the scent of a book).
Any lit nut will tell you about how great books bleed into their lives and how the characters of a story become real (you may even have long emotional breakdowns in front of bewildered family and friends over the plights of characters).
So yes, it is possible to become addicted to books, words and stories. It is possible to want to bring your characters to life, to wear them on your sleeves (literally) and to want to convey your feelings to the world. Not forgetting the chance of meeting someone who is impressed with, say, your golden snitch Quidditch bracelet.
You certainly want to boast about and celebrate your unwavering romance with books without having to drag your books in a pull along cart or spend a fortune on memorabilia (oh, who are we kiddin’, you want all of that and more!)
Well this article, literary enthusiast, is your more. If there is no limit to the amount of literary-inspired accessories you could be in possession of (and there probably isn’t), here are a few DIY craft ideas that will make you look inventive, remarkable and incredibly interesting:
1. Book Clutch
It’s a book! It’s a clutch! … It’s a Book Clutch!
Have you ever wanted to choose carrying a book over carrying your keys, money and library card? Be the envy of your peers and of passers-by with this elegant book clutch purse.
You could either buy your book clutch online or you could make your own (which is usually the better, cheaper and more impressive option).
Warning: This one is for the brave
You can find the full tutorial here
All you will need is:
A hardcover book
A clasp
Glue
A Ruler
An exacto knife
Nothing says “I’m serious about my reading” like cutting through one of your favourite books and turning it into a purse you hope no one will judge you for right?
Okay, so maybe don’t cut through your favourite book (if you’re a lit nerd, the thought of murdering your book for fashion might make you wince). If you don’t want to kill your books, a better suggestion would be to go for the less controversial but still impressive route by using a hardcover notebook with blank pages. You can always cover it with some awesome book art to suit your reading taste.
The book clutch is ideal as a gift or simply if you want to be librarian chic on every other day.
1. Book Bag
Alternatively (or additionally) you can make your own book bag, which is a bit like the book clutch but with more space. This option offers your arms relief with the use of a strap, and might get you a bit more oohs and aahs. The great thing about the book bag is that you can re-purpose your old books (you know, the ones you’ve read so often the outer covering and pages are now two separate entities?)
All you need to do is take that detached (or just about detached) outer covering, some fabric, a handle kit, a utility knife, ribbon and a button.
Remove the book’s pages, or what’s left of them, with the utility knife. Now you can get to work on your fabric measurements before putting it all together.
Click here for the tutorial.
If you use a smaller book for your book clutch you can fit it into your book bag and have a book inception.
If you feel more inclined to create an activity book instead of a bag, you could simply rework the fabric and create pockets.
Find the full tutorial at http://cosmocricket.typepad.com/cosmo_cricket/2012/05/diy-activity-book-fabric-giveaway.html
3. Book Ends
The more books you collect the more you realize that you really, really should get yourself some bookends. If you don’t have any then you’re possibly using your books as bookends or have taken to using bricks. Well, with a little bit of prettying up, those bricks could be perfectly acceptable.
There is no end to how far you can stretch your imagination when creating your own bookends for your shelf.
You can start off with something fairly simply yet elegant, like your bricks. Give the bricks a makeover by adding some fabric and gluing it together.
What you will need is:
· 2 bricks
· Vintage fabric
· Scissors
· A Glue gun
Cut just enough fabric to wrap around each of your bricks. Just as you would wrap a gift, wrap your fabric around the brick and glue it neatly with the glue gun (use the glue in the same way you would have used tape. And you’re done; simple as that!
You could use just about anything to wrap around the bricks, including some awesome book posters and wrapping paper. Fabric would probably last longer than the paper however. It’s up to you.
You can get the full tutorial and images at Buttonhookneedham.blogspot.com
If you want to get a bit craftier, then you could try these hand bookends by Beaute’ J’adore
What you will need is:
Plaster of Paris
Old bowl and spoon
Sandpaper
Spray paint
Latex Gloves
Old newspaper (for spills)
Method:
Or you could just buy similar ones at Unique-idea.com
Get more DIY bookend ideas from Buzzfeed
4. Book Pendants
Carry your love for books wherever you are with these adorable mini book necklaces.
This particular tutorial by DIY blogger, Lauren will require some:
Glue
Paper
Jump Ring
Leather cutters
Pliers
Scissors
Cut a small strip of the leather (enough so that when the leather is folded it makes a book.
Cut out your ‘pages’ from the paper. The pages should be slightly less than half the size of your book cover (in its full length).
Glue each of your pages into a neat stack (thick enough to fit perfectly into the fold of your ‘book cover’). With the leather cutter, make a small hole in the top middle section of your book cover and add your jump ring into the hole.
Add glue to both sides of your paper stack and glue your book cover on. Done!
5. Comic Book Shoes
If you really want to take your street geek to the next level, DIY-style, you can always make your own comic book shoes (if you can bear to cut up your comic books)
What you would need is:
A pair of shoes (flats or heels)
A few comic books of your choice
Modge Podge (which can be bought at any craft store)
Scissors
Here is the the tutorial:
