As we’re settling into the new place, there are lots of things we need. Bookshelves. More bookshelves. Art. But art is expensive. And we’re kind of broke. So I decided to try something I don’t usually do: I made a thing. With my hands and a glue gun! And only got minor second-degree burns! Friends tell me that making one thing out of another thing even has a name: “crafting.” Who knew?
I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone: find a home for at least one book, and create some stuff that can go on the walls and make this feel more like a home. What is it, you ask? Well, it’s a wreath. Made out of a book.
Cat + Wreath = ART!
Damian suggested I use a book that I didn’t like, but I couldn’t pass by it in the hallway every day and think “God, I hated that book.” So instead I tore up a book I did like, Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross. It’s a book I probably won’t read again, but which I enjoyed reading. And now I will pass by this every day in the hallway and go “I made a nerdy wreath out of a Charlie Stross novel!” Which is exactly the effect I’m going for.
Charlie Stross + Glue Gun = SUCCESS
I see that there are some spots I need to fill in. Luckily, I still have some pages left.
Iron Sunrise: the Eschaton made me do it.
Maaaad props go to Living with Lindsay, whose post “Librarians, please avert your eyes” showed me the beauty of creative literature-destruction. Hers are way prettier than mine, but as this was a first try — and I bought the wrong size of wreath-ring — I still consider this a HUGE SUCCESS. (And, well…it’s hard to overstate my satisfaction.)
3 Comments
LOVE IT. And really appreciate/understand not wanting to use a book you didn’t like…of course!
If only it had been a hardcover, you could have used the leftovers to make a purse…:)
AWESOME! I bookmarked that with the intention of making one some day. :)
It was really easy! :) It took two evenings, a few hours each (in total: one episode of CSI, two Law & Orders and three Criminal Minds.) Most of that was figuring out the rolling/folding technique and fending off the cat, who thought all that ripped-up paper would be an awesomely comfortable place to lie. I didn’t watch the folding techniques video, because we didn’t have Internet, but that probably would have save me lots of time :)
A smaller version could probably be done in one evening easy, especially if you’re actually moderately crafty already :)