If you are looking for a way to add some literary flair to your home decor through Christmas and beyond then I have the DIY for you.

Sometimes all you need to kick your decorations up a notch is to use what you already have. We’ve all got books at home, and let’s be honest, once you’ve read them, they’re probably just sitting on your shelves collecting dust. So I’ve come up with a really great and simple way to turn them into decorations that are perfect for Christmas and all year round! All I’m doing is taking a bunch of books that I’ve got lying around and giving them a new cover, decorating with fun and festive sayings, and tying them all together!

Keep in mind that you might want to find books that are in decreasing order of size.  For instance, the bottom book should be the biggest, the middle book a little smaller, and the top book the smallest.  I have found that you can do this in any sizes of books, but the more charming ones that we are doing today are best used with books that are about 5”x8” and a spine of at least ½” to 2” (since this is where your writing will be). Here is how to get started.

You Will Need:

• Different colored butcher paper
• Scissors
• Ruler or straight edge for creasing
• Books
• Rubber and silicone stamps
• Ink pad in black and red (5”x7” if you can find them)
• Clear acrylic stamping blocks
• Twine, string, leather (anything you want to use for a tie)
• Décor for the top like greenery, flowers, charms, etc.
• Double-sided tape

How-To:

To Fold Book Covers

1. First, lay your butcher paper down on a flat surface. Lay your book on top of it and open the book so that the front and back are completely stretched out. Lift the top and bottom of the paper and almost pinch it at the top and bottom of the book.
2. Remove the book from the paper. The “pinch” that you gave it will be your guide to fold the paper. Fold the top and bottom over and crease the fold with a pen or a ruler (anything you have to help you make a straight line).
3. Set the book back on the folded paper. Make sure that your folds are slightly bigger than your book. You can always start over if your fold wasn’t perfect.
4. Open the back cover of the book and using your finger, bend up the paper where the edge of the book is (you will want about 2-3 inches excess on each side).
5. Remove the book and crease your fold.
6. Replace the book and insert the back cover into your folds. Once that’s done, with the back still attached, do the same on the front side of the book. DONE!

To Decorate Books

1. Lay out what you would like your books to say, and where you would like your words to appear on the book (aka – middle, right side, left side). It looks best if you use the same orientation for all three books.
2. If using a rubber stamp, did it into the ink pad, then holding the book stead, apply the stamp to the spine of the covered book.
3. If using an acrylic block, add your saying to the block, then dip it into the ink and press it on the spine of your book.

To Assemble Books

1. Using double-sided tape, tape each book together with the biggest book on the bottom, and smaller as you add the next two. This helps keep them together when you are tying them up.
2. Use your twine, leather, string to tie the books together.
3. Add decorations to the top.

Do you have s festive DIY or something for your decor that can be used all year around? Share with us all of your Holiday crafts and DIYs on Instagram and Twitter @paigehemmis