Turn Trash into Treasure!

How to "recycle" old children's books into exciting new projects!

The purpose of this guide is to inspire you to preserve tattered old children's books instead of discarding them! I'm not talking about collector copies that are in nice condition- those should never be cut up or dismembered. I'm not even talking about reading copies which, although flawed, can still provide reading enjoyment. As long as they are readable, even with flaws, they should be left alone for children and collectors to enjoy for years to come! What I am referring to are those books that you would have a hard time even giving away! (They are in such poor condition that nobody wants them!)

Serious flaws might include missing covers or pages; water damage; scribbling or doodling abuse; cuts, tears, stains and more! I've even seen some books or partial books that were in a fire, and only half the book was present, it reeked of smoke and was charred around the edges. Who could ever want such a book?

Guess What! YOU can turn trash into treasure by "recycling" the good parts of children's books and using them to make a variety of fun projects that can enhance your home and be a conversation starter for years to come! Below are some examples of the many projects I've made using the colorful pages of old children's books.

Bookmarks

Sometimes all you need is just one good page to make some unique items! The picture below shows 3 bookmarks which were made from just one page of a pre-primer. (Trivia Question: Do you know which book this is from? Answer at end of paragraph!)

First I cut my bookmarks out from acid-free cardstock, in the size that I wanted them to be. Next, I measured them and traced an outline onto the page that I wanted to salvage. I was careful to place the outline onto the page in just the right area that I felt would make an interesting bookmark. I cut out the outlines and then- here comes the interesting part- I gave the edges a unique appearance by quickly passing them through the flame of a candle and blowing it out again before too much of the paper had "burned." The result was an interesting work of art with an irregular charred edge. Next I glued these paper images onto the bookmarks I had prepared. When dry, I laminated the bookmarks! You can use a laminating machine if you have one or you can purchase a pack of self-stick laminating paper.

Did you guess which book these bookmarks were made from? Remember, they were made from just one page of a pre-primer! If you thought they looked like Dick, Jane, and Sally, you are right! The bookmarks were taken from page 77 of the 1962 pre-primer Fun Wherever We Are!

A second way to make bookmarks (which is even simpler) is to cut out your images with scalloped scissors, place inside a laminating pouch and run it through a laminating machine, so that the image inside is preserved! Trim with scissors, and voila- you are finished!

Clock

Making a clock is a lot of fun and a one-of-a-kind creation! It can be a little tricky and time-consuming though, and will require some knowledge of computer photo software. The clock shown below is one I made years ago from a vintage pre-primer. (Triva Question: Can you guess which book? Answer at end of paragraph!)

Purchase a clock where the plastic front cover can be easily removed from the rim. Westclox is a popular brand that comes in a variety of colors. The plastic front is held in place by 2 tabs. By using a thin butter knife, I was able to gently pry the front cover off of the clock. Next the hands must be carefully removed, lifting them straight up until they are free.

Remove the paper clock face that is currently in the clock. I scanned the clock face with my scanner and worked with it in a photo program (I used PSP) until the background was transparent and only the black numbers showed up. I then printed this out onto a self-stick clear laminating sheet. (But I did not peel the backing off yet.) Next, I traced the paper clock face that had come with the clock onto a piece of plain colored cardstock (this will be my background) and cut it out. Fit it into the clock to make sure it is the right size. Fun part: I cut out the images from the pages I wanted to use and pasted them onto my background. In the example above I put one big illustration in the center of the clock and some additional little ones around it. Next came the hard part: I peeled the backing off the laminating sheet (to which was printed the numbers and clock minutes) and carefully stuck it- in just the right position- to the background which I had prepared with my cut-outs! Lastly, I cut a little hole in the center to fit down inside the clock. Put the clock back together again.

People who visit you will remark on what a unique clock you have and will be surprised to learn you made it yourself! Did you guess which book the clock above was made from? If you guessed it is Tip, the wire-fox terrier from the Tip and Mitten pre-primer (Tip) you are right!

Christmas Ornaments

I've made some lovely Christmas Tree ornaments from pages of tattered children's books. In the example below I purchased three wooden sleds from my local craft store. I turned them upside down and carefully traced their outline onto the page that I wanted to save. I cut out the patterns and glued them onto the sled. This was a very simple and inexpensive project to make. The results are almost immediate! This would be a fun one for the kids to get involved in.

Decoupage Tissue Box Holder

I purchased a wooden tissue box holder from a woodworker for use in a decoupage project. It was plain and unfinished. I have also seen tissue box holders similar to this in craft stores. You can also use other wooden items such as napkin holders, paper plate holders, key racks- the list is endless. Just find something you feel would make a good project and one you might find useful as well. You can either paint or stain the wood, or leave it as is.

Purchase a container of decoupage glue and follow the instructions on how to apply your images. What I did was use a brush to apply glue to the back of my cut-out and stick it onto the wood. Smooth out any air bubbles that may be underneath (a rubber roller is best, if you have one) and apply another coat of glue on top. When this dries, you can apply several more coats of decoupage glue and if desired you can give it a final coat of sealer for extra gloss and shine.

Wooden Canister Set

This is another idea for a decoupage project. These wooden canister sets were popular in the 1950's and 1960's in kitchens. The big one was for flour, the others for coffee, tea or sugar. Today you can find them at ebay, often for a very good price. You will have to do some work to sand off the original image, and sand the sides well before you start your project. They can be stained and varnished if desired. The project below I made from a single story in a first grade book. The story was short with just 3 or 4 pages and I used one image from each page to "tell the story" in pictures on the canisters!

Magnets

If you have a button maker machine, you can quickly and easily turn any page into several or more fun magnets to decorate your refrigerator door! You can also make pin back buttons to attach to clothing or hats! You can also make little mirrors and keychains! You will need to buy the appropriate accessories for your machine, depending on what you want to make. The photo below shows nine magnetized buttons (the magnet is on the backside), with a quarter for size comparison. The button maker I have is a standard 2 1/4" but they also come in smaller 1" and larger 3" sizes. The paper is preserved inside the button and protected by mylar. Instructions should come with your machine in easy to follow steps to guide you through the process.

Scrapbooking

If all else fails, you can simply cut out the images on the pages you want to preserve, and keep them together in an envelope or folder to use in your next scrapbooking project! (Or sell them on ebay to other scrapbookers!) The picture below shows a pile of illustrations taken from a few 1930's books.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of the things I have made with children's books and I hope it will inspire you to create your own one of a kind art projects! So the next time your dog chews up the book your child left on the floor, don't throw it in the trash! Save the good pages and come up with a unique and interesting project you will have a fun time making! Good luck!