Sometimes you just want an element of décor that is different from all the items you see on the store shelves. My challenge was to find a frame as a desk accessory in my office. I love to read, so a book theme became my obsession. It’s hard to find unusual book-related frames, so I decided to make my own.
What you need:
Book pages
Scissors
Clear-drying craft glue
Ruler
Pencil
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks
Spray sealer (I used Modge Podge for luster)
First, tear out a number of book pages. The 5×7 frame I decorated used 40 pages. The number required will depend on the size of the book and the size of your frame. After tearing out the pages, trim away the edges, leaving nothing but text.
Start at a narrow end of one page and roll it up about 1/8 of an inch. This will be more like a fold than a roll. Fold over and over, but don’t crease as you fold. This will eventually become a flat roll. Apply a thin bead of glue at the last fold and press to hold the end in place. By the end of my page, my roll was ¼ inch wide. Continue rolling and gluing all pages.
While the paper logs dry, measure the width of the frame. Mine was 1-inch wide. To give the illusion of depth, I decided to create paper “beads” that were 1 1/8 inches. When centered on the frame, they add dimension to it.
Measure each roll, marking off the measurements you have determined for the beads. I cut four beads from each tube.
Preheat your hot glue gun while you cut the beads on the lines marked. Use caution when cutting these thick tubes. They can be very difficult to cut.
Once all the beads have been cut to the proper length, begin hot gluing them in place. Start at one end and work your way across the bottom of the frame. Then, begin working up the sides of the frame. Experiment with the pattern. Vertical beads across the top and bottom with horizontal ones on the sides are an easy option.
After all the book beads are in place, take the frame project and can of sealer into a well-ventilated area. Spray the frame according to the manufacturer’s directions. Allow proper drying time and your funky frame is ready!