Today I am posting what so many of you have been asking me for…the tutorial for the autumn decor I made using a stack of thrift store books and a free printable that I showed you in my Fall Home Tour post.
Creating this autumn quote on a stack of books is the kind of decorating project I love – affordable and super easy.
How to Make Autumn Decor Using a Stack of Books
supplies needed:
- White books
- White craft paint
- Small paint brush
- Printer and white printer paper
- Paper cutter
- Repositionable glue stick
Download the free fall printable:
Print this .pdf: Free Printable Autumn Quote for Decorating a Stack of Thrift Store Books
How To Apply the Free Autumn Printable to Books
1. Remove book jackets from books. Paint over the titles on the bindings with white paint. I did this so the color of the titles does not show through the white paper strips you cut out from the printer paper. Let dry. I needed 2 coats of paint to cover the titles.
2. Using a paper cutter, follow the marked lines on each side of the printable to cut the Autumn quote into strips.
3. Center one strip on each book to figure out how much excess paper you need to cut off of each end so each strip is just long enough to be wrapped around the end of the bindings.
4. Trim the strips to the length needed.
5. I used a repositionable glue stick to attach the strips to the books so that I could easily change the quote with the seasons. It has the stickiness of a Post-It note. Make sure to glue all the edges of the strips as well as the center.
6. I pushed the ends of the paper strips inside the bindings on the books and then smoothed each paper strip with my fingers to make sure each was adhered.
Once each book has the paper strips adhered, stack them and you are done. I placed mine in my foyer. I found the tray at the thrift store. It was light green and white. I painted the inside orange and used sandpaper to distress the outside.
A creative and affordable way to repurpose old books. Don’t let the color of books you many already own stop you from doing this. Craft paint can change the color of any book if you can’t find enough books in the color you want.
You can also make the stack in different ways… print out your favorite quotes and sayings…mix and match book and paper colors…lots of possibilities to make a stack of books with a quote on the binding for every season or holiday.
You can see more of my fall decorating ideas in these 2 posts:
Finding Fall Home Tour Fall Home Tour Part 2
Megan Edmondson says
I know I’m years late in chiming in on this post, but I just had to when I saw that one of your books is “Winter Solstice” by Rosamunde Pilcher. I know you like to read and if you haven’t read it, you must! It’s set in Scotland during the holiday season. It’s a wonderful story, but the other thing I love about this author’s books (I’ve read almost all of them) is her perfectly vivid descriptions of beautiful scenery, homes, and food. You can feel the coziness coming off the pages! :-) It’s one of my favorite books and I read it nearly every Christmas.
I recently discovered your blog and I’m loving all your ideas. We’re moving into a new (to us) and much larger home soon and I’ll need to decorate on a shoestring, so thank you so much for sharing all of your wonderfully creative tips and tricks!
Cherryl says
Thank you for this! I can hardly wait to get going on it!
Diane Henkler says
You are welcome Cheryl. Happy Fall!
Kelly Bertschi says
What a great idea! Doing this today! Been looking for a stack of small books to work with my modern design. This is perfect! Thanks!!!
Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations says
Love these printouts! Amazing idea! Thank you~ So doing this AND sharing.
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
Thanks for sharing this, Diane! I loved it right off when you first showed the book stack.
Diane Henkler says
Hi Kathy – Thanks It was fun to make – best of all, practically free. My fave type of project. :-)
Christina Rodriguez says
Very cute idea! Now…if I only had somewhere to put these!
Yolanda says
Easy and great idea Diane!!! I’ll try it immediately.
You are so creative. Congratulations!!!
Diane Henkler says
Thanks Yolanda XO
Sheryll & Critters. says
I love this idea! Now I have a good reason to go to the thrift store again. I don’t think ‘our’ thrift stores will have such clean white books, but who knows……
[email protected] says
I really love this idea. So different and looks awesome
Laura says
I’m gonna skip the paint, and make a book cover. Less mess, save a book.
Tone says
My thought exactly! But when that is said, LOVE this idea of decorating my living room! Defenitely going to try this;)
Linda Douglas says
Diane, thanks so much, this gives me another white chautchky for my entrance way.
I will purchase a paper cutter to be certain I’m successful .
Oh- yah, using your recipe for chalk paint on very many things, loving the colour white too.
I have shared your goodies with many.
You rock!
Warmest regards,
Linda
Diane Henkler says
Thanks Linda for reading m blog and sharing my projects with such enthusiasm! XO
Leslie @ House on the Way says
Love! Such a great idea. Thanks so much for the printables.