Hardback book christmas tree

How to turn an old, unwanted hardback into a small Xmas tree.

Can work as a table display, in lieu of an Xmas card (plenty of space on the inside cover for a message), or, if you are of the Humbug school, your entire Xmas decoration ensemble

This is the basic tree, you could of course carry on with baubles, tinsel, leds, stars and fairys....go wild...

Step 1: Tools/Ingredents

1 x old book that youre never going to read anyway
1 x pen/pencil
1 x sharp craft knife
some x masking tape
some x old paper
some x green spraypaint

Comments

[Biggsy]

... .... a very cool effect.. ... Don't think i could ever give it go though, wish i could ... but ... i can't cut up a book

[suayres]

And if you don't want to sacrifice an actual book (my bibliophile Mother's upbringing makes me cringe at the idea, to be perfectly honest), you can buy one--or more--of those blank journaling books they sell at bookstores. They're pretty cheap, and you can use them with a clear conscience.

[SurlyMermaid]

Suayres,

Great idea! I had a bibliophile mum as well and I could not stand doing this to a book! Okay, maybe a Reader's Digest re-print of a Danielle Steel or something... ;)

[alex de]

A heck of a lot of books are thrown in charity shop skips,sad but true. I love to have a good rummage. they are usally just down a little alley at the back of shop,and mostly they are glad of someone helping to make more room for them to throw out more. :'(
citys not quite so understanding. small towns the best.
ALWAYS TIDY UP! ALWAYS POP IN TO GIVE A DONATION! ALWAYS BE POLITE!
Happy skip diving! :D

[justbennett]

Great Idea! I'm gonna look through my unnecessary book pile.
Looks like an orange on top. Or a paper towel holder thingy. Anyway, I have one suggestion:

Band saw.

I don't know if it would work, but seems like it would be worth a shot. Maybe if the paper was clamped between some sacrificial plywood? If one did come up with a good way to do this with a power tool then the project would take about 10 minutes, plus drying time.

[littleredbox]

love the gratuitous use of power tools :D

btw famerebel 'ball thing' is just a clementine

[famerebel]

So the covers stick out the back right? Thats pretty neat. I'd like to make one for my dad for his library! :D Very cool idea. What is that ball thing you put on top of your tree just out of curiosity?

[katmckee]

I love the idea of closing it and putting on the shelf til next year.

[PropPrintables]

GENIUS! Love it! It would be cool to see it decorated. :)

[red-king]

 out of curiosity, what book did you use for this?

[littleredbox]

 twas a plastic coated copy of Dickens'  - 'Pictures from Italy'......so really wasnt ever going to be read...

[red-king]

I see.

[sdallesasse]

One of these could be a good way to keep a Christmas scrapbook for anual pages.   Although you would have to get a blank hardcover book or moleskin like thing.  Very creative!

[littleredbox]

 oh yes, like that one....sounds like a project for next year

[dwcarr]

Nice!! I love the simple to do.

L

[zedomax]

AWESOME, posting to my blog!

[olizilla]

Why sir, I do believe you are a genius. I might have to go and destroy some yuletide literature.
 
In the words of the Symbionese Liberation Army:
"Books, once read, make a good bullet proofing [ or christmas decoration ]".