How to Make a Wreath out of Book Pages: A Paper Art Project

One for you, one for me…oh, excuse me–you’ve caught me mid-thought! Whenever I see a mixed-media art project like this DIY wreath made from book pages (below), I immediately plan to make one for myself and one as a gift. The cool thing about this wreath is that you can dress it up a little all through the year so that it reflects the current holiday or season.

I found this project in Paper Art magazine, which is included in the Paper Lover’s Ultimate Collection, along with a Paper Lover’s Collection CD and a copy of the popular book Mollie Makes Papercraft!

How to Make a Wreath Out of Book Pages by Angela Chavez

I love decorating my home for the holidays, but I don’t do a lot of decorating the rest of the year. When I needed a wreath this year I decided to use old book pages to create one that could stay up long after the holidays were over.

Creating “green” projects like this one is a passion of mine, especially when I can find ways to repurpose discarded books into unique home dècor. The neutral color of the pages makes them the perfect crafting material, and it’s easy to make this wreath look more festive with the addition of a colorful bow.

This wreath takes several hours to complete, but it is not difficult. Even children can help with scrunching and folding the pages. The end result is unique and beautiful, and the wreath makes a wonderful gift for the book lovers in your life.

DIY Wreath Materials:

• Old book pages, approximately 200–250 (Books can be found at thrift stores, yard or library sales, and even auctions, but avoid brittle pages.)
• Hole punch, 1⁄8″ round
• Welding rod, ⅛ x 36″ round, steel (These are found in the hardware section of home improvement stores.)
• Bucket, 5-gallon
• Brass hose joiner barb (This can be found in the plumbing section of a hardware store.)
• Glue gun and glue sticks (I use a cool-temperature glue gun if children are helping.)
• Twill tape or ribbon, for hanging the wreath

Optional:

• Safety goggles
• Wire cutters
• Bow, fabric or ribbon

	Figure 1 (left) and Figure 2 (right)

Directions:

1. Carefully remove the pages from the book. I prefer to tear the pages instead of cutting them, as the torn edges add to the charm of this wreath.

2. Gently scrunch each page in your hand to add fullness to the paper, (Figure 1) and then open the pages flat.

3. Hold the page horizontally and fold it in thirds lengthwise. With the page still folded in thirds, fold the page in half the short way, and use the hole punch to create a hole above the fold. (Figure 2) Repeat with the rest of the pages.

TIP: When folding the pages, I keep the
5-gallon bucket by me and toss the pages in as
I work. This makes it easy to do this step while
hanging out or watching a movie.

4. Bend the welding rod around the bucket to form a ring. The welding rod is made of firm metal, so use caution while manipulating and bending it, as this will take some force.
TIP: If you want to create a smaller wreath,
wear safety goggles and use wire cutters to
trim the welding rod to your desired length.

	Figure 3

5. Thread the book pages onto the rod through the punched hole in each page. (Figure 3) Pack them tightly and cover the entire rod.

6. Attach the ends of the rod with the brass hose joiner barb to create the ring.

7. On a protected work surface, apply glue between each page in an area where the glue will touch both the rod and the page. This will keep the pages positioned correctly and securely so they do not shift or bunch unevenly on the rod.
TIP: Position the pages at different angles on
the rod to add thickness to the wreath.

8. Position and glue the pages on either side of the brass hose joiner barb so they conceal it.

9. Cut a 5″ piece of twill tape or ribbon, and tie it around the rod at the connector to hang the wreath.

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