Friday, May 25, 2012

When a Bookworm is Having a Baby...

...and drops a few un-subtle hints that she might like something like this for decorations at the shower...
a crafty sister gets busy dutifully making some folded book sculpture hangy-things.
Because she loves her little bookworm sister, and is happy that there will soon be another girl to help balance the scales (current tally: 6 boys/2 girls... all ages 6 and under, I might add).
Folded books are all over the internet these days, found on people's mantels and being sold in etsy shops.
Never one to leave a new idea un-tried, but fully anticipated being bored to tears by the time I hit page 10, this crafty sister set to work.
Following a combination of instructions found here and here, I folded page after page.
Its a surprisingly therapeutic and addictive craft.
For those inquiring minds out there... both books were found at our local thrift shop. Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls and Twilight. Because she likes classics and Pacific Northwest vampires.
And then, because this sister couldn't leave well enough alone, a few more books were sacrificed in order to make the Mama and her future bookworm happy.

A festive combination of pages from The Hobbit, printed with the letters of Baby Girl's name,
pages from a vintage storybook and scrapbook papers cut and layered, a sweet circle bunting purchased here (that's where I draw the line... cutting out circles),
then sewn together with a zig-zag stitch on my machine.
Now, when that baby has been born and stolen away to another state to live, she will look up at the lovely decorations in her nursery and know in her heart that her Auntie Beth loves her best.
Then she will look at her parents with an accusing eye and beg them to move back home where they belong.

8 comments:

Gayle said...

Your folded books are just lovely! I imagine that they took quite a bit of time to fold. I made one once where I cut each page to the same shape and it looked like a vase when it was finished - your idea is much easier!

Marie said...

Nice! And I'm all for anything to get them to move back home where they belong! (though I'm not so sure that Auntie Beth loves her best.... 'just saying!)

Ellen said...

Your creativity knows no bounds!!!

MartyG said...

Oh my, these are fabulous. Not only will Clara want to move back home, it made me want to hop a plane right away so we could make more of these together. Great job. The banners are adorable. I will check out the links. For circles you can get a 3 inch circle punch from the craft store. And punch circles to your hearts content. Marty

Melissa said...

Beth, these are fantastic! I've never seen this idea before and will now have to go find out more. You've done a fabulous job with everything!

joann boswell said...

They are SO perfect! Clara is doomed to a life a book-loving. And, don't fear, all three of us long to return to the great and wonderful Northwest (and Clara's Auntie Death) as soon as possible. Thank you, sweet sister mine!

Candice said...

Beautiful! So exciting to see examples ... and it IS therapeutic right? :)

Anonymous said...

Absolutely love it! Wish I had a sister like you. You are so talented. The name swags are so coordinated with everything. You can be proud of yourself.

Diane
Central PA