The bookmaking possibilities are endless when you use the materials laying around the house. From empty wine boxes to broken junk jewelry, there is an incredibly unique and eco-conscious book waiting to be made.
A new journal made up of recycled envelopes and cardboard. Get it on Etsy!
When I first started making books I would spend so much money going to craft shops to buy book and chipboard. But then I wised up and realized that I could eat my elbow noodles and make a journal out of it too!
This is chipboard! These boxes will be used for semi soft covers.
One of favorite materials to use in crafting books is through upcycling library books. I like spending a day going “book hunting,” by hitting up the different libraries in my area searching for books that found themselves abandoned on “free” shelves.
Library books waiting to become blank books!
You might be asking yourself if cutting up a book is ethical. I wrestle with this moral question constantly, especially while browsing book art sculptures on Pinterest. The truth is that some publications will inherently end up never being read again due to a lack of interest, over publication, and so forth. While I don’t make sculptures from published books, I do reclaim covers, colored end pages, and images. To maintain a moral compass while out on a book hunting expedition, I keep two things in mind: 1. Do I want to read the content so I can save interiors for reading later? 2. Is the cover interesting?
Reusing materials can help to reduce the carbon footprint in a small way. Reusing materials also forces you to use creative problem solving skills by reimagining what an object could be. Check back here next Sunday for a tutorial on how to make your own upcycled library journal!
1134 Comix 
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