I love old books, especially those featuring gold embossing and other intricate designs on the cover. I must have accumulated dozens of antique books over the years that I purchased simply because the artwork was too beautiful to pass up.
One of my passions in life is collecting antiques. Therefore, I hate the thought of old books being sacraficed for craft projects unless they're in poor condition. This said, there are many sources for antique books you may purchase for their cover artwork (or the artwork and illustrations inside). These include tag sales, thrift stores, and library book sales. Some antique stores may also carry a selection of discounted books.
The book I used for this project was purchased for 25-cents at a recent rummage sale. It was in very bad condition and a few strings away from losing its cover. Fortunately, the gold embossed artwork looked wonderful. After a quick buff with a slightly damp rag, the color became more vivid and the gold's lustre was restored.
Because the cover of the book is fairly thick, I didn't need to adhere the paperweight kit's mounting board to the reverse side. Instead, I used the mounting board as a guide to trace my cut line. Once the artwork was cut (see above) it took less than a minute to place the artwork in the paperweight (PhotoWeights: Round Paperweight Kit) and apply the velvet bottom pad to finish.
Please leave a comment to let us know what you thought about this project. We'd also love to hear about your project ideas.
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Great Idea! I never thought that an antique book cover can turn into a glass paperweight. I would definitely try this one of these days.
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