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While researching the internet for homemade gift ideas I came across this really cool book safe. I decided to make one for my Uncle this year. I used a really big book on mathematical theory that I found at a used book store. When my Uncle first opened the book and lookd at the cover, he glanced up at me with a bewildered look on his face, it was the same look I had imagined it would be, but when he opened it up he just couldn't believe his eyes. He said this was the most thoughtful and creative gift he had ever gotten. He LOVED it!
If you have someone on your shopping list that is hard to buy for, you may want to consider making them a book safe.
This gift is time consuming to make, it is truly a labor of love, but the expression on your loved ones face when they open it up will be worth all of your efforts.
Materials Needed:
a book
modge podge glue
paint brush
exacto knife or dremmil tool
fabric
colored paper
family pictures
wax paper
Step 1:
Buy a used book. You probably want to get a deep book. The book I used was 3 inches deep from cover to cover. Yours doesn't have to be that deep but it should be a least 2 inches.
Gather your materials.
Modge Podge can be purchased at any arts and crafts stores. Get the glossy kind.
Step 2:
Open up your book and mark where you want to cut your pages at. You may want to leave some pages in the front to cover up the safe. I choose not to leave any pages in the front of mine.
You will want to leave a 1 inch border between the cut hole and outside edge of the pages. Use a ruler and measure in 1 inch and make your lines where you will be cutting on. Use an exacto knife to cut through your pages. You will not want to cut through to the very bottom of the book. Leave some pages at the bottom. This can be very time consuming especially if you have a very deep book. I cut mine over a weeks time, cutting a little every day. If using an exacto knife is too difficult for you, you can also use a dremil tool.
Once you have your hole cut out it will look something like this:
Step 3:
Now you will want to glue your pages together. Take out your modge podge and paint brush. Make sure your pages are all lined up properly and then begin to paint all around the outside edge of the pages as well as inside of the hole. Put on a medium coat. take a piece of wax paper and place between the cover and where your hole is and close the book. Place something heavy on the top and allow to dry for about 30 minutes. You can then reapply more coats, 2-3, allowing dry time between each coat. Once all of your coats are finished allow book to dry for 24 hours before going on to step 4.
Step 4:
Now you are going to decorate your book. I am sure there are probably many ways to decorate your pages, but this is the way that I did it.
I picked out three different colors of paper that I liked and cut them into differet shapes. I gave each shape a flat edge so that it would line up with the edge of the book right. I then glued the pieces to the book around the hole, overlapping each piece. I used a regular glue stick. After I finished, I trimmed up the inner edge.
Step 5:
When all of your pieces of paper have been glued down and trimmed up you will want to put a protective coat of modge podge over your work. Using thin coats, apply about 3-4 coats allowing 20 minutes to dry between coats. Don't forget to use your wax paper when you close the book.
Step 6:
Now you can line the hole you cut out with fabric. I used fleece. Glue the fabric in with hot glue or fabric glue. It is a little tricky getting the fabric in there good. Once in there you can trim up the top edges. When finished, you can apply one more coat of modge podge to stick down any tiny pieces of fabric that might be sticking up.
Step 7:
Now if you want to you can decorate the back of the front cover. I decorated mine because I didn't leave any loose pages in the front of the book. You may not want to do so.
Gather a family picture, magazine picture, stickers, really whatever you want and make a collage on the inside cover. I put a piece of colored paper down before I began my collage. Glue everything down with a glue stick or regular glue. When finished, apply 3-4 coats of modge podge allowing dry time between coats.
This is what my finished product looked like:
If you make one of these, please leave me a comment and a link to pictures of your book safe. I would love to see it!
a book
modge podge glue
paint brush
exacto knife or dremmil tool
fabric
colored paper
family pictures
wax paper
Step 1:
Buy a used book. You probably want to get a deep book. The book I used was 3 inches deep from cover to cover. Yours doesn't have to be that deep but it should be a least 2 inches.
Gather your materials.
Modge Podge can be purchased at any arts and crafts stores. Get the glossy kind.
Step 2:
Open up your book and mark where you want to cut your pages at. You may want to leave some pages in the front to cover up the safe. I choose not to leave any pages in the front of mine.
You will want to leave a 1 inch border between the cut hole and outside edge of the pages. Use a ruler and measure in 1 inch and make your lines where you will be cutting on. Use an exacto knife to cut through your pages. You will not want to cut through to the very bottom of the book. Leave some pages at the bottom. This can be very time consuming especially if you have a very deep book. I cut mine over a weeks time, cutting a little every day. If using an exacto knife is too difficult for you, you can also use a dremil tool.
Once you have your hole cut out it will look something like this:
Step 3:
Now you will want to glue your pages together. Take out your modge podge and paint brush. Make sure your pages are all lined up properly and then begin to paint all around the outside edge of the pages as well as inside of the hole. Put on a medium coat. take a piece of wax paper and place between the cover and where your hole is and close the book. Place something heavy on the top and allow to dry for about 30 minutes. You can then reapply more coats, 2-3, allowing dry time between each coat. Once all of your coats are finished allow book to dry for 24 hours before going on to step 4.
Step 4:
Now you are going to decorate your book. I am sure there are probably many ways to decorate your pages, but this is the way that I did it.
I picked out three different colors of paper that I liked and cut them into differet shapes. I gave each shape a flat edge so that it would line up with the edge of the book right. I then glued the pieces to the book around the hole, overlapping each piece. I used a regular glue stick. After I finished, I trimmed up the inner edge.
Step 5:
When all of your pieces of paper have been glued down and trimmed up you will want to put a protective coat of modge podge over your work. Using thin coats, apply about 3-4 coats allowing 20 minutes to dry between coats. Don't forget to use your wax paper when you close the book.
Step 6:
Now you can line the hole you cut out with fabric. I used fleece. Glue the fabric in with hot glue or fabric glue. It is a little tricky getting the fabric in there good. Once in there you can trim up the top edges. When finished, you can apply one more coat of modge podge to stick down any tiny pieces of fabric that might be sticking up.
Step 7:
Now if you want to you can decorate the back of the front cover. I decorated mine because I didn't leave any loose pages in the front of the book. You may not want to do so.
Gather a family picture, magazine picture, stickers, really whatever you want and make a collage on the inside cover. I put a piece of colored paper down before I began my collage. Glue everything down with a glue stick or regular glue. When finished, apply 3-4 coats of modge podge allowing dry time between coats.
This is what my finished product looked like:
If you make one of these, please leave me a comment and a link to pictures of your book safe. I would love to see it!
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