painted books?!

oh, yeah, you read that post title right... PAINTED books!

now, before the book-loving librarians, historians, and antiquarians

start ranting at me - lemme' 'splain:

i bought these six large encyclopedias from a thrift store

for ten cents each. three years ago.

miscellaneous volumes circa 1950, with covers that were yellowed, aged, cracked leather.

perfect for the store display i was using them as props in!

but since then, they've languished in a box in the garage. just gettin' older.

my decision was to either recycle them - seriously, the library does NOT want them donated - 

or do something creative with them to make them useful again.

so i turned to my trusty friend, Paint.
turns out a MAYkeover was exactly what they needed! 

continue reading to see where they live now...

my inspiration was color paint chips (duh, i'm obsessed!)

and this color-mixing page in my lifelong favorite creative resource: 

the  'Make & Do' volume of the Childcraft 'How and Why' Library, from World Book.
(for my younger readers: World Book Encyclopedias were the first Google. LOL )

i read this book over and over and over as a kid. i made every project - more than once!

when i was stuck in bed for a summer after i cut the bottom of my foot and had stitches,

this book was my constant companion.

i'm sitting here looking at that photo thinking 'man i REALLY want that entire set of books again!'

but i digress.... back to our project...

this one was easy-peasy: it's just paint. 

* paint the book covers with eggshell white interior paint.

* use craft paints to add swatches of color on the spines - 

mine are somewhat random, yours could be even. 

(and yes, i COULD have painted these like actual paint chips, with variations of the hues,

but i decided i preferred this simple look.)
i chose a rainbow color scheme, but you could select any palette that you love!

then i created a display with the books 

(they seemed destined to live the life of 'prop' in my hands...)

 the display sits on the credenza/dresser in my studio,

with the huge white wood gate that i salvaged from my Mom & Dad's house before it sold.

it makes a perfect backdrop for photos!

the books are joined by an old scale that my Dad used in his warehouse

and two wire trash baskets from the Dollar Tree.

inside those, i placed some 'artful' accessories that tie into the painting theme:

my 'painted paint chip wall art' is paired with a pencil that can also be a paintbrush - 

i got it when i visited the Walt Disney Family Museum. and no, i don't use it!!!

the greeting card on the right is from Hallmark, by an artist whom i have long admired...

Marjolein Bastin's beautiful sketches and watercolor style always catches my eye.

the sentiment on this card describes a part of my approach to decorating:

"In every season of life, there is something to celebrate."

so true! even when times are hard, we can find something to celebrate and appreciate.

for me, it's a growing love affair with bright, happy colors. so i am using them!

now, every day, i look across my desk

and i see these books and a few other fun colorful accents that inspire me...

my creative space makes me SO happy now!
and happiness, my friends, is a celebration of life.

right here, in a little room in my house, life can be happy and bright and joyful.

and then i can share it with others, hopefully helping them to find some joy, as well, 

as we all face situations and limitations that are challenging every day.

we can do this, my friends. we can do this together. let's share our happy, shall we?

some days i might need a bit of yours. and on the days you need a bit of mine, 

i'll be here creating and sharing... 

be safe. be wise. be well, my friends. and be creative!

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #525