I have been thinking about different ways to recycle old books that are tattered and torn. Many of these are no longer useful as reading copies.
I made this collage greeting card this morning using a page from "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. This page was printed in the early 1900s and has a nice aged color.
I like to find pages that have inspiring quotations on them that the recipient of the card will enjoy. The chapter title of this page is "Artistic Attempts". I thought that was very appropriate since I was using the page to create an artistic project.
I also liked the last paragraph on the page;
"Very well, Amy; if your heart is set upon it, and you see your way through without too great an outlay of money, time and temper, I'll say no more. Talk it over with the girls, and whichever way you decide, I'll do my best to help you."
"Thanks, mother; you are always so kind;" and away went Amy to lay her plan before her sisters.
I tore off a strip of blue Mulberry Paper and attached it to the book page with glue dots. (I found the paper at Big Lots.) I then used a piece of flocked patterned paper that looks like fuzzy piano keys across the blue paper. I used a small piece of silver/white patterned paper right under the chapter heading (I found both sheets of the patterned paper on clearance at Hobby Lobby). I applied an embossed reproduction of an image from an antique card on top of the piano keys. I found the package of antique art reproductions (Artifacts, Inc.) on clearance at Michaels.
I think this is a creative way to recycle old book pages and bring some joy into a special person's life. Who knows, this card might inspire someone to find a copy of "Little Women" and read the entire book.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.