the ReFab Diaries

Back in January I compiled a post on book folding and mentioned that my own attempts (pictured below) had been inspired by a long-ago issue of Budget Living Magazine. In June I was asked to please share the instructions from Budget Living. I couldn't find them. Of course. And then, the other day, there they were!  Folded (!) at the bottom of a box of old catalogs and things I've been storing. So I've done my best to share them ... and make them usable:

I find almost any book "art" entrancing but these booklights (Pile of Lights) from In Every Tree would win the prize - if I had a prize to give away.  Sadly, they retail in Stockholm only ... perhaps they ship?


Book sculpture continues to fascinate and is quite do-able.  Check out my handiwork here and a super-simple tutorial here.  In essence,  grab a book you might otherwise donate and start folding.  You'll quickly see patterns emerge.  Or, you could use the following image as inspiration and stack them in some wonderful way.


Finally, you could take a stab (literally) at some serious book sculpting.  You need to work with a really sharp craft knife!  There are amazing "altered books" artists out there.  For example, the appropriately named  "King's Garden" below by Karen ..... of Karen's Whimsy.

Etsy and Pinterest are awash with amazing "book art", "book folds" and "book sculpture".  If you can pick up a beautiful used artifact for $1 (25c!) that you can continue to appreciate in some meaningful way, do it. And when it comes to kids' books, what else are you going to do with the ones that have been chewed on, colored in, ripped or ridden like skateboards?



I discovered quite quickly that you need to start easy and practice. So, this really is the easiest "book fold" possible and it's reversible, i.e. you can unfold it and read it again. If you're looking for the popular grown-up tutorials on this blog, go here.





Old picture books can often look a little worse for the ware on the outside. So this is a great way to re-purpose something that is really colorful on the inside (and often sentimental in general) without ruining it.




This Sesame Street Treasury works really well because the inside covers are colorful - a work of art in themselves.  Get the tutorial after the jump!