When I was in high school I worked at the local public library. One of my duties was to help sort through donated books and decide what could be sold at the semi-annual used books sale and which books were best tossed into the recycling. It always made me sad to find books that looked beautiful on the outside but had loose or missing pages. I would bring them home and re-bind them into journals or scrapbooks, but over the years I came across more damaged volumes than I could rescue.
I wish I’d seen this stack of books lamp tutorial about 15 years sooner! Kimberly at Bugaboo, Mini Mr. & Me made this beauty as her audition piece for the soon-to-begin 7th season of So You Think You’re Crafty? and it paid off; she’s one of the ten contestants! (Congratulations, Kim!) Don’t have books laying around for making your own lamp? Try checking out your local thrift shops! [how to make a stack of books lamp]
Project estimate:
- Old books, on hand or about $5
- Scrap wood, on hand
- Drill and drill bits, on hand
- Lamp wiring kit, about $5
- Lamp harp, about $3
- Threaded rod, about $2
- Glue, on hand
- Mod Podge, on hand
- Lampshade, $1 and up
Total: $11 and up
7 Comments
Libby's Library
OMGosh – I LOVE THIS
Going directly to the top of my husbands “honey do” list!
Rhianon
Love it! I’m definitely doing this, and thinking decoupaged book pages on the lamp shade. I’m a sucker for book crafts.
Jessica Peter (& psyche on Craftster!)
This is adorable! Love it.
Kimberly
Aw, thanks Rhonda! It was a handful to figure out at first, but I’m glad I persisted! :)
Katie
This is FABULOUS. Love, love.
Martha
Several years ago I made a floor lamp with a table using old books, especially old encyclopedia volumes. I was a school librarian at the time and used the lamp as part of the decor in my library. The students loved it.
Annette
Oh I love this! And I wish so much I were craftier. I linked to this from my blog here:
http://ourseasonsofjoy.com/weekend-round-up/weekend-round-up-9/