Discover 47 fun and easy book page crafts, perfect for repurposing old books into unique home decor, gifts, and DIY projects.
I know what you’re thinking—books are precious, and cutting them up for crafts might seem shocking. But let’s be honest: Some books, like old dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks, or those damaged beyond repair, often gather dust in thrift stores. Rather than letting them go to waste, why not repurpose them into beautiful and meaningful craft projects?
Old book pages are a cheap, versatile resource that can add personality and a touch of vintage charm to various DIY crafts. If you’re a book lover, it’s a great way to breathe new life into something that might otherwise be thrown away.
Creative Ways to Use Old Book Pages
Book pages come in different colours and textures depending on the book’s age, making them perfect for various projects. The possibilities are endless, whether you’re using the pages of a book with beautiful text, music sheets from an old hymnal, or illustrations from vintage encyclopedias.
You can create everything from easy crafts like photo frames, leaf groupings, and gift wraps to more intricate DIY book crafts like wreaths and garlands for your home decor. Imagine a book page wreath hanging on your door or book page flowers in your vase—now that’s a fun way to personalize your space!
Repurpose with Purpose
Upcycling unwanted books isn’t just about being thrifty—though that’s a bonus! It’s about giving these books a second life. Here are some great reasons and ideas to repurpose old book pages:
- Eco-Friendly Crafting: Repurposing pages from old, outdated books into beautiful DIY crafts is an eco-conscious way to create. Instead of tossing damaged or unwanted books, recycle them.
- Create Unique Art: Whether it’s book page art for your walls or fall decorations like book page pumpkins, these projects allow you to bring new beauty into your home while celebrating the stories within the books.
- Craft for Gift-Giving: Old book pages make excellent materials for custom photo frames, creative gift wraps, and DIY keepsakes. They add a meaningful touch to gifts for loved ones.
- Inexpensive Supplies: A quick trip to a thrift store will give you plenty of cheap books. Vintage books, in particular, offer beautifully aged pages perfect for projects like wall art, wreaths, and garlands. You may have some old books at home that are out of date and no longer useful as books.
- Sentimental Value: For book lovers, crafting with old pages can be a great way to add a personal or nostalgic element to your DIY projects. It’s a fun way to breathe new life into something you cherish.
Repurposing old book pages is a creative and sustainable approach to crafting, offering a variety of projects for every skill level and style!
Book Page Crafts: 47 Easy DIY Ideas for Book Lovers
Turn unwanted books into beautiful art and decor with these easy DIY book page craft ideas, perfect for creative book lovers.
Recycled Cardboard and Book Page Sunflowers
These rustic book page sunflowers are a fantastic way to turn trash into treasure, repurposing household items that might otherwise be thrown away! With a step-by-step video tutorial, you'll learn an easy technique to create beautiful paper sunflowers, giving new life to old materials while adding a charming, eco-friendly touch to your space.
Book Page Mushrooms and a Summer Mantel
Mushrooms are all the rage in decor right now, and these book page mushrooms are the perfect way to tap into that trend. They add a quirky, vintage vibe that fits right in with the popular mushroom aesthetic! Check out these other mushroom crafts.
Paper Lanterns for Festive Occasions
You can turn pages from old novels and books into these super cute hanging mini paper lanterns, complete with paper tassels. They're a fun and easy way to add some charm to your decor!
How To Embroider On Paper To Make Unique Dictionary Art
Dictionary paper might seem too delicate to embroider on, but this post shows you a simple, clever trick to make it feel more like fabric, making it super easy to stitch. With this technique, you can create some amazing, one-of-a-kind pictorial dictionary art!
Repurpose an old book into a paper garland
This is a great way to give a second life to old books with lots of colourful illustrations and photos by turning it into a fun colourful garland for the home.
How I made a Hymnbook Angel
Old hymn books are the perfect choice for making these beautiful folded angels for your Christmas decor. They add a meaningful touch to an already special holiday craft!
Farmhouse Style Book Page Carrots
Add a touch of rustic charm to your home decor with these adorable farmhouse-style book page carrots. Crafted from old book pages, twine, and a little creativity, these DIY carrots are perfect for spring or Easter craft decorations.
Upcycled Book Page Gift Bags
Make your gifts extra special this year with these charming little book page gift bags, perfect for small but thoughtful presents. Crafted from the pages of old books, these eco-friendly bags are a unique and personal way to wrap up small treasures. Whether it’s jewelry, candles, or keepsakes, these DIY gift bags add a literary touch and vintage charm to your gift-giving.
How To Make A fun Dictionary Christmas Decoupage Baubles
Print the gorgeous vintage images provided onto old dictionary pages and decoupage them onto baubles for a unique and festive Christmas decoration. For an extra special touch, try matching the words on the pages with the images you've selected, adding a thoughtful and personal element to your holiday decor.
Book Page Garland Swag
With its large paper leaves and flowers, this book page garland swag is soft, delicate, and sure to be a conversation starter. It adds a touch of vintage charm and beauty to any space, making it a standout piece in your decor.
How to make Valentine Book Bunting
Celebrate love this Valentine’s Day with a beautiful DIY book page bunting. Made from repurposed book pages, this garland is simple yet stunning. Each page is adorned with red heart stamps, adding a romantic touch to the vintage text
Beautiful Paper Map Roses The Easy Way
These paper roses are crafted from the pages of an old street atlas, but you could easily use sheet music or pages from a novel for a different look. The atlas pages, however, add a unique touch of color and detail, making the flowers stand out with their subtle maps and lines.
Crafting Paper Roses Wreath
Create a stunning and timeless decoration with a DIY paper roses wreath. Crafted from repurposed book pages, these delicate roses form a beautiful wreath perfect for any occasion. Whether hung on a door, above a mantel, or as part of a wedding decor, the paper roses add an elegant, vintage touch to your space.
Handmade Christmas Ornaments
Make mini book page wreaths to hang as ornaments from the the Christmas tree.
Book Page Medallions
These book page medallions are made in a unique way by sawing up a whole book into strips and then bending the pages to make loops. It's a very effective technique to make a unique decoration, I love the addition of the button in the middle.
How To Make An Advent Calendar With An Old Dictionary
Print vintage images onto old dictionary pages and use them to craft mini envelopes for this charming vintage pictorial dictionary advent calendar. For an added layer of fun, try matching the words on the dictionary pages with the free vintage clip art, making each envelope a delightful and meaningful part of your countdown to Christmas.
Make Wreath: Grapevine Book Wreath
With the help of some Mod Podge or white glue learn how to make a paper vine to create your own book page grapevine wreath for the front door.
Turn Old Book Pages Into Gift Bags
These charming little paper gift bags, adorned with black and white stamped motifs, would look stunning crafted from old encyclopedia or dictionary pages.
DIY Paper Christmas Trees
Although these rustic paper trees were originally made for Christmas, they’re perfect for decorating your mantel throughout the entire fall and winter season. Their timeless charm and cozy, handmade feel make them a beautiful addition to your home, well beyond the holidays.
Easy Paper Leaf Embroidery – A Unique Fall Decoration
Create a one-of-a-kind mini fall decoration for your mantel with this beautifully embroidered paper oak leaf. It's a perfect blend of rustic charm and delicate craftsmanship, adding a cozy autumnal touch to your home decor.
How To Make Paper Pine Cone Ornaments
You can use pages from old books, music sheets, or atlases to make these stunning paper pine cones, and trust me, it’s way easier than it looks!
Book Page Gift Boxes
Decoupage papier-mâché or cardboard boxes with pages from old dictionaries to create the most charming gift and trinket boxes. One of these filled with cufflinks would make a thoughtful and unique gift for any man, adding a personal and vintage touch to your present.
Easy DIY Book Wreath with a Custom Sign
This wreath is super easy to mak. All you need is some hot glue, a pizza box, and an old book! Customize the chalkboard sign in the center to fit the season or match your personal style. Simple, fun, and totally unique!
Rustic Decoupage Terracotta Pots
Decoupage some terracotta pots! These cute rustic planters, covered in vintage book pages, add a unique, cozy vibe indoors or out. Perfect for your favorite plants, they’re an easy DIY project that gives your space a fun, literary touch!
Painted Indigo Book Page Pumpkin
Decoupage a pumpkin with book pages and splash it with indigo ink for a standout fall decoration. It’s perfect if you want a rustic look with a twist, offering something unique beyond the usual orange decor!
DIY Sheet Music Watercolor Fall Leaves
Create beautiful fall leaves using sheet music or book pages, then paint them in autumn colors with watercolor pencils. Hot glue them to branches, and you've got a stunning fall decor piece that's super easy to make!
Book Page Pumpkin: A Creative Twist on Fall Decorating
Learn how to make a cute book page pumpkin with this super easy DIY! In just a few steps, you’ll turn old book pages into a unique fall decoration that adds a rustic, cozy vibe to your space. Perfect for Halloween or just embracing those autumn feels—this craft is a fun way to give old books new life!
How to Make Book Page Balls
All you need is an old book some glue a fluted punch and a styrofoam ball to make one of these wonderful book page ball decorations.
Book Page Pumpkin Candle Covers
This craft is so easy! Just cut out pumpkin silhouettes from book pages and wrap them around glass jars to create gorgeous fall candle holders for your mantel. You can easily switch it up for other seasons, like using a heart for Valentine's Day. It's a simple, cute way to add some cozy vibes to your home decor!
How to make DIY Decoupage Botanical Art
I’m always on the hunt for creative ways to showcase vintage prints in my home, and this idea is a favorite! By decoupaging old book pages onto a board or canvas, you can create a one-of-a-kind frame that perfectly complements vintage art. The end result looks incredible and adds a unique, personal touch to any space.
Book Balls!
Turn old book pages into beautiful paper hydrangeas that add a touch of vintage flair to your decor. Whether you’re using them as Christmas ornaments, table centerpieces, or just a fun home accent, these flowers are an easy way to upcycle old books into something totally unique.
Book Page Wreath
It's the beautiful book page bow on this paper wreath that takes it to another level!
Star Design from Vintage Bookpages
Roll book pages into pencil sized tubes and create this gorgeous 3d star Christmas decoration. It would look fabulous on either the door or the mantle and is very robust for a paper decoration.
Vintage paper trees - Keeping With The Times
If you're all about making mini cone Christmas trees for the holidays, these fringed paper ones are a must! They’ll add a fun, festive vibe to your table setup.
Craft Your Own DIY Gift Tags from Upcycled Book Pages
Looking for some DIY gift tags with a quirky, vintage vibe? Try using old book pages! They’re super easy to make and can be customized for just about any occasion. Unique, personalized gift tags in no time!
DIY Recycled Book Apple
Create an adorable recycled book apple by cutting an old book into apple shapes, then fanning and glueing the pages for a 3D effect. Add a twig stem and a paper leaf for a cute, rustic finish. It’s the perfect fall decor or sweet gift for a teacher!
Book Page Bunnies
Inspired by the stitched paper bunny treat bags on this site, Wendy made this book-page version. I love the touch of the button detail and the cute, colourful neck ribbons.
Book Page Magnolia Wreath
The Book Page Magnolia Wreath is a beautiful, handcrafted piece made from repurposed book pages, shaped into magnolia leaves. This unique wreath adds a charming, literary touch to your home decor,
DIY Book Page Rope Bowl
This gorgeous book page bowl looks like something straight out of Pottery Barn or Anthropology. It would look great on the center of a table.
How to make a Folded Book Christmas Tree
Book folding is such a fun craft to dive into! I’ve seen some incredible designs and always wonder how they pull it off. This Christmas tree design, though, looks totally doable and would make a stunning decoration for your mantel.
Dictionary Craft Word Magnets
This is such a fun project: make fridge magnets using words from an old dictionary! These have a crafty theme, but you can easily switch it up with a sports or science theme for gifting. And don't forget to check out the postage stamp magnets I made using a similar method!
How to Make Decorative Feathers from Old Book Pages
I absolutely love feather crafts, and these book page feathers are perfect as gift toppers or beautiful accents for paper wreaths. They add a unique, delicate touch to any project!
DIY Christmas Butterfly Ornament
Decoupage the inside of tuna cans with book pages, then cut out colourful images, like these beautiful butterflies, from old books to create stunning, unique ornaments. It’s an easy and creative way to upcycle and add a bit of charm to your decor!
Easter Craft- Easy Easter Egg Banner
A book page Easter egg banner is the perfect way to bring a pop of color and fun texture to any space. It’s a simple, creative project that adds a unique and festive touch to your decor!
Paper Angel Wings Wall Decor
These beautiful angel wings were crafted from an old road atlas, but they would look just as stunning made from vintage book pages.
Framed Monogram with Paper Flowers
These framed monogram book page letters make for a thoughtful and personalized handmade gift perfect for anyone!
Paper Moths Art – Fun Faux Taxidermy
There are three different moth patterns to make with this fun tutorial. These were made from old road map books but would look good with any vintage book paper.
Easy Guide: How to Make Paper Beads and Craft Your Jewellery
You can easily make paper beads from book pages and turn them into upcycled jewellery, such as necklaces and bracelets.
Conclusion & Other Paper Craft Ideas
Old book crafts are a creative outlet to give new life to the stories and knowledge tucked away in those dusty pages. Whether you’re whipping up book page flowers, crafting a wreath, or experimenting with DIY projects like book letters or paper moths, the possibilities are endless!
So the next time you spot a stack of outdated or damaged books, don’t pass them by. Instead, imagine all the quirky and fun crafts waiting to be made. You might turn those forgotten pages into something truly magical!
Looking for more paper crafting ideas? Be sure to check out the rest of the paper crafts on the site, where you’ll find tutorials for home paper decor projects, sweet paper heart crafts, festive Christmas paper crafts, and tips on techniques like decoupage and sewing on paper. There’s plenty of inspiration for your next crafty adventure!
Deb
Monday 4th of November 2024
I have made pinwheels, for a garland, different sizes, for a baby shower using pages from older children’s books.
Claire Armstrong
Tuesday 5th of November 2024
That sounds like a lovely idea, I bet they looked wonderful.
Darlene Barrier
Monday 21st of October 2024
These are beautiful I would like to recieve your crafts by e-mail Please,
Thank You
Claire Armstrong
Tuesday 22nd of October 2024
Thank you so much. You are already subscribed to the blog, check the emails aren't in your spam.
Radha kumari
Monday 16th of September 2024
These book page crafts are wonderfully creative and inspiring! The projects are both beautiful and clever, making great use of old books. Thanks for sharing such unique and artistic ideas—perfect for book lovers and crafters alike!
Claire Armstrong
Tuesday 17th of September 2024
Thank you so much, book pages are a creat crafting resource.
Joanne
Friday 13th of September 2024
These are some super fun ideas! I really love that rose wreath.
Claire Armstrong
Tuesday 17th of September 2024
Thank you, that wreath does look gorgeous.