DIY Book Charms

 

I love these book charms because I made them look super old and they remind me of spell books. You can use them for earrings, a keychain, a necklace, and probably more. I like how easy it is to change/add details. I recomend reading all the directions before you start making one so you are prepared. I broke the instructions up into sections so it is more organized and easy to understand.

Stage 1: Base

Start by cutting a piece of cardboard the size you want the book to be. Cut one or two more the same size so the book is thicker.

Glue the cardboard on top of eachother. Use a regular glue stick.

Cut a strip of paper that is slightly wider than the cardboard. I am using cardstock because it is thicker and will last longer without getting damaged. 

Use a glue stick to glue the cardboard on the paper. The paper should be slightly larger than the cardboard.

Wrap the paper around two sides of the cardboard and glue down. Cut off the extra.

Stage 2: Paint

Choose what color you want for the cover of the book. Then paint the outside cover that color.

After the cover is dry, you can paint the edges and inside of the cover the same as the outside. (I forgot to take a picture of this step.)

Then paint the pages inside the book. I used an off white color to make it feel more old and fantasy. If your book is more modern you can just use white or gray. After everything is dry I fixed some mistakes I made while painting.

Stage 3: Details and Variations

The things in this stage are optional, so if you don't want to add any details to your charm, you can move on to the next step. Also, feel free to make up your own variations!

1. Cut a thin strip of paper and glue it around your book. Then paint to create a strap. You can also make buckles that don't go around the whole book.
2. Add other 3D details with cardstock. Make sure you paint it to match.
3. Write on your book with sharpies. Be careful if you are not using fine tip. It looks especially cool with mettalic!
4. Paint the spine a different color then the rest of the book.
5. Instead of painting your cover, print/draw the cover of a real book you like.
6. Use tin foil to create a dragon scale texture and put it on the outside of the book.

Stage 4: Cover with glue

Take liquid glue and paint over the whole book. This will make the book more durable and last longer. Make sure any paint is completly dry before this so you don't pick up any paint with the glue. The glue drys clear, so don't worry if you can see it.

Stage 5: Keychain

Add a little bit of hot glue to the book pages where you want the metal loop to stick out.

Take an eyepin and cut it so it is shorter then the book. Push it throught the hot glue. Stab it through the cardboard until only the loop is showing.

Now you can turn the book into jewelry, a keychain, or anything else you can connect it to! Thanks for reading, I hope you make something cool.