Here's another Halloween project you can make for cheap - your own Spell book! I've been wanting to make one of these since last year and given what my costume is for my Halloween extravaganza at work, this was the perfect opportunity. I was originally going to do the witches' spell from Macbeth, but decided on these two spells because it fits better with my theme. Any guesses on who I'm going to be?
I started by making the two spell pages. I designed mine in Photoshop because that is my software of choice. The internet is such a beautiful thing when it comes to finding free stuff. I got the fonts for free from Dafont (my favorite resource for cool fonts). The skull is courtesy of The Graphics Fairy (love, love, love her free clipart) and the apple was from an artist on Deviant Art.
Anyway, I bought a book at Goodwill for $2. I brought it home and painted the edges with a reddish-brown watercolor (extra water) and tried to rough it up by curling the edges. I also used another brown acrylic paint to give it some dimension. Then I just roughly cut out the pages I had designed and spray mounted them on, working the edges into the curls. Lastly, I added a bookmark which is just a strip of black ribbon hot glued to the spine on the back.
The book is just meant as a display prop, not for people to go flipping through. Otherwise I would have covered the front and hand stained or painted every page, not just the sides. It was kind of fun messing up this book. I can't tell you how many times I've damaged books on accident (reading in the bathtub), but never on purpose! If I were to do another one, I was thinking of a different approach for the pages. Maybe dipping all the pages in coffee or tea and letting it dry out like that? If anybody tries this, let me know what your results were!
I love it! I'm definitely going to try this. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteYou made this? Wow....VERY talented! - Crystal
ReplyDeleteI love it! Are you going to be Maleficent?
ReplyDeleteI want to literally steal your book... I can't get enough of it! It's already on my "next year" Halloween craft list! Thanks for linking up @ SewWoodsy.blogspot.com!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. I love it and may have to "borrow" it.
ReplyDeleteGreat project! I bought a Christmas book like this and it is gorgeous
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool Snow White's witch spell book! Definitely a keeper for Halloweens to come. May have to do this as a Halloween party project for my younger siblings I'm spending the day with this year. Very clever.
ReplyDeletewww.tuckooandmoocow.etsy.com
This has to be one of the most creative Halloween crafts I've ever seen! That's so cool!
ReplyDeleteThis is THE COOLEST!
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love it! I might have to take a trip into work to see it all!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this! I have been thinking of making one too, so now you have inspired me to DO it! Yours turned out so great!
ReplyDeletePlease stop by and link this up to my Theme Party Thursday if you get a chance. :)
Jami
Wow! This looks like something straight outta a catalog! Great Job! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is very cool. Thanks for all the links to resources you used as well. That's very thoughtful, for a witch I mean.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea-cheap and fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a show stopper! What a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to make this. It will go perfect with the spooky potion bottles I just finished.
ReplyDeleteGood work, very creative and frugal!
-dani
This is awesome!! Great job!!
ReplyDeleteLove the book!
ReplyDeleteExcellent ! I did something similar with my art class a few years back but it was their own fairy tale book....love it ! Thanks for sharing !
ReplyDeleteLucy
I'm featuring this on my blog today!
ReplyDeleteIt is really amazing so I hope you don't mind!
I featured this on Sew Woodsy today & you also won the CSN gift certificate!
ReplyDeletehttp://sewwoodsy.blogspot.com/2010/10/friday-features-giveaway-winner.html
Congrats & hope to see you back next week!
Congrats on your first Altered Book! Great job, prop or not!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it!
ReplyDelete- Michelle @ Bunch of Craft
This is really Awesome! I think I'm going to use it for next year :)
ReplyDeleteI love this! I have been doing the same indoor decorations for several years now (with a few tweaks each year) but I think I am going to use this book as a jumping off point for a new look. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely fabulous!!! I must make one; DD will LOVE it! Thanks so much for the inspiration! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! I'm already really behind on everything that I need to do before our Halloween party but I may have to add this to the list anyway. :) Thanks again for linking up!
ReplyDelete- Megan
This is fabulous! I totally want to try it! What a good idea. It's perfect for the middle of my coffee table. :)
ReplyDeleteJessica
http://craftily-ever-after.blogspot.com
LOVE! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I have to give this a try next year. While junking at my favorite place (Goodwill) I found a few hard back books with "scary" titles like The First Vitcim, The Coffin Dancer and Black Widower and stacked them on my mantel and other misc Halloween decorations. I was pleased with the results...but your idea is awesome! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic!!! I definitely want to make one of these... very cool! Thanks for linking this up to Brag Monday.
ReplyDeleteThis is just amazing. Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteMay I ask what fonts you used?? I adore this soooo much I am going to make a christmas book.
Thanks for your creativity. :)
dluvz2scrap@hotmail.com
I love this. My daughter was just asking for a spell book yesterday. You have come to my rescue. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fablous 'Spell Book', thank you so much
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your altered book-I might have to try it too. Thanks
ReplyDeleteLove the Spell Book. I have a few of my own but refer to them as my Book of Shadows but alas, they cannot be displayed. (sigh) If you try the tea you will have to soak the book edges for about 15-20 minutes. That is called a tea bath. The results you get are incredible & the pages will turn out looking authentic.
ReplyDeleteI did smoething similar years ago for my art piece on hamlet and I used teabags to stain the pages and they naturally curled by themselves and had that perfect mix match color of the pages. If you use regular teabags to get the ligther color and then if you use like a berry teabag it will give it a darkish brown tint.
ReplyDeleteI found you via Craftgawker, this is absolutely amazing! You've done an amazing job. I am going to try this method myself. I'm a new Follower!
ReplyDeleteFantastic! I can't wait to do this. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis looks incredible! Fantastic job :)
ReplyDelete-Maureen
I love your book! You did such a fantastic job!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have one just like yours!!!
Would you consider sharing the pages to be downloaded?
Kindest regards,
Jennifer
You were obviously the evil queen from Snow white.
ReplyDeleteI made a book of my own based on your idea (saw it on Pinterest)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sevenmarie/6295435933
Mine is obviously more Harry Potter themed but i thank you SO MUCH for the idea!!
Wow this looks great, Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis would be cute for a party menu! I think I may make one for my party table food!
ReplyDeleteLove it. Trying one this year. Would you pass on your pages. I am not good when it comes to designing on the computer. That would be great and look so much better than I could ever do
ReplyDeleteWould love to know the fonts used. awesome book. thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of paper did you print your pages on?
ReplyDeleteI love your book.....I use coffee and teabags to stain the pages but I also took a small torch and burned the edges of the paper, you can also use a lighter but be really careful, you only want to burn the edges. I also burned some holes in the pages so they looked like they had been in a fire
ReplyDeletei can't really believe that i am with my Ex-Husband back after when he broke up with me with 4 kids i thank Dr Atakpo of (dratakpospelltemple@gmail.com) for helping me getting back my man back, My Name is Mrs Rhona Cole i am from England and my man name is Mr Alan Cole, my happiness turn to bitterness,my joy turn to sorrow,my love turn to hate when my husband broke up with me last week,i was so frustrated and i could not know what next to do again, i was so unthinkable and i could not concentrate any more, i love my husband so much but he was cheating on me with another woman and this makes him broke up with me so that he can be able to get marry to the other lady and this lady i think cast a spell on my husband to make him hate me and my kids and this was so critical and uncalled-for,I cry all day and night for God to send me a helped to get back my man until i went to Westmoreland to see a friend and who was having he same problem with me but she latter got her Husband back and i asked her how she was able to get her husband back and she told me that their was a powerful spell caster in Africa name DR ATAKPO that he help with love spell in getting back lost lover's back and i decided to contacted the same Dr Atakpo and he told me what is needed to be done for me to have my man back and i did it although i doubted it but i did it and the Dr told me that i will get the result after 24hours, and he told me that my husband was going to call me by 9pm in my time and i still doubted his word, to my surprise my husband really called me and told me that he miss me so much Oh My God i was so happy, and today i am happily with my man again and we are joyfully living together as one good family and i thank the powerful spell caster Dr Atakpo of dratakpospelltemple@gmail.com, he is so powerful and i decided to share my story on the internet that good spell casters still exist and Dr Atakpo is one of the good spell caster who i will always pray to live long to help his children in the time of trouble, if you are there and your lover is turning you down, or you have your husband moved to another woman, do not cry anymore contact the powerful spell caster Dr Atakpo on his email: dratakpospelltemple@gmail.com and he will answer you, i am a living testimony and i will continue to testify of his goodness in my family,he turn my family to paradise and today we are all happy together Dr Atakpo i say thank you in one million times thanks Dr.
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing! Could you tell me where you got the filigree calligraphy that's behind the apple?
ReplyDeleteWhich font did you use from dafont.com? They have so many but I can't find that one, and I absolutely love it!
ReplyDelete