Pinspiration Sunday: Recycled Book Keepsake Box

I picked up a few old Reader’s Digests a few years ago from a yard sale. I figured one day I would find something to do with them. When I saw this pinned by Better Homes & Gardens, I knew I finally had something…a keepsake box.

Now I have no idea what to put inside this thing, but I had to make it anyways. Here’s what I did to make mine. First I applied mod podge to the very last page and allowed it to adhere to the back cover. Then I applied mod podge around the outside of the pages and allowed them to dry completely (making sure the front cover does not stick to the pages).

After it all dried, I measured one inch around each side and marked it. And then I connected the marks.

Then I used my xacto knife to cut along the lines (I actually used my ruler to help guide my first cut all the way around).

Once all 4 sides had been cut, I removed the pages. Then I cut along the same path and removed those pages. I continued to do this until I reached my desired depth.

Next, I thought it would like pretty cool if I colored the inside of the newly formed box. I sprayed it with Tattered Angel’s Glimmer Mist and allowed it to dry. Then, I sealed the inside of the “box” with mod podge and allowed it to dry fully.

For the envelope, I already had a box of them that fit 4X6 inch cards. I distressed it using Tim Holt’s blending tool and distressed inks in Vintage Photo and Antique Linen. I attached it to the inside front cover using my ATG gun.

Next I just decorated it. I used a burlap flower I made (future tutorial) and a burlap leaf on the cover. This is my final book/box:

Pinspiration Sunday: DIY Coasters

So if you have been wondering what I did with those tiles from my last blog post, you’re in luck because I’m about to tell you… I found this DIY coasters on Pinterest from Mine for the Making. Now she used photographs to make hers. Honestly, I was being lazy and didn’t feel like rummaging through pictures to find ones I wanted to use so I just grabbed a 12 X 12 sheet of scrapbook paper. And I am also using unfinished wood tiles so I wanted to stain the tiles first around the edges and sides. I used walnut acrylic stain again and allowed them to dry.

Each tile measures roughly 3 3/4inches and I wanted some of the stain to show so I then cut each piece of paper 3.5 X 3.5in. And I inked the edges with brown ink.

Next I mod podge each piece of paper on to each tile and allowed them to dry
Then applied a coat of mod podge to the surface and sides applying in one direction and allowed them to dry. Then I applied another coat of mod podge in the opposite direction (horizontal then vertical) and allowed them to dry.Next I sprayed them with an acrylic sealer.

Then I applied brown felt to the underside of each tile using hot glue and cut around the edges to remove any excess material.

Here’s the finished coasters