Since 2020 I have found an ornament that kind of represents our year and I make an embellished tag with the year. This year, I decided on a bookcase to represent my building that HUGE bookcase and TheMisterT finally just about filling that bookcase. I didn’t find a satisfying premade version, so I decided to make one myself.
It’s made from balsa wood, painted with watered down craft paint. The books are inked cardstock wrapped over little rectangles of foam core. The top is decorated with die cut foliage.
This is such a fun ornament! It didn’t occur to me to use foam board for books! I used cut up popsicle sticks which is a lot of work … Lol. I bet it’s nice and light weight! I love that you titled the books with events!
If this were a non-ornament mini, I would have covered the foam to look more like pages, but it is great for making lots of books. I could have cut a long strip the depth of the shelves, covered the whole thing with a strip of paper, then cut various heights of books off the strip. Since most of the color variation of this is from inking the paper, that would’ve worked a treat. I probably would’ve done it that way if I’d had shelves and shelves to fill. BUT then all the books would be the same thickness - so… I’m going to remember the craft stick trick!
I did glue the craft sticks together to get different thicknesses! So the foam could do the same. Make sure if you’re cutting craft sticks to use a craft stick/dowel cutter and not scissors! I damaged my hand for a few days before eventually ordering one!
Of course, but for minis foam board at double thickness make a really thick book! I think adding tongue depressors to my mini book making will expand it a lot. I have one of those cutters for just that!
I love how you commemorate the year with an ornament! That bookcase was a huge undertaking and it makes me smile to think that you’ll see this ornament on the tree each year and remember what a labor of love it was. I also like how the book titles reflect other aspects of your year. Oh and if you hadn’t said anything, I would’ve thought the back was made from particle board.
Thank you so much! Since TheMisterT and I came together as full-grown adults, but he the kind who didn’t really accumulate decorations, I have wanted to make sure the tree reflects both of us. I also frequently get him an ornament or one that is more about his interests, at least. And I never even noticed how much that paper looks like particle board, but you’re so right! Now, my IRL bookshelves do not have particle board, but so many do, so it seems right that this one looks like it!
