Retro Recycling: Spell Books

A good programming librarian is always looking for two things: ways to keep costs down, and ways to use discarded books.

Halloween-themed programs are always our best-attended for adults, and what better way to get a bunch of adults to sit still for two hours than to get them to sell their souls first?

Disclaimer: These spell books are NOT REAL. They are for decorative purposes only.

And yet you should be prepared for at least one whackadoodle to call the Library Director and/or Mayor to complain about the witchcraft.

Disclaimer 2: Some books have a finite shelf life.

And yet you will get a whole bunch of people up in arms about recycling them into art. Be prepared--it's spooky this time of year!

Recipe for spell books

• Discarded book

• Acrylic paint (black, silver, gold, white)

• Yarn

• Single-ply paper towels

• Cardboard letters (or foam)

• Flat plastic bugs and skeletons

• Tacky glue

• Blow dryers (you've only got two hours!)

Glue bits and bobs to your book (it doesn't matter what colors the original bits and bobs are as you will paint over them soon). Design a cover that offends your sensibilities, or doesn't--instead of a spell book, maybe your community would prefer Poisons or Venemous Spiders or Mythical Creatures...

How-To hand-out for Spell Books

You can create that lovely old-fashioned leather book feel by gluing small bits of yarn to the spine (see photo).

Spiderwebs are a lovely addition with just a little well-placed yarn.

Now, cover the outside of the book (front, spine, back) with tissue paper or a paper towel. Kleenex does not work; it just dissolves. Decoupage the whole darn thing. It's okay to use your fingers; Mod Podge is non-toxic. This will give you more control in squinching the paper towel around the letters and decorations.

Once the Mod Podge is dry (blow dryers help! especially when adults use way too much! which they will! you've never seen such gloopy decoupage as you will see when teaching adults!), cover the whole thing in black acrylic. Don't worry about accents. Those will pop out with the accent color.

Now, back to the blow dryers. Because again, adults are gloopy (children are sticky, but adults are gloopy).

Finally, lightly (seriously! as light as possible!) brush a contrasting accent color (ie: white, silver, gold) across the sticky-outty-bits. No need to cover them fully, as the broken color adds nicely to the authentic just-found-this-tucked-away-in-the-attic feel.