Gallery Style Book Shelves Using Gutters! Really!

A wonderful idea and article I found @ TJED Mothers  by Shiloah Baker.

Children learn through their senses: smell, touch, taste, see, and hear. When it comes to books, children love the bright colors, smelling them, looking them over and over again, many times tasting them depending on the age, and listening to them read to them over and over again.

A recent problem we discovered in our home was how we were storing the books for our little children. We have many bookshelves full of books in our home and one large one for all the little kid books. Fortunately our children love to read. Unfortunately, they pull the books out of the shelves all day long. This isn’t because they are choosing to be little stinkers- it’s because they want to read and it’s not fun when you’re a kid picking out a book from the spine! Little kids want to see the front- or like my little tot- the back to see what books in the collection we still need to buy.

When I discovered galley shelves made of inexpensive vinyl gutters, I was thrilled! It was the perfect solution for the problem! The children could have shelves that look nice in the house (not ghetto) and best of all; they can see their books from the front or back depending on how they put them on the shelves. They are always accessible and the shelves encourage reading with the books flashing their bright colors and pretty pictures.

To make these shelves in your home here are the directions:

Vinyl Gutters (Price ranges about $6 a gutter)
Circular saw or hacksaw.
2 hangers per shelf- 3 if you plan to make them long
Long wall screws
Left and right end caps
Glue
Sandpaper
Washcloth
Tape measure


Directions:

Decide how many shelves you want and how long each one should be. Mark it on the vinyl gutter and cut with either a hand saw or circular saw. Sand the edges if you wish. With a wet washcloth wipe down the debris left from cutting.

Decide where you want the shelves. Some good ideas are in family areas of the home and next to beds with enough space to safely roll under them.

Slide on the gutter hooks; use two for smaller shelves and three for long shelves. Slide each hook/hanger to the end of each side. Screw the hooks into the wall. Add end caps, gluing into place if you want them more permanent.

Allow the kids to line up the books on the shelves and you will find more reading going on than ever before.

About the Author:
Shiloah Baker is a mom of seven, pregnant with #8, married to the man she's madly in love with. Exercise is her vice. She runs a The Homemaking Cottage and homeschools. In her spare time she sews, crafts, writes and reads. Join us at The Homemaking Cottage Deluxe Edition for 1057 ways to improve your home and family! http://www.homemaking-cottage.com/

Book Wreath - Shabby Nest Version

from The Shabby Nest:

When I saw this page in the Pottery Barn catalog, my heart skipped a beat. Yes, the bedding is lovely, and the windows are pretty, but it was those wreaths that I fell in love with. Amazing!! So, of course, I decided I had to make me one of those "bookish" wreaths.



They were so easy to make too...
I started by getting me a piece of heavy cardstock (in retrospect, I would actually recommend using heavy CARDBOARD for this project) and drew my wreath base using a plate and a glass for the pattern.


Then I simply cut it out.

I pulled out my trusty glue gun "Old Blue" and went to work.



After dismantling a book that I never read (and never intended to read) I rolled the pages into tight cones, and secured each one with a dot of hot glue, then I started gluing them to the base in a starburst pattern.

From there I kept gluing until the wreath was nice and full. I loved the shape, but the pages were too new looking. So I watered down some Raw Umber acrylic paint (when I say watered it down...I mean it was mostly water with a little paint in there) and brushed it over all the pages to create an aged look.


Then I added some pretty ribbon and hung it in my dining room window. I thought it looked beautiful...


...until I saw the sun shine through it. Oh. my goodness. It's stunning! And free! (Well, except for the ribbon, but I was buying that for Christmas gifts anyway, and it was 50% off at Michael's so that's almost as good as free, right? RIGHT?)

Want to see another PB knock-off book wreath? Brenda at Dragonflys and Stars shared her version during the last Frugal Friday Linky Party here at the Shabby Nest!

Book Wreath - Shabby Nest FOLDED Version

from The Shabby Nest:

While the kiddos made Valentine's I took the opportunity to finally get to a project that has been on my to-do list ever since I saw it here.




So while the kiddos painted and glued, I shoved book pages onto a wreath form I created from a wire hanger. I have seen many of these sorts of wreaths made from burlap around blogland. And although I do love burlap...I'm a paper girl at heart. I couldn't resist making one with with book pages.

And it was so easy too!!! I grabbed an old book out of one of our unpacked boxes (yes, we still have many of those) in the basement and started ripping out pages. Then I just took a page at a time and folded it loosely into either thirds or fourths - I tried to mix it up to create movement and texture - and shoved it onto the hanger wreath form. It took about 100 sheets, but it went quickly. When I was done I just twisted the ends together and snipped off the excess with wire cutters. I did leave enough wire to create a hanger at the top. Easy-peasy!!

I don't know which I like more? My "well-read wreath" or this "words and wire" one. Wouldn't they both be great in a home office or library? I'm still up in the air where to put this one.

Book Wreath - Dragonflys and Stars Version

I just got my PB catalog yesterday and as I was paging through it I saw these wreaths that I liked.



from Dragonflys and Stars:

I went through the masses of books my husband and I have and found one that I really didn't value and would never look at again. (Sorry, romance novels don't hold a lot of interest for me.) So I started ripping out pages and rolling cones. I cut out a cardboard circle and used my hot glue gun to make a wreath.



I think it will hang in one of my kitchen windows. I hung it against a wall so you could see it better. I am thinking about using spray adhesive and glitter to add a little bling, but haven't decided yet. What do you think, glitter or no glitter?



Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone. It almost makes me want snow...