Adding some finishing touches to decor around your house can be as easy as shopping around the rooms in your own home! I had on my list to stop by our public library and see if they had a section of  old, used books that I could purchase for mere pennies. In the meantime, I was sorting through bins in the garage and seeing what I could discard and came across 10-15 books that I really didn’t need to keep packed away. It was either use them or get rid of them. In that instant, I knew I was going to give them new life on my shelves by simply wrapping them in kraft or chalkboard paper!

Right now at Target, in the dollar section, you can get rolls of kraft or chalkboard paper for just $3 each. I already had a stack of these from my last trip and simply got right to work on making book covers. If you’re like me, it had been awhile since the last time I had to cover my books with recycled paper bags!

Follow these easy steps to create kraft paper book decor!

Supplies needed —
Kraft Paper
Scissors
Ruler
Books

Step 1 : Set your book down on the unrolled paper and measure 3″ on each side of the binding.

Step 2 : Depending if you have extra wide paper, you will need to trim the width down to about 1.5″- 2″ on both the top and the bottom. With this paper, I didn’t need to trim this down. 

Step 3 : Fold the top and bottom portions of the paper to line up directly with the top and bottom edges of the book as shown here.

Step 4 : Measure out 1/4″ from the edge of the book and then fold the paper inwards creating a flap. This allows for the book to be closed.

Step 5 : Simply slide in the front and back covers into the little pockets that were created and you’re done!

Now you can decorate the spines however you wish! I simply created mock “Volumes” for this set, but I plan on getting a bit more creative with the next set I make for a different area of the house.

These worked perfectly with the lion head bookends my Mom sent me a few weeks ago! I have a serious love for lions being that I’m a Leo and all and was so surprised and happy when these arrived at my doorstep. She ordered them through Joss & Main.

I stuck the kraft paper books and lion bookends on the top shelf in my home office. I really do love looking at them because it keeps with my rustic theme and the lions are such a big part of my personality! I hope you like them too. 

Keep Living a Stylized Life.