Upcycling: Finding & Using Book Pages

Hi, everyone! Welcome back to Life on the {Scrap}beach!

I've gotten a few questions related to the book pages I've been incorporating into my latest mini album video series. I thought I would take a moment to write a little bit about what I am using and why I am using it.

1. Where did you get the book pages you've been using in this album?

Currently I am using pages from The Quest for the Holy Grail in my mini books and other recent projects {such as the cork lollipop flowers that have been dubbed "Holy Grail Flowes" by my buddy Weezie}. I simply harvested the pages right from the book I used in my Medieval Literature class. It is probably my least favorite book from my least favorite college literature class & while it looks quite aged, the book is probably only about ten years old.

If you're looking for similar pages to use, check your bookshelf first. Any book will do to achieve a similar look: an old dictionary, a trashy romance novel, even a technical manual. If you can;t find anything on your own bookshelves, check out a used bookstore for some opportunities.

2. Are these book pages safe to use in scrapbooks?

No. The paper used to make the pages in paperback books is some of the cheapest, most acid-ridden paper around. Which is why these book pages look so old already, even though they are less than ten years old. The acid has already started taking a toll on the paper and yellowing the edges. So if it is important to you that your books be 100% acid free, you need to stay away from these types of materials. Or you'll need to be sure to spray it with an acid buffering spray like Archival Mist or Krylon Make It Acid Free before including them in your books.

So, harvest those pages from books you didn't enjoy in college! I hated Medieval Literature ~ it was such a mistake to take it. I took it to complement my history degree, because literature is such a good way to learn what people of a certain era were thinking and feeling BUT I didn't like Medieval History either, so it was a colossal waste of my time. {What was I thinking!?}

I think after I am finished using up The Quest for the Holy Grail that either The Song of Roland or Troilus and Criseyde is next. Those might be moe fun to use because they are written in poem format with stanzas and such, so they could give a cool and different look to the projects.

~Kathryn
Life's a beach. Scrapbook it.