Repurpose old books into beautiful, functional works of art, learning basic folding techniques to create your own paper flowers.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

Note: This workshop will be held in a live, online format utilizing the Zoom platform.
Class meets 2 Thursdays, March 9 & 16 from 6-8pm ET.

It takes a special person to give the unwanted and the discarded new life. We know “reduce, reuse, and recycle” are good for the environment. This class will offer a new perspective on books. Instead of throwing them away, we will turn them into beautiful home decor objects and works of art.

We will learn basic folding techniques for book pages which will create unique designs. You will learn how to alter books and create paper flowers from discarded pages.

Paper flowers from Fiction Reshaped - By Carly Frei
Create beautiful paper flowers and learn how to manipulate old books to produce your own works of art.

In the first part of the class, we will learn multiple folding patterns to create a unique sculptural design from your formerly unwanted phone book or out-of-date catalog or encyclopedia. You will also learn the pattern to fold a heart into the pages of your book.

The second part of the workshop will delve deeper into altered books and cut paper. We will learn a variety of ways to cut, fold, and curl the pages of a book. From these techniques, we will also learn how to create paper flowers. These can be added to your altered book or glued to stems to create a flower bouquet.

Bring a variety of options to class. Some good places to find used books:

  • Thrift stores (ie. Goodwill, Half Price Books, etc.)
  • Library book sales or Auctions/Estate Sales
  • Family & Friends!

What to look for in a book:

  • Strong, non-brittle paper (try folding a little corner to see if it tears)
  • Interesting cover designs and colorful print
  • Colored illustrations and maps and diagrams
  • Look for a strong binding, either sewn or strongly glued
  • An appropriate number of pages depending on the design you intend to make

Tools & Supplies:

  • At least 2 old books (nothing too big or too small so around 200-500 pages, old readers digest books are a good example of what to look for)
  • Ruler 
  • Pencil
  • Bone Folder 
  • X-acto Blade 
  • Glue
  • Photographs (optional)
  • Optional: stamping/printing materials, colored pencils, pens/markers, found objects, drill, needle/thread, etc.

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Instructor: Carly Frei

Carly Frei loves creating art with old books and also enjoys painting and using any other kind of materials to make art that you can imagine! She has a degree in art education from Luther College where she was first introduced to book art through a book making class. Carly taught middle school art for 5 years and has a passion for helping students create through their own inspirations. She also has her own business, Fiction Reshaped (fictionreshaped.com), where she creates book art from recycled books. Besides creating art she loves spending time with her family, reading, watching movies, and playing with their dog and cat.

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