How To Texture A Wooden Letter Using Rolled Up Book Pages

As promised in my last post, I'd like to share the tutorial of how I textured a wooden letter "M" using the pages of a book, as seen on my newly revamped bedroom bookcase.

As much as I'd like to take credit for coming up with this brilliant and creative idea, I was actually inspired to do this project by Katie over at Little Things Bring Smiles.   I've had her tutorial of this very project on my side bar for months now because I love it so much.  Check out her blog for many other great ideas.  I followed her tutorial pretty closely, only changing a few things to better suit my preference.  I'll be sharing my slightly different way of doing the same project with you today.

How to Texture a Wooden Letter Using Rolled Up Book Pages:

You will need the following items:

1- The  letter or letters of your choice.  I chose the letter M because it is the first letter of our last name. The letters can be purchased at most craft stores.  Mine was purchased at A.C. Moore.

2-A chapter book with no pictures that  you no longer want (Be sure the pages of the book are the color you wish to use on your letter.  If you do not own such a book, a thrift store is a great place to find one.)

3. Scissors

4. Hot glue gun and glue refills


Instructions:

1-  After collecting all the necessary items,  be sure to connect your hot glue gun so that it will be ready to go.

2.  Begin by tearing the pages out of the book you'll be using.  Just to give you an idea of how many pages you'll need, I used about 60 pages for me letter.

3.  After all the pages are torn out, use the scissors to cut the margins off the pages, leaving only the text.

4. Cut a handful of the pages in half (for the narrower parts of the letter) and leave the rest as full sized sheets.

5. Begin rolling up the sheets of paper.  I rolled mine up tightly because I preferred the look of many small rolls of paper as opposed to fewer large rolls, but this is completely up to you.  When you near the end of the roll, leave a 1/2 inch overhang and apply hot glue to the inner edge and then finish rolling up the paper,

6. Using the roll of paper I'd already made, I roughly calculated how many rolls I would need and I made a
handful of paper rolls before I began applying any of them to the letter.  I just felt the project would move quicker this way. When you've made a good bundle of paper rolls, choose whether you will cover the letter from top to bottom or from bottom to top, (I did it from bottom to top) and place the first roll at your starting point.

7.  Using the letter as a guideline, cut the roll of paper to match the exact width of the area you are covering.
(In the picture below I am simply demonstrating how to cut the roll of paper to size so it's not placed at my starting point)

8.  Glue the roll of paper to the letter. Because mine was a symmetrical letter and I wanted both sides to match, I alternated sides, gluing a roll of paper on one side, then the other and so on.

9.  Repeat steps 6-7 with each roll of paper you already have.  I glued the rolls of paper together tightly because I liked the way it looked that way.  Again, a matter  of preference.

10.  When you run out of the rolls of paper you've made, begin making more, repeating all above steps until the letter is covered. For the symmetrical letters, be sure the rolls of paper on both sides of the letter match up.

Got any questions?  Feel free to ask.  I'd love to help in any way I can.  Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make this felt wreath.

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