Transform An Old Vase And Book Into A Beautiful Home Decor Piece In Minutes

How do you combine your love of written words and pretty floral arrangements? Put the pages of a book on a vase! That's what the creator behind @whimsybarn did to update a plain glass vase. You know... those inexpensive clear vases that come free with professional floral arrangements. You likely have a stockpile of them at home. But even if you don't, you're sure to find several at thrift stores. Or grab some at Dollar Tree — this Conical Glass Vase offers a unique silhouette. This idea also works on mason jars and other glass containers. With this whimsical update, you'll want to pull those vases and jars out of the cabinet and put them on display full-time.

What's great about this craft is how inexpensive it is. You'll use the pages of an old book to cover the vase (just proving that old books make great decor). If you can't part from the books you own, you can also grab old tomes at secondhand stores inexpensively. The only other things you'll need are some decoupage glue (Mod Podge is a popular choice — consider the Mod Podge Dishwasher-Safe Sealer for fresh flower displays to protect the DIY from water) and brushes to apply the glue. Of course, you can always sprinkle in extra touches to personalize your vase.

If you've never decoupaged before, don't worry. It's a simple technique with stunning results. It involves applying a layer of glue onto the glass surface, smoothing on your paper item (in this case, the book pages), and applying protective layers over the top. It's an accessible form of creativity with no experience or special skills required.

Start with a clean, dry vase before prepping your book pages. An older book with yellowing pages creates a vintage look. You can add to that antique vibe by tearing the pages roughly into chunks and crumpling them up. Or, brew black tea and brush it over the pages, or soak the pages in a pan of the tea. Let it dry fully between paper towels with books on top.

Next, apply the Mod Podge over a small area of glass. Smooth on a piece of book paper. Continue covering the vase, and go over everything with more layers of decoupage glue. You can also add other embellishments, like a ribbon, a light coat of glitter, or gold paint along the top edge. Or, stencil or freehand-paint a quote from a favorite book over the pages to tie in the literary theme.

This vase is perfect next to your home library or on a bookshelf. If you're obsessed with dried florals, arrange your favorite stems in this book-themed vase. Or, continue with the theme by crafting faux flowers out of book pages. This project also works as a storage jar — tuck bookmarks in a short vase and put them near your bookshelf. To change up the look, swap out book pages for sheet music for a display on your piano. Or, use picture book pages for a vase or glass container near your kids' books. For a coordinating piece, you could make a vase for faux flowers from a book — it's the perfect book lover's decor.