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How to Make a Book Page Banner

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Learn how to make a book page banner using a cricut machine, an old book and a bit of glitter! We will walk you though the steps to create an upcycled book page banner for Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other Celebration!

Valentine's Day Banner

Recently I made a “Believe” book page banner for Christmas, I didn’t share a tutorial to make the banner and today, thought that I’d take the time to write up a tutorial for the banner. 

believe book page banner on white flreplace mantle

This month I was in the mood for a “Crafternoon” and invited a bunch of friends over to make the banners.

Book Page Craft Idea; Create a Holiday Banner:

To create this banner, I used a Cricut machine. If you don’t have one, it’s okay. You will need to go to the craft store and buy a Sticker Alphabet and find a heart to trace. In the place of the silhouettes, you could use vintage images, or more hearts, etc.

This banner was created for Valentine’s Day but the beauty of this project is that you can do this for any holiday or occasion.

I’ve created a CELEBRATE one for Mother’s Day, a Believe one for Christmas and a Happy Birthday one as well.

You will also need to “destroy” a book. I know I know,  don’t freak out. I love books and the first time I tore a page out of one, I felt more than a little guilty.

Supplies for the Book Page Banner:

  • Old Book you can cut up -Just find a book you can dismantle.  Look in your closet, thrift store, Half Price Books, etc. I found an old dictionary at a thrift store and that is what I have been using.
  • Cricut Machine & Cutting Mat
  • Solid Cardstock
  • UHU Glue Stick
  • Wire Ornament Hooks
  • Glitter Glue
  • Distress Ink & Application Sponge
  • If you don’t have a Cricut machine you’ll also need a “shape” to trace, like a star, heart or tag. This is the shape of the pieces of the banner

Construction Steps

Step One: Decide on your Banner Shape & Phrase

Decide which shape you’d like to have as the base of your banner. For the Be Mine banner, I chose a heart. Go into Cricut Design Space and type in heart.

Size it to the size you want then save the file. You also need to know how many pieces you want in your banner, so you know how many hearts to cut.

Next, decide which phrase you’d like on your banner.  Create the file in Design Space as well.

Step Two: Prep the Paper & Cut

I found out the hard way that a Cricut does not cut the thin book page paper well.  It STUCK to the mat.  When cutting paper with a Cricut I always recommend using the Light-Grip mat. Even with the light grip mat, I’d recommend cutting the book page paper adhered to the cardstock first.

Take a piece of cardstock and using your UHU glue stick, adhere book pages to the cardstock until it’s totally covered.  To do this, cover the back of the book page with UHU glue stick, then attach to your cardstock. You want to “think” about where the hearts will be cut so that you don’t get a heart cut with a seam of paper down the middle.

We cut four 6×6 book pages to cover the 12×12 cardstock sheet. After you glue it, roll a brayer (or a rolling pin) over it to make sure your glue is evenly distributed.  Set aside and let dry (we had a bit of trouble because we didn’t let the glue dry all the way).

After the glue has dried, run the paper through your Cricut and cut out your hearts.  Use the “cardstock” setting on your machine. 

Step Three: Distress

If you’d like your book page banner to have a more aged look, then using a sponge and ink, lightly distress the edges of the hearts. 

To add a bit of glitter to the edge of the pieces,  take glitter glue and spread a little bead around all the edges.  Then dip the edges in glitter. I used Martha Stewart glitter. 

This step will also help you if your hearts tore at all during the cutting process. You can cover up any tears with glitter.

Step Four: Add the Letters

Using your Cricut machine, cut out the letters you’d like on your banner. Again, make sure that you size the letters correctly.  I chose to also cut out two child silhouettes as well to add to my banner. The silhouette images are from the “Child’s Year” design file in Cricut Design Space.

Step Five: Finishing and Hanging

Do you know those ornament hangers that DRIVE YOU CRAZY at Christmas????? Well, break ’em out, because they are perfect for this!

Get a piece of tinsel (as you hang on your Christmas tree, mine came from IKEA)… 

Use the ornament hooks to attach the hearts to the tinsel (or ricrac would be super cute if you can’t find any tinsel).

To Make the Celebrate Banner

close up image of celebrate banner

Everything is done the same way with one exception. I used a pennant shape instead of the heart.

I also added a few other detials, like paper doilies and a paper rosette. If you’d like to learn how to make a paper rosette, check out THIS post.

To Make the Believe Christmas Banner

All steps are the same with a few changes.

  • I used a star shape instead of a heart
  • The letters are lowercase
  • The stars are hung from a piece of wired tinsel.

How to Make a Thanksgiving “Give Thanks” Banner

close up of book page banner with gold glitter letters

You can also use this tecnique to create a book page banner for Thanksgiving. This one is more detailed and I used a chipboard base instead of cardstock. I also used purchased glitter letters and supplemented the book pages with cardstock paper.

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102 Comments

  1. I bought your valentine pouch pattern. I love the way it looks. I just hope mine turns out to look like yours. Of course when I told my 7 yr old boy waht XOXO meant he said, “Mom, PLEASE don’t put that on mine.”

    Reply

  3. for another pattern i’d like to see… i’d have to say i would love to see a little girls purse/bag of some sort. my daughter loves carrying a little bag and i really want to make her one!

    Reply

  5. Boy stuff would be great to see! I love all the girly skirts & bags, but as the mom of 2 boys I don’t have much use for them.

    Reply

  11. I love the Love Pouch! I actually bought your pattern for it, and finished 6 of them last night! My kids love them!

    Reply

  13. I think vintage holiday images would be super cute on the pendants. (I’m thinking about Easter bunnies right now since I’m ready for spring!)

    Reply

  14. I’d love to win the banner! I like the soldered pendants. Like many people, though, I can’t wear metal against my skin because of allergic reaction. So I would like to see pendants with sterling silver chains.

    Reply

  19. Melissa- SO cute.
    I totally forgot to put your shirts on my post on 30days. I’ll have to add both of these. Thanks so much for sharing. 😉 Love all you do!
    xoxo Mique

    Reply

  24. My favorite item in your shop right now is the T pendant with the bluebird on the reverse. Although I really think I’d like to make one of the Valentine pouches too; that pattern is cute!

    Reply

  30. My favorite item from your Etsy shop is the fabric scrapbook kit. And I loved the tutorial on the blog!

    Reply

  32. My suggestion for the Soldered Pendant would be a whisk (like you use in the kitchen), and it could even say, “whisk me away!!” 🙂

    Reply

  48. I have your blog under my favorites because I love to see your different creations (and my daughter is interested in sewing & tutorials). I really enjoy visiting it a few times a week to see what it “new”…..thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  49. My favorite thing in your Etsy shop is the Sunday bag pattern. Once I have a few bucks scraped up, I’m definitely getting it … I think it would make an awesome library tote.

    Reply

  50. I’d love to see your paintings in your shop. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of your artwork there … maybe you have it somewhere else??

    Reply

  51. For the soldered pendants, I think it would be great if we could get them customized with portraits of our kids! Sort of like a locket without the cover.

    Reply

  52. I am now an official follower of your blog. I could’ve sworn that I was already, I visit almost everyday, but I guess I never officially hit the follow button.

    Reply

  53. haha… you want me to pick just one! Im gonna have to narrow it down. I love the Sunday bag and the June bag. I’d love to see a book bag/backpack for my daughters to carry their stuff to school. Im a follower (daily) and my blog is pokeymacandjack.blogspot.com Have a blast in Paris!

    Reply

  66. The Valentine pillows are my faves-probably because I have a daughter that was born on Valentine’s Day.

    Reply

  71. oh. my. goodness. I ADORE this banner! I LOVE silhouettes, and this is just gorgeous! What an awesome giveaway!

    Your Etsy shop is great…I really like the Sunday bag pattern!

    Reply

  72. For images to use on the beautiful soldered pendants, the black silhouettes would be super! Also vintage cookbook/apron art!

    Reply

  73. I’m already a subscriber to your blog…what fun! I’m still working on mine, but pop on over for a visit sometime!

    Reply

  75. I’ve added a post to my blog about your giveaway, which will also post to Facebook! Again, what a fabu giveaway…thank you!

    Reply

  76. I like all of the stuff you make, so whatever you put up in your shop would surely be a hit.

    But if I had to say…cute bags are always great patterns to have. And all the pillows you make are so cute, so cute pillows…

    Claudia
    km6920@bellsouth.net

    Reply

  81. I’d love to see more pillow covers in the shop. I love the style you have with the print, so different versions would be great!

    Reply

  91. I love the love box, so cute. I love a lot that you do!! you are so creative. Thank you for sharing it all with us!!

    Reply

  93. I love the fabric scrapbook kit! I’ve never even heard of such a thing, but the pictures look AWESOME.
    augustgirl01 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    Reply

  94. I love silhouettes – is it possible to stick a silhouette in the soldered pendants? I have no idea if it would look ok that small, but I think that would be really neat.
    augustgirl01 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    Reply
  100. Pingback: Valentine Idea Round-up #1: DIY Gifts
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