Anthropologie Inspired Book Garland

These days, I find myself obsessed with old book pages more than usual.

I have been looking up paper garlands in Pinterest so I can make one (or two) for my friend's daughter who is getting married in April.

There are so many beautiful options.

One I found was from Anthropologie, used in a store display.

Of course, it's a photo on flicker and not from someone's blog giving me exact directions on how to duplicate it.

Of course, this is the one I want to make.

Of course.

Can you see why?

Well, minus the tiny clothespins.

All I have to do now is get it to hang without falling apart!

So begins a lesson for the not-methodical-me.

I went to an artist's group meeting last week and the guest speaker, Aeron Brown said one of his most favorite sayings is, "Every mistake is a portal to discovery."

It's kinda life changing for me.

These seven words allow me to breath a little more and to look at what I'm doing in a different light.

I have used an entire 380 page book with this much garland. I thought it was sturdy, but every time I lift it up, it breaks apart.

It looks kinda cool laying down, but only in the photograph.

It's much better hung up.

I thought I would pass along what I have learned thus far.

Your materials are simple:

a couple of old books and a stapler or two.

Take all the pages out of the book and begin by putting two of them together.

Fold each page outward and join at the top.

I used a tiny clothespin here just so I could get a decent photo.

Next, staple the two pages together at the top.

I started out by stapling each corner, but realized later that stapling three times across gives it a little more sturdiness.

Repeat this step a thousand more times while watching the Winter Olympics.

To begin putting the garland together, insert the top of a section you have stapled into the curved bottom part of another stapled section.

Now take your stapler and staple the top into the bottom, gently fitting your stapler all the way in so you can make three staples across, again, to give it more stability.

I have to say, I am in the middle of this project and I'll have to go back to the ones I have all ready put together and try to insert a third staple to see if it holds together a little bit better.

Otherwise, I think the trick is that the garland gets pretty heavy the longer you make it, so it will need to be hung in sections.

I thought about stringing it with fishing line down the middle, but the problem would still be the same: the weight of the garland would tear the paper from the string

Hmmmm...

Makes me wonder if they SEWED the top of the two pages together.

If that's the case, I have to start all over with about 500 pieces of paper.

Which is why I'm glad I have until April.

Remember:

"Every mistake is a portal to discovery".

(and I'm not so far into the project that I need to scream and then burn it and start all over, so I can say this will all gentleness and totally believe it.)

So, unless you are from the design team from Anthropologie that created this gorgeousness and can tell me the secret to hanging it, I'll be O.K. to try it this way.

No, really.

Pretty sure I'll be o.k.

It's just for one of my best friend's daughter's wedding.

No big.

Linking up with

Linda from Coastal Charm  Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Angie at Knick of Time Tuesday

Revi at Thrifty Life Thursday

Beth at Home Stories A to Z

Sharon at Elizabeth & Co.