[pinit]
[pinit]
I am obsessed with old books, well old things in general, but when I saw these words from old book letters I was sold! There is a cute store in Nashville called Island Cowgirl that we stumbled upon while looking for Archeology Antiques. The couple just opened the store 12 days before we wondered in, and they know how to do it! Such rusty, wonderful upcycled home decor and jewelry filled the industrial space. The prices were what got me. See, I don’t usually buy handmade things because of the whole “I can make that for like 1/100th of the price tag” thing that happens in my brain. Not so in this shop. I left with my arms full, contemplating where I would display my new found treasures when I got home.
Did you happen to see my recent DIY Kitchen Cabinet Upgrade with Crown Molding and Chalky Paint post? It was quite the transformation if I do say so myself. The kitchen is coming along great, but there was this sad space between the regal cabinets above the window. It has been begging me to decorate it. Enter words made up of letters cut from old books. Yes please! I bought “Faith”. Now, where would I put such a special accent? That is when I decided to attach a narrow display shelf to those cabinets to fill the desolate space above the windows. 
First, I ripped the pallet wood to about 2.5 inches with the table saw. I used the miter saw to cut the wood to length for the space in between the cabinets. I used my Kreg Jig to drill a pocket hole on each end for attaching to the cabinets. If you haven’t used this tool, you are in for a treat. I use it in nearly every woodworking project for joining pieces together. The joins are super strong, and the jig takes out all of the guesswork. I showed you how to use a Kreg Jig in this Easy DIY Pallet Sign Tutorial. Next I painted it using two coats of Deco Art Chalky Finish Paint in “Everlasting”, the same color I used on the cabinets. A coat of wax sealed the deal, then I attached the shelf with 1.25 inch pocket hole screws.
Wanna have a little fun?
Guess how much I paid for “FAITH” from old books. Leave your anser in the comments. If you are right, I will send you an andvanced copy of my upcoming ebook, with 5 upcycled wine bottle home decor project tutorials you are going to love!
*By the way, if you want to make some yourself, check out this great tutorial from The Merry Thought; DIY Book Letters. Pretty easy to do with a printer and a scroll saw.
#FREE
Rhonda, the shop wouldn’t last too long if they were free!
$5.00 Total or $1.00 each
Sandy, I wish! That would have been a super deal. Where do you shop?!
$5 each….so $25 total 🙂
Thanks for guessing, Alison. Ok, so maybe they weren’t as cheap as I thought!
$7.50 each for $42.50? :p
I’ll say $10 but what I really want to know is how did they cut them? What kind of saw did they use? I’m like you! I want to make some . . . and I live to far from Nashville.
Lisa, you are close! Read the post. I linked to a great tutorial using a scroll saw.
I was thinking more along the lines of 10 or 11 a book. Just for having to find the right books and then the detail of cutting them out. They look like those reader Digest editions that have a couple of short stories or edited parts of books. My mom has some and they have the nice wide binding and then a nice deco cover. I’ll have to be on the look out for some of those. I doubt my mom would agree to giving them new life as a letter…lol
Allison, you are sooooo close!!!
Now that’s a shelf even I could build – and I’m pretty hopeless with tools!
But what I really love is the book letters!! I wonder whether I can learn to use a scroll saw… hmmm… could be risky…
Tonya, you can totally build that shelf, and make the letters. I was at a DIY conference recently and someone made a super intricate word sign with her jig saw. I have a scroll saw, but I want to try this book letter deal with a jig saw. Thinking of ordering one soon. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! xoxo