Use book pages and Mod Podge to make your own DIY Mod Podge book page styrofoam cone tree. It is rustic chic, and great for any occasion, season, or holiday!
Old book pages are one of my favorite craft supplies. We've made so many awesome crafts - everything from a gorgeous book page wreath to book page tassel ornaments, book page flowers and book page trees.
We recently used book pages and Mod Podge to make a clear plastic ball ornament for Christmas, and today, we are going to use a similar technique to create a Mod Podge book page tree!
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Why You'll Love This Craft
- Book page crafts are so fun because they give new life to something that would be destined for the recycle bin (or the landfill!)
- Plus, the neutral color scheme of book pages makes classy decor that fits with any season, holiday, or home decor vibe.
- We love book page crafts, and if you do too, you'll also love our book page wreath, book page tassel ornament, and bunting garland made with book pages!
Craft Supplies Needed
- Old Book Pages - Check your bookshelves for books you'll never read again. Otherwise, look for books to use for crafts at thrift stores, garage sales, free boxes at libraries or used book stores, or put a call out on social media and see if anyone has anything they would like to declutter!
- Mod Podge - I used Gloss Mod Podge in this tutorial, but Matte would work great too.
- Styrofoam Cone - I used a small cone for this tutorial but the exact same process would work on cones of any size. You could even make a handful of book page cones of different sizes for a pretty mantel display.
- Foam Brush and a Container - This is the easiest way to brush on Mod Podge with minimal streaks.
How to Make a DIY Mod Podge Book Page Cone Tree
Step 1. Remove pages from an old book.
I used an old hymnal for this project, but you can use any type of book from your bookshelf, thrift stores, garage sales, or free bins at libraries or used bookstores.
This same tutorial can be made using old maps or any other type of paper.
Step 2. Rip the book pages into thin strips.
The strips should be shorter than the height of your styrofoam cone.
The cone I used was 5" tall, so my strips were 4" or shorter.
Step 3. Use a foam brush to add a base layer of Mod Podge to a section of the styrofoam cone.
Step 4. Lay book page strips onto the Mod Podge layer.
Once the Mod Podge has dried enough to hold the paper in place, brush another layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper strips.
Step 5. Continue to cover the outside of the styrofoam cone with book page strips.
Step 6. Let it dry.
Step 7. If there are any gaps in the paper where the cone shows through, repeat the process, adding more paper with Mod Podge.
Make sure the entire outside of the paper-covered cone has a protective layer of Mod Podge, and let it dry completely.
Common Questions
This question comes up every time I do a book page craft! Some people feel like it's a tragedy to purposely destroy a book, but I feel the opposite. I think it's actually saving the book because if you've ever looked at how many books sit abandoned on thrift store shelves or in boxes on the ground at garage sales, you know there are SO many books out there that likely end up in the recycling bin, or worse, the garbage. I think it's giving the book new life by upcycling it into a craft or some other project that gives it a fresh purpose.
I have found old books at thrift stores, garage sales, and my personal favorite - free boxes or shelves outside my local library and local used bookstores. You can also find cheap books at dollar stores (although this isn't upcycling; it is buying a new book even if it is cheap.) You could also put a call out on social media seeing if any of your friends have books they want to declutter. Most people have books taking up space on their shelves they won't ever read again, and would welcome a way to get rid of them!
Book pages can be used in all kinds of different ornaments like this book page tassel ornament, or this book page petal flower ornament. I have also used book pages in a fall garland and a valentine's day book page garland, as well as my favorite book page craft of all time - my epic book page wreath!
These book page cone trees would look lovely as part of a Christmas decor scene, but they hold their own for winter decor too!
You can make them different sizes by using varying sizes of styrofoam cones.
I think you could even make these using handmade paper cones, which would be even cheaper and give you more flexibility on the sizing!
More Winter Crafts You'll Love
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How to Make a DIY Mod Podge Book Page Cone Tree
Materials
- Old Book Pages
- Mod Podge
- Styrofoam Cone
- Foam Brush and Container
Instructions
- Remove pages from an old book.I used an old hymnal for this project, but you can use any type of book from your bookshelf, thrift stores, garage sales, or free bins at libraries or used bookstores.This same tutorial can be made using old maps or any other type of paper.
- Rip the book pages into thin strips.The strips should be shorter than the height of your styrofoam cone.The cone I used was 5" tall, so my strips were 4" or shorter.
- Use a foam brush to add a base layer of Mod Podge to a section of the styrofoam cone.
- Use a foam brush to add a base layer of Mod Podge to a section of the styrofoam cone.
- Continue to cover the outside of the styrofoam cone with book page strips.
- Let it dry.
- If there are any gaps in the paper where the cone shows through, repeat the process, adding more paper with Mod Podge.Make sure the entire outside of the paper-covered cone has a protective layer of Mod Podge, and let it dry completely.
Notes
- You can use Gloss or Matte Mod Podge, depending on how shiny you want the book page cone to look when you're finished.
- Check thrift stores, garage sales, free boxes at local libraries or used book stores, and even Litte Free Libraries, as well as your own book shelves for books you can repurpose in crafts. Also, ask on social media because you might have friends who want to declutter their shelves!
- Make book page cone trees of different sizes to make a collection to display on the mantel!
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