Last summer I was poking around a bookstore in Vermont and came across Mice, Morals & Monkey Business, an incredible children’s book filled with gorgeous block prints by artist Christopher Wormell. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it – not for our kids’ library, but for my kitchen wall.
When we got home, I hit my fab local stationery shop and picked up decorative paper that coordinated with the prints in the book, along with several LP album frames (thin metal frames with plexiglass fronts meant to showcase vintage vinyl). Using the frame backer as a template, I cut the decorative paper to the exact size of the frame. Then I went to town on Mr. Wormell’s masterpiece. First, using a box cutter (an X-acto knife might be better, but I don’t have one on hand) and great caution, I nicked the seams throughout the inside of the book, loosening up most of the pages. Then I carefully took apart the binding of the book with the knife. I trimmed the rough edges of the pages I wanted to frame and using double stick tape, attached the pages to the decorative paper. After repeating the trimming and taping process with the rest of the pieces, I popped them all into the frames and hung them up.
With a book, box cutter, straight edge, a couple of hours work (including shopping) and about $150 for the book, ten frames and paper, I had stunning, custom-made art!