Our first crafting project of the Autumn Jubilee event is a fun one. With Halloween coming up, I’ve been working on a plan for costumes for us. We have a really fun Halloween party to attend at the end of the month with our Mini Cooper Club, and the costumes last year were spectacular, which means we needed to up our game a bit for this year. We decided to do Hogwarts professors, as we have much of what would be needed to pull it off, needing just a Snape wig for My Sweet Babboo, and couple of other small details. I remembered a post I saw on another blog, and want to give credit for the basis of this idea to Sadie Seasongoods Altered Books. But you know me, I could not stop there, I had to put my own spin on it. She used yearbooks for the leather covers. But I wanted the inside of the book to reflect the outside subject, so I began searching in the used bookstores for something appropriate.
I found a gardening book with a plain cloth cover for $1. The book has gardening information as well as uses for herbs, and making teas.
So, if someone looks at the book, it actually has the right kind of text inside.
I used my marblizing stamp with two colors of ink, one brown and one green, to add texture to the cover.
Just a light stamp gives the book more interest instantly.
Two colors and it is starting to look a bit creepy.
Next, I measured the cover and marked a straight line for lettering.
Beginning in the middle, I worked outward placing the lettering for the title.
Then I began adding hardware. I got a whole bag of hinges and such for $1 at the thrift store.
I dug around in the stamping stuff and found some rub on flowers and gold filagree stickers. Those were added to the bottom right corner.
I put some on the spine too.
A couple of stick-on dragonflies, and this book is done.
Inside, the perfect material for a Hogwarts textbook.
When I happened across this one, it was perfect, and just $1!! The printed cover was spooky enough as it was. The book itself is about weird and unexplained phenomena in our world, like the Bermuda triangle, the Loch Ness monster, strange appearances of unearthly things, UFOs, and a report of raining frogs, along with a lot of other really weird stuff. It reminded me of perhaps a bunch of underage wizard’s spells gone wrong, and Muggle reports of what happened. I began altering this one with a stick on rhinestone on the star.
I added hardware and more rhinestones.
Stick-on shapes were put on the left side.
My Sweet Babboo marked the book and drilled holes in the cover to mount this handle with screws from the underside.
Too cool, isn’t it?
I added more stickers to the top and bottom.
And here it is all done.
So we will carry our textbooks, wear our robes and hats, take wands, and have fun pulling it off. Anyone wanting to look at our books will find the inside just as interesting as the outside.
Of course, it would be wonderful to curl up with a quilt as we read, and our quilt along is coming on Friday. For now, check out the new lines at Fat Quarter Shop, and enter today’s Autumn Jubilee giveaway!! Returning Premier Sponsor Fat Quarter Shop is giving away a gift certificate worth $50!!! Check out Today’s Flash Sale. International entries welcome!
Click on the Rafflecopter link button below to enter.
What are you wishing for at Fat Quarter Shop? Do you like my altered books?
Check out the Halloween Store on Amazon!
Share your Autumn Jubilee projects in our From My Carolina Home Project Sharing Group on Facebook. If you haven’t joined yet, be sure to answer the questions when you ask to join or the moderators may not approve you. Someone sharing there will receive a special surprise at the end of Autumn Jubilee.
Sharing at Vintage Charm
From My Carolina Home 
Believe it or not, I have never watched a Harry Potter movie! But, I believe that you have done an outstanding, creative job with those books! I can’t wait to see your costumes!
I do like your altered books! I especially like that you found books with suitable contents, and only altered the covers. They look fantastic!
Addicted to Harry Potter’s world…your altered books are inspired…I would love anything from the Fat Quarter Shop as they have marvelous goodies!
Well these “textbooks” are just absolutely delightful! I am as big a fan of the Harry Potter books and movies as my 3 girls were. (Professor Snape has always been my favorite and I cried when he, so heroically, died.) My youngest, Emma, turns 30 in January and she and Harry were the same age when the first book/movie came out. You did a fantastic job on these alterations!
….I’d use my gift certificate for a yummy Aurifil floss pak or try the wool thread pak. 🙂 Fingers crossed!
Love your altered books – especially the one with the handle on the front. It’s the little details that make a costume! I’m wishing for a book myself from FQS – the newest Lori Holt Farm Girl book. Thanks for the chance!
I know you will have the best costume at the party. I would use the gift card for some Lori Holt fabric.
Great altered books. They will be the perfect accessory for your costumes.
As for what I’d want from the FQS, I have no idea – way too many things that I like at the moment.
My daughter’s family all like Harry Potter, and I know your going to have fun with your costumes. I love your altered books. Great job and very creative!! I would pick some fabric from Fat Quarter Shop. I order from them a lot and love their timely service.
The books will be a great accessory to your costumes. I always check out the rulers & notions at Fat Quarter Shop, But FQS is my go to place for Aurifil thread.
Love your books! How totally creative. At the fat quarter shop I need to buy some solids – black and green.
I love the Hogwarts books! Looking forward to seeing the hats and wands!
I would buy fabric for the Autumn Jubilee Quilt a long if I win the Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate.
Love the books! Very creative. I would buy some Grunge fabric to add to my collection.
Love your altered books. Have never made those, but…hmmm…those might make good little Halloween treats for the grands…Will see what I can do…I think I might choose thread or a fat quarter pack from the FQS. Loving Autumn Jubilee!
Creative ideas for the books. I would like to get some ombre fabrics from the fat quarter shop.
Great idea for altering the books! Have long been a Harry Potter fan, reading them with my sons. Would love some auriful threads from the fat quarter shop.
Your textbooks turned out amazing! Great that the content matches the outside. I would use a gift card on some Jo Morton Shelbyville fabrics.
I’m a big HP fan. Love your books!
This is such a terrific idea… very creative!
I think my nieces and nephews would really enjoy this… as a process to create their own, and/or to receive as a gift!
These books are incredible. They would make great props for photo shoots but also great reading. I love the hardware.
Fat quarter shop has all the fabrics I want and need
Not a Harry Potter fan, but definitely like Fat Quarter Shop. I would probably pick a quilty gift for my daughter or wool for me.
That is just so cool. Your scrapbook stash must be pretty amazing. The hinges and handle are my favorite part.
My daughter went full on Harry Potter everything (house, costumes, food) last year for Halloween. She would’ve loved this one! I could use always use fabric and thread from FQ Shop, esp with the holidays coming.
These are adorable! My husband never read the books as a young adult/teen, so he is reading them for the first time now (at 32!) so it’s been fun to follow along as he reads them.
Very cute book.
Love your books, Am a Harry Potter Fan .
To much on wish list to list but gift certificate would be put to good use. Thanks for the chance.
Janice
Love the altered books – I hope we get to see a pic of the full costume! Love the Christmas collections at FQS.
Great book transition for costume props!
These books are perfect for your costume and the decorations you added are too fun! Love the marbling stamp you used. Fat Quarter Shop is the go to place for collections and I’m waiting for a new one out from Robin Pickens this month. It’s on my Christmas Wish list even. HA!
I love your altered books. That would complete the Halloween costume perfectly.
Thank you FQ for your participation. I’d use a gift certificate for some Aurifil threads.
You have so many wonderful ideas. How do you ever keep them straight?
Love the books and wish I was on your “gift” list…vbg.
Hi Carole! Oh my goodness – what a fabulous book. I seriously know several friends who would just DIE if I made this for them. Holy moly. I.do.not.need.to.make.this. I.do.not.have.time. But boy, if I did . . . this would make a very, very, VERY special gift for them. Oh geez. Now I just have to make two of them. ~sigh~ It is just the best thing when you find a gift you can make for someone (or two someones) and you know how much they will adore it. Thanks for sharing this, Carole. I’m begrudgingly thanking you because I don’t need another project! HAHA! ~smile~ Roseanne
What fabulous books! Hope you’ll be able to dress up more than once, these are too fun not to show off more.
Your books are “too much”! 🎃 I’d buy wool batting from FQS!
-Jean ❤
Love the altered books! Love moda fabric from FQS.
What a fun month of crafty inspiration, thanks!
Your “altered” books are fantastic! And, from the Fat Quarter Shop, I would like some fabric, thread, tools. Oh, there are just so many things to buy.
Fabric and a few notions are what I’d get from the Fat Quarter Shop. Your decorated books are faboolus! I especially like the handle. Neat idea.
Carole, just love your altered books! You are so talented, what wonderful ideas! I have had my eye on the unicorn needle minder on FQS, oh and the fabric, beautiful! Thank you for sharing, Susan
How do you even think of these things? The books look great and so appropriate for your costumes.
FQS is a great shop. Lots of batiks, Which I always need.
Those books are fun! I especially like the added hinges and handle–great touch!
~Wishing from FQS… Grunge Metallic!
These books are fabulous! I love how you aged the first one on the cover. Both are so great and will really help to pull off your costumes.
Those are great … Must try to make one. Thank you as usual for sharing your ideas and home with us.
Your altered books are great! I love that you found some books that fit the theme you were going for with your costumes! And the Fat Quarter Shop is great – I have a wishlist over there of reproduction fabrics (mostly reds and oranges at the moment, but there are a jillion more I would add to that list if I spent the time adding to it, ha!).
I love those altered books. They are perfect for the Harry Potter instructors theme. Such imagination!
If I won the FQ gift certificate I would save it to use for the new Quilters Planner which should be coming out soon and I know FQS normally carries them. 😄 Carol
Hello Carole, I do love both of your very creative books! I am going to send this link to my two daughters who love to decorate for Halloween and get all dressed up also. Plus, we are all Harry Potter fans. I look forward to seeing your husband all decked out in your costumes! If I were to win this great prize, Fabrics would be my choice. Special fabrics that I really want but just can not afford! Thank you for having such a great post and Autumn Jubilee again this year!! Have a wonderful day!
I would love to have a subscription to the Sew Sampler Box!
Never in a million years would I have thought to put a handle on a book! What a fabulous idea! The whole thing came together so well. Thanks again for sharing.
Love your altered books! This brought back fond memories of bonding with my grandson when the Harry Potter books first came out. I was his after-school caretaker and we read the books at the same time.
I love fat quarter ready patterns and can always use more new Christmas fabric. I really like the designs you placed on your book.
The books look cool. I am looking forward to seeing you in complete costume. I am wanting some Kim Diehl fabrics from the Fat Quarter Shop.
Very cute book. You did a great job on that cover.
I love the sew-colorful-orange-fat-quarter-bundle. I also love altered books,
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Your books turned out incredibly real-looking for the series — I presume since I don’t really know anything about Harry Potter. However, I’ve seen enough to know that you really outdid yourself with those herbal/potion books!
I just love your altered books, they are wonderful, thank you for sharing!
I really like the idea of altered books and making them look authentically spooky!
I have my eye on Holiday Fat Quarter Bundle Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics at FQS…maybe I should place some hints for it around my house!
Love your books! Definitely those details will make your costumes stand out.
Hope you’re feeling tip top!
Wow! Your talents are never-ending and the books are amazing! Have never read HP books or watched the movies but can’t wait to see your costumes and read about your Mini Cooper party.
Love FQS! Fabric ?! Who can pick just one? Tula Pink, Corey Yoder, Kaffee Fassett, Joanna Figeroa….
Love the “altered” books – perfect Harry Potter texts for Hogwarts!
Being a huge Harry Potter fan, I just love what you did with your books. That is so clever!
Amazing!!! Your mind must never stop creating!
I love your altered books. So creative. So much fun. My favorite fabric line right now at FQS is Spectrastatic and I’d love a Fat Quarter Bundle.
Wow…..just wow!! What fun! Thank you for sharing!!!!
What a great idea and
the books look fabulous!
Will be great for your
costumes. I’d like some
Fat Quarters or Charms.
Carla from Utah
The books are cool! From Fat Quarter Shop, I’d like supplies for another jelly roll rug. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love teh books – they are amazing!! wishing for some kona solids from FQS!!!
Wow, Carole, those books are so much fun! I especially like the hinges–great touch! What fantastic props for your costumes!
Is it ok to want everything from the fa quarter shop???? No? I need new quilting gloves, mine make my wrists and hands ache.
Not a Harry Potter fan but I like how you transformed that book,
Way too much I want from FQS, but I narrowed it down to Neutrals Woolies Flannel Fat Quarter Bundle.
I love what you did with those books, Carole. PLease snap a photo of you two I. Full costume! As for the Fat quarter shop, I just saw a bundle called Snow Days from Bunny Hill that would be so much fun!
Looks like you are in for a fun time.
I love the altered books! What a great idea – you are very talented. Thanks!
Love what you did with the books, what a nice spooky idea. My FQS basket has thread as want to buy some nice colours for my christmas quilt
Those altered books are so clever. And spooky!
Those textbooks are great! Such a wonderful imagination, Carole! You will be the hit of the get together, I think.