i turned my favorite picture book into wall art

I am not a book destroyer.  No, really.  I’ve never torn a page out of a book before this week.  I’ve never even knowingly bent the edges down.  I try not to break the spines of books (i have failed in some cases, but usually only with titles i’ve reread 10+ times).  I see those (admittedly lovely) book sculptures and my soul shrivels a little because someone has DEFACED a book.  And yet.  I killed a book this week.  I killed a book I love.  And I’m not sorry.


Obren Bokich’s A Christmas Card for Mr. McFizz was published in 1987, just before I turned four years old, and I received it that year as a gift from my grandmother.  I don’t remember the actual gifting.  What I do remember is being fascinated by Dan Lane’s illustrations, entranced  by the story (it’s odd, endearing, and rather grown-up), and demanding rereads from my parents until I could read the words myself.  It’s the one picture book I told my mother not to donate when she went on a bookshelf cleansing rampage while I was in my teens.

I’m not sure what happened to that original book, but in college realized I didn’t know exactly where Mr. McFizz was and I ordered myself a replacement copy on the interwebs.  The title has been out of print for years, but luckily there wasn’t a problem finding a reasonably priced copy.


Fast forward to one month ago.  I was trying to figure out what to do with an enormous white wall in the living room.  I had IKEA frames and saved posters from several years of the National Book Festival, but I needed something else.  Enter Mr. McFizz.  I went back to the worldwide web and ordered the cheapest used copy I could find (a reject from the San Diego County Library, it turns out).  Then I did it – I cut up my favorite picture book. 

And put it in cute frames and hung it on my wall. And I smile every single time I look in that direction.


It was a good decision.  Tell me: would you cut up a picture book for wall art? Which one? 

10 comments:

Kristen M. said...

Ferdinand. Definitely Ferdinand. And The Poky Little Puppy. Both of those would make me really happy to see on the walls regularly. Still, I'm not sure I could cut up books. Maybe color copies? ;)

Liviania said...

What a cute idea.

I'd probably deface Amelia Bedelia or The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Stellaluna! Stellaluna would be a good one.

Alex said...

I like the idea, and I think your pictures look great, but I don't know if I could do it, although I do have pages from an old child's grammar book framed, but it came that way.

Tales of Whimsy said...

Ha! I love it. "I killed a book and I'm not sorry". Bravo! Great job. Adorable post! And yay for more pictures.

Anonymous said...

Great idea!

Christine said...

I LOVE this idea! I would do exactly what you did and buy an extra copy though. I couldn't cut up my one and only copy of a favorite book. I think this is such a great way for a book-lover to decorate and seems like a relatively cheap project. I will definitely use this idea once I finally move into my new house!

Alyce said...

That's fantastic! I have a couple of art books that I got at a used sale for fifty cents a piece, and I have meant to do something similar, but haven't been able to bring myself to cut the books up yet.

Unknown said...

I love this!

carol said...

Those turned out lovely! I don't know that I could cut up a book to frame, but I have done it with sheet music.

Ryan said...

I think this is a cool thing to do, but I would have to buy copies for that purpose only. I'm thinking used book stores, or the friends of the library book store.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home