holiday crafts - grace grits and gardening

If you can fold a piece of paper, you can make this paperback book angel.

Book angels, typically made from hymnals, have been around a long time. Since I didn’t have a hymnal, I used a paperback book.

Although I’m not one to destroy books, this Glimmer Train book was the easy choice for me since I received it in the mail as a consolation prize for not winning one of their short story contests. Yep, I just ripped the cover right off and turned it into something more positive (after I read it of course).

Fold page to center. (Initially I folded two pages at a time (as shown in the picture above), but it became quickly apparent this would not work. I started over folding one page at a time.)

Fold the same page to center again.

After the second fold, there will be a triangular piece hanging below the edge of the book. Fold this section under so that the edge is even.

Repeat with 25-30 pages. (The book I used had approximately 150 pages. You will need to adjust the number of pages folded for the base depending upon the length of the book. I recommend folding approximately 2/3 of the book for the base.)

Do the same thing with 25-30 pages on the other side of the spine. This will keep the angel balanced.

The angel will now stand. (If you continue folding the remaining pages, you will have a Christmas tree…)

Once you fold a group of pages on each side of the spine, flip the book upside down and continue folding pages the same way to make wings. Again, fold the same number of pages on each side of the spine.

When there are only about 20 pages remaining, flip the book once more and fold the remainder of the pages to make the back of the angel base. (This part will not be visible from the front when the angel is completed but will help with stability.)