11 Sep 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays
I’m feeling pretty proud of how many different ideas (taken from anti-censorship posters found on pinterest) I have going on here. It may be my busiest display yet. Which is saying something. I don’t do subtlety.
As in previous years, I’m putting up my Banned Book display early and then taking it down late. This display is the perfect example of my secret superpower: Reusing old crafts. The flames are from my teen “Recommended Reads” display, the giant book is from my summer reading display, the lettering and statue of liberty are from last year’s BBW display, the banned book characters I made for a scavenger hunt last spring.
Check it out: I took pictures of it in progress.
07 Sep 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Glitter
New picture book display in the works + Banned Books week coming up (may be my favorite display theme ever) + Teen display really overdue for an over haul + 3 new felt stories = Serious contender for messiest desk award in my entire library system. Good thing my coworkers are on vacation.
I love stepping back and looking at the wreckage. There are my tools: scissors, glue, smelly markers, and Lipstick. I have this weird habit of absently applying more and more makeup as I craft, the sparklier the better. By the end of a project I can give David Bowie a run for his money. Then there’s the scraps of paper in every color known to our contracted paper vendor, fabric shreds, chunks of cardboard and piles of glitter. Maybe I’m nesting. My spirit animal is probably a magpie.
Like my note to myself? I’m hoping it helps me to remember that even if I’m at home surrounded in sticky, sparkly debris, not everyone is.
22 Jun 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Interactive Displays, Summer Reading Program
Summer Reading has hit and it is cray cray at the Lacey Library. So fun and chaotic that I’m using words like ‘cray cray’. Every kid fills out a ‘dragon scale when they sign up and then they get to watch as the dragon grows longer and longer…
It’s only been three days and I have so many scales already! By the end of the summer, this is going to be one serious dragon. If you have big ceilings, ask your building manager to put in pulleys. I have a love affair with my pulleys every summer, and this year is no different.
Here’s the dragon before legs and scales:
13 Jun 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays
This display could work any time of year, but because of the little hearts in the sparkly “B<3<3KS!” sign, I had it up for Valentine’s Day in February. It was simply a display featuring our library’s “Top 100 Picture Books” list.
The red butcher paper in the back was a PAIN to make all wavy (the heavy velvet Broadway curtain look was what I was going for). I had to cut the sheet way longer than the bulletin board. I stapled the end down to the right edge of the board. Then starting from the left I pushed the paper to the right until it made a ‘bump’. I stapled that bump in place. Repeat, repeat repeat, repeat until I reached the end of the bulletin board. Good. Back ‘Curtain’ finished. With fishing line I hung my sparkly letters. Then, at the front edge of the display I hung red tissue paper to be my front ‘Curtain’. Butcher paper just won’t hang the same way, or at least I don’t have to skills to make it lie correctly. Then I added my favorite characters to the Stage.
08 Jun 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Summer Reading Program
My first summer reading display: Dive Into A Good Book! Each tentacle is a peice of cardboard, covered with orange paper and little paper suction cups, then fitted to the bookshelf and taped or stapled into place.
06 Jun 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Instructions
I was on vacation, and then sick, so I haven’t done much at the library lately. Sounds like a perfect time to post pictures of some past displays. Take last year’s halloween display for example:
It was fun to feature a bunch of grossology-esque books from our non-fiction section in this display. The creepy tree in the back was made using a really simple twisting butcher paper trick. I used this technique to make the beanstalk on my ‘DREAM BIG, READ!” display for the summer as well.
So, fear not, trees (beanstalks, vines, snakes, octopus tentacles, etc) are the easiest thing in the world. I used green butcher paper and cut it to a size of about 48″ long by 24″ wide. The wider the sheet of butcher paper, the thicker your vine will end up being. So, anyway, you have a long sheet of butcher paper. Starting at one end, crumple it in your fist and twist the butcher paper all the way to the end. Don’t tear it while twisting. I ended up having to use a few staples to help it keep it’s twisted shape. My vine is about 10 feet long, so I had to make it one chunk at a time and then attach the peices to each other. There is also a picture.
Well. Summer Reading Program Panic is under way so that’s all I’ve got for now.
26 May 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays
Well, not so much a Christmas as a winter display. I got the characters from Karma Wilson’s Bear Snores On books. It was such a peaceful little display.
08 May 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Glitter, Summer Reading Program
My picture book display for the Summer Reading Program for kids this year at the Lacey Timberland Library. Dream Big, Read!
Make it yourself:
The headboard and footboard are just cardboard (refrigerator box) as always, covered in yellow butcher paper. I found a picture of a simple kid’s bed and using a ruler, a paper cup (for the circles) and a pen, I drew the headboard and footboard on cardboard, cut them out, and then traced them on to butcher paper. Then I glued my butcher paper bed frame to my cardboard one. I stapled the headboard to the bulletin board on the wall, and the footboard is taped to the front of my bookshelf. The footboard is a good foot longer than the headboard- which is what makes the bed look so deep. I like playing with perspective in my displays. This is a normal bookshelf- it is a foot deep, if that. As you can see from the picture, I placed the headboard much higher than the longer footboard- this allows you to actually see the charcters and gives the illusion that you’re looking down on them. The ‘mattress’ is a purple trapezoid – a four sided polygon that, like the headboard and footboard, is longer the closer it is to the viewer and shorter as it goes into the headboard. For the blanket and pillows I used tissue paper because it imitates fabric better than butcher paper. Print off some cute characters and tuck them into bed!
03 May 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Instructions, Summer Reading Program
I’ve had a few requests for instructions for making your own library tree and 3-D letters, so I’m working up how-tos, which is tricky since I didn’t remember to take pictures of the process. But it’s coming, I promise. I have learned my lesson, however, and took pictures of my giant book as I was constructing. Wanna make your own giant book? Go for it! I will warn you, it’s hard and it takes a while, but dude, you can reuse that sucker in different displays over and over again.
I’ve gotten some emails recently asking for more information on this challenging little craft. So, here is a very simple picture of all the different parts of your book:
25 Apr 2012
by Rachelin Book Displays, Glitter, Summer Reading Program
Here’s the dispay – so far… Dun Dun DUN! That’s right, when I have time I’m gonna add more! A once upon a time to the book pages, a castle in the clouds, a Jack coming out of the book, more glitter… you name it. This will be a fantasy -themed display, since my picture book display will be bedtime story themed, and my teen display will most likely be creatures of the night themed.
Dream Big READ!
Follow me!