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As a paper/junk/book reusing crafter, I end up with a lot of book pages. And I mean A LOT.
Book Covers and book pages are in abundance in my stash so I have to find creative ways to reuse these items so they don't end up filling up the landfill.
Brittle book pages are some of the hardest things to use because they tend to tear as you fold them and a lot of the brittle book pages I come across are thicker paper.
Masterboard
Ripping them into pieces and gluing them onto manilla folder or blank paper (to turn into journal cards/tags) is my favorite way to use them. We'll get that one out of the way first.
- Wet glue (you can water it down to make the glue last - I don't always do this) heavy on surface you are gluing to
- Put piece of paper over big glue puddle
- Wet glue OVER that piece of paper
When you glue it down and coat it with glue afterward, it helps the stability of the brittle pages and makes them a little more pliable.
(Book pages on a manilla folder with napkin white glued to the top)
What glue do I use?
Elmer's Glue All (as an Amazon affiliate, I make a small commission on all purchases made using my links.) regular liquid glue. I buy it by the gallon and fill a pickle jar to dip my paintbrush into.
Yes, I have heard that Elmer's glue yellows over time.
No, I have not experienced this (and I've been using Elmer's Glue All for YEARS)
Any wet PVA glue will do.
(Folio made using paper bags covered in book pages - the edges began cracking after I glued it. I will decorate some masking tape and add it to the edges)
Acid vs. Acid Free (and why it's important)
Brittle pages are typically made of acid paper. Acid paper is a cheaper paper and breaks down over time. Newspaper, cheap paperback books - all acid paper.
Sealing it helps. Elmer's Glue All might not be the right glue for this since it is considered slightly more acidic than other white glue options.
Mod Podge is an option but in muggier climates, it tends to make pages stick together. Not recommended for art journals or books that you will be closing. It will be fine on a collage you create on a canvas, etc.
Believe it or not, but basic school glue is probably the best option. It is acid Free, nontoxic, and pH balanced (which is the biggest thing - pH is important on your paper).
SEAL YOUR PAGES. The breakdown of the acid paper spreads to nearby pages, including archival and acid free papers. If its important, SEAL IT before adding anything else.
Backgrounds
Now that we've covered why you need to seal your brittle pages, you can use them however you want. They make amazing backgrounds.
One of my favorite ways to use book pages is painty papers! The paint will also seal in the acid if you add enough to seal the page (once the paper stops absorbing paint, its sealed)
When in doubt, throw some paint on it!
Other Ideas/Solutions
Don't freak out about acid vs acid free or what you can use these brittle pages for. Adding a small piece to a cluster or a belly band won't hurt anything.
If you are using a brittle page on its own, you can always add tape to creases that have cracked and use them as an envelope.
And the acid coming in contact with the acid free will probably take many years before it starts to affect the other papers around it. So far, the worst I've dealt with is acid paper staining the pages around it.
The old discoloration of an acid based brittle paper really ads a nice vintage flair to paper crafting projects so don't be afraid to use it. As long as you understand that it is brittle and can't be trusted as a junk journal page on its own, it can make some great ephemera when paired with other papers and it works great as an embellishment added to something.
(Inside the paper bag folio - I added a few Scrappy notepads to the back and some cute pockets on the side)
Feel free to reach out if you have questions and tag me in your projects! I'd love to see how you use brittle book pages in your art!
~M