DIY: Old Book Kindle Cover

We all know I love books. A lot. But since I've succumbed to the e-reader, it's been a great way to save my back on the commute and on vacations. My mother is a fellow bookworm—she's probably at fault for my obsession. And since I've been wanting to try my hand at one of these projects for awhile, I thought Mother's Day seemed like a good excuse to get out the Modge Podge!

I did a little research for ideas (blogger Quentin Lewis has a good, albeit different, approach), ordered my book from Amazon and then went to buy supplies...

Through the years, my mom has "introduced" me to countless characters that have remained with me. Do you ever read a book and feel like the protagonist is a friend? I feel that way especially when it's a good series, because I have more time to "live" with the character, for them to grow, and in some ways, for me to grow. The best characters are usually too good to only spend one book with! But I digress. Along with Anne Shirley, Jo March and Laura Ingalls, Nancy Drew was one of the characters that we both read as children. (My mother had the complete set of 100+ books!) So the first Nancy Drew was one of those books that started more than a series for both of us—it started a love of reading and mysteries. :) All that said, you can use any old hardcover book for this project!

You will need:
• an old book, slightly larger than your Kindle/iPad/Nook/etc.
• an Xacto knife
• duct tape, book cloth or something else flexible yet binding for the spine
• craft paper
• a hole punch
• cardboard
• Modge Podge and/or rubber cement (I prefer rubber cement when gluing paper to paper, but Modge Podge holds elastic better)
• liquid cement or another strong bonding agent
• 1-2 yards of thin elastic, 1/4 yard of thick elastic optional
• paper clamps (optional)

First, I used an Xacto knife to separate the pages of the book from the spine and the interior lining. This should come out in one piece. Next, I used duct tape to reinforce the spine. (I glued scrapbook paper over the tape to make it look nicer, but you don't have to. If you use book cloth or book tape, then the colors are often prettier as-is!) I then glued a panel of scrapbook paper inside the interior cover with rubber cement.

I hole-punched two holes in the back cover, just far-enough in from the edges that the band wouldn't slip off when the book was closed (and bouncing around in my mom's purse.) To get the strap the right length, it should be taut or slightly stretched when the book it shut, so it stays closed. Glue it down with several coats of Modge Podge.

This is the piece the Kindle will sit on. I cut a piece of cardboard (any will do—I used a shipping box) that's slightly smaller than the inside cover of the book. The paper will add some volume, and you don't want the edges sticking outside the cover.

I attached my scrapbook paper to the cardboard using rubber cement. Once it was dry, I placed the elastic where I wanted it on the Kindle. I used both a strap across the front as well as the bottom corners, but you could do one or the other. Glue those down using several coats of Modge Podge, allowing it to dry completely in between.

Once this is dry, you can coat it completely—but not too thickly—with liquid cement and place it on the back cover. It's best to lay it on a flat surface (covered in newspaper to catch any overflow) and stack books on top to press it down while the glue dries.

Anyone who loves Nancy Drew knows that the books come with cute illustrations. I found one I liked in the pages, trimmed it down, glued it down with rubber cement and used Modge Podge to seal it. I applied several coats to the front cover to protect the paper from wear and tear. (I apologize for sounding like a Modge Podge ad! It's just the best stuff for this job!)

Now slip in your e-reader and voila!