Traveling Bookcase

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The bookcase from this post is traveling to the middle school with me. I decided it was time for a makeover. Decoupage is a fun and easy way to change furniture. You can use this method with covering basically anything from boxes to clipboards, or even to pretty up an otherwise boring school notebook.

I surfed the Internet and printed pictures of book characters. Technically, the term decoupage refers to gluing items that have been cut out - the term comes from the word "decouper," which means "to cut out."

I painted the sides and drawers with a flat black paint. I used Modge Podge decoupage medium for the book characters and red dots (paper punch dots) on the front drawers and design on the sides of the bookcase. The glue had to dry about 30 minutes and then another coat of the Modge Podge was put on top. I used 5 coats of Modge Podge to seal the bookcase.

I love this ol' bookcase because it displays the books with the covers facing out. I'm guessing it was once a store display. For years, Jim Trelease, international consultant and author of The Read-Aloud Handbook (2001) has advocated that books need to be advertised in classrooms and libraries in the same fashion that cookies and cereal boxes are displayed in the grocery stores - -with the cover facing out. Read more about creating "reading climate" here.