TikTok's Clever Hack Turns Old Books Into Beautiful Home Decor

What do you do with books that are quite old so you don't read them anymore, and are too damaged to be sold? You repurpose them to breathe new life into their pages instead of throwing them out. For instance, if you're a plant lover, you can DIY a mini planter for succulents using old books. Crafting a charming side table out of old books is another DIY project you can undertake. However, if you're looking for something a little more unique, how about turning the weathered pages into life-like roses?

TikTok user @laura.delallana tore the pages of her old book (gently, of course; no books were harmed during the DIY) and, with a little creativity, turned them into beautiful home décor. This clever hack uses items you already have on hand, like an old book, a hot glue gun, a hot glue stick, scissors, a toothpick, a chopstick (or skewer), a pencil, and a ruler (optional). The best part, though? The hack isn't effort-intensive, and you'll have to dedicate around 10 minutes per rose. If you're interested in turning your old books into stunning roses for your bookcase or living room, here's how you can go about it.

Begin by gently tearing out at least three to four pages from an old book. Next, grab a corner of one of the pages, fold it in half, and cut off the excess at the bottom. Alternatively, use a ruler and pencil to draw at least 4-inch-by-4-inch squares on the page before cutting them out. Now, fold the square thrice to create a small triangle.

Grab your scissors and cut one end of the triangle into a dome shape. Use this ice-cream cone-shaped paper as a prototype to shape the other folded triangles. Follow this up by snipping off the pointed edge of the cones before opening the folds to reveal eight flower petals. Cut out a petal from one folded paper, two from another, and so on, until you finally cut the last flower in half. Plug in the glue gun and apply hot glue on one edge of the flower to stick the two ends. Repeat this for all the flowers and cut petals except the singular and two-piece petals. You want to roll them into tiny cones and glue their ends together. Once done, get a toothpick to roll the petals' edges. Finally, pick the largest petal and nestle the slightly smaller one inside with glue. Continue this process until your rose is assembled. For the stem, use twine with wire, bend the top slightly, and pull it through the center. Voila! Your paper roses are ready.

While following TikTok's guide to a T will give you gorgeous paper roses, you might not have certain materials at hand. So, instead of purchasing new items, substitute them with equivalents you have at home. For instance, if you don't have a hot glue gun or stick, craft glue works, too. Similarly, if you don't have a toothpick to roll the petals outward, use a pencil, pen, or a small paintbrush. Basically, you can use anything with a thin, cylindrical shape.

As for the stem, chopsticks, popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners will all help you achieve the same look. You can also attach a green-colored straw at the end of the rose and tape it in place. Don't forget to wrap the stem in green floral tape for a realistic touch. Personalize the roses by marking the ends of the petals with colorful markers or sticking beads and stickers on them. If you want the roses to stand out, sprinkle a little glitter (colored or otherwise; it's your choice) on the petals.

Moreover, you can add leaves to your roses using the paper you'd cut off from the pages for your perfect squares. Simply draw leaves on the paper, cut the shape out, crinkle them a little to help them mimic natural leaves, and attach them to the rose's bottom. Once you're done, put them in a glass jar, bottle, or vase and display them around the house.