Designer book bundles

You see them everywhere.  You see them in catalogs like Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs.  You frequently see them in magazines like Romantic Homes and Country Living.  Well, I found out how to make these bundles and it's really easy!!  More on that in a minute.

 First, pick up some old books at your local thrift store.  The older the better.  Old Readers' Digest books are great for this.  Just look for older ones.  They take the coffee stain well.

Remove the covers and break the book into sections.  Then dip all edges but the spine in some strong instant coffee.  Set outside to dry.

You can see they look old and stained.  Then I bound them up with jute.

This picture makes them look lighter than they really are.  They are wonderfully stained and great decorator pieces.  Most will be for sale in my booth at Merchant Square.

For more complete instructions, please visit Karen Valentine's blog, My Desert Cottage here.  That's where I found the instructions for doing this.  Quick, fun, and decorative!  Thanks, Karen!