Recycling vintage books into useful and clever ways can be fun and there are countless creative ideas floating around but did you ever think about transitioning a book into a smartphone charging station? Before I show you how, please be sure your device does not heat up while charging. If it does, this project is not for you. If you use the charger issued with the device, you generally won’t have that issue. However if it gets really hot, you should make an appointment to have it checked.
You’ll need:
- A smartphone.
- A book large enough to accommodate your smartphone.
- X-Acto Knife.
- Cardboard.
- Spray adhesive.
- Elmer’s Glue.
- Decorative paper.
- Small foam paint brush.
Here’s how ya do it:
- Make a template of your smartphone out of cardboard. I used the cardboard from a shoebox. You’ll want the template size to be slightly larger than the smartphone device. Set the template aside for now.
- Page about 60 pages into the book then on page 61, using an X-Acto knife, start cutting the canal for the charging device cord which will exit the book. Remember to center the cord at the bottom of the book (see my photo above). This page numbering suggestion worked for me with my phone but depending on the paper thickness of your book and your device, you may need to start cutting at a deeper or shallower level into the book.
- Now close pages 1 – 60, place your template of your smartphone on the top inside page and start cutting the pages with the X-Acto knife. You’ll want the device to have some wiggle room on all four sides when it’s nested inside the book.
- Continue cutting until you’ve reached the pages where you’ve cut the canal for the charger cord. You’ll want to cut several pages below the canal where the charger cord exits the book so the device sits comfortably with the charger plugged in.
- When you’ve finished cutting the pages, insert the phone to make sure it fits within the area you’ve carved out of the book. Again, make sure you have some wiggle room within the space.
- Cut one piece of decorative paper to fit inside the front cover and first page. Using your template, cut an opening in the paper which will cover the first page to accommodate the opening for the smartphone. Then spray the back of the paper with repositionable spray adhesive. Place firmly on the inside cover and first page. This will hide any stray cuts or imperfections on the pages. Place something heavy on these pages and let dry. You’ll also want to paste decorative paper within the nest you’ve created for the device. Simply measure the opening and the interior four sides and cut and paste accordingly.
- Finally, with the book cover open and using a foam brush, spread glue over the three page-end sides of the book to seal all the book pages. This will prevent the pages from coming apart. Again, placing something heavy on the book while the glue dries is a big help.
- Your done!
This is a super fun project and despite the steps, was fairly easy to create. My suggestion is to charge your device with the book cover open.
Happy crafting!
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