A Year in Books Ornament

I made an ornament to showcase the 137 books I read this year! Then I made another for a friend...then I made a Taylor Swift Superfan Ornament for my son's Girlfriend (same idea, but with miniature album covers)

Sticker paper

Color printer

Scissors (cutting board and rotary cutter are optional but make things go quicker)

Thin cardboard or cardstock

Clear plastic 3-4" ornament with larger opening (approx 3/4-1" opening)

Cricut and Vinyl (optional)

Canva or other software

List of books or your Goodreads annual report!

Step 1: Keep track of all of the books you read during the year using GoodReads or a similar app. At the end of the year, GoodReads gives you a report that you can easily use to convert to create the mini book covers (example of a friend's above). Get some thin cardboard or heavy cardstock. One large plastic ornament (I prefer plastic. Cats are jerks and like to bat the glass ones more....plastic--durable).

Open up Canva, publisher, or a similar platform.

This recording shows you how I arranged my book covers in canva and then downloaded in PDF Print-CMYK. When you create them, try to keep them about 1.1" wide, and line them up VERTICALLY (this is key, I didn't do vertical the first time and it makes your life easier in future steps. Screencast here: http://somup.com/cZVlrKkaaM

Once all books are arranged and PDF downloaded, print on sticker paper. I ordered through Amazon. (NOT an affiliate link, just an example)

You need to print 2 copies of each sheet (one for front, one for back. The back of each book is just a duplicate of the front).

Adhere the first sheet to the cardstock (not a full sheet in example, because I didn't take photos initially) but then cut into VERTICAL strips (see second pic.)

Cut the matching sheet of stickers into Vertical strips and attach each strip on the back of the corresponding strip of cardstock to make a two-sided book

Trim each book and slightly bend to fit through hole of ornament.

Add the year with vinyl, marker, etc. Display your accomplishment and be proud of your literary journey!