Mother’s day was approaching and the Pinterest scrolling to find the perfect gift ideas had commenced. Since becoming a mom I have really tried to put a lot of thought into my Mother’s Day gift giving as it has given me a new level of appreciation for moms. As I was scrolling I came across these personalized stamped book stacks and it was game over. I knew they would be perfect for both my mom and mother in law, personalized with the names of their grandbabies. I wanted to take the easy way out and order from Etsy but with shipping taking longer than usual due to COVID, I decided to do it myself.
Supplies
Books (Paper or Hard Cover)
Stamps
Black Stamp Pad
White Chalk Paint
Paint Brushes
Twine
Faux greenery (Optional)
Step 1 - Paint
Paint the cover of the books. If using hard cover books, make sure you paint the inside lip as it is visible when the books are closed and stacked. It took 2-3 coats to get the look I was going for. If I were to do this project again I would consider using paper back instead because the book title was indented on the binding which made it slightly harder to cover.
Tip – I ordered my books from Book Outlet for less than $1 a book. They sell new books that weren’t considered perfect for the publishers, at a very discounted price. Funny story, I was so focused on the size of the book binding that I didn’t pay attention to the title of the book that I bought. When I got the books out to start this project, I had them sitting on the table. My husband picked up one of the books, read the title and immediately looked up at me. I realized I bought the book titled “Then There Were Four” and he thought I was prepping a pregnancy announcement. Sorry for the heart attack, babe.
Step 2 - Stamp
Stamp the personalized names on each of the books. When doing so, work from right to left starting with the last letter of each name. This will ensure the names line up on the right when stacked. The stamps I used were the most expensive necessity for this project but Michaels typically has a 40% off one full price item if you download their app.
Tip – Don’t worry about making it look perfect. I think it looks best when some letters are faded while others are bolded, giving it a more farmhouse look.
Step 3 - Assemble
Stack your books in the desired order and wrap your book stack with twine. This is where you can get creative and make it your own. Not into twine? Any string or ribbon will work great. I added faux greenery to the top which added just the right touch for the farmhouse look I was going for.
This project took me about 2 hours to complete (not including the time needed to allow the books to dry), and half the time my toddler was “helping me”. Overall, this was a pretty simple DIY and makes a great gift for any occasion, or even the perfect decor for your own home.
