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Striped Faux-Marble Bookends

September 20, 2016~ Decor, DIY and craft projects

It’s time for this month’s Inspired by DIY! If this week seems jam packed from a content perspective, it’s because it is! I don’t normally share three posts in a week, so make sure you tune in on Wednesday and Thursday to catch all the goodness! It’s like Christmas in September! For this month’s challenge I’m making Faux-Marble Bookends, inspired by // these marble bookends from West Elm // using contact paper, vinyl, and wood!

faux-marble-bookends

I have a nice collection of books. I mean sure, we have a ridiculously large collection of military history and analysis books (we could probably open a library), but it’s only been in the past year that I’ve revived a passion for reading again. You know in university when you had to read hundreds of pages a week/night for classes? I learned how to speed read and essentially traverse a page diagonally.

Once I had left the classroom this habit of scanning a page didn’t exactly translate into peaceful afternoons reading. Instead, I’d be done a book within a day and not remember half the plot points. I gave myself a year where I did’t read anything more than a magazine, and then one day I picked up a book (Gone Girl  by Gillian Flynn) and haven’t looked back since. I love the chic noir genre, and have a penchant for military spouse memoirs. I particularly enjoyed The Astronaut Wives Club. Now, of course, I have a far too many books and not enough shelves or way to show them off. Enter this project.

I don’t normally buy bookends, in fact I only own one other pair and they’re in // the family room // so making a set for my desk collection makes perfect sense!

Nice marble ones would be hard to come by out here in Fredericton, even considering HomeSense! But, we do have a big bin of leftover bits of wood, so I wondered if I might be able to start there.

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Materials

  • Four 2″ x 4″ scraps – these are wood scraps, but you could conceivably buy one 2″ x 4″ and then cut it.
  • Wood Glue (not No More Nails – actual wood glue)
  • Mitre Saw
  • Wood filler
  • Putty paddle (scientific term?)
  • DC Fix 346-0306 Adhesive Film, Grey Marble
  • Black outdoor permanent vinyl – I got mine from Expressions Vinyl
  • Scissors
  • Vinyl Applicator tool

materials on marble background

Step 1: Start by gluing your pieces of wood together, stacked vertically, one on top of another. I weighed mine down with a concrete foot, and left it overnight.

wood scraps and wood glue

Step 2: After waiting for the dry-time, I cut my wood twice:

  • Once, to make it a square. I measured the height of my wood stack, and then cut that length on the horizontal.wood scraps and measuring tape
  • And then once, to cut the wood square from end to end on a diagonal.

mitre-saw-gif

P.S. what do you think of my gifs?

Step 3: I applied wood filler to all the gaps so that when I apply the contact paper and vinyl, it won’t be wrapping around the curve of the wood. Make sure you respect dry times

two wood triangles

Step 4: Sand-down any excess filler left, so that you have two smooth triangles.

close-up of wood triangle

Step 5: Make sure you wipe any sawdust off the wood before applying the contact paper! I also spray-painted the bottom of the wedges so that I knew which part to not wrap.

Using my vinyl applicator tool, I wrapped each triangle in marble contact paper. I was able to wrap each triangle in one continuous piece of paper.Faux-Marble Bookends

I find it best to apply the paper from end to another. I start by getting a good straight line at one end (like an anchor). I don’t fully peel back the backing on the paper right away because I don’t want it sticking while I’m getting a good clean line. Once I’ve got the contact paper properly anchored to one end, I slowly peel the backing off the paper, while applying it with the tool. This can be time consuming, but it ensures there are no pockets or air bubbles.

Faux-Marble Bookends

Step 6: Using my scissors, I cut the black vinyl into 1″ stripes. The vinyl you cut for three of the sides will be 1″, but on the sloped side (the side facing outwards when up against the books) you’ll need to measure the width once the other sides are applied.

Because you’ll have cut the black vinyl on an angle, the width of that piece will actually be longer because in bisecting it we get into some math (a+b=c kinda thing). I somehow don’t have the words to properly explain this part, so take my word and measure this piece separately.

Step 7: Using the same method as with the contact paper, I apply the stripes horizontally across the bookends, leaving a 1″ gap between each stripe.

Faux-Marble Bookends with black stripes

Step 8: I was making these bad boys in our garage, hence the un-even lighting – don’t hate me – so I made sure to wipe them down before bringing them inside because sawdust was clinging to every inch of them! Style and enjoy!
I think they look fantastic with all my desk accessories!

Faux-Marble Bookends styled on table

 

Faux-Marble Bookends

Faux-Marble Bookends

 

And now, for the other ladies from the Inspired by DIY series, and their amazing projects!

Iris Nacole // This is Our Bliss // PMQ for Two // Maggie Overby Studios // Up To Date Interiors // Domicile 37

 

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31 Comments

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Comments

  1. Maggie @ Maggie Overby Studios says

    September 20, 2016 at 7:18 am

    Love them! That marble contact paper is great. We have our fair share of military history books at our house too. Maybe these guys would help keep them in order!

    Reply
  2. Lesley Metcalfe says

    September 20, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    Stunning bookends! They look like real marble!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 20, 2016 at 10:30 pm

      That’s what I was going for! Glad you think they look real 😉

      Reply
  3. Kathy says

    September 20, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    I was wondering how you were going to make these Ariel! You are so creative. I just love how they turned out (and your mad styling skills!).

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 20, 2016 at 10:30 pm

      Aww thanks Kathy! I was unsure what to do for this month, but once I saw these bookends I knew exactly who I was going to do them!

      Reply
  4. jessica says

    September 20, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous! It is amazing what you can do with contact paper and some wood!

    Reply
  5. Amy @ My Life From Home says

    September 22, 2016 at 9:50 am

    Super cute! They really look like marble. Huh

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 22, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      thanks! I’m quite pleased with them 🙂

      Reply
  6. April R - Uncookie Cutter says

    September 24, 2016 at 9:25 am

    What a genius idea! I love it! Pinning!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 25, 2016 at 1:43 pm

      thanks girl!

      Reply
  7. Iris Nacole says

    September 24, 2016 at 10:51 am

    I’ve been admiring bookends just like these for a while now! Yours turned out perfect, and look amazing styled in your space. Wonderful work Ariel! Oh, and I love the GIF!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 25, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      You could totally make your own then! I’m sure you’ve got some wood scraps kicking around?

      Reply
  8. Emily says

    September 24, 2016 at 11:33 am

    These are so cute and simple to make! I am actually doing my first project this weekend with peel and stick marble paper. I am excited to see how it looks! I have always loved the look of a marble surface.

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 25, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      oh can’t wait to see it! It’s like using vinyl, the only hiccup can be in applying large sheets of it. Good luck 🙂

      Reply
  9. Nicole Q-Schmitz says

    September 25, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Love the black and white stripes! (Also, just read #girlboss)

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 25, 2016 at 1:30 pm

      Thanks! What did you think? I don’t know what I expected, but I almost thought it would have business stuff in there.

      Reply
  10. Sarah says

    September 25, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    Love the bookends! The contact paper really looks like real marble. Pinning!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 8:10 am

      doesn’t it?! I’m still thinking of other ways I can use this paper around the house!

      Reply
  11. Kati says

    September 26, 2016 at 12:23 am

    I am loving your GIFs. And your bookends. I need more bookends. Pinned!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 7:58 am

      Thank you 🙂 they’re super duper easy to make in Photoshop, and are a time saver when trying to explain a tricky step or something that doesn’t photograph well.

      Reply
  12. Kim Young says

    September 26, 2016 at 2:44 pm

    Love them, Ariel! They turned out so well!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 27, 2016 at 8:44 pm

      Thank you so much Kim!

      Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 7:53 am

      Thank you <3

      Reply
  13. Rachael @ This is our Bliss says

    September 26, 2016 at 3:13 pm

    Ahhh these are too AWESOME!! Such a gorgeous DIY! I just love this look! Great Job, Ariel!! – Rachael

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 7:53 am

      Thanks friend!

      Reply
  14. Jenny @ Refresh Living says

    September 27, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    Such an cool idea – and I can’t believe how real the vinyl looks!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 7:53 am

      I was a little amazed at how well they turned-out too actually!

      Reply
  15. Sara says

    September 28, 2016 at 11:03 am

    These turned out awesome!!!! Your staging is amazing. The black and white with all the color, SWOON!

    Reply
    • Ariel says

      September 28, 2016 at 12:52 pm

      The staging on this was a disaster until the last minute when I pulled a few odds and ends together, and then suddenly, BAM! Perfection

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Canadian Blogger Fall Home Tour • A PMQ for two (and three pets) says:
    September 28, 2016 at 8:13 am

    […] last week’s triple header of posts (here // here // here) I took a breather and spent some time jazzing-up the house for fall. I find so many people go over […]

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  2. 20 Awesome Things You Can Make With Scrap Wood – DIY DIAL says:
    July 17, 2018 at 1:44 pm

    […] DIY instructions: PMQ For Two […]

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Hi! My name is Ariel and I'm the voice behind PMQ for two. I create bright, bold, colourful, and eclectic home decor, DIYs and lifestyle content.

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PMQ for three

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