Thread: Witch's Spellbook

I am doing a witch's room this year for my yard haunt/walk-thru and have ran into a little problem.... I purchased a book online to use for my spellbook, but when it arrived, I realized it was a bit small and didn't really look like a spellbook... Does anyone know where I can purchase a huge spellbook prop.... I am currently building like 20 different props right now so buying one would be easier but if anyone knows how to make a huge spellbook in a short amount of time let me know!

Are you're just going to have it laying open? If so, use any huge book, lay it open and make two pages that are on the open part to look the way you want them to, either with the computer or a pen. I doubt if anyone will be flipping through the book, unless they need a spell.

I wanted to have it open (don't know what to put inside but figured I could find something on the net about a spell) but where can I get a huge book.... I don't have any flea markets around me and the yard sales are starting to die down around here I can't just go to a library and say "do you have a huge book I can buy" Can you? Any ideas where I can get a huge book?

Perhaps you can figure a way to adapt this:

Hallmark fake spellbook Candy Container

Maybe paste a spell page over the empty cavity if you need it to be open.

Use a photo album and place some sheets of parchment cut to size in it. Use what you like to make the cover.

This just came to mind as an idea...haven't tried it yet, however, so I can't vouch for it...

Go buy a cheap ream of paper...use a power drill to run some holes along one edge - you're going to thread some string through those holes to keep the paper from falling apart...

Take a cardboard box, cut a couple of covers, or a piece big enough for the entire cover and spine (how detailed do you want to get?)...find something to use to cover the cardboard, or get creative with paints...

Last year, I bought a cheap 5x9 journal from WalMart, and covered the cover and spine in some cheap "pleather" I got off of the Joann's remnant rack (I still have plenty to do another this year, if I want)...I aged it with a little work with some sandpaper, toothbrush, paint and stain...I made a skull and crossbone emblem for the front (carved from foam) and painted it up to look like aged iron (well...sort of)...
This became the sign-in book for last years Halloween party (neighbor and I put it together)...I let my neighbor have it when the party was over...my fun was in making it.

It looked pretty good, all said & done...this may be something for you to try.

It really doesn't take too long - my hardest part was carving out a small skull and crossbone emblem to attach to the front of the journal...

I found a huge old bible, from around 1905, at my local used book store. The book has a thick leather cover and binding, and as it was already suggested, make a couple new pages and lay them out for the left and right pages with the book laying open. Use a parchment style paper, print the text and an ornate initial cap for the pages. You said you already bought a book of spells, use one of their spells. You already paid for it so you may as well get some use out of it.
If you don't have any local used book stores, you might check your local library, most have a group that helps to support the library, the group is usually called "Friends of the Library", and the books are dirt cheap. You may find an old encyclopedia or something of that nature to do the deed. If you have the spell, but can't typeset it in something appropriate, PM me with your email address and the desired spell, if you just want me to make something up, I can. I would send you a hi res. file that you could print out on your end. Let me know.
Fontgeek

I bought a journal that is leather bound with a bat emblem on it not a spell book. My original thought on buying the book was to have a vampire room that would have the history of vampire's type book (Got the idea from the movie Blade) But after many changes in my set up, after I bought the book, I no longer need it for that reason... So I thought I may be able to use it for the witch's spell book.... That's a good idea ugly joe... Now I may be able to do that, I want a book like hocus pocus, leather, huge and eerie looking... I have never carved foam tho so I may just have to make it simple looking.. by the way how hard is it to carve foam...keep in mind, I can't draw a straight line to save my life and the sad part is I am an architect (in training)

Funny thing on the "carving" of foam, for this project...upon reflection, I didn't as much "carve" it, as I took a piece about a 2"-3" wide by 4"-5" long and a 1/2" deep - just a simple, little tile of styrofoam...

I (very) roughly sketched out what I was hoping for, cut off the outside edges, and used some sandpaper to remove material - it was more guesswork than anything (I do NOT have artistic talent, but keep trying anyway...I love this stuff)

So - cut a slice of foam, draw out your bat wings, cut the basic shape, and start sanding...you may surprise yourself...

(by the way - latex paint is what you want to use on the foam, I started with lots of flat black, added some glossy, and some brown, red, and orange for rust)

I'll see if I can find a pic of what I did...I won't have a how-to, I'm afraid, but you'll be able to see it isn't too difficult...

Hey will you also get a picture of the book you made... I may just have to try the foam and your book idea to get what I want... Gotta get other projects done first tho