Vintage French Fairy Tale Book Covers

I had so much fun creating my most recent project…turning old paperback books into vintage French fairy tale books with just the addition of a book cover! But the best part was working with two of my frenchy favorites…Charles Perrault’s classic French fairy tales and Gustave Doré’s amazing illustrations!

Of course, Baby Kitty is also a big fan, since Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots) stars one of his own! And he wants to point out that in the Perrault version of Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), the wolf wins in the end! French fairy tales teach a lesson and are not for sissies! You can find the English translations of Perrault’s fairy tales (dating from 1697) plus more of Doré’s illustrations (added in 1867) for Little Red Riding Hood here and Puss in Boots here.


The real fun was in creating the graphic! The script in the background is actually the beginning lines from Le Chat Botté. I added a border from The Graphics Fairy and then one of Doré’s illustrations.



Then I repeated the process for Le Petit Chaperon Rouge…gotta love those illustrations and the frame just makes it perfect…then I added the titles on the spine.

Here’s how to do it…
1. Print the covers above at 8 x 10 size and fold them to fit a paperback book. Then trim the edges so that they fit exactly on the top and bottom, with a flap to fold over the sides. I trimmed the flap at an angle so that it would not show.
2. Next, place the cover on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and add a little strong coffee. Give it a few moments to soak in, then pour off the excess. Place the cover (still on the cookie sheet) in a preheated 200 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until the edges begin to curl up. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn!
3. When you have finished, it should look something like this! Start with the front and re-crease along the previous folds.
4. Place the cover on the paperback, making sure it fits properly. You may find that the back of the cover has shrunken a tiny bit, so it is important to start with the front first. Coat the inner sides completely with rubber cement and smooth them down. You can roll off any excess that comes out using your fingers. As a final touch, you might add some Distress Ink on the book edges with a small sea sponge to give them a vintage look. I started with an old paperback from Goodwill (so old its original price as new was just 60 cents! lol) so I didn’t have to do much!

And there you have it! They look pretty authentic, huh? That’s my favorite Quimper candlestick from a local antique shop and a peek at my $1.91 vintage bottle wrapped in wickerwork...from Goodwill! I’ll show you more later.

And the books were virtually free! Don’t you love those illustrations? Now I am looking for more so I can add to my “vintage” collection!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my French fairy tale book covers! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Karen at The Graphics Fairy for Brag Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up on Tuesdays
Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Swing into Spring
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!