‘War and Peace’ bookend
1) “Hey, who put that hole there?”
2) “Boy, my arms ain’t half aching!
They say a good soldier never leaves his post, well, this is now true of a toy soldier as well (mainly because he’s bolted onto the shelf and couldn’t move if he wanted to!). The ‘War and Peace’ bookend is a great way of repurposing an old toy figure, it needs to be of a decent size, but anything from an old ‘space ranger’ to a WWF wrestler will do the trick. However, I liked the idea of using a soldier – it seemed a fun contrast, taking something associated with action and danger, and using it to hold-up some kids books..
This project first appeared on Craft:, as part of their ‘quirky craft’ series. I have now reworked the instructions and made them available for download, I hope you like them. It’s worth pointing out that the techniques are very dependent on the type of toy figure you use, the basic objective is to attach it firmly to a shelf, so feel free to improvise. If you have any question just leave me a comment.
Includes:
1) Collectable instructions – print them out & put them in a folder!
I must give Steph Mantis a shout out, it was here wonderful “Pack Racks” (coat racks made from plastic toy animal heads) that were the inspiration for this project. Go check out her very cool blog.
I just love this! I would like something like this in my livingroom bookshelves too… Where would my kids have left their Action Man? I guess a barbie isn’t stronge enough to hold a lot of literature…
…yes, but a barbie would look great on the other end of the book shelf! Scott:)
Love, love, love this idea! Sending it to my Marine son.
Thanks Lisa, I wondered if I’d hear from anyone with a connection to the Forces, so thanks for the comment. I hope your son stays safe (and likes the bookend!). All the best. Scott
[...] What I Made does it again. How cool is this idea for a little boy's bedroom? I love that it recycles an older toy in a new, very awesome way, and the best part is it's functional. [...]
Love your website, so inspiring to go out and create.
thank you for sharing!
And thank you for taking the time to comment. It’s always a thrill to hear from people who enjoy my blog. Thanks Scott:)
Love this. but what toy is used for the other bookend? war=soldier and peace = ? any ideas?
Yes, good point – I never really thought about the other end! I like your idea of having one end ‘war’ and the other end ‘peace’ – thanks. Scott:)
This one is surprisingly cute, considering it involves sawing a soldier in half.
Ha, ha – yes, the build technique is perhaps a little gruesome! Thanks for the comment. Scott