Murder on the Orient Express - Book Cover Ornaments

Every year Mystery Playground works on ornaments for a mystery-themed Christmas tree. And our theme this year is a salute to...Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. We do this in July so you have plenty of time to get your materials together and make your own for December. 

Our first ornament this year are these Murder on the Orient Express book covers. Super easy to do. Won't take you every long. 

To make our Murder on the Orient Express Christmas tree theme easily identifiable, we decided to make some book cover ornaments. There are several different book covers that have been used throughout the years for different printing cycles, and you can choose your favorites.

Materials:

Wooden rectangles or other shapes

Color printed Murder on the Orient Express book covers (sized to fit on the wood pieces you are using)

Paint

Paintbrush

Mod Podge

Glue

Ribbon

Step One: Paint Your Wooden Pieces

Using a paint color that compliments your book cover, paint your pieces of wood. We purchased these cut outs but you can also cut your own to the size you need. These are going to go back to back and be covered with a book cover, so you don’t need to paint the middles, but be sure to cover the edges and sides that will show.

Step Two: Glue Your Wooden Pieces with Ribbon

When your paint is dry, cut a piece of ribbon that will be your ornament hanger and loop it and place the two ribbon ends on the back of one of your wooden pieces. Apply glue to ribbon edges and the back of the wood. Place your second wooden piece with its back to the glued surface. Put something heavy on it while the glue dries.

Step Three: Attached your Book Cover

Using your Mod Podge, paint the back of your book cover and then press it to the front of the ornament (on the painted wooden piece). Mod Podge over the entire front of the book cover and wooden piece to that the shine is uniform. Mod Podge dries clear, but there is a slight gloss, so cover the wooden edges too.

Once your Mod Podge is dry, hang on your tree and repeat with other book covers.

Come back next week for our ornament with all of the clues from the book.