Like many of us, Malena Valcarcel from Spain too loves books. She has been an avid reader all her life. But she also creates beautiful art works from books that have been thrown away. This brings a whole new meaning to the word 'up-cycling'.



Her stunning creations include night-lights, wall hangings, headbands, and sculptures of unbelievable beauty. These evocative sculptures are often inspired by everyday life. The simplest sceneries, like a park or a cabin in the woods, come to life from these used books.



Sometimes she rescues old books from refuse bins, secondhand shops that can't sell them, and even libraries that burn unwanted or damaged books. If the books could speak, we imagine they would be grateful for their transformations.



Many of her pieces include other recycled materials as well. Malena also creates jewelry from old book pages and odd metal findings. Her projects are intricately detailed and must take a lot of time to complete.



For the books that do end up in refuse bins, it's comforting to know that a few may end up in Valcarcel's hands. She's sure to give them new lives as beautiful, incredibly unique works of art.



You can check out her beautiful portfolio on Pinterest. She also accepts custom orders via her Facebook page.