Romantasy Readers Unite with the Ex Libris Galaxias Collection!

Ex Libris Galaxias translates to “From the Library of the Galaxy,” and this collection is a love letter to books, imagination, and all the incredible places we get to visit without ever leaving the page. Quiet afternoons spent reading epic adventures in faraway worlds… there’s something a little magical about getting completely lost in a good story.

With tons of gorgeous hand-drawn illustrations that blend the joy of reading with the beauty and magic of fantasy, Ex Libris Galaxias is truly a book lover’s dream! Books, stars, planets, cozy reading moments, and plenty of celestial details come together in a collection designed for documenting your favorite stories and the adventures happening between the pages.

Whether you're a lifelong reader, a proud book collector, a library lover, or simply someone who always has just one more book waiting on their TBR pile, this collection is ready to help you tell those stories. And with the Sweet Steals sale, it's the perfect time to add a little literary magic to your stash!

Cheryl

The Ex Libris Galaxias Bundle is packed with vibrant color, fabulous bookish word art, and an amazing mix of patterned and solid papers. I knew right away that I wanted to create a page that celebrated one of my favorite kinds of dates . . . a cozy, bookish night at home with my husband!

I started my layout by pulling two photos onto the canvas. I placed the photo of the phonograph in the top right corner and then tucked the second photo, featuring our records and books, underneath it. That placement not only created a nice visual flow, but also covered some of the empty space in the second photo. And can we talk about that repeated book patterned paper?! I absolutely ADORE it! I knew it needed to be the star of my background, so I started with it as my base and then added a solid paper on top, reducing its size by 80%. I typically layer my papers in 5% or 10% increments, but this time I wanted those adorable books to really shine, so I went with a much more dramatic border.

The photos capture a simple little bookish date night with my husband, and honestly, these are some of my favorite kinds of evenings. We listened to LPs on my phonograph (a phonograph my husband restored and modified with a new turntable and Bluetooth speakers for those times when I want the vintage look without actually listening to records). We each settled into our recliners with our own books, and pretty much disappeared into our own little worlds. The only time either of us moved was to get up and change the record. We were mostly quiet, except for the occasional comment about a song or when one of us found a quote in our book that absolutely had to be shared. It was peaceful, cozy, and pretty much perfect.

I used a journal card along with a variety of labels to tell the story, then sprinkled loads of word strips and word art throughout the page. A few stickers and dimensional elements added even more personality and helped finish off the embellishing. I also added stamps and paint to the solid background paper, leaving just little hints of the solid paper peeking through at the top left and bottom right of the photo cluster.

I love how the patterned paper became the star of the show while still complementing the photos and all the bookish details. If you tend to shy away from using a bold patterned paper as your background, I hope this page encourages you to give it a try. If you need the perfect patterned paper to start with, Ex Libris Galaxias has some seriously fabulous choices!

Process Video

If you know me, you know I’m always looking for other fun ways to use my scrapbook supplies beyond traditional layouts. So when I saw the gorgeous Ex Libris Galaxias collection, I immediately knew it would be perfect for a couple of bookish DIY projects! Though I also wanted to make scrapbook pages but I’ve just recently played with Traci’s Bookish collection so any book related memories are currently up to date.

Anywho, my first project is a custom Kindle cover insert. I usually stick to neutral or pink Kindle cases because they’re classic and pink is my fave, but using a clear case means I can easily swap out the design whenever I want a fresh look. It’s actually a simple way to personalize my Kindle and match my current reading mood without buying another case, plus, it’s a great way to play around your craft supplies if you just want a little quick creative escape!

For my second project, I finally tried making one of the viral hard shell book protectors. Using stickers from the collection topping if off with a glitter photo top before I run it through my Cricut, I turned a plain case into a sparkly home for my current read or growing TBR pile. It’s practical, durable, and makes carrying books around even more fun. Or, just another quick creative escape!

I love that Ex Libris Galaxias isn’t just perfect for scrapbook pages and cards, it also lends itself beautifully to everyday projects that book lovers can enjoy. I hope these ideas inspire you to look at your favorite paper collections in a new way and create something you’ll use every day.

Happy crafting… and happy reading!

Shayla

My 6x8 layout is celebrating National Book Lover’s Day (August 9th). When I have previously scrapped pages using the Ex Libris Galaxias kit I’ve created pages that were very blue or purple heavy. This time when I was choosing my colour palette I tried to exclude those colours and I was surprised at how different this layout feels from others I’ve made before. It was a great personal challenge to mix up and make a well-loved and used kit new and exciting again!

Theresa

I am working right now through my 2024 October Daily album, which is a 6x8 album format and today’s layout is for Day 25, about attending the first annual Winston Salem Witch’s Walk. I am using the Ex Libris Galaxias collection because it has a very subtle witchy/wizardly vibe. I mostly fell in love with these gorgeous wood grain alphabets in the collection and thought they were perfect for a vellum tip-in! Combined with the patterned papers to make an insert, these two elements will make a great gatefold to reveal the full page photo of a building in downtown Winston Salem that I took that night.

Check out my full tutorial HERE!

Ophie

Ex Libris Galaxias Collection