Each Spring, our local chapter of AAUW holds their annual used book sale. Here in these parts, its a big deal. Four days, 250,000 books. Lots of fun for us bookish types.
Day one brought very little. Two novels. And it turns out I had purchased one of the novels at last year's sale.
Day three is half-price day. Ahhhhh. There's nothing like being able to throw book after book into my bag and not have to worry about the price. On this day, I avoided the fiction section which was a little heavy on the romance and decided to go to the "collectors" and children's sections.
I was looking for some books to cut up and put into my artwork. Found 'em. But, they're just too darn beautiful to cut up.
Yep. Only $7.00.
A beautiful spread from the Children's book of Natural History. I'm going to have to find another copy to cut up.
And. For 25 cents. A modest looking atlas on the outside. But, the inside! I made a little squealing noise when I opened the book. Luckily for me, the folks around me are strange book people, too. Nobody noticed.
No way can I cut up this beautiful book. Sigh. I'll have to try to find another copy.
I did find a little natural science book with beautiful text and luscious, thick paper. That's been whacked already. Not sure what to do with the London Zoo book of birds. Too darn nice. And the bug book. I'm sure some info. is outdated, but it goes into my library. So much for scissor fodder.
I did find three maps. One, I purchased for feel only. I'm always on the lookout for pre-1960 maps. The new ones have slick paper, new colors, and little detail. Imagine my surprise when I got home and discovered this was a special map. Recently, I had torn apart a wonderful world map to put into several pieces. It now lays in tatters. One side has fantastic white text on black about the many ways in which man has ruined the world. The map also has the best ocean blue I have come across. I was so sad to see it looking like a carcass. And now I have a replacement!!!!
No, it doesn't appear to take much to make me happy. Smelly books and old maps. And $7.00 in my pocket.
8 comments:
I think we're on the same page :-) A pile of old books can make me very happy.
well i no longer covet books but i can appreciate the art value here for you, i say cut those suckers up!
i love those old smelly books too :)
Kim,
I love looking for old books with great illustrations too. Plus I find myself like you not wanting to cut them up. I have a nice collection of books now and am always on the look out for more.
I am not using them in my sewing so much, but in my collage pieces.
Don't buy another copy. Scan the pages and print them out on good paper. Then you can have as many copies as you want and cut them up for multiple projects.
Great finds! :)
so cool! I went to a book fair just yesterday.
Nothing quite that cool however.
If I don't want to cut up or use up images in books or stamps or whatever, I color copy them-- and I recommend using Epson presentation paper 4.9 mil-- it is not very thick-- about the same as regular copy paper--- but the images come out so much better
book sales are the best! our local library has a sale twice a year and i've found amazing things there. if you have time, go see suzanne's post from today at anopensketchbook.com - she found someone's old sketchbook at a library sale!
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