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| You can never have too much paper ephemera for collage |
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| That being said, you know where I stand. So, of course I had to go to the Library Big Book sale not once, but twice, again this year. I had my coffee this morning surrounded by birthday presents and old books. Not a bad start to the day. |
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| People here in SF are big for standing in lines.I see people in lines all the time but I'm not one of those people. That is, until the book sale rolls around. |
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| And, if you've got to stand in line, Fort Mason Center is a good place to do it. |
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| I seem to head directly to the foreign language sections. There is just something about book in other languages that I love.....I saw Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Greek, Russia, Spanish, French, Arabic......and I may have gotten quite a few of them. They often have charming drawings inside -- the older the books, the better. |
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| Photo: Monica Lee I bought these amazing dictionaries for $1 each. Good thing they weren't selling books by the pound. |
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| The Haul Not all mine...don't get too excited.....(but actually I went twice so I did get too carts filled with books). |
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| Here we are -- me and Monica Lee -- my pal the Artful ReCrafter. And if you click on her blog, you'll see her photos and version of our trips to the sale. The Artful ReCrafter |
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| I am now back at home and overcome with all the ephemera I have for collage. I have enough to last the rest of my life....I am so excited to get started making things that I don't know where to start.... |
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| I always look for bird books..... |
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| And I seriously scored on old yearbooks this year.....I love to read all the comments... |
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| How could I possibly resist? |
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| I got these because I loved the colors/covers. I am going to tear off the covers and backs and make altered books from these.... |
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| View from the cart Today was DOLLAR DAY. Be still my heart. There is always still a lot of good stuff on the last day. Monica and I went to the member's preview first trip and back today for the last day -- and I made a whirlwind driving trip to LA in between the two. I am seriously behind on everything in my life at the moment. |
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| And now, it's all over till the next sale...but I am pretty sure I have enough ephemera and ideas to keep me busy until then. I'll show you what I make. And -- what would YOU make with some of these books? Maybe you'll think of some things that I wouldn't think of.... SEND GOOD MAIL -- MAKE GOOD MAIL Oh! And, by the way -- here is a good link What IS Mail Art?? |
Thank you, Linda -- oh yes -- I forgot lunch! I will be sure to put some lunch photos soon. I am so glad you enjoyed the post.I really do love that book sale.....and I will be sure to post some of the things I make with the books too.....
ReplyDeleteGreat finds--as usual :) Looks like you'll be making some great art soon!
ReplyDeleteWorking on it, Cindy.....
DeleteBird books and yearbooks and dictionaries...oh my! Fabulous post...that book sale makes me drool! Love the pic of you and your friend with your carts filled to the brim! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWe had a blast, Michele (even though we want all the same books!). The yearbooks were $1 each and when see them in "antique" shops they are usually $18-$20 so I was happy...
DeleteAnd thank you for the wonderful birthday mail -- no, I didn't have the Chinatown folding postcard book andI loved the birthday page for my altered book...thank you!
Wow Pamela,
ReplyDeleteI haven't even emptied the trunk with my books from the sale and you have already posted a Blog about it!! I love the pen imagery and yes we had a grand time. I am looking at my finds now and enjoying them. LOVE seeing your finds as of course we are too busy when we are shopping to look at each others treasures. Thanks for the ticket! Let's go to the recycling center next...
Oh yeah....I am up for the recycling center outing.......And you did a library blog post before I did....mark your calendar for the next library sale....you are such fun to go with!
DeleteI haven't really thought about the library book sales to get some fun materials. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm a music teacher so I especially love the music book.
ReplyDeleteTimdani - my husband is a musician and it seems every times I buy cool old musical scores to cut up he wants to add them to his collection - lol. This time I hid my Verdi score. I love the kids music books too...but then i love all the old old books. Trust me, they are fabulous for collage and mail art.
DeleteSuch a fabulous book sale! I would love to see some of the collages you create with the books you bought. I know this sounds odd, but I just can't bring myself to cut up the pages of old books, even though I know the images are perfect for mail art. The other day I bought some old sheet music at an antique store and I couldn't bear to mess it up. So I just bought a piece of patterned paper that looked like old sheet music at Michael's and cut that up instead!
ReplyDeleteMichele -- I know what you mean, but I have soooo many old books i have to use them and they are living on in pieces of art. I don't cut them all up but I do use a lot of them in art and altered books. I am giving them new life! ( a lot of them are really falling apart....)
DeleteHey Miss PG -- Some great books here! I should have stuck with you on preview day. You got some great ones! Can't wait to see what you cook up with them.
ReplyDeletesallyw3000 -- you did pretty well yourself!
DeleteThose gigantic dictionaries are out of this world, Pamela!!! Wow!! Totally worth standing in line. Year books as well, what a treasure from the past. Well done you!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too! But I would still like to go to the Flea Market in Japan with you! I love those ancient dictionaries -- I got huge English, FrenchChinese and Japanese ones.....and the English and French ones have wonderful drawings inside too........
DeleteWhat is that GIGANTIC book on top of your cart? Not sure I've ever seen a book that large. Good job not buying multiple carts full.
ReplyDeleteoops--see below
DeleteHa Ha that GIGANTIC boom is an old dictionary -- $1!!!! - and has great drawings inside too. My pal Monica says to try gelli printing on some of those huge pages....I could hardly pick the thing up and don't tell anyone but I already had one at home.....but who could resist. And.....ahem....since I went two days I did fill two carts.....
ReplyDeleteOh Pamela, I am SO jealous. We don't get book sales here, except once a year and at one library only. Most books start at $5.00 and go up from there. It's their big "money maker." I'd give anything to have similar books and dictionaries like what you found. VERY impressive.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth -- I just wish I could give you a couple of them but no way can I mail these huge things.....I get dictionaries and atlases on Dollar day. It is a big money maker for our library too but we are lucky enough to have two huge sales a year five days each.....plus weekly $1 sales at the main branch......heaven. I wish i could share with you.
DeleteWhat a wonderful book sale. Our library sale isn't nearly as fabulous. You got some wonderful things for collage. I'm prepping for a workshop tomorrow, for 8th graders! A new crop of collage Mail Artists to be prepared. I'm hoping a few of them will take to it, in any case.
ReplyDeleteMim -- it is indeed! And I think I have enough collage materials to last two lifetimes. I et you will inspire some 8th graders -- I loved mail even when I was a young kid and always had pen pals. Good luck inspiring them.
DeleteWhat a great haul! Lots of future fun will be enjoyed!
ReplyDeleteCheryl, agreed -- lots of fun to tear up some of the books and glue and paste and make things......I already made a mail zine........thanks for the comment.
DeleteDelish! (But those enormous dictionaries...oh my!) There are book sales at two of our local libraries this weekend. I vowed not to go to them anymore because of how much paper I already have in my stash, but now that I'm blogging again, I can justify heading back there for more project fodder...right??! (We never have cool stuff like yearbooks, though!)
ReplyDeleteOf yes, I think you should go to your library sale......I have quite a stack of yearbooks and I should stop buying them....but when they are only $1, how can I resist? The HAIR!!!!
DeleteAmazing!!! I wish I had known about this, I totally would have traveled into the city for that amazing sale. Can't wait to see how you use some of the items.
ReplyDeleteElina -- next sale is in September so you have another chance....
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