Weekend Diversions - Library Book Sale

Every year, the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library put on a huge used book sale.  This annual event is eagerly anticipated by the residents - there are a lot of readers in Concord!

This year the sale had to be moved up a week due to the torrential rains we had last Saturday. 

A great group of volunteers helps to make sure that everything runs smoothly.  The prices are very reasonable and the proceeds support the Library.

Even if you have only lived here a short while, you always seem to see someone you know at the sale.  The books are collected throughout the year and organized into categories by volunteers.  Sometimes when you are browsing you realize that you are seeing some of the books that you donated!

Filling a bag with books is a great Saturday morning activity.  Our neighbor Cailean is a voracious reader - she'll probably be done with that bag in a couple of weeks!

The twins are nearly three and also love books.  My husband read the Piglet ABC book to Emma over and over while she rested on the bench.

Claire was a little worn out from all of the shopping - but she still managed to walk all of the way back to our neighborhood (nearly a mile).

The sale is a wonderful way to recycle books to new readers and to raise a good deal of money for the Library - and everyone has a great time.  There is even live music provided by local entertainers.  I have so many books stockpiled to read that I didn't spend much time looking at the fiction.  However, one of my favorite areas is the section with home and craft books.

Hardcover books and large trade paperbacks are $2 each - far less than the cost of a magazine nowadays.  If you have this type of sale in your area it may be well worth your time to check it out.  I thought I'd show you some of my "finds" from this sale...

Lots of great alphabets and calligraphic ornaments - I can convert some of these to cut with my Cameo.

The Art Nouveau style is one of my favorites - I have enjoyed using the Cricut Art Nouveau cartridge for several projects.  This book will give me more ideas for ornaments and lettering.

I loved the cover of this book...

..and sure enough - it was another Art Nouveau compilation.

Here are just a couple of the lovely jewelry pieces inside  - lots of inspiration to be found here.

The bee is buried in the flower - aren't the wings lovely!

This is a reproduction of the 1870 catalog of an iron work company - more design inspiration...

The address is the corner of Reade, Centre and Elm Streets in New York - I wonder what is there now?

I found this origami book with nicely illustrated directions.

Trompe L'Oeil (fool the eye) painting has always been fascinating to me - for $2, I may learn how to do it at last!

I found a couple of Christmas books - I didn't really need these but I can't resist Christmas decorations and trees..

I may even decided to add a new tree to our usual collection next Christmas.

Make  your own paper? Why not?  I seem to remember reading about doing this and starting with scraps of paper - I do have a few of those!

This rubber stamping book is older (2001) but contains lots of good information.

It was even signed by the authors.

This book is also older (2003 from Autumn Leaves) but it is full of ideas that look interesting.

Finally, I loved the dramatic cover on this book and I have a project in mind where it will be perfect!

I hope you are having a nice weekend - we had a "mini-reunion" with an old friend from graduate school this afternoon.  Tomorrow I will try to find the way back to my craft room - I really want to try out some new ideas!

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