Book Love – Using Books to Decorate

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I’m a traditionalist.  I think it’s probably the “southern” coming out in me–everybody knows that we southerners don’t like change.  I love doing the same things the same way, year after year.  To some that’s boring, but to me it’s comforting.

Since I’m a traditionalist, one thing I have struggled to accept is the advance of the digital age (I realize that’s a funny thing for a blogger to say!).  I don’t enjoy getting new tech gadgets and figuring out all their functions, or finding the new digital substitute for what I’ve been doing non-digitally for years. I like the traditional, old-fashioned way of doing things.

That leads me to the point of this post (come on Melanie, get there already!)–I will never be an E-reader person.  I’ve tried, and it just doesn’t work for me.  I like the feel of a heavy book in my hands, and the sensation of flipping real pages with real illustrations.

I’ve written before about my love for old books in particular, so I was excited to bring some recent finds into my booth last week.  I think using books to decorate adds sophistication as well as interest–both just by their cover colors and often by their titles or histories.This U.S. Grant memoir was a great find, and it’s a beautiful shade of deep green. Sadly, I also had volume 2, but someone bought it (and left volume 1–I should have sold them together).  I also brought in this 1930’s cookbook.  It’s claim to fame is that the cover is washable!  It would be really fun placed on top of an old kitchen scale on a kitchen counter, and I bet it has some incredible recipes in it also.Gigantic, super-old Webster’s Dictionary anyone?  Yes, it’s pretty crusty, but it has amazing patina!  It’s really a beautiful book.This vintage children’s Bible is so sweet . . . and it’s filled with really vibrant illustrations.I took up this little shelf made of shutters also.  It made a great silver plate display.Tucked onto the second shelf though is my favorite recent book find . . .It’s an arithmetic book from the late 1800’s.  Imagine how students it was used by over the years!

Looking through these old books makes me feel connected to the past.  I think about all of the people who have read them–people using them to cook, or to teach their children Bible stories, or to practice their math.  I hope you enjoy them too, are there any other book lovers out there?

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I’m so excited to share that as of today I have raised $700 for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital! My original goal was only $500 . . . so I decided to up my goal to $1500. If you missed my story about my upcoming participation in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and my cause, Team Garrett, please read here.  You can also go directly to my St. Jude Heroes Fundraising page here.  Thank you!!