Welcome to my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Vintage Book Love!

Hello Ladies, hope you are enjoying your Saturday!
Don't you just love the look of old books?  I never used to give them much thought 'til I started blogging.  I noticed that many of you use vintage books to create wonderful vignettes.  Something so humble as an old book has so much character and charm, I think!  I also enjoy using old book pages in my creations.  There's just something about the graphic quality and sepia tones that I find so appealing.  So today I went to our library's used book sale in search of some treasures!

I found these two lovely old books a few months ago at the sale, but I wanted to share them with you today.  I just love the cover of the top book!  The bottom one is a vintage Audubon book, and it has the most wonderful bird plates.
Some of my favorites from today include this vintage dictionary, a vintage beginning French book, and an old French novel.   I was hoping to find some French books, so I was very excited to discover these!


I was having fun just playing around with them!

Check out these oh so chic Parisian women, circa 1962!


This darling little boy and girl were in the French language book as well.  So cute!!


Old books make inexpensive yet charming accessories!  Isn't this vintage children's book adorable?  The little squirrel is actually a doorstop that we found in a neat shop in Paris a few years ago.  He's quite heavy!
I plan on using the books from today's sale for my crafting projects.  I really love the neat graphics in this old dictionary!

I was also excited to find these vintage sheet music books at just 10 cents each!  Lots of crafting potential here!  When I was purchasing them today, the older ladies that were running the sale asked if I was a piano instructor.  When I sheepishly said no, I was planning on tearing them apart for crafting projects (thinking that they would think it was almost sacrilegious to rip them up!), they thought that was a great idea!

Here are a few ideas that you can use old sheet music and vintage book pages for.  You may have already seen some of these projects in previous posts.

Sheet music looks so pretty framed!  Easy peasy decorating!

 Decoupaged wall hangings using pages from vintage French books.  Oooh, la, la!!

Eiffel Tower tags with glittered  flower roses.
More glittered paper roses.  Tres magnifique!
Eiffel Tower Christmas ornament with yet another paper rose (can you tell that I'm addicted to making these paper flowers?!).

So next time you see a used book sale, be sure to check it out!  You never know what inspirations may lurk within the pages of those dusty old volumes!

13 comments:

Erin said...

Donna, I love your books, your items that you've displayed(the lion and the squirrel I'd steal, lol) and the ephemera, you have such a great eye!

Musings from Kim K. said...

The former librarian in me is totally addicted to books. I love your selections...especially the Parisian women. So Audrey Hepburn!

Debbie said...

I've been keeping my eyes peeled for some French books, and music books also. I just love using the pages here and there in the house. Your projects are always so inspiring Donna.
Debbie@houseatthelake

Anonymous said...

Beautiful works an dbook, I lake it!!!

Kisses and nice weekend.

NanaDiana said...

Donna...what a lucky girl you are. Our library had their sale this week and with my work schedule I was not able to get there. Another reason I want to crown (and I'm not talking Crown of Glory here) co-worker that "plays sick". Anyway, you did good, gal! I love your paper roses-you can just keep making them and sharing them here with all of us! We all love them too! Hugs- Diana

Leo said...

This post gave me so many ideas. Love the vintage books. And how you creatively use them. I have to pay another visit to your etsy shop for some Christmas shopping.

Cindy Adkins said...

Oh wow, I am speechless!!! These are gorgeous--and don't you just love the suits from the 60s? Amazing! And the little boy and girl holding hands--too precious!!

I love what you found and also your beautiful creations--tres chic!!!
XO

Karen said...

Donna, I love your collection of books and what you've done with them. Looking forward to what you make next! I'll keep an eye out when I go to my library's used book sale next Sat. Didn't make it today.

K

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

I have to say that very first one is my favorite. The cover is so pretty and a wonderful color too. I'm sure you will come up with all sorts of creative things for them!

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

I love old books, too, Donna...and yours look wonderful! Such great projects, too!

Anonymous said...

You found some great vintage books! I love your Eiffel Tower Christmas ornaments, too... very sweet!!
Have a great day!
xo ~
Jo :)

Chris Arlington said...

Donna, I love what you've been up to. I found something on another blog that I think you will love so have a look.
http://lucyliatriss.blogspot.com/2010/10/few-more-treasures-to-show-you.html

mizdarlin said...

Donna, I really love the bookcovers on some of them.They are like little pieces of art in and of themselves..so nice when people took decorative arts so seriously..how pretty they must look in your home *sigh!*