3.07.2008

My Friends of the Library

for you mom

Do you ever wonder what you'll do with all your free time when the children grow up? I do. It is a time I both dread and eagerly await. One of the many things on my future to do list (besides walking to the coffee shop several mornings a week to read the newspaper and having a clean house last more than two minutes) is becoming a Friend of the Library. They host many functions and raise funds to buy more books for our library. I love opening up a library book and seeing the book plate that reads, "Presented by Friends of the Library". My favorite event hosted by the Friends, and the event I look forward to working one day, is the monthly used book sale on the first Wednesday and Saturday of each month. I started going to the book sale when Avery still fit in a Baby Bjorn. Now I let the kids loose in the kids section to find their own treasures. I realized I had become a regular a few months back when an older gentleman remarked how much my kids had grown up over the years.

I don't make it to the sale every month, and sometimes when I go I find very little, but this past Wednesday I scored big! Here are a few of my treasures, all costing about a quarter a piece:



I also found last spring's copy of Martha Stewart's kids magazine, two copies of Strunk and White's Elements of Style, an atlas, two large reference books on birds, a hard back copy of Anne of Green Gables, Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, and Capitalism for Beginners, which I can't wait to read.

This week I even completed a project I came up with several years ago when I found a thousand piece floral puzzle at the library sale. I knew at the time I would use the pieces for an art project, and the pieces finally found there way out from under my bed and into my new spring wreath.


This is an very easy project to do with any puzzle pieces. I simply cut out the shape of a wreath (using two different sized bowls) and started gluing the puzzle pieces one layer at a time. The finished wreath has three to four layers; I kept adding pieces until all the voids were filled.



I am almost done with my second wreath and would love to send it to one of my friends out there, along with my second copy of Elements of Style, because even though I love the book, I don't need two copies. Unless of course I come across this version at the Friends of the Library sale. So leave a comment and I will announce the winner next Tuesday. This weather is making me crazy happy, and perhaps I can spread it by mail. Have a crazy happy weekend my friends!

21 comments:

  1. I love that wreath! what a great idea. I am so jealous of your book haul - those are some great finds!

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  2. What great books! I've been wondering....how did your cookie jar exchange go? Have you heard of its travels?

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  3. I did graphics internship that included doing work for the San Berdoo county library that had 28 branches (I think...?...if I recall correctly...they had a lot). I got to do all kinds of flyers and bookmarks for kids events. It was fun work, but I worked in an admin building and not a branch, so not a lot of books. The only books I got to see were the ones being loaned from one brach to another. We did host a book sale once, though :^) Love the wreath as seen on flickr.

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  4. What a super fun idea! Both the wreath and the Friends of the Library. I hadn't yet begun to worry about those future days....but now...now I'm thinking about them. Bittersweetness.

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  5. Our Library doesn't do that here, but I remember practically growing up in the libraries when I was a kid! I read the entire section of Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins!! Those are some GREAT finds!! Lucky you! Mom tells me her library has book sales, so one of these days I'll have to make a trip out there on the day of the sale! Nice recycling idea with the puzzle pieces, too! So cute!

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  6. I remember years ago, you took me to the book sale and you were telling me that someday you wanted to be a "friend of the library." I would say you are already a great friend to the library!

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  7. Excellent library finds, we have a handful of those "junior deluxe edition"s ourselves, saved from Jon's childhood. And I agree with Marjorie, I'd say you are already a great friend of the library!

    I sometimes think about those years after my little birdies have all flown the nest...sounds lonely.

    Those wreathes are stupendous!! Where do you come up with these ideas?

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  8. that wreath is ingenious! really cute, molly.

    i am jealous of your library haul - our library doesn't have sales like that.

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  9. ha ha! i love my 'friends of the library' sale, too! ours is just bi-annually, so it's a HUGE event! and we leave with duffel bags packed.... ahhhhhh, good stuff!

    your wreath is way cute - the floral puzzle is perfect.

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  10. oh, those fantastic book finds!! :^D)

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  11. Your wreath looks amazing - what a fantastic idea.

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  12. As a librarian, I highly recommend you join your Friends Group. You'd be amazed at how inexpensive it is! And the money goes to worthwhile causes!

    Great scores!

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  13. Don't want to win one, want to make one! Thanks so much for sharing the idea. I know my son will love doing ...now we'll be scouting for very colorful old puzzles:-)

    I was looking for an etsy link on your site though because I'd love a pincushion cup of tea:-) I'm just learning to sew (very late) and seeing this at my table would be a happy lift. If you aren't selling them, would you include more detailed instructions on how to make one, or direct me to that post?

    Thanks so much!

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  14. You have done VERY well at your library sales. The weekly one here is not gret, however another library does a huge one twice a year. I have found some great things.

    The wreath is a cool idea. I am going to add it to my things to make pile.

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  15. Nice score on all of those books! I'm quite jealous.

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  16. Love the wreath and the book finds! Please send some weather our way. I just noticed your new banner-it's perfect.

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  17. I love your banner! awesome.

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  18. Great books! Great banner! Great friend of the library!

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  19. I'm dying over that book list you just rattled off! Our library has a running book sale in the front lobby and I never really find anything interesting. But every spring is the friends sale. I'm all over that this year!

    I feel like I want to sit down and think about what to do when my kids are grown after reading this post!

    love the new craft idea, too. genius and looks kind of fun to make, too!

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  20. The last time I went to the local library book sale, the cashier asked if I was a homeschooler. Apparently, they can spot us.

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  21. Beverly - one time at the library sale I found myself in conversation with another shopper and when I mentioned homeschooling she promptly told me that my daughter would grow up to be depressed and my son would question his sexual identity, all thanks to homeschooling. I do think homeschoolers stand out at library functions :)

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