Hello!

Last year, at first, I had a similar resistance to tearing up books. My collage learning journey was only a year old then, but I found myself wanting to try some new styles, some of which included torn out book pages. I soon got over it, but I'm pretty sure I have still not torn up any books that would have been unusually valuable.

Valuable... to who? .. to me? ...to someone else?

At first I was looking more for the kinds of books that I could tear out the pages, paint them in different ways and use them in my collages, maybe leaving hints of their words peeking through here and there or strips or squares of them unpainted & glued in as well. Dictionaries, thesaurus, music pages, other languages, books of cliches and Vanderbilts book on etiquette.... .or the such.

Once into it, I also started wanting books with pictures or illustrations I could use as well. Although I've used many pages now as painted collage pages, I haven't really practiced enough with the ones that use images yet, which brings me to today....

Our local library has a huge book sale twice a year. The spring version of it started this past weekend. I planned to go, but alas, so far have talked myself out of it as I have accumulated a handful or two along the last year and I tell myself I should learn to use them better before I gather in more.

Talk about what would be a smart decision...LOL !

I have books on the Wild West, Celtic World, sky watching, flowers (multiples), birds, doorways/doors, watch faces, lighthouses , castles, knights, mythology, aeronauts, mushrooms, angels, decorating books from the past..... you get it, more than that. Sheesh! ha ha ... but I really still wanted to go to the cheap book sale. It is going on till the end of the week, so there is still time for me to cave.

Trash or treasure? Which are they to you? Sentimental value?.. it counts. What are you saving them for? Will someone want them when you're gone? Can you make a valuable piece of art out of a favored page for yourself? ... for gifts? Only you can decide.

I saw something not too long ago where a woman was talking about some things she kept that meant something to her, with the knowledge that her children would probably throw them in the dumpster when she was gone, She said it was ok though, for by then, they will have served their purpose to her. I liked the way she put it.

Still....I do understand the resistance.