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I have managed to do a little scrapbooking. :D This makes me happy.
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And speaking of making me happy:
I LOVE THIS!!!! It's by Gustavo Aimar, an Argentinian artist. Isn't it gorgeous?!!
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So what have I been doing with my summer thus far? Lots and lots of school stuff. As usual.
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But also working a bit around the house. YAY! I finally got the bathroom painted. And mostly "redone." Just a couple more little projects to do, and I shall call it good. Maybe I'll even share a couple pictures, because there's a few things we did that I totally love. Yeah, I'm sure you're all just dying to see pictures of our bathroom. ;)
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One goal of this summer was a major decluttering of the whole abode. If I plan to finish, I'd better step up the pace. Did the bathroom, of course. Have done half of the boys' closet. Gotten through half of one movie cabinet. (Which means, Kara, if you want them, I've got a box of videos/DVDs for the little guy.) And I've started on the library. Yeah, not getting far, am I? But see, the library part is where it gets interesting. I'm trying very hard to be ruthless! We are overflowing with books. There is no shelf space left, and books are being piled on the floor, the coffee table, etc. So I must weed! Okay, I've only managed to get through a few shelves so far, but I have pulled out three or four books. Which, when I ever get my act together (in other words, don't hold your breath), I plan to give away. Some are used books, and some are brand spanking new. Books that hopefully someone will enjoy. In fact, probably books I would enjoy...but I'm trying to be realistic about just how much I can actually get read in my lifetime.
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This dusting/weeding task of mine led to an interesting discovery. And it leads me to a question for you all. What's your opinion on dust covers? Like them? Hate them? Don't really think about them? Leave them on? Get rid of them? Take them off but save them?
As for me, I hate them. Not sure why, but I do. And yet I leave them on. I was talking to Rich last night and discovered he hated them, too. We just like the look of books better without them. I'm trying to decide if I should just go with my heart and ditch them all.
Oh, but that interesting discovery made while dusting and rearranging books.
As you can see, this is Lisey's Story. With its bright red dust jacket.
Now, I have no problem with red. In fact, it's my very favorite color in the world. But for whatever reason, I happened to lift off the dust jacket and found one of the most beautiful book covers I'd ever laid my eyes on!
Yes, I realize that admitting that I only just now discovered this strengthens the argument that I must live in a cave. That's okay. Because it just totally brightened my already happy evening last night.
17 comments:
Those are both very pretty (the painting and the book). I guess I don't think about dust covers a lot because I prefer paperbacks...
I liked Lisey's Story. I just read a book that was bound in the most byooootiful purple...
I bet you could get really artsy with the dust covers...
My decluttering is sputtering...
I'm not a big fan of dust jackets in terms of practicality. I feel like when I'm reading a book it's just getting in the way flopping all around and getting wrinkled and everything, but then I don't think I could bear to just dispense with them. For me, the cover art is part of what attracts me to the book, and if I just shuffle off the dust jacket in the name of practicality, I feel like the book will hold just a little less allure for me - especially if it's a book I haven't even started and so can't forget about the outside because the inside is so good. With the exception of Lisey's Story and I'm sure a few others, most books without their jackets look so boring and nondescript to me. But maybe that's just me being all shallow and stuff.
Love the art, love the book cover! I think dust jackets look nice, but I always remove them to read the book. But like Amanda, I prefer paperbacks, so I only have a few books that have them.
I actually WOULD like to see pictures of the new bathroom, so feel free to share :P
And as for summer plans, same here...nothing is quite going as I thought it would :(
Hate dust jackets - I always remove them. I can't stand the way they always end up getting creased or ripped.
Glad to hear you are scrapping again, need to get on with some too.
Hmm... Maybe I shouldn't have offered you that book then...
And that is a beautiful, beautiful cover behind that dust jacket...
I like them, actually, when they're pretty. But they're such a pain to keep from creasing. They won't stay put! I'm mostly just a perfectionist, though, and want my books to come with all it should come.
And that is a gorgeous image by that artist. ^-^ *sends good cleaning thoughts*
Well it sounds like things are getting done to me! I think it just becomes majorly overwhelming when you start tackling big projects and it feels like nothing is getting done. That's what happens to me at least :p
I love that image!!
I seriously need to weed out my books too. And I'm sure you have many more than me ;) But I still get so stressed when I notice I'm running out of room for them again!! As for dustcovers, NOOOOOO! Don't get rid of them! LOL. For some reason, a dustcover has to stay on a book for me as much as a page should not be bookmarked! Though I have to admit to always taking the dustcover off just once to see what the design of the actual book looks like ;) I've discovered some really cool stuff actually! Like that Lisey's Story cover! I fell in love with it when I first saw it. And I still stand by that book by the way even though everyone hated it! Did you read it? I don't remember if you did or not...
I take the jacket off when I read a hardcover. Most of them look nice but it is too awkard to read with them on and I do not want them to get messed up.
I am impressed with your decluttering and remodeling. :)
It is hard to part with a lot of books!
I need to weed too... I just have to find some time!! LOL.
I love the cover! So bright and eye-catching. I think dust covers are pretty to look at, but I'm so afraid of wrinkling them so I always remove them before reading. They're great for collection, but oh so heavy to carry around!
I say ditch the covers if that's what you want to do!! Live on the edge LOL!! I've actually decluttered my scrap room..whew! That took a long time, organized my books, cleaned out our shared desk...and read a ton this summer. I'm thinking of painting my scrap room next week. I really want to but my body is saying no!! It likes being lazy!
I wonder how many nice books are overlooked because of the book covers...
Fabulous cover! Makes me wish I had a copy of the book! lol
As for the summer going and nothing getting done, well, you are getting more done than I am! Have barely managed to get housework done and sometimes the plants get watered....
I'm blaming True Blood for this month!!!
I hope you get the room done, and enjoy tidying the shelves - I had to do the same thing when I started buying doubles, so now it's sort of sorted - I definitely need a new bookshelf! then the living room will finally be close to be setting up :-D
and I HATE dustcovers.
I also take dust jackets off when reading a book..but moreso to save the artwork than anything else. And I do love the artwork on most books! However, not everyone has to be the same, my suggestion is that IF you decide to get rid of the dust jackets, maybe you could use bits and pieces of them in your scrapbooking????
I'm trying very hard to be ruthless! We are overflowing with books.
Ummm, good luck! I see you are already like me when I try to thin them out.. after a "few shelves" (which could hold 50 books ) you only have 2 or 3 to give away.. ummm lol.. some would not consider that "thinning" hahahaha
Hey do some giveaways with those "thinned out"! Every one of us knows we spend too much money on books and I don't think any of us are adverse to used books! (I know I'm not!)
Only 3 or 4 books?? haha--that totally sounds like me. I did manage to pull a big stack from the shelves and gave a bunch to coworkers (who were surprisingly selective!), but the rest of the stack is still sitting on the floor waiting to go to the library for donation. That was months ago. It's hopeless, I'm telling you.
When I read a book I take the dust covers off. Most of the books I read nowadays are paperback since they're so much easier to carry to work, but the one I'm reading right now is naked naked naked. :)
Although, once it goes back on the shelf, that lovely cover art will be replaced. I have several books I've picked up throughout the years at sales that are permanently naked and I really wish they had their lovely covers. that cover you've got there IS absolutely gorgeous!!
Hmmm--thanks for letting me ramble, my dear.
I'm not a big fan of dustcovers... they just get annoying, and yet I rarely take them off because they can also double as a place marker. Oh I am weird.
Wow! So much to comment about.
Love that cover in the last image. Beautiful! And that illustration with all the animals is both adorable and incredibly cool from a creativity/design standpoint. I love it. Parts of the background remind me of The Alchemy.
So glad you're managing to keep moving forward with your de-cluttering. I know from personal experience how great it feels once its done regardless of how long it takes.
While I don't want to discourage you from giving away books, because it is a wonderful thing to do, I have made over $1000 on half.com over the last couple of months and it is extremely easy to list items there. Just thought you might want to know.
Listen, I've shown pics of my bathroom AND just told an embarrassing bathroom story. You HAVE to show us pics of what you've done to your bathroom. Definitely! And pics of the library once you're done, etc. Please!
For us its continuing with the basement next and then just minor things like closets. Can't wait to have the basement done.
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