it’s almost time for a new school year!

After neglecting writing in this space (and writing in a few others) I am ready to begin a new school year here! What was your summer reading list like?

I read lots of boring adult books about picking paint colors for some redecorating projects and a great organizing book that helped me clean my closet. I read some exciting YA books to keep up with what’s new there and some picture books I can’t wait to share with students this fall. Come back and see me soon so I can share some titles and more with you! Here’s our newly organized bookshelf at home. It looks this way most of the time…but not always. I always like a good pirate yarn and I found that The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates is a good series to try if you like them too.

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And here’s one of our summer projects to keep us busy and out of the heat when we weren’t in the public library. Maybe we should make a back to school one this weekend!

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we made Father’s Day shirts!

books, shelves, and random toys

I have a well loved personal library for myself and one for my kids, but both are far too full lately. I decided to clean out a bit and with the spruce up came an idea for some bookends. Part of the fun in making something new is to do it with materials you already have. We have so many plastic animals that I thought I’d borrow a few for a new color and place to hang out. The bookends are empty boxes from our pantry wrapped in some colorful wrapping paper. If your books are too heavy you might want to fill the boxes with sand or a rock or two, we have a load so we did. I also reorganized a bit by size though I know little hands will be pulling them several ways. The animals were painted with craft paint, sealed, then hot glued to the top but can come off easily when we change things. What are you sprucing up this week?

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just wrap any boxes you feel are a good fit!

 

when a book has been loved too much

I am a book hoarder collector with collections from my childhood, college classes, and lately as a parent. Sometimes those books aren’t as lovely as I’d like. When I am not quite ready to part with a falling apart or ugly book I have taken to covering it with paper or fabric. Thicker wrapping paper is my favorite, it isn’t too thick to fold but makes a sturdy cover for me to use, not just keep on the shelf.  For some of my older hardback books with damaged spines I used a neutral fabric and it worked just as well. I can also keep some favorites in any room and match them to fabrics there if I choose. Have you tried wrapping up your ugly books?

 

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