i finally hung up all my little mexican tin hearts. they wanted to guard the turkish evil eye who has been repelling danger and evil from the door of moss cottage for the last couple of years. i like looking at them when i put the key in the lock and step over the threshhold. home.
in my norwegian treasure chest i toted back across the mighty atlantic are a small pile of vintage books.
we found them in a second-hand store in Bergen. I was all ready to do battle about the price when the gentleman behind the counter insisted they were all 2 for 1. he could not understand how or why we would not buy both since they come as a set. such a reasonable fellow. i dared not argue with such logic.
so i got my 4 and sister got her 2. one of mine has a wild boar on the front. i don't know where he's off to, but he looks to be in a hurry.
run little boar, run away home! your house is on fire! your children have gone!
i looked rather like that boar as i rushed over to the bookshelf to push my sister out of the way and get at these books. the other patrons in the store looked alarmed. i smiled to reassure them that it was all in good humor, but a grinning boar with big shining tusks does not exactly inspire calm in people.
now you're going to just have to hold onto your shorts when you see this next book.
it is the home of my new visual journal.
the one in my mind that i have not built yet.
i approach these things slowly.
there is much to consider. much sitting to be done. much thinking to do. much running my hands back and forth over this gorgeous golden & blue surface.
i'm ready for a smaller visual journal. this one is about 6 x 8. it is the largest of the 4 books i bought.
it was extremely heavy with glossy magazine-like pages. so i cut out the book block and left it in norway. when you have a tin heart like mine it is not difficult to do such things.
don't fret.
i placed it oh so carefully in the perfect place for someone to find it. someone like us!
i kept the fabulous end papers.
such handsome books!
each with lovely illustrations on the first inside page.
all destined for bold & wonderful adventures in their new lives at moss cottage.
If you don’t mind and have the time, would you post a pic of the front of the boar book? Tx, jw.
Tin hearts=so fun
Marbling on the edges of the books=fabulous!
Joan G was asking about that quote.
When I was little, In England, we sang ‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home. Your house is on fire, your children are gone. All except one and her name is Ann and she crept under the frying pan. (Or pudding pan – depends on the version). And lady birds are your lady bugs. Is that right?
oh tina!!!! how interesting and how i love knowing this. it was a book about his travels in burma, singapore, and other places in the far east. thank you for sharing this. so cool!
i will treasure it all the more now!!
Those are awesome.
You know, that blue and gold book – it´s a Danish book.
The man who wrote this founded the most prestigious
prize for journalists in Denmark, and it´s still awarded.
Can´t wait to see your new journal made from stis Mary Ann – how cool
So beautiful! I adore old books and can never pass up a library sale even though I have way too many books now. Can’t wait to see your journal.
I rarely, if ever, disagree with a lady, but you are forcing my hand:
Your heart is completely golden, dear one.
Now onto other matters concerning the heart: Who knew tin could look so good, made my ole heart pitter patter a bit. Love the running boar, I can relate, made my lil heart a tad nostalgic. Sight of those lovely books dressed in that dreamy blue with a hint of gold made my faithful ticker skip a couple of beats. The anticipation of waiting to see what you create sent my most vital organ into cardic arrest.
On pins and needles over here… but no rush.
Your new book finds are A W E S O M E !!!!!!!! Mary Ann. W O W. I just know you will turn the gorgeous covers into a truly fitting journal. I will wait over here patiently giving you much room and quiet while you ponder all of the possibilities. No matter what you do, with covers like that it can only become something special that you will hold close for a very long time. Don’t you ever wonder what all those other books must think, being left behind, not chosen, all whispering to you…’pick me, pick me, I promise to make a good home for a journal’ I promise to brighten your home. I think every so often they throw themselves off the shelf and hop into an unsuspecting tote to be discovered upon returning home. I am sure that is it because I have many books here that for the life of me, I can’t figure out how they got here.I know I couldn’t have possibly brought them all home. 😉 That is what I tell the DH anyway.:) PS. all those hearts…I am guessing the tin man will be at your door very soon. They look divine. Big tin heart love to you today.
what beautiful finds! but you always find the best things! the book block looked like it was marbled at the bottom…i don’t know if i have seen that before. your new journals will be FABULouS!
I can’t believe you left the pages… grin. I hope you saved at least a couple! I grew up in a bookstore, so it is rather hard to say no to books or pluck them like we do… Glad you found some. The blue one looks ideal for your new journal. Mirror for your creative mojo… as the mirror image on the front!
” run away home! your house is on fire! your children have gone”
Mary Ann I have to ask…is the above quote something you learned as a child. This is very similar to a little verse I heard in childhood. It was in relationship to “doodle bugs”. This memory was triggered recently when my Dad passed away recently. Just Curious.
Love that book! Never thought about going to Norway. But as usual your travels have led me to think, dream and plan travels. Your entries always inspire. Thank you!
So now I’m thinking that, for all the repelling that evil eye may be doing….totally worthless when it comes to fork thieves?!
Lovely lovely! You remind me of some vintage books I still have at home to alter. Aah, so many ideas, so little time.
What fabulous treasure! I love how they are the same colors. I can’t wait to see how you fill each of them.
wonderful finds! if only the man behind the counter could imagine the new life you’ll give them! (would he be completely amazed like we are, or alarmed and confused?…I wonder…) Enjoy your week, xo
Tin hearts don’t come more shiny and determined than yours!
Such a good idea, to remove the insides of the book, although it must have been a wrench to leave those lovely marbled patterns.