April is packed with book-related holidays: School Library Month, National Poetry Month, Drop Everything and Read, National Library Week. Today (April 30) is Independent Bookstore Day.
I visit my local library at least once a week. I check out stacks of books. (Almost all the books I'm reading for my Newbery Award Project have come from the library.) I check out home decorating and cooking magazines to read on my ipad. I go to author talks and book sales. (The stack of books I'm using as my current Etsy shop icon were all purchased at a library book sale.) My local library seems especially innovative in coming up with ideas that you might not associate with a library, such as hosting an adult craft night at a local bar or giving library users access to online classes at Lynda.com. They even partner with a local independent bookstore to sell books at many events.
If you're a writer, I'm sure you've heard the advice "write what you know." The same could be said for other arts, too. I love to experiment with new themes and ideas, but I always return to creating items inspired by books, reading, libraries, and writing. Here are a few new handmade key chains, bookmarks, earrings, and necklaces I created for my Etsy shop this month:
Listed in the photo above:
- I <heart> my library key chain
- Paris bookmark
- Feathers keychain with quote from poet Emily Dickinson
- Banned books key chain
- Superhero lightning bolt earrings inspired by comic books
- Home key chain
- Fountain pen necklace