I visit second hand shops bi-weekly and almost always find items that fit seamlessly with the items already in my home.  Giving a second life to items that people no longer wanted makes shopping second hand such a rewarding hobby.  I can’t leave behind a good find just because I can’t find an immediate use for it in my life and I grow small collections of like items over time.

I find that most educational children’s books from the 1950’s have incredible art work on the covers and within.  Even though some of the scientific captions are inaccurate in 2017, there is a wealth of information in these guides usually with sweet and detailed illustrations of the subject matter.

I’m saving my personal copies of Golden Guides and children’s learning books from the 50’s for myself and future children.  Anyone who has a love for science and nature will see the value in preserving these charming books and referencing them often.

I like to keep and eye out for duplicates, sometimes they are in better shape than the ones I currently have.  Books missing critical pages or covers make great gifts for vintage paper enthusiast and collage makers as these illustrations are perfect for art projects and thoughtful stationary.  I purchase these books from thrift and antique shops as well as  directly from Etsy  and online sellers.

You can find a great collection of books and paper goods on my own etsy shop:

The Blackwell Habitat

and see whats new and coming up at the shop on Instagram @blackwellhabitat