Hmmm, this is new to me, never heard of anyone doing this before. Like you, it seems to me just wrong to take a book in good, readable condition and use it for a journal or cookbook. But as for recycling the pictures to use in scrapbooking (another new idea to me), that doesn't seem like such a bad thing to do IF the book is in trashed condition and would otherwise be thrown away. I've been collecting since expecting my first child in 1974, and the books having been well-read and well-loved by my five kids and now three grandkids, some have become pretty "shabby chic." But I've always mended them neatly and tried to take decent care of them.
I, too, am a serious book lover, especially of vintage children's books and classics both kids & adult. I totally understand your position and mostly agree with you! Thanks for your thought-provoking post; this is the right place for our rants and reminiscences. I see you just registered July 13; I've been here about a year. It's really a fun & interesting website, and I've been helped many times in quests for certain half-remembered books from my 1950's childhood; I've also enjoyed helping others with titles & information on their searched-for books. So welcome to goldenbook.com!
I have not seen the journaling you speak about. I am guilty of using illustrations on my correspondence. I usually use a book with torn out pages or covers missing. It would be destined for the garbage anyway. After collecting all these years, it helps to define my passion.
I like the idea of taking a book destined for the trash to be used in other projects. I just don't like the idea of taking a book in near perfect condition and just destroying it!
I was recently at an auction and bought a stack of LGBs, with some of the Elf books mixed in and the Alice in Wonderland book was just trashed! The cover is usable as well as the text, but the previous owner had taken a pen to all of the beautiful illustrations. Because I don't normally throw a book away, I may take the opportunity to try the "vintage" journal thing for myself!
:0)
Is it just me that is bothered by people taking perfectly good LGBs and turning them into "vintage journals"?? Or the person that has taken to pasting recipes to the pages of LGBs and then selling them as little mini-cookbooks? I can understand using the covers when the inside is basically garbage(i.e. torn pages, writing, soiling), but to take a book that really from the pictures looks to be in wonderful condition...bothers me for some reason. Even salvaging the "vintage" pics from a less than pristine LGB to use for scrapbooking...
My apologies for the rant, I have a serious love for books, LGB or otherwise, and the defacement or destruction of a perfectly good book, well, upsets me!! That's just my opinion...I could be wrong.
Thanks for allowing me to vent!!