Once there was a book

Once there was a book.

It was a huge book, an atlas of my city with all kinds of information 

about demographics in Winnipeg.

It had found its home in a local high school for over 30 years. 

They added a hardcover to withstand the use and abuse by students.

No one had checked it out for at least the last 5. 

Someone had written on some of the pages.

The school decided to discard it since all the information

was now available electronically.

Then it came into the hands of a bookbinder.

The bookbinder loved maps and loved to upcycle.

Because the atlas was so big, there were lots of pages to reuse.

From one book emerged three new books.

One extra large book which would make a great art journal 

and two average sized guestbooks.

The pages were only printed on one side, with the other side blank.

Even the map pages have lots of interesting spaces to write in, 

or draw on, or collage over.

One of the books was snatched up at the WEST craft sale last weekend.

The other two are now available in my etsy shop.