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Friday, August 19, 2011

Book Exchange Tea Party

Do you love to read and find yourself picking up a paperback at the grocery or drugstore, or at the airport when you are going on a trip? Or maybe you frequent your local library, but there is a popular book out that you are dying to read but you are so far down on the list and you can't wait, so you go out and buy the book?

What do you do with all the books when you are done with them?

Why not have a Book Exchange Party with your friends?

That's exactly what my sister, Linda, did.

Now, you have to know a little bit about my sister. I call her "Linda-Martha-Stewart" because she loves to bake/cook and throw parties. As a matter of fact, when she had the Book Exchange Tea Party, it was the third party that week at her home.

I know. You can go ahead and groan. I'll wait.

Linda invited about 60 women to this tea party. She told them to bring all the books they wanted to exchange.

The menu consisted of:

Bagels with regular and strawberry creme cheese:


French Toast Casserole


cinnamon buns


Tomato herb frittata


cinnamon bundt cake


yogurt with berries and granola on top


Of course there were wine glasses for orange juice and nice china cups and saucers for tea/coffee.


Linda's backyard is always ready for parties: there are 8-9 tables with chairs that are set up all summer. Her yard is lush with plants, flowers, and bushes. She has bird feeders and wind chimes hanging from many tree branches. The highlight is the 18' x 30' pond in her backyard.


My twin sister, Pam, is the crafty one. She made up all these signs and hung them from the book tables.





The books were separated in genres. Pam made these signs, too.





There's many different ways you can go about picking the books; you can distribute numbers to everyone and then pick numbers out of a hat. The first go around each person should just pick one book so that everyone will have a chance to get the "good" ones. (You take as many books as you bring.)




My daughter, Jess, with the orange scarf, Lily (granddaughter) in purple, Taliah (great niece)

Twin sister, Pam, left, with cigarette

No one left empty-handed, even Lily!

Brooklyn (great niece), Lily

13 comments:

Joyful said...

Wow! I wish I knew your sister, lol. I love food and I love books. What a great idea she has for exchanging books.

Brian Miller said...

that sounds like a lot of fun...i recycle my books at a paperback exchange, getting new ones...it is a really cool place...but i may have to try this one...

labbie1 said...

Great idea! When we decided to take to the road, I sold or donated most of my books. I download epub books or MP3's from the state library so as not to take up room in the 5th wheel and add weight. I do have a few books and when I finish, I usually utilize the book exchanges at the campgrounds.

I like your sister's idea though--I love food! :)

labbie1 said...

PS While you are in IL, be sure to snag some Calhoun Peaches! My SIL (AKA Nina Martha Stewart)swears they are the BEST! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh that is a brilliant idea. I have some books I could never part with because they hold memories, but I have tons I would swap for others. And I'm always looking for reasons to entertain....brilliant, love it, gonna go it :)

Valerie said...

Marvellous idea, Pat. My books go to the charity shops but I wouldn't mind trying a book party. The food pictures make me feel hungry.

Kim, USA said...

Wow Pam this is a very good idea. My brain is already running 150 mph with your input here. What a good way to bond with friends and relatives. And by the way, your two angels (Pam and Linda) they are excellent!! Say hi to me I need angels too ^_^

DeepBlue said...

Wonderful idea... great food with great books... a perfect marriage! I usually give away my books to my local library!

Unknown said...

Man, how do I get on the guest list for this shindig?? Looks wonderful!

KaLynn ("MiMi") said...

What a super wonderful idea!! Looks like so much fun! The food pictures made me hungry too! I'm gonna have to try this! I usually take mine to the local book exchange and trade. This is much better than that! Food, Friends and Fun!! Oh yeah baby!!

kisatrtle said...

I drooled a little over the cinnamon buns

SquirrelQueen said...

What a fabulous idea! Books, food and lots of good friends, it doesn't get any better. I'm going more and more to ebooks but I still get a lot of regular books sent to me. I might have to try this.

Donna said...

What a fun idea! I usually just pack mine up and take them to our local Half off Book Rack which in turn, donates them to the Military. The soldiers Love to get them...
Happy weekend Pat!
hughugs