April is going to be an otterly busy month for this used bookstore lady. And I’m so excited.

To start, I’m going to be showing three pieces with the Book Arts Guild of Vermont’s art show entitled BOOK WORKS. I’m hoping to make it up there to see the exhibit and attend the Artist Talk. My pieces are books hand embroidered on vintage material. I’m so new to this so I’m kinda timid. Timid but excited.

I am so in love with the top left-hand book. I have to see it in person.
The Gallery is located on Pine Street in Burlington.

Saturday, April 11 I’ll be found in the Middlebury Union High School with a booth at the Sustainable Living Expo 2015. I had so much fun last year displaying and selling books. I’ll bring a wide range of non-fiction books to highlight the store – nature to crafts – and other fun stuff. Not sure who but someone will be in the store – Rusty or Hannah, or both. I’ll be at the Expo! Reading used books is definitely a sustainable way to live.

Then on Sunday, April 19 you can find me in Burlington at VABA’s book fair. So excited about the fair this year. For one thing I can go. There are a lot of changes to this year’s fair: new month, new location and best of all, it’ll be free to attend. It has been held in March which usually conflicts with my life. April is perfect for me. It’s been held at the Sheraton in Burlington the past number of years and this year it will be closer to the Waterfront at the Hilton overlooking Lake Champlain. A perfect location. There has always been an admission fee but this year it will be free to enter. I’m not sure how many exhibitors will be there but I know there will be a good showing of the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association. Many who have open shops such as OCUB and many who sell only online or by appointment only.

If you have never been this year is the year to go since it is free. I use to go long before I owned OCUB. We were the dorks who got there early before they opened and stood in line. Why? Not that we were searching for anything in particular but because we love books. We’d spend a couple of hours looking at everything talking to the store owners. Never in my life would I have thought I would ever be there as an exhibitor. This will be my second show. I think it took me five years to feel that I had a good enough selection to bring to sell.

And oh yea, I’ll be buying too. That’s what is the most exciting part. Seeing the booksellers who have become friends of mine and buying from them. Are we crazy? Isn’t that what book lover’s/booksellers do? Oh, yes!