Ten Bookish Shops that Made Bookstagram Fun in 2018
I'm going to say it,
Social media is the worst and the best part of the internet.
It can bring out the ugly in people to such a grand level that the need for "breaks" is now a regular term. And yet, it allows people to find their own tribe in this giant world.
And for that reason, I am eternally grateful for Instagram, and Facebook, for allowing Bookstagram a place to be.
Also, I spend barely any time on any other aspect of social media, so if you are ever looking for me, you probably won't find me unless you venture into the world of bookstagram.
As a child and lifestyle photographer for years, I realized the hardest part of the job was dealing with moving subject... you know the people. So when the chance to merge my love of reading and books with my photography I was all about it. I mean book do not move on their own...
And while I spent most of those images on this blog, and sent a few to publishers and agents, I stumbled across bookstagram on Instagram, more than three years ago. And since, it's really been more fun than work.
So, while I refuse to spend a ton of money on props, or even books... I do spend some. And I figured I'd share a few of my favorite places to shop for the bookish extras, and the books themselves today.
Please keep in mind, that most, in fact almost all, of the books I take pictures of are mine or the libraries. There are very few books that are sent to me to be photographed.
Oh, and while today's top ten has nothing to do with the topics provided, it's certainly because of the amazing community over at Top Ten Tuesday on That Artsy Reader Girl - check it out, and join us!
10 Stores I Love Shopping at for Bookstagram
- Clearly, my books are like my babies (well sort of... my actual babies are my babies... but I still baby my books) and while I always have at least one book with me, I worry over what damage might find them. So when the idea of Book Sleeves showed up I was thrilled. And after shopping around, I find that Joyce from Pages Remembered makes the absolute best on the market, plus she's super sweet and will make custom sizes, and designs if you contact her.
- Candles find their way into many of my photos because I've always loved candles. And now that there are companies making candles with bookish themes... well what can I say... Samie at The Burning Bookshop makes some splendid candles
- And I also adore Jen's candles at The Bookish Flame - she is adding some nice jars and wood wicks once in a while too, which are amazing!
- One of the best parts of bookstagram is the community, and how many artists are part of it. As a result, there are many fanart prints to be found. Lucy creates such a whimsical art that I can't seem to help myself with always adding to my stock of her pretty prints. You can find her gorgeous work at Lucy in the Sky Creations.
- Another artist I love because her work is so unique and intricate is Macherie. She creates hand-cut paper silhouettes for books of characters, and they are exquisite. She is also starting to add some customized funko dolls to her store, which are the cutest things ever.
- A fun way to keep the community from feeling so big (even if it is fairly small considering the size of Instagram) has been the Book Box subscriptions. Companys put together monthly themes and then stuff a box full of goodies and a book (usually) around that theme. I have tried a few new, and I think ShelfLoveReads might just be my favorite.
- Now let's talk books... because they can be so expensive. And I get it. I mean the authors put hours of their time into their stories plus sweat, blood, and tears! Then you have to add in the cost of publishing and editing... and marketing... well it adds up. But I also simply don't have enough money to buy them all at full prince... so I'm so grateful BookOutlet.com exists. Sure all the books you want when you want them might not be there, but many are. It's like stopping at a used bookstore, you never know what treasure you'll find. And once you click over, you're going to have to make it a regular stop for your book shopping.
- Next on my list of favorite stores is probably no surprise, but it's Target. Why? Well because you never know what treasure of a prop might be hiding in the clearance sections. And because of they usually price match book prices with Amazon...yep - no waiting for delivery necessary.
- I also have a BooksAMillion (BAM) close by, which isn't always a good deal, but they tend to stock a big selection of bargain books. These are books that were never sold when they were first released, and had to be shipped backed to the publishers... and now they are their second round to try to "move" them - which means great discounts... but also a permanent marker mark on their edges to show their status - poor unwanted books...
- Finally, but most certainly not least, I cannot make this list without adding Amazon. Sure it's the giant we all screamed would be the death of printed books, but it appears to be helping the book market too. With preorders and easy returns, this mega-online-giant isn't the devil for a savvy bargain book-loving shopper.
And because I cannot waste the opportunity, I have a small Etsy shop of bookmarks that I hand design and make, if you ever are looking for a unique bookmark, stop over!
Granted, there are a ton more great artists and shops I shop at. Mostly because I love supporting small businesses when I can, and because I might have a teensy problem with bookish goodies... but right now these are my top ten.
Do you have some great bookish stores you shop at? Leave a comment telling me about it, because you know I'll have to check them out.
2 coment�rios
Lovely bookstagram! I have a bookish instagram but it's not pretty! haha. Great post!
ReplyDeleteAw it doesn't have to be "pretty" the community just wants to chat about books ;)
DeleteI love comments!!
Let me know what you thought of this one... don't forget to share your blog link so I can stop by!