Spotlight: WingedWorld Etsy Shop

Most of my friends love dogs, and one has a dog named Harry. I’m so excited to share the gift I found for her!

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I was looking for a vintage copy of Harry the Dirty Dog since her Harry is a white Maltese who loves to roll in the dirt.  However, I found something more appropriate for my friend from WingedWorld.   I was delighted to discover WingedWorld and read about the process from shop owner/artist Vickie Moore of her library card art. Vickie is an artist who paints vintage library cards, and if you can remember a card catalog, you’ll love her work. 

From Vickie:  “When I was visiting a local library a few years ago, I noticed obsolete library card catalog cards being used as scratch paper, then tossed into garbage or recycling bins.   Somehow it felt wrong to me that these little pieces of history were being tossed away.   (As a little girl, I lived one block from a library and spent many a summer day there.   I’m quite sure that I read every horse book on the shelves.)

I asked the librarians if I could have some of the cards, and they graciously let me pick some out from a single cardboard box they had in a back room.   That was all they had left out of the thousands upon thousands of cards that used to be in the library.

I decided to start painting imagery on the cards inspired by the titles, subjects, or authors listed on each card. When I posted some of the painted cards in my Etsy shop, sales took off.   In today’s fast-paced, digital world, I think people have a real sense of nostalgia for library card catalogs and library cards.   Since then, I’ve shipped library card art to almost every state in America, as well as Canada, Europe, and Australia.

I start each library card painting by sifting through my collection — which has now grown to a few thousand cards — and choosing one that inspires me that day. I then research imagery and select something that fits the card.   I’m always careful not to paint over important words on the card, such as titles or author names.  Sometimes I feel like painting a character on a card for a classic children’s book, and sometimes I want to try something new and completely fresh.

Libraries, the way we read books, and the world will continue to change, but a good book will always be priceless.   My library card art is my way of showing how much I will always love books.”

Those three books are my favorites from my childhood.  (Although I sincerely doubt I will read Where the Red Fern Grows again.)

WingedWorld is currently running a few specials and has a variety of subjects.  I think these would be cute framed on the wall or sitting on the small easel on a mantle, bookcase, or shelf.

Check out some of our other gift ideas for dog lovers.