Check out my latest and greatest Holiday store window display for Half Moon Books: a fireplace made of books.
I started with a composite “inspirational” image that I made in Photoshop and went from there. The fireplace frame and hearth are all made of books. The mantle and deer head are cardboard covered in pages from The Ugly Duckling story. And then I just packed out the display with books, books and more books! I went opposite of my usual minimalism for this edition.
Happy Holidays.
Introducing my newest window display installation for Half Moon Books in Kingston, NY. The title is “Let Them Read Books.” Very Marie Antoinette meets Vogue.
With the coming Fall / Back to School season upon us, I wanted to do something that I hadn’t ever done before. Whenever I finish a window I feel like I’ll never have another ideas and then here we are - a paper dress extravaganza. I actually got the idea from an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race where the queens had to make garments out of one of Ru’s books. I thought yes, I have to do this, but a fashion piece is really out of my “architectural” comfort zone. But if you’re not challenging yourself, you’re not growing, correct?
So, I found these images as my inspiration. I fell in love with the paper pleating: I told myself, “I can do this!”
To make the paper gown I bought some fabric costume pieces to attach the paper too. Gotta love hot glue guns and spray mount - They’re magical. And of course I had to do a pair of pumps.
But then I had a huge predicament. I had build the dress offsite in one piece - how was I going to get it to the bookstore without damaging the design - walk her across town of course. I am a “put on a show” kinda girl after all. So, off we went.
Here’s some shots of the final installation. I added a chandelier for the full fancy vibe. I hope you love it as much as I do. Check out more of my displays at Half Moon Books here.
Ever since the huge success of the Circle of Books I did a few years ago, I wanted to play with books in a shape again and Jessica is always talking about the Peace symbol (we are in the Woodstock area after all)…
There was no better time than 2020 for PEACE. ☮️📚🎄
I pretty much had my heart set on giving Jessica a Peace-Shaped bookshelf for this Holiday Season. And thanks to ABunch Fabrication, it came true.
Here’s how it all happened…
My Design Inspiration:
My Amazing Sketch: Don’t laugh too much…
Design Development with ABunch Fabrication:
The Construction Process:
Installation:
The Unveiling:
Peace Out!
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The new window installation for Half Moon Books is all lit up… This installation is a trio of chandeliers made of books. It was challenging, as it is with books, because of their weight, but I think it turned out fab.
Just a few drill holes and some basic elec wiring and voila… Book Chandeliers!
And a huge thank you John Cox for letting me take over his workshop.
My latest store window design installation for Kingston’s Half Moon Books is a Word Search Puzzle… There’s 5 words that are hidden in the puzzle of letters. Can you find them? See below for some spoilers.
When Jessica, the owner of Half Moon Books and I first met to discuss this window design, we wanted something fun and lite yet celebratory since this was to be her Post-Covid 19 Pandemic “reopening” Summer window. I honestly don’t recall how we landed on a giant word search puzzle, but when Jessica and I brainstorm, it’s like lightening in a bottle. Shablam!
And since it had to involve books, I thought if we opened books you could paint one letter per page. I went with a rainbow assortment of colors to make it fun, positive and happy… It’ Pride Month after all. Then I found this great website that generates Word Find Puzzles for you. The puzzle consists of 32 total books, 4 across (opened) by 8 down - essentially an 8x8 character puzzle. And voila… We had ourselves a window. I always feel like I’ll run out of window ideas but they keep coming. A reminder to believe in yourself.
The construction went so smoothly. I’m usually defying gravity, but compared to some of the other window installations, this one was pretty easy. And that’s exactly what I wanted.
Okay, can you find the following 5 words that Jessica picked: Justice (we gave you this one), Peace, Liberty, Equality and Love… There’s other ones but those are bonus!
Be safe out there. xo
SPOILER ALERTZ! Don’t go any further if you want to find the hidden words on your own.
Here’s a “how to” demo on making books as ornaments…
BOOKS AS ORNAMENTS HOW TO:
I picked a bunch of books that made nice fans. The paperback “romance novel” size seemed to work the best.
I drew lines on the covers where I wanted to cut them. 2 diagonal lines gave me the diamond shapes. Explore shapes!
Using my friend’s woodshop, I cut the books using a bandsaw. Be careful… Safety has NO QUITTING TIME!
Next, I cut 7/8” red ribbon in all different lengths and hot glue gunned the ends to the spine of the books.
Finally I would fan the book and hot glue the covers to each other… Creating an awesome fan effect.
Using my friend’s woodshop, I cut the books using a band saw. Be careful… Safety has NO QUITTING TIME!
Cutting the red ribbon in all different lengths and hot glue gunned the ends to the spine of the books.
About to glue the covers to themselves.
And voila… The finished product!
Wanna see it in real life? Be be sure to visit Half Moon Books on N Front St in Uptown Kingston this Holiday Season. Happy Holidays. xo, Chris
Another fantastic window collab with Half Moon Books. They’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary, so of course, I wanted to give them a cake of books! 🎂📚 Happy Birthday Half Moon Books. I love you!!! 🎉🎈🌜 #windowdisplay #bookstore #happybirthday #installation — at Half Moon Books.
For the Winter 2019 Half Moon Books store window update, I wanted to do something interesting but also minimal. I think after Holiday, minimalism is a great motif. I thought of just one solid pillar of books spiraling. There’s repetition and pattern in the simplicity. #monolithic
Click here for more Half Moon Books installation
Jessica DuPont of Half Moon Books
“Reading is FUNdamental.” I remember learning this slogan when I was a child and it couldn’t have been more true then. It’s still true today. Information and knowledge are both powerful, and we get that from books. Jessica DuPont, owner of Kingston’s Half Moon Books believes that books, rare and vintage, will slow us down and save the world. And I believe her. It’s a dream-come-true to do her store window displays for the past few years so I want to share the love and share the Moon… Let’s meet Jessica!
How did Half Moon Books begin?
I was waiting for a pizza and walked by this decrepit, weird bookstore that had a sign that said “business for sale.” Six months later, I owned it. I had never worked in a bookstore or owned my own business but something told me I could do it, create a great used bookstore. Nine years later I’m still here.
How did you come up with the store’s name?
The year I bought my store was the quadricentennial of Henry Hudson’s sailing to America on the Half Moon, so it felt like an auspicious choice. Plus I knew the name would lend itself to a great logo. My sister designed it and she did not disappoint!
You make house calls to look at and possibly buy people’s book collections? Tell us about that process.
I love house calls and looking at collections! It’s an opportunity to examine a life through the books that the person chose. I am often asked to look at books after someone has passed away so my only contact with them will be through the knowledge they pursued, the well-worn copies of stories they loved, or a child's book with a name carefully inscribed in crayon. That’s the romantic version. Usually what happens is people have accrued a massive number of books and want to make sure that as many as possible will find a good home. I make that happen.
When you’re picking books for the store, what are some of your key criteria?
Well, there are no brainers, titles that I know will sell. Stuff like Harry Potter is a pretty safe bet. I also operate on instinct. I have a wide variety of interests, so mostly I gamble that the books that I find interesting, that I will want to read, will spark something in my customers. I don’t think you can have a retail shop like mine and not have confidence in your taste. I bet if someone were to make a study of my shelves they would discover some interesting aspect of my personality that I’m not even conscious of.
Why are “real books” still so important to you?
Books slow us down, encourage contemplation and a deeper dive into an area of interest. Fiction can reveal truths about human nature and give us the gift of inhabitation - full immersion into another person’s perspective. Like everybody else, I spend a lot time on screens and what I find relaxing about reading paper books is that they don’t compete against themselves, there is nothing to click on or pull you away from the words at hand.
What genre of books sell best for you?
Fiction and children’s books, cookbooks, art books, religion and philosophy are probably my best sections. I’m always surprised by how much poetry I sell too.
How has the digital age affected your business?
I think that if people are reading and talking about what they are reading then it doesn’t matter what format they use. So I don’t think that kindles have affected me as much overall as smartphones and social media have.
What have your customers been saying about your window displays?
Oh they love them! I see people taking pictures all the time. I don’t really use Instagram but I went on and plugged in #halfmoonbooks and it was this cascade of images of all the great windows you have done over the years.
Oh… Jessica is interviewing me now… Do you have a favorite?
Chris: “The circle.”
Jessica: Me too! That one was hard.
Chris: “I know. I don’t think I could do it again.”
How have you seen Kingston change over the years?
Lots of new businesses, new energy. I have enjoyed watching the O+ Festival grow because it started the same year that I did.
When you’re not selling the coolest and rarest vintage books, what do you like to do for fun?
I look at art, drive my kids all over creation, knit, the usual stuff.
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start their own business?
Get the money right. Think hard about how much money and how much time you will need. And then double those numbers.
Okay Jessica, it’s time for the SPEED ROUND:
Fave Color: Red
Fave Food: Peanut Butter
Fave Book(s): I love science fiction. Ray Bradbury called it the fiction of ideas and I am all about ideas, so that’s what I’m reading these days.
Fave Song: Ack! Music is my weak spot! I listen to a lot of jazz and funk in the store.
Fave Movie: Harold and Maude
Dive into Jessica’s shelves and score some great vintage books this holiday at Half Moon Books, 35 N. Front Street, Kingston, NY 12401
