Book Art / New Versions of the Reproduction System and Open Heart Surgery

With my recent community art project, Out of Context---The Pulse of The Page, finished and installed in the Goodnow Library's permanent collection, I now have an interest in repurposing old books. A stash stares at me whenever I enter my studio and they need to be moved. Some of the books are spineless and a few are still intact.  What now? 

I chose the new edition's design specifically to go with the book title
--- my condensed version of the reproduction cycle.

  On display at a favorite boutique are vintage condensed Readers Digests carved into alphabet letters. With that in mind, I cut a few letters. Very cute. Of course, I had to go a little further and make it my own.  Neither of these books (published in 1961) looked like they were ever cracked open. Hmm, I guess humanity figured it all out without reading the text. 

The expression on the female's face is so telling ---compared to the male in the shower.
The juxtaposition of the carving was spot-on!

Carving love was much more challenging.  (---aint that the truth?)
Not finished with these new editions;  I plan on editing the insides with my own stories.  

Again, the choice of book makes all the difference in the new version's design.
With a fabric scrap looped and glued in the spin. it can now hang ---like mistletoe.

 Much time and effort went into this open heart surgery ... but I have to try everything once (or twice or thrice).

Enough of getting side-tracked.  I gotta finish the book I am reading and then start my book group's latest title. 
I do like listening to books on tape as I work.  It's nice to hear someone else's voice in the studio.