Oh Demi, you are my kindred spirit. I relate so well to your tears over that sofa. That being said, I have had to force myself to let items leave my capable hands. I felt as though it was my duty to keep the items left behind by my entire deceased family. I have items from three aunts, a mother and father, a first cousin and a sister. Did I mention that my aunts saved everything that shined? Sigh. I had quite a collection of very well cared for and loved antiques. I have managed to give a few things away, but I still do not have the ability to rid myself of the bulk of it. This situation is not like yours. You have one lovely item, that I am sure will find someone to care and love it. Me? Well, my situation requires purging and I know it. This summer for sure. All of these keepsakes are not the memories of my husband and sons and it is unfair to make them live buried by some of these things. Heck, some of it I don't even remember seeing at my relatives' houses! Like you, everyone knew that I was the sentimentalist and kept giving me stuff. We both need to be selective. Let's repeat the mantra: You can't keep everything. As I said, this summer for sure.

First, you should look for the American Library Association's website--they have some inspirational reading posters featuring celebs, but if memory hold, I don't think they're b&w. Second, during my web search for the type of prints you're looking for (which is sooo hard! at least the African American part, but I realize now that finding the photographers who snapped these kinds of photos is difficult. The first one I thought of was Gordon Parks, but he actually did a wide range of subjects, I have learned.)... I came across this blog: bvikkivintage.blogspot. She has posted some vintage African American photos. Maybe she can help you in your search, too. Love this "stock" photo, tho it's not b&w: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/56956124.jpg%3Fv%3D1%26c%3DIWSAsset%26k%3D2%26d%3DE713C2F924EEE033FCC426079B3A764309C695DEAE8DCA18BDB75F7D0E0480F1E30A760B0D811297&imgrefurl=http://www.jupiterimages.com/Image/royaltyFree/56956124&usg=__GtZa1akpSHXr9CCiaHtpYgPnEUQ=&h=506&w=337&sz=39&hl=en&start=229&um=1&tbnid=yklgOXSxLzPw4M:&tbnh=131&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphoto%2Bof%2Bafrican%2Bamerican%2Bgirl%2Breading%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D216%26um%3D1 here's another one, b&w stack of books: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/AA003183.jpg%3Fv%3D1%26c%3DIWSAsset%26k%3D2%26d%3DEDF6F2F4F969CEBDC7AAB040E30B66393780FFDC3CF621747B8F2A539375ED6EE30A760B0D811297&imgrefurl=http://www.jupiterimages.com/Image/royaltyFree/AA003183&usg=__3c-P3zc14fvtvhaDaNgio-CD5mM=&h=808&w=633&sz=55&hl=en&start=48&um=1&tbnid=oDMCKB4RTnDzaM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblack-and-white%2Bphoto%2Bstack%2Bof%2Bbooks%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D36%26um%3D1 sorry the URLs are so long! but you know, when i look at some of the regular 'stacks of books' photos, i wonder if it's so much easier to take a photo of something like that yourself! even if you shoot in color, you can get them printed in b&w. and lastly, the one reading-related painting i've always loved: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bookworm

I've just found this thread. My best treasures from yard sales fall into 2 categories. - one is decorative things that completely matched the bill of what I was looking for, and had been unable to find at any price. I have a den that has an African/international theme. I wanted large art for the walls that had certain unusual color combinations and fit the feel of the room. AFter years of exhaustive searching in galleries and catalogues, I found a wonderful Eastern European batik - it's looks more African - yellows and reds, looks like a man and woman facing each other (similar profiles to some African carvings), with some fertility-like symbols. It was $4. I would have spend 100 times that and couldn't have found anything more perfect. Then a few years later, I found an Asian cloth painting - probably from Thailand. Again, perfect colors and fit. It was already framed and cost $5. Lastly, we were looking to replace an ugly offwhite accordian lampshade, with colors to match an atypical combination in our LR. Looked in lots of lamp stores, catalogues, art fairs. No avail. Then found one that was tailor-made - can't remember if it was $1 or $3. Hand-painted, colorful, but washed colors (like Alexnadra Julian watercolor sheets). - The other categories of great finds is all the toys I've discovered for my daughter (whose 5). At less than $1, I can afford to buy many things to find the few she might like. It's a great money savings. But mroe importantly, I've discovered toys I didn't know existed and some which are no longer made (like the English Bluebird polly pocket compacts). I love everything about yard sales. Exploring neighborhoods, talking to people, getting bargains, and finding treasures I might never have found elsewhere. pp.s. Oh, and boxes and boxes (hundreds of dollars worth) of Christmas village decorations for $20.

Behind the bathroom chase we found 2 different wall papers - we believe one is the original from 1825. We found a lot of old wallpaper behind stairs, trim, etc. - most from late 1800's. I made my contractor save it all and it will be framed and hung. Our walls were never painted - always wall papered and only 1 layer except for the kitchen. Above our 1st floor kitchen ceiling (and a foot below the 2nd floor floor was an old painted wide pine floor. It's been covered since 1914 and we believe it was from the 1840-1860's (when that addition was added). We will use this wood in the built in bench for the kitchen. We still have coal in the attic coal fireplaces used by the servants. I'm guessing it's over 100 years old. I tell my kids they will get that for XMAS if they don't behave. I kept telling my contractor any jewels or gold is mine. No luck. When we removed the stairs and added a main staircase we added a time capsule which included essays from my 2 kids (their daily routine - weekend and school day starting with waking up to the alarm clock, pushing the snooze button, turning on the light (150 years ago there wasn't any electricity), etc. plus their favorite books, movies, music, etc. I added our conversion/house remodel plans, pictures of the street and downtown area plus the local Sunday Boston Globe. I don't expect the stairs to be opened or moved for 100+ years.