(EP. 6 – SPECIFIC PIECE)

It’s the first week of October! Fall is officially here and the spooky season is upon us. Honestly, I love the sun! I feel more energized, motivated, and inspired when the sun is shining bright. But that doesn’t mean I can’t find ways to enjoy the chilly seasons too! And when it came to creating this next piece, I was inspired by things that I know will keep me on track and motivated when the sun isn’t out to say hello. Which is why this episode is about a specific piece. A piece that can be adapted and revised to be specific to your home, your space, and your needs.

A hanging bookshelf. I know. It seems very specific, but it doesn’t necessarily seem adaptable or revisable. But stick with me here. The bookshelf I made was specific to the size I wanted, the space I wanted it in, and the use I wanted to intend it for. So when I go over how I did mine, keep in mind you have the authority and the creativity to go about it however you want! And if you watch the video, I explain a few ways one might do so at the end. (:

Otherwise, let’s get to it!

Supplies

You’ll need:

• Wood (I used pine)
• Jig saw (optional)
• Sander or sandpaper
• Stain of choice (optional)
• Drill and/or hammer and/or wood glue
• Screws and/or nails and/or wood glue

Timing

Depending on the amount of optional steps included, and whether using a sander or by hand, this project could take anywhere between 45 minutes to 2.5 hours (including stain/glue dry time).

Putting Your Piece Together

First is cutting the wood to the dimensions you want. You can either do this yourself or have someone at a local supply shop do it for you. We cut 4 pieces of pine to 36″x 3.5″ x1″ dimensions. These are the base, front and back supports, and back brace. *This next part has 2 options, pick 1.* Either cut 3 pieces of wood the same size all around, or cut 2 pieces the same and make the third a little different for an offset look. (We did the second option.) We cut 2 pieces of pine to 16″x 3.5″x 1″ dimensions and cut the third to 15.5″x 3.5″x 1″ dimensions. These are the 2 side and middle supports.

Once all the wood is cut to the dimensions you want, the optional part here is to carve a curve into one end of the 3 smaller pieces so that about half of each piece or less is only about 1.5″ instead of 3.5″. After all the cutting of the wood is complete, either take a sander machine or hand sand all the pieces so there’s no sharp edges or chance of getting a splinter. (This is especially important if you’re designing a piece for a Little One’s space!) From there, leave as is for a natural look or color with a stain of your choice. I used a carbon gray color to match the accents in our home. *If leaving natural, move on to the next step; If staining, leave for required time to dry if not more.* I allowed for an hour of drying time.

The next step is to attach all pieces together however desired. I left a gap between the base and front/back supports to allow for stuffed animal storage. I also put the back brace up a bit too high but didn’t realize until after it was filled with items, so play around! Once you have an idea of what you’ll like, you can use wood glue and clamp everything together for a clean, polished look. Or you can hammer finishing nails in for a sleek and modern look. Or you can use screws for a more rustic, vintage look. We used a combo of screws on the bottom for support where no one would notice and finishing nails on the rest.

Related: Episode 5

Final Piece!

Mine is hung in our living room as of now, but I know I’ll be able to use it for my Little One when they eventually arrive so it’s multifunctional and purposeful for me! But you can hang yours wherever it works best for your space! Fill with books, magazines, fake or real plants, stuffed animals, hang stuff from it, the list is endless! And last but not least, enjoy for time to come! I filled mine with motherhood books on one side and children’s books/stuffed animals on the other. It not only keeps me inspired for when that special moment comes, it also cleared up much needed space in my larger, standing bookshelf too!

But make it yours! Would you prefer a larger or smaller one? What about multiple of the same thing? What about a single-width one instead of a double? Open gaps or sealed? High back brace for large reads or low back brace for odd-size reads? Not great with cutting tools? What about getting an already made pallet and having it cut down to the size you need? And have fun with it! Thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community! I encourage you to join discussions, interact with others alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:

With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth To Momma