Now I'm just bragging

Can I brag about my husband for a minute?  Ok, good.

He is good at many things.  He won't tell you that, but I will.  Without him I would be technologically illiterate instead of just mildly dumbfounded.  If he wasn't around I'd never know where my keys, phone, slippers, camera, sanity or children* are.  Not to mention his ability to make me smile even when I just. don't. want. to.

Before we married I knew he was handy.  He could rip down walls and ceilings (without my knowledge) and change furnace filters without searching for where it goes for 15 minutes first and he knew the difference between a reciprocating and circular saw.  (I do now too but I wouldn't if it wasn't for him.)

Our previous house was so small that we just didn't need a ton of furniture and what he and I had before we moved in together filled most of the house.  The one room, a family room in the basement, that we finished/redecorated we purchased inexpensive matching furniture for.

Now that we are in larger home and we intend to stay in for a much (if not indefinite) longer time we want to furnish rooms the way we want them instead of (what Kevin lovingly refers to our former style) dorm-room-shabby-chic.

The budget hasn't changed though.

In the last year, however, he has really impressed me with his woodworking. First there was the frame for our bed.

And now I give you, Madeline's book shelf.




Isn't it lovely?



Ooo, even better with her books on it, ey?




The bead board backing was my only contribution to this piece.  I thought it would add some interest in dimension.  I love the clean lines, the solid frame and he was able to build it so that even her tallest book, Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans would fit without a fuss.



See it there on the bottom left?  A perfect fit.

It is solid as a rock.  Painted beautifuly AND it cost us less than half of what an almost identical book shelf at a upscale retailer would have charged.

So yeah.  I'm bragging.

__________
*Just kidding about that children part.