Ten Dollars Ledges

Allow me first to apologize to my dad, who I previously called "a woodworking drop-out," but without his help I probably wouldn't have been able to get these simple shelves built.  Sorry, Pops!

And allow me also to state the obvious - somehow when you have kids, everything takes ten times as long to get done!  The actual building of these shelves wasn't so bad.  We were able to build both of them in an afternoon at my parent's house (and thanks to my mom too for watching the kids while my dad and I cut and drilled away).  But man, finishing wood projects is the pits.  It took many weeks to find the time to spray paint these little suckers (often while standing outside in freezing temperatures).  In the end though, each layer of spray paint and each sanding in between was worth it because not only are these shelves smooth as a baby's behind, but they are also quite awesome looking (if I don't say so myself).

Yes, my so-called "ten dollar ledges" ended up costing me almost forty bucks, but that's probably because I sprang for slightly more expensive wood than was called for and given that I'm a total newbie, I ended up having to buy even the most basic items to make this project (screws, wood glue, a countersink bit.  Did you see that?  I just used the term "countersink bit."  Does it seem like I actually know what I'm talking about?  Ha!).

All in all, though, these shelves were completely worth it and if you're looking for me, you may just find me walking back and forth past C's bedroom admiring shelves full of books.  Best of all though, is the fact that I'm not the only one who appears to love them.