Wow guys! Thanks so much for all the fantastic book (and drink!) suggestions. You're going to keep us very very busy!
And you couldn't have come through at a more perfect time. We are in full on slothful, summer, sulk under the ceiling fan and read ourselves into a far away land mode. If I could hibernate, I would. Really. But then you knew that already, didn't you?
We've got a stack of new (to us) books to read now and, drumroll please….
after THREE solid years of searching Goodwill and estate sales and thrift shops and Craigslist I have finally, FINALLY found the bookshelf of my dreams.
Ain't she a beauty?
It is really ridiculously hard to find a good quality, solid wood, sturdy bookshelf that doesn't require you to take out a home improvement loan, but I finally found her. She smells of crackly well loved pages. She's solid, smooth, comfortable and capable. She's worthy of all the hidden lands and secret hopes, mysteries untold, love lost and honor won, laughter and sorrow that she shall hold upon her shelves.
And um… she's looking rather full, is she not? After all those many piles and stacks of books were brought from their assorted corners and lined up together, it seems that ANOTHER bookshelf may soon be in order.
Dang. Guess I'll have to frequent the shops some more. Work. Work. Work A woman's work is just never done 
And you, what are YOU searching for?
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LOVE that bookshelf! We are using the crummy pasteboard options but one of these days my darling will build me something like that! Face it, even if you had 3 more just like it, they’d be full too!
Let’s get together one of these days and sip some cold sweet tea and I can pick your brain on school stuff!
Love the bookshelf. And, as far as I’m concerned, you can never have too many books or bookshelves. Start your new hunt now and maybe you’ll have a little extra space on the shelves for a bit. Imagine the possibilities!
We are getting IKEA bookshelves this week. And a kitchen too. The bookshelves may not be solid wood but they are pretty good quality and fairly inexpensive.
dressers. we need dressers for our girls clothing. we have one that we will paint and ‘renew’, but are on the lookout for two more….each their own for full responsibilty and managment. love your bookshelf!
What a great shelf it is the great white of the thrift stores. we are searching for a table for outside and fun different chairs for our dinning room.
Nice bookcase. What’s in the tanks? (I keep fish
so I’m interested!).
I’m also searching for the perfect bookcase. I’m hoping it won’t take me 3 years of waiting though! I might have to stalk the thrift stores harder. Darn! I’m that much more inspired by the sight of your beauty there all covered in books.
I too have been searching for a great bookshelf. It really is hard to find, so I can totally see the searching for so long.
It looks like you have found a really nice one.
First time commenting here, I think.
REALLY enjoy your blog.
Chas
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/chas
Oh… I hear ya on this! Great find! Best of luck finding another… your engery is flowing now!
Love your description of the contents! The woderful world of books!
Beautiful! We have a recent addition in the bookshelf department as well, and my gaze lingers over in that corner often – just to see!
Like yours, it’s filling up awfully fast!
Jamie
i’m looking for a bookshelf, too!
We’re looking for a Deacon’s Chair that has a storage area in the seat. But everything we’ve found so far breaks the bank! However, I’ll buy anything that is solid wood and nicely made. That bookshelf is a beauty.
I’m looking for a bookshelf too… I am having shelf envy right about now. Yours is lovely!!!
I love good finds! Your bookshelf is superb!
I *was* looking for a rectangle table top (ever since we found out we were pregnant with #3) which would eventually seat all five of us (once the baby is out of his highchair) since our large round table’s legs kinda got in the way when seating more than four.
I found a dent-n-scratch tabletop for $20 at World Market in CP one day when I happened to be out in the van with no children so I grabbed it. Hubby said he couldn’t have built a top for $20 so it was a good find. And the old table’s legs work on the new top
great bookshelf! i need shelving too, but more the metal or plastic sort- out- your- basement- or- garage- junk type!
awesome find!
Yes yes yes! Shoot me an email and let’s plan a date. Y’all can come over and sulk under the fans with us!
Oh yes. I have been to IKEA SO many times, walking circles ’round the bookcases… measuring, pondering. Once, I even decided that I was never going to find what I wanted in the thrift shops so I headed to IKEA fully intending to buy.
And when I got there, picked out what I wanted and headed to the checkout I discovered that I hadn’t brought my wallet.
I’m not sure I can hold off another three years for the next set, so we may get back to IKEA before long
Oh I hear you on that too! Only one of my three has a decent chest of drawers. That’s forever on the list too. Happy hunting!
The one nearest is full of caterpillars pupating. The next over has two Rasboras a Silver Tailed Lyre, a black fan tailed Molly, a blue Guorami, a snail, an Asian Mountain Minnow and 4 neon tetras. And another that’s just out of the shot holds Shelly, the hermit crab
Tanks in which to raise critters is another thing that’s always on our thrift list 
The boys have been looking into salt water tanks forever, but so far I’m too chicken to make that commitment.
Sending happy bookcase vibes to you!
Well welcome Chris! Glad to have you!
Can you tell I was a serious bookworm as a child? Half the books we own (at least) are a result of my never ending quest to relive my childhood. I’ve bought scads of Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children, Bobbsey Twins. So far my kids aren’t real interested in any of them. Boo.
I know just what you mean! Our is carefully positioned so you see it when you’re coming down the hall. It gives me a ridiculous amount of joy to wake up, walk out of my bedroom, head down the hall and see THAT first thing in the morning.
Congrats on yours too!
Ooooh! A deacons chair! That sounds fun!
Score!!!
Mine is always telling me he could have built whatever I bring home, but I haven’t seen him build much in years, so well… until I see that hammer flyin, I’m gonna keep on junkin’. You know?
Hey, a good metal shelf can be a tough find too! Good luck!
There are always so many things on my list! After about 2 years of searching for the perfect one, I just crossed off rectangular 6-paned antique window frame thanks to Craigslist. Now I’m hunting for a coffee table. I know that doesn’t sound hard but my husband has challenged me to find a FREE coffee table. We want to use it on our back deck that we are in the process of transforming into an outdoor living room of sorts. I’ve been refreshing the Craigslist free page and the Freecycle page for our area many times a day!
Great bookshelf! A full bookshelf is a happy bookshelf! Ours is bursting at the seams and will be expanded soon!
Oh…it’s beautiful! And a PERFECT fit!
Oh it is!!! That’s one of the things that makes this such a proud find for me. There’s literally not a 1/4 inch space between the shelf and the window sill. it JUST fits, like it was meant to be
We were so lucky. One day we were driving down the road and someone had just brought out of their house and put a free sign on this nice heavy quality book shelf. I made my mom turn around and we took it. So lucky!
Your shelves look great. I do think you need to start looking for another one.
Great book shelf!
I’m not on the hunt for any furniture right now. But I am on the lookout for some second-hand kitchen gadgets and canning supplies. Sometimes it’s the thrill of the hunt that’s the best part, I think.
Ahhh. The never ending search for a perfect book shelf. We have the same issue, and my husband has all kinds of ideas for how to build the perfect thing (even all the salvage to do it really cool) and no time to get it done.
I say…thrift on!
I got mine from IKEA too, mostly because I wanted some shelves with cabinets underneath (to hide some of the toys). And our house is so tiny, even though some of the shelves hold double layers of books (one behind the other), I can’t fit another set in this house!
I’m looking for a nice chair. A chair to sit and read and watch the world go by. A highback Danish loungechair, not to get too specific.
I’m looking for the perfect dresser for my girls’ room. Big, STURDY, and old. I found one yesterday at a thrift store, but since I’m miles and miles away from home, I have no way to transport it there. A little sad, but now I have hope the perfect one is out there waiting for me…
And a new coffee table…same requirements
member of the eternal bookshelf shopping club here. congrats on your find. solid wood is a real score these days.
What a great bookcase! Big and bountiful! If that is your homeschool room or not, I am jealous! look at all that natural light!
lovely bookshelf. my uncle just built one to house all my aunt’s hundreds of cookbooks, he had to do it himself so it could bear the weight of them all.
i’m looking for small vintage dessert plates like my grandmother’s odd array, but at the thrift stores i just keep finding saucers!
I have a thing with bookshlves also- our family tends to make them,which helps as we can make them really large! I hade my husband make our last one with cubicles on one shelf for nature finds like bones,rocks,etc.
Happy reading!
Hey, I’m new to your blog but absolutely love it! It’s always so fun to find kindred spirits out there, striving to do the same things that you are.
We just recently moved into a new home and our old house had an entire built in wall of book shelves. We still have boxes upon boxes of our books, yet unpacked for lack of anywhere to call home. I was just in Target today, trying to decide whether or not to break down and pay too much for press board bookshelves. I’m inspired to hang on for just a little bit longer.
Holly
http://www.walkingintheslowlane.blogspot.com
Ooooh! Kitchen gadgets! Me too! I’m looking for an old fashioned hand mixer (the crank kind) and one of those little butter churners that looks like a jar with paddles inside and a crank atop the lid…. you know, not to be too specific
Oh yes! I’m always looking for chairs too. I’ve yet to even come close to the perfect mama chair though. Happy hunting to you!
I wish you could have seen me and the poor guy that was manning the shop for his wife bustling around my car with the tape measure. We were both sweating something awful, but we managed to cram it into my suburban once I laid down all the seats and we tilted it sideways a bit.
I was very, VERY scared that we’d never get it out again!
Yep, it’s our homeschool room. We’ve been working really hard lately to get it reorganized and ready for action. Just a couple of years back my goal was to get everything up high and out of the reach of my then 2 year old. Now it’s to make everything accessible and to have lots of work space for leaving out projects and such.
We just hung some bird feeders outside that big window too, so hopefully we’ll have some small visitors to our learning space
Don’t you hate that?
I’m always after the Japanese mugs too… and Fiestaware and melmac and old Pyrex and… oh I do have a serious weakness for dishes
Oh nice!!! We have such an assortment of nature bits, and so we’re always trying out new ways of keeping and displaying them. I’d love to see more of your shelves!
We had built in shelves when I was younger and I SO miss them. One find day I’ll have a great big library room with wall to wall shelves!
and a big welcome to you! We’re glad to have you!
On the other hand mine decided to clean the garage and then 30 mins in decided to build a bookshelf to organize. The bookshelf after some wifely input is coming along nicely. I doubt I will get a clean garage but now a building project …
I’m always looking for bookshelves too. And wood toys. And books. Hmm, wonder why I always need bookshelves? LOL
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