Live edge shelves

Live edge is so fun to work with! It only has 2 sides to finish instead of 4, and so beautiful. You can find live edge at your local lumber mill. These beauties came from Levy's Mill in Gaspereau, I love shopping there.

10 footers. The kids ran up and down them off the couch , impromptu ramps of joy..

Then I dried them in the basement for a night (with weight on either side to keep them from bowing out , twisting )

Kiln dried options are available but more pricey.

I had an old barn beam already and chunked it up 16 inches to fit inside these beams as the support for the shelf. Because of the thickness I pre drilled 4 hole pockets and used massive screws - 5 inch ones.

I'll fill in the hole behind the screws with little bits of dowel. I love the look of post and beam.

The funky saw is from Lee Valley and I use it for delicate work like this teeny dowel.

Favorite part. Putting up all the goodies. These books were down low, being removed and bashed about by little H everyday. Evvvvvery dayyyy.

Don't be scared to build. It's just creating and mistakes are perfect! My shelf was off this much because I didn't have an extra set of hands strong enough to hold it level. Parenting and running in circles makes for whoopsies but who cares, life is lifey.

You created and told yourself you could, and that's what matters.

Those are furniture leg felts making the shelf happen incase you were curious.

I am reminded of Brene Brown and her Gifts of Imperfection book. Such a great read for our hectic lives.

All the gentle reminders to be accepting and kind to ourselves, even if the measurements were off.