Stuff I am Working on Around the House

Pottery Barn's $179 version

Jackie's $40 version

Rod and I were married 27 years in December last year.  That tied in to this project--and it really got kicked off after a trip to IKEA.  I noticed a couple ladders holding linens and I asked one of the employees, where the ticket was to buy it.  Of course, they had made it.  (I also had my eye on bookcases to convert Rod's reading area which was presently a couple of concrete blocks and pieces of wood--no kidding!). 

So, after spending a couple hours looking for an inexpensive version to buy online, it dawned on me that I would have to make it from scratch.  A trip to Home Depot was in order.  I bought a few sticks of nice pine for about $30 and headed home to set up the sawhorses.  An hour later the project was ready to be assembled.  I used wood dowel pins to attach the rungs to the long pieces of pine.  This was the hardest part, as my measuring on one of the rungs didn't match up. 

A couple hours later (involving a lot of rigging and cussing) I had the ladder assembled and glued--it's not perfect.  But it is good enough!

By this time I had decided on the bookcase from IKEA so I went to pick it up.  I tossed in a can of their paint/stain to match so I could use that on the ladder.  The bookcase went together in an hour or so, but, the fun part was keeping it hidden from Rod.  I parked my big soap cart in the doorway of the spare bedroom and started working on it when he wasn't around.  I put a big red bow on it when I finished and pushed it up against the far wall.  So, unless he had a reason to go in that room--and I couldn't think why he would--it would be safe until the unveiling on December 21st!

Rod was surprised!  We have a really huge, heavy comforter that we don't use that often living in Florida.  This ladder is the perfect place to park it most of the year.  The ladder's final resting place is kind of hidden behind the bathroom door so it also provides a place for him to park his shoes and hang his uniform pants!  That wasn't my original intent, but, since it is hidden who cares!  Oh, and I spent a couple dollars more on some hardware to mount the top to the wall so it stays put.

The finished project--bookcase and ladder.

Rod now wants to go to IKEA again and get some more of the storage boxes to put his odds and ends in on the shelves.  He is also using the bookcase to display an old train set he got from his family and some of his camera stuff.  Success!