Some Assembly Required

Let me begin by saying that I am not a crafty person. I try really hard, but I usually end up in tears at the end. Yes, I really admitted that (that's for you, Mom). Over the summer I attempted to make a lovely chalkboard out of a picture frame, and while it was a cool idea, it ended up in pieces...and I in tears. Yup.

So, what I am about to tell you will have you screaming, "Don't do it! You lack all capability of being crafty and Jill-of-all-trades-like!" Well, it's too late. What is done is done. What happened, you ask? I attempted to put together a cheap bookshelf. That's all. Nothing crazy, nothing even impressive. Just a 6-piece cheap "do it yourself" bookshelf from Target. I just got sooo tired of seeing my office look like this: 

Something just had to be done. I thought I would surprise Strom by organizing the office/study room by the time he got home from class, making it look all professional and easily accessible. And really, I should have been able to do this. It is all quite simple. But not for me. 

It started out great! I felt like the total wife. I even got a little help from Miss Scarlett (who was more interested in eating nails than handing them to me...). I nailed the back on the shelf and stood it up, proud I was nearly done. That is until I realized I nailed the back onto the front of the bookshelf. Yes, I really did do that. Further inspection revealed that I also had the base of the bookshelf backwards. Or maybe the sides and top backwards... whichever it was, part of it was exposed wood (yeah, more like cheap particle board) and part was smooth and white. Yaaay... Remember I said I like to cry like a little girl when things go miserably wrong? This was no exception. I have one more confession though.... I tend to get upset sometimes when I make stupid mistakes....

 Yes, I really did kick out the back out of sheer frustration with myself. There was no salvaging it and I thought it would feel really good if I did. And well, it did. But then I was faced with the realization that I A) wasted $20 (which wasn't a huge deal, I wasn't out to put something great together. I just wanted some organization) and B) Strom was going to come home to not just a disorganized room, but one that was now disastrous. Oh yeah, and that my neighbors would see what I did wrong when the thing sat in the communal dumpster. Oh yay for sweet success. 

Let me tell you something about my husband though. He's just about the most precious thing alive. He came home, still in his uniform, walked into the office and chuckled to himself. "What happened here?" I came in (visibly emotional from my awesome afternoon) and told him I wanted to surprise him. Surprise! He grabbed me in a big bear hug and told me I did such a great job (I am literally laughing out loud right now) and said, "Look at how sturdy it is though - you screwed it in very well...everything is even and straight. We can still use it!" He just thought I was the cutest thing. Well, it may have been a cheap bookshelf even if I HAD done it right, but I was certainly not going to fix it up and use it. So...

 Someone special took the reins the next day. The same someone who went out and picked up the second bookshelf after class. The same someone whom I pretty much adore. 

What should have been a $20 surprise, turned into a $40 story, but I'm thinking it's worth it at this point. Life is what you make of it, and we made a pretty sweet memory with this story! It doesn't hurt that I absolutely love how it came out. It hardly looks like a cheap set up, if I do say so myself. 

PS: In case you're wondering, the storage bins are from Target. Cute, right??