Organizing Bookshelves

This week I was not feeling the greatest. I had come down with a cold and the weather outside was pretty miserable for the most part, so I stayed inside and rested. But I am not one to sit around for long and after a while I started looking for something to do that wouldn't take too much energy. I had recently inherited some beautiful classic leather bound books from my Dear Mother and also her beautiful colonial desk. I wanted to find a special place in my already overstuffed cottage for these lovely new things, and so Hubby and I started measuring and thinking of new arrangements of furniture and books. It turned out that all we had to do was move one tall bookshelf to a little alcove beside the entrance to my bedroom. That left a small wall space the perfect size for my Mother's Desk.

I sorted through all of the books already on the bookshelf and did some purging and made room for the beautiful leather classics. I also had a set of leather bound encyclopedia's that I purchased when my children were in school (B.C.- before computers). These I kept in a glass door bookcase in my living room. I thought they would look beautiful with the new books and so I moved them out of the living room and onto the bedroom bookshelf.

That left my living room bookcase in a shambles and so that needed to be organized, also. I keep all of my antique and classic favorites in that bookcase. I have some nice old novels in there, some dating from the early 1900's. I also have a small collection of children's books by my favorite illustrators, Jesse Wilcox Smith, Kate Greenaway, Elizabeth Gordon and Arthur Rackham. I love Victorian children's books and fairy books. I have a collection of fairy books that I haven't even set out yet because I need more bookshelves.

I am pleased with how the bedroom bookshelf turned out. The living room bookcase still needs some work, but it will have to do for now until I get some new bookshelves. I am working on that. I have two bookshelves in my shed that need some painting that I will be working on in the next few weeks, one for my cook book collection and one for, well, we will see. Fairy books? Photos? I will share that project with you when I am done.

I thought I would show you what the rest of the bedroom looks like while I am at it. I am currently contemplating buying new linens and duvet covers for the bed. I was thinking maybe something with a prairie look, striped ticking, calico, and homespun. Well, I am getting ahead of myself here.

After entering and going past the new books, Hubby's desk sits to the right. Beyond that is my Armoire,  the bed in the middle, with my vanity and a comfy little chair opposite the desk.

From there sits another matching Armoire and our cozy little wood stove that we use on very cold nights, the sliding doors leading out to the deck, and then back around to my Mother's desk. (With the television and stereo thrown in there).

You can see the bedpost peeking up on the bottom right of the frame!

My Mother's desk is so perfect in it's little place. It needs a chair, and I will be looking for that. It has to be something small with a colonial type style. Maybe with some gold stencilling to go along with the stencilling on the desk.

And I also need to start reading.......Let's see, 'War and Peace' or the 'Illiad'? Yikes!!! Maybe I will start with 'The Scarlett Letter'. It's not too long.

Have I mentioned that I love, love, love books? I have a loft above my bedroom (which isn't finished yet, but we will be working on that this winter), that is lined with bookshelves, stuffed full. Mostly gardening, botanical and craft books. Some of the botanical books have beautiful hand painted illustrations. I search used book stores, thrift shops and library sales to find them. It is always a thrill when I find a new one to add to my collection. Poor Hubby puts up with all of my collections, and gamely helps me in organizing and putting together book cases. He is such a gem.

Well, I am feeling better now and the sun is coming out, so I will leave you now to pursue outside endeavors. Hubby has been off on work break all week long and has been busy setting up the canopy on the deck, putting out umbrellas and rearranging pots and hanging baskets for me. I will show you the end results next time.....Hope you are having a sunny day and if not, you have found a beautiful book to escape in!