Book Nook

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been feeling a bit under the weather, but I'm happy to report that I'm much better now and getting back to my projects. For my latest project, I recently purchased a bookshelf insert online, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how cute it turned out.

Originally sold with a sailing theme, I put my own spin on it and drew inspiration from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Lady of Shalott." Tennyson's poem tells the haunting story of a woman who believes herself cursed to never view Camelot. She can only observe the world around her solely through a mirror and spends her days weaving what she sees. Trapped by her inability to experience real life, she longs for something more, lamenting, "I am half sick of shadows." However, just then Sir Lancelot, a noble knight of King Arthur's court, rides by, his armor gleaming in the sunlight, singing cheerfully. Unable to resist, she looks out the window and sees him riding toward Camelot. In that moment, her weaving unravels, the mirror cracks, and she knows that her curse has befallen her. Uncertain of what horrors may await her, she lays herself down in a boat, choosing to succumb to the cold as she drifts towards Camelot.

With this poem in mind, I took the book nook kit I had purchased and made several modifications. While I used most of the components provided in the kit, I printed some pictures to place in the picture frames and created a custom window background. I also added a tapestry and a small mirror to the desk. This project is a great example of how you can take a pre-designed kit and make small changes to give it your own personal touch. There is joy in deviating from the expected path, throwing away the instructional booklet and letting your imagination help make something one-of-a-kind.