Day 43 Update on Sophie's Books & Coffee

Looking at the last pictures I posted for Sophie's Books & Coffee, I'm in shock over 2 things, A) how much work I've done since I last updated and 2) I feel like I've taken a million pictures along the way (trust me, I post lots here but you should see how many are in my file) and yet there is not 1 picture of the left hand side of the building...did I fail to take any pictures? Did I lose or misfile the pictures? Am I losing my mind? Is my mind with the pictures?  These questions and more will be answered on the next update (any chance you get that reference?  Here's a clue, think sitcom from '77-'81)

Here is my railing (in progress) I have never done a successful railing before, and I had no railing jig (which I think I shall invest in or have my husband make for me for the future....cause this was too much work :)  How I did it was I took my bottom rail, I predrilled holes that were spaced as evenly apart as I could get (and as centered...I'm NOT a perfectionist...which is why shabby chic and old are my style :) then I took my pre-painted spindles and pre-drilled them, then I stuck pins through the rail, dabbed glue on each pin and then added the spindle.  I worked in sections and then laid it all down and straightened everything to dry (make sense?).  When everything was set I trimmed the pins with a wire cutter and then filed them to level with the bottom with my dremel, I dabbed the top of the spindles with glue and installed the top railing.  I would LOVE to learn how the professionals do railings, and maybe just having the jig would help, but it was a lot of work and 'tweaking', but it did turn out great...I guess the pictures of the finished railing are missing also.  I guess my lazy bum can fix that.  O' then I just did a little spot touch up with my paint where needed.

The right side wall is complete!  

So I really thought that once I got the shelves built, I could add all the books in like a matter of an afternoon.  Well, that's not exactly how it went.  1st I had to sort through the hundreds of books I individually made and organize them into genres (I had some what kept them organized while making them, but after I made the majority, I kept making more, it was like an obsession, even now I think I have a few more on my computer I could spend the day working on..and I don't even need them....O' the sickness I have)  Then I had to arrange and re-arrange to get just the right spacing and look I was going for.  Long story short, 1 'quick afternoon' was really about 3-4 days of on again, off again, look....change....add...remove....set!

In addition to books and a little coffee bar, Sophie's offers misc stuff for sale, like this wall of subway art :)