diy friday - crate

I'm starting to see a trend at my house...Friday is DIY craft/project day.  It may not always be this way, especially once school starts, but for now I'm kinda lovin it.

I needed more desk space in our school room because this year Noah is official (Kindergarten).  For the last couple of years I've kept the school books on my side of the desk.  What I didn't want was a bookshelf that might not meet our needs if we ever move, and I didn't want another book shelf.  I began my search for something that would work for school books, but could also be used for something else in the future.

Here's what I found!  Just a plain old crate from Jo-Ann's, but with so much potential.
...and here's what it became.  I used a Minwax weathered grey stain, just one coat, and really like them.  The best part is I can see re-purposing them somewhere else in the house when they aren't housing school books.