A year ago, I became a Nana for the first time and have thoroughly enjoyed crafting personalized items for my grandson’s nursery. When my daughter sought a shelf to complement the Australian native animal theme of the room, she struggled to find one that suited her needs. In response, I decided to create a custom shelf myself. To keep costs low, I repurposed an old toddler play table I had on hand. This approach proved ideal, as the table’s white-painted surface, already suitable for children, eliminated the need for additional sanding or painting. This was the Koala Nursery shelf and how I made it.

I aimed to create a Koala nursery shelf that was not only functional but also unique. To achieve this, I incorporated custom designs into the project. If you wish to replicate this shelf, you will need a Cricut vinyl cutting machine to cut out the koala shapes for the back of the shelf.

Today, we’re excited to join the Do It Over Designers Blog Hop, hosted by Ann of The Apple Street Cottage. In this collaborative event, a group of bloggers transforms old or unused items into something fresh and new. Whether these treasures come from closets, barns, garages, yard sales, or thrift stores, we breathe new life into them. Be sure to explore the other creative projects linked at the end of this post!

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How to make a Koala nursery shelf

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Materials Needed

• Wood
• Jigsaw
• Cricut Cutting Machine
• vinyl
• Crafters Pick Ultimate glue
• Faux Leather

Cutting the shelf

For this project, I repurposed a toddler table by removing its legs. While the tabletop had some surface marks in a few areas, I was confident that I could work around these imperfections by cutting the wood to avoid them.

Before diving into the project, I first selected a design that I wanted to use, purchasing it from Etsy. I then cut the design to the desired size using my Cricut machine, which served as a guide for cutting the wood. I positioned the vinyl decal on the wood and carefully measured and divided the remaining wood into two sections. The larger piece would form the base of the shelf, while the smaller piece would create a lip to ensure that books or other items would stay securely in place.

To craft the arch shape of the shelf, I used a homemade compass, designed for large projects like this one. I first located the centre point of the wood and drew a guiding line, which helped me achieve a precise and symmetrical cut.

This is where I made a rookie mistake by neglecting to apply masking tape along the cut line to prevent the wood from splintering while cutting. If you’re working with plywood, I highly recommend using masking tape for a cleaner cut. I used a jigsaw to cut out the shape, and the tape would have helped ensure a smoother finish.

In the image below, you can see the effects of not applying masking tape before cutting.

Assembling the shelf

I applied wood glue to secure the lip to the front edge of the shelf, then used clamps to hold it firmly in place while the glue dried for a strong bond.

After the shelf had dried, I attached the back to the front section of the shelf. To ensure a more secure fit, I pre-drilled pilot holes and reinforced the joint with wood screws. I always recommend drilling pilot holes first to prevent the wood from splitting and ensure a clean, professional finish

Adding the fabric

To give my nursery shelf a unique touch, I covered the back with faux leather for a textured look before adding my Koala decorations. I used ‘Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate Glue,’ which is fantastic because it bonds to various surfaces and dries clear.

I started by cutting the faux leather to match the arch shape, leaving an extra 3 cm around the edge to stretch it over the arch and staple it to the back of the shelf. After applying a thin layer of glue to the shelf, I carefully laid the fabric on top and let it dry before continuing.

Once the glue had dried, I stretched the faux leather tightly over the arch and secured it by stapling it to the back. To add a decorative touch, I finished the look with upholstery tacks around the arch, giving the shelf a stylish appearance.

Adding the design

I used my Cricut machine to cut out my designs, first uploading them into Cricut Design Space and resizing them to fit perfectly. The software breaks down the design into different layers for easy cutting.

Assembling the design

I initially cut the design from flocked HTV vinyl, but I worried that ironing it onto the textured faux leather might distort the design due to the fabric’s ripples. I was also concerned about scorching the faux leather or the heat affecting the glue underneath. In the end, I decided to cut the shapes from grey faux leather, which I knew would adhere securely with Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate Glue.

To fuse the layers, either a heat press or a regular household iron can be used. In this project, an iron was chosen, working one layer at a time. Parchment paper and a cotton pillowcase were placed between the iron and the vinyl for protection. The iron was pressed down for 30 seconds, with 10-second checks to ensure proper bonding. This process was repeated for each layer.

Follow the same process for all the images. I used a scrap of faux leather for the brown strip at the bottom and secured each image with fabric glue. To hang the shelf, I attached a keyhole bracket to the back and added self-adhesive Velcro to keep it firmly in place, preventing any sway when items are added.

The finished Koala nursery shelf adds a charming touch to his room.

Do over designers’ blog hop

As I mentioned, this is the ‘Do It Over’ Designers Blog Hop, and there are some incredible projects to explore! Be sure to check out the links below for some inspiring ideas.

Exquisitely Unremarkable

Little Vintage Cottage

Modern on Monticello

Pandora’s Box

Purple Hues & Me

Southern Sunflowers

Unique Creations by Anita

Sum of Their Stories

Color Me Thrifty

Vintage Style Gal

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

More Diy shelf ideas

I created a pallet wood display shelf that also functions as both a hat rack and a key holder.

This wooden Christmas tree shelf fits neatly in a corner and serves as a year-round shelf, so you won’t need to store it after the holidays.

If you are looking for any of the items used in this project, please consider using our links. By clicking on the links we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Which helps us come up with new and exciting ideas to share with you. Please feel free to share or leave a comment we would love to hear your thoughts.