Decorating on a Dime Martha Style

The other day my girl Martha had a post about cheap and cheerful decorating ideas and I'm proud to say that I thought of one all on my lonesome!  I know since I haven't posted about it yet that you can all assume I am making this up but I assure you I'm not.  Move over, Martha! 

Anyway, the one that I thought of was using a mirror as a tabletop.  I have a beautiful, antique, round wooden table that my grandmother gave me that we use as a side table in our den.  I love it but it is getting worse for the wear.  So, last week I measured and ordered a mirror to fit over the top.  I thought it would not only help protect it but modernize it some.  Plus, we don't have an abundance of light in that room so with a lamp sitting on top of the mirror, I am hoping it will reflect some.  I'm supposed to pick up my mirror this weekend so I'll take pics when I have it set up. 

All that said, I'd disagree slightly with Martha's idea being on the cheap...while I'm sure buying a piece of glass is less expensive than purchasing a whole table, it wasn't inexpensive by any means to have a piece of custom mirror cut and beveled on the sides so it isn't sharp.  Just sayin'.  While you are in great anticipation of waiting for my pictures, you can enjoy Martha's version in the meantime:

Next: Decorating frames with dried beans.  This idea looks pretty cool from a distance but I'm questioning how cute it really is up close.

Grouping lots of different mirrors together.  They are completely different in styles, shapes, sizes but are joined by the same paint color.  Seriously cheap if you scour thrift stores for your finds.

This is something I am to do if I ever have built in's: hanging framed art within book shelves.  You could frame a cute fabric scrap, a meaningful card or note, a photograph...lots of options!

Covering photo frames with fabric.  Easy and super cheap.  And how cool would it be to further coordinate fabrics in pillows, etc. wtihin your room.

Same idea as covering the frame with fabrics but here you use paper or fabrics to make the mats for your pictures.

Hanging empty frames.  I have one of these on my wall in my den and I only hung it there because I wasn't sure what else to put there...I've never gotten so many compilments on something so random.  And just imagine how cool a big grouping would look!  On another note, I luh-huve that bench.