Now, I’m a snob. I know this. I like good clothes, good shoes and good house stuff. However, even I, Snobby Snobberson can appreciate the whole “necessity is the mother of invention” concept when it comes to decorating.

Take this, for example:

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This is our project of the weekend, putting shelves on the newly painted wall across the bed in our room. Now, here’s more or less how it would have broken down if I’d have gone to P0ttery Barn and had my way with the store, rubbing myself and my credit card up against everything I could get my hands on:

Ledge (2) = $110

Picture Frame Black (3) = $56

Silver Picture Frame Mattless (2) = $58

Silver Picture Frame Matted (1) $89

Vases (5) = $60

Total = $373

Here’s how my Cheap@$$ design breaks down:

Ledge (2) = $17 (originally 29.99, 40% off, and the cashier messed up and only rang one of them up)

Picture Frame Black (3) = $27.47

Silver Picture Frame Mattless (2) = already owned both of them, I don’t know how much the actual silver cost, the 8 x 10 is a clip frame from Pier 0ne that would have been around 5 bucks, so we’ll say $10 total.

Silver Picture Frame Matted (1) = already owned this one as well, I got it from someone for my college graduation, it’s one of those frames from H@llmark where you get the autographs on it, mine was autographed, but I have friends who write things like “Penis, Ballsac” on things and it’s not so much something to display in my grown up home. (Yeah, there’s a story to Penis, Ballsac, another day, another day.) It was originally a 4 x 6 but I recut the mat to be 5 x 7, flipped it over so you only see the white, and done. Original price 19.99 (sticker was still on it, cuz the person who gave it to me – classy like that.)

Vases (5) – we used them at our wedding, so we already had them. Original price was a buck each, so total = $5

My total = $62.46 (which 19.99 was a gift so really only $42.47 as compared to $373 s0 – SCORE!)