DIY Picture Frame Thingies

I've had a few people, Matt included, who have commented that they think my bookshelves look really cool.  I do love them myself.  There's a kind of homey, inviting feel that is still interesting and exotic.  Here is what they look like.

I'll have to take a picture in better light and upload it for you.  This one is really washed out.

Most of the (non-book) stuff is from Home Goods or Hobby Lobby, so it was all really cheap.

The DIY part is the two picture frames you see sitting on the top.

This was probably the easiest thing ever.  And they make an impact that is significantly larger than their price tag!  I got the gold frames from a garage sale for about $5.  They were sitting under our bed for a couple of years because the frames didn't have backs.  I bought them because I liked them, but I had no idea how I was going to use them!

Then, during a trip to Hobby Lobby looking for fabrics, I was inspired!  I remembered seeing an episode of Design on a Dime where they had covered a basic wooden frame with fabric and hung it on the wall.  Why couldn't I just staple fabric to the back of these frames?  So, I found fabrics with the same colors and themes that would fit with each other, and I stapled away!

I'm actually pretty proud of these.  Guests regularly comment on them, and even Matt (who sometimes pretends like he is oblivious to all things aesthetic) has said that he really likes them.  Woo-hoo!  Success!  For about $10!