PB Knockoff

 

 

Well, I tried to go all out.  And most of it was a labor of love.  Part of it I just hated.  I'll get to that later.

I wanted to do a knockoff of this Pottery Barn display for MMM's fireplace.  As you'll see, the fireplace is big and dark and can have a bit of a forbidding appearance.  It's perfect for a dark and scary night kind of Halloween display.  And this is an easy one to attempt for my very first knockoff.  Of course, if I'd used Pottery Barn's picture frames, I'd have spent beaucoup bucks.  Instead, I used a local favorite - Dollar Tree, where I bought nine frames for nine dollars.  Much better than beaucoup.  (Actually, I priced it out and the small PB frames are $31 apiece; the large ones are $47.  You're probably better at math than I am, so you have yourself a field day, and figure out what I saved, if you like!)

I sat down at the computer and found images of everyone's favorite monsters.  I doctored them up in Picnik, (which I recently bought the Premium package for - LOVE!), making them all black and white, and Holga-ish, to add some graininess.  Spookier that way, I think.  I simply printed them, cut them out and layered them on top of a piece of plain white paper before putting them in the frames.  PB may have a mat cutter, and unlimited dollars, but not me.  I think they came out quite crisp and pretty, regardless.  Because of the way MMM's fireplace is, I knew that I'd have to hang them all together, so they're actually hot glued together, so they'll hang as a unit.  Yes.  I know.  I'll never get to use those frames again.  That's OK with me.  I spent nine dollars, remember?

And just for giggles, you should see the backside of this thing.  Here it is, all laid out, a mess of hot glue, duct tape, a length of wood from a pallet, a bit of styrofoam and baling wire.  Sheesh - what a beaut!

I also had some fun with a banner.  I know banners are old news - everyone's doing them.  I just hadn't ever done one.  This is my first, and I think it turned out really cute.  The pennants are just orange poster board, and I hand drew the designs.  The little fluffy bits are just layers of tiny cupcake papers and a sweet little orange button to set them off.

I dressed up some Dollar Tree crows, spiders, and rats with a bit of the same ribbon I hung the banner with, and cut some bats out of cardstock.  I'm still thinking about a set of flickering candles.  I'll show those to you if I get them done. 

The piece that I hated was this:

I went to my local Ben Franklin, which is an amazing store.  I love all their stuff.  But I saw these wonderful twiggy branches with lights already on them - for $18 apiece - and I thought, 'I can do that'.  So I bought me a small string of autumn toned lights, some brown floral tape, and a bit of tulle.  I picked a branch up out of the yard, and set to work.  I wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped, and then I started to develop a LOT of empathy for factory workers in China, no doubt, who also wrapped and wrapped and wrapped. (Did you ever notice that if you type out a word too many times, it starts to look misspelled?)

Then I wrapped some more.

Then I ran out of floral tape.

I bought more floral tape, but since Ben Frank's was closed, I went to Joann's.  Different color tape.

Sooooooooooooooo.  I went back to the beginning and re-wrapped.  And wrapped........ well, you get the picture.  It was a lot of work.  I was sick of it.  I'm not sure that a couple of those $18 twigs might not have done the trick.  But I wanted to be thrifty, and I surely was. 

Did I ever mention that MMM is a clay artist?  He is.  And he has a marked preference for things that are a bit strange.  These pieces are his. (You can see more and maybe even own a piece of his work if you go here.)  See what I mean?

Just at the end, I needed a little something to balance the hearth.  I said, sadly, to MMM, "I need a skull."  Guess what he came up with?  Lookie!  His mom made it for him.

I do think it turned out pretty cool.  You tell me.

 One more for truly spooky effect:

I'm linking up at
The DIY Showoff
Making the World Cuter
Craft-O-Maniac
The Lettered Cottage
The Girl Creative
Home Stories A to Z
Momma Hen
All Things Thrifty




I'm off to Chico Hot Springs with my extended family to celebrate my stepfather's 85th birthday.  I'll tell you all about it when I'm back.

Love ya,

Sass

P.S.  I have not been paid by anyone for anything I said, bought, or did on this post.  I included names and information just in case you have questions.  And, of course, rookie blogster that I am, I also figured out that I used up about ten days' worth of project posts in one great blowout of a post.  Gotta learn to pace myself!