Knock Off Decor + Giveaway

Thank you to each and every one of you that left comments about our move to Florida.  I cannot begin to tell you what your kind comments and best wishes mean to me.  I have the best group of blog friends ever!

Some of my favorite projects are the Ballard and Pottery Barn  knock-offs I have made.  I know many of you have been inspired to make copies of things you see in some of the more expensive catalogs. I always love seeing your creations and how you are able to duplicate an expensive item for mere pennies.  I have found a blog you are going to love!!   Knock Off  Decor  features projects that were inspired by Pottery Barn, Ballard, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie and many more.  Beckie of the very popular blog  Infarrantly Creative  is the creator of Knock Off Decor.

My Pottery Barn inspired  lazy susan was just featured on Knock Off Decor.  I hope you will drop by and read about my project here and take a look around at all the great knock-offs.  

Thank you Beckie for the feature.

If you haven't entered the giveaway for two Rachel Ashwell books there is still time.  You can enter here.

I'll be joining the parties at:

Making The World Cuter 

Be Colorful 

Todays Creative Blog 

Skip To My Lou 

Thanks for visiting.

xo,

Sherry

Ballard Knock-off

I am joining Happy to design  for Sunday Favorites which is a chance to re-run your favorite post. I chose the Ballard Knock-off post because it seemed to be my readers favorite. This post received twice the comments of any others.

The first two photos below are of a print in Ballard's catalog which sells for $349.00 plus $100.00 in shipping cost.  I knew I could replicate the look for a lot less.

First I searched the free sites for a antique style document I could download. I could not find exactly what I was looking for.  I then found this copy of a french birth certificate dated 1816 at http://www.digitalcollagesheets.com/ and purchased the digital image for my project.

My local copy shop was able to enlarge the print to poster size, approximately 24 x 36. Make sure the printer quotes you a price for a poster rather than an enlargement. The enlargement is normally significantly more expensive. I selected a matt finish since I wanted the print to look antique. Lowes had the perfect board in their scrape pile and they cut it to size for free.  I had the board cut 1.5 inches longer and wider than the actual poster.

I then stained just the edges of the board and burned the edges of the poster with a match. Yes, I am doing this on my kitchen counter. It was a really cold and rainy day and I wanted this project done now.  We just won't tell Hubby I started a fire in our new kitchen 

I applied Mod Podge to the board and the back of the print and then used a credit card to smooth out the wrinkles. Once dry I applied a coat of Mod Podge to the front of the print and added two hangers. Here is the finished product and a cost breakdown.

My cost break down for Ballard style print:

Digital download   $ 3.75
Enlargement          $12.00
Board                   $12.00
                             ______
Total cost             $27.75

I had the stain and Mod Podge left from another project .          

I love the results and it was a really easy project!  Thanks for looking and I hope this has inspired you to try
your own knock off.

Sherry