• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Bigger Than the Three of Us
  • Our Home
  • DIY IDEAS
    • DIY IDEAS
    • DIY Open Shelving Kitchen Guide
  • Shop
    • Shop Our Home
    • Shop My Closet
    • Vintage Home Decor
    • My Current Favorite Rugs For Sale
    • Pieces I’m Loving
  • Podcast
  • Travel
  • The Three of Us
    • Privacy and Disclosure

Knock Out Knock Offs :: Zara Home

June 9, 2014 by Ashley Mayes 31 Comments

It’s the second month of our series and I LOVE my project. Sometimes I like projects, sometimes I dis-like projects and then sometimes I LOVE them. Today is one of those projects. Yay! Today, I’m going to show you how to transform a plastic toy as decor.

Knock Out Knock Offs

Let me give you a little bit of a backstory. I am not an accessories type person (not jewelry, not scarves, not knick-knacks, not tabletop accessories, etc.). I want to love them, especially the home decor ones, but I never fall in love with the little table-top pieces while I’m shopping. Seriously, it.. never.. happens! I buy a few here and there when they are on the clearance aisle for under $3, but that’s it. But, when I look at our house and end tables I feel like something is always missing. The missing pieces are those little knick-knack items. So, that’s why I’m super excited today. I finally have a little knick-knack item for an end table and it cost me under $4! But, more importantly, I finally have a knick-knack item that I LOVE; which never happens.

*This post has affiliate links. Thanks of supporting this blog. Find my full disclosure policy here.

When it was decided that this month we would be knocking off something from Zara home, I keyed in on this little guy:

7744888301_1_1_3

via Zara Home

*Edited 02/2016: Zara no longer carries the alligator. This brass bird is very similar.

Pretty cute, right? Well, $35 was not in my budget (nor would I spend that on something like this), so knocking it off sounded like a terrific idea.

I raided Greyson’s toys and came up with this little alligator. He never played with it and I know he will never even know it was gone. If you don’t have a toddler’s toy box to raid, these are easy to pick up at Michaels, Walmart and Target for under $4.

Use a plastic toy and gold leaf to make a cute piece of decor

Then, I went to Michaels and bought Liquid Leaf. I think I paid $3.20 (with a 50% off coupon).

I had never used the gold leaf before (and man am I hooked!), so I made sure to scan the directions. Pretty simple. Use a soft brush and brush it on.

DSC_8968

DSC_9029

I applied two coats, waiting an hour between them, and then I sprayed it with a clear topcoat.

Plastic gold toy turned in to decor by bigger than the three of us

For under $4, I adore this little project and it’s almost a dead-ringer for the original!

Gold-Leaf Kids Toy to Adorable Decor Piece!

Use gold leaf to transform a Plastic toy as decor

Are you ready to see what the other girls brought to this party? Let’s just say a whole lot of amazingness! Seriously!

Plastic toy as decor

Table Runner – Brave New Home

Picture Frame – Delineate Your Dwelling

Insect Vase – Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body

Leaf Napkin Rings – The Gathered Home

Rustic Stool – Upcycled Treasures

Linking up to:

C.R.A.F.T., Project Inspire(d), The Makers, The DIY’ers,  The Winthrop Chronicles, Home Stories A-Z, Hit Me With Your Best Shot,  Work It Wednesday,  Fry Sauce and Grits, Liz Marie Blog, The Inspiration Gallery, Creativity Unleashed – The Bold Abode, Remodelaholic, Whipperberry, Tatertots and Jello, Link It or Lump It, The Creative Collection and Frugal Crafty Blog Hop.

 

 

 

 

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
Print

Keep In Touch...

Sign up for my weekly emails to see new projects, plus what I'm doing behind-the-scenes.

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.

Filed Under: Decor, DIY Tagged With: Knock Out Knock Offs

Previous Post: « Repurposed :: Hose Caddy
Next Post: Cream to White – Living Room »

Reader Interactions



Comments

  1. Marly

    June 9, 2014 at 1:52 am

    I like yours better. Lots of detail and personality.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 9, 2014 at 3:18 pm

      Thanks Marly!

      Reply
  2. Carrie

    June 9, 2014 at 5:44 am

    Very cool! Love how you turned an old plastic toy into such a high class item! I’ve never even heard of Zara Home – I’m out of the shopping loop. I’m going to have to check it out.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 9, 2014 at 3:19 pm

      1 toy out of the toy box … yay! =)

      Reply
  3. Ashey @ 3 Little Greenwoods

    June 9, 2014 at 6:17 am

    Awesome transformation! My boys would think a golden gator on our coffee table was fabulous!

    Thanks for introducing me to the Liquid Leaf too! I just might have to pick up a jar of that on my next trip.
    ~ Ashley

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 9, 2014 at 3:20 pm

      I’m hoping mine never realizes that it was his gator. Lol. Just a quick tip on the liquid leaf : it cleans up like oil based paint (need to use mineral spirits).

      Reply
  4. [email protected]

    June 9, 2014 at 8:13 am

    I need a gold crocodile! Love it

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 9, 2014 at 3:21 pm

      Thanks Julia! The happy little guy is sitting on my end table and now I’m looking around the house to find my next little transformation.

      Reply
  5. [email protected]

    June 9, 2014 at 11:12 am

    Wow – it really looks EXACTLY like the inspiration from Zara Home! Love it! No plastic toy is safe now 😉

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 9, 2014 at 3:21 pm

      Thanks Brynne! Yep, those ugly cars could be next. lol.

      Reply
  6. Amy W

    June 9, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    So cute. Who would have thought I’d love an alligator!! Now, I need one.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm

      Thanks Amy!

      Reply
  7. [email protected]

    June 9, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    Love this! You can not tell the difference! Great job! Pinning!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm

      Thanks Aniko! Gotta love fast and cheap projects!

      Reply
  8. Katie @ Upcycled Treasures

    June 10, 2014 at 8:36 am

    This looks awesome and I can’t tell the difference either! I definitely need to try that liquid leaf!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm

      You totally should! Just fyi: It cleans up like oil-based paint.

      Reply
  9. Tasha @ Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body

    June 10, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    Ooooh, I have never used gold leaf and now I really, really want to! I totally thought you must have spray painted it, but it looks so much richer with gold leaf. Love this knock off! Pinning and sharing!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 10, 2014 at 8:07 pm

      Thanks Tasha! It was super easy and I know we can all use some of those types of projects!

      Reply
  10. onel

    June 11, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    I would definitely not spend $35 for something I can DIY myself, easily like this! Thank you for the inspiration! Golden alligator is a good idea 😉

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 12, 2014 at 7:38 am

      I know, right? Thanks Onel!

      Reply
  11. Carmody

    June 13, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Really fun!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 15, 2014 at 4:47 pm

      Thanks Carmody!

      Reply
  12. Cat

    June 15, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Super cute! I have tons of those old animals that are hideously colored, time for a makeover!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 15, 2014 at 4:49 pm

      Thanks Cat! Yep, round up those animals. =)

      Reply
  13. Erica

    June 17, 2014 at 10:24 am

    This looks fantastic! I think it looks even better than the original. I haven’t used gold leaf before, but now you have me itching to try it!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 17, 2014 at 2:19 pm

      Thanks Erica! Definitely give it a go… =)

      Reply
  14. Alexis @ Persia Lou

    June 17, 2014 at 9:44 pm

    I love this, Ashley! It turned out so cute. I totally need one of these for my bookshelf. Thanks so much for linking up with us at The Makers!

    Reply
    • Ashley Mayes

      June 18, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      Thanks Alexis!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Small Rustic Stool with DIY Hairpin Style Legs says:
    August 21, 2015 at 12:03 am

    […] Decorative Reptile via Bigger than the Three of Us […]

    Reply
  2. Knock Out Knock Offs: Zara Home Insect Vase | Designer Trapped says:
    March 18, 2016 at 10:27 am

    […] Decorative Reptile by Bigger Than the Three of Us […]

    Reply
  3. Knock Out Knock Offs: Zara Home Insect Vase | Designertrapped.com says:
    May 9, 2019 at 3:23 am

    […] Decorative Reptile by Bigger Than the Three of Us […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Bigger Than The Three Of Us - Family of Three

Follow Me On

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Favorites

Footer

Connect with Me:


ashley at biggerthanthethreeofus.com

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Disclosure, Copyright and Privacy Policies

Follow Me On Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Bigger than the Three of Us · All Rights Reserved