Everything is derivative. Anything I design is inspired by any number of other designs or objects of creation. Still, I avoid direct copying when there’s an opportunity to exercise my own creativity. But when Christmas is rapidly approaching, you’ve been sick, and you’re behind on everything…well, sometimes you copy.
I knew I wanted to make a wooden sign for my mother’s craft business—one that she could take along to craft shows and display at her table. When I sat down to design the sign, I first had to decide upon a basic shape. Deciding to do a web search for possibilities, I came across a sign made by Bethany at Sawdust and Embryos. It was perfect. Not only was it a great bracket shape, but I also loved the staining method. I realized I would have to work hard to improve upon this and decided to copy her shape, stain, white lettering, and white border. I’m won’t go into detail as you can read Bethany’s DIY instructions.
I used boards I had saved from an old wooden play set that was on my property when I bought the place. The play set was in disrepair and I had torn it down. I made sure to use pieces that had screw holes, some with broken screw heads still in the holes. It was a fairly easy build and I’m quite happy with how it turned out—as was my mother.
She runs an Etsy shop named Pillow Cottage. There she sells handmade, muslin, needlework pillows. And that’s all she sells. From time to time she’ll have me come over and help her with photoshoots for a batch of new pillow styles she’s created. Over the years she’s had at least 60 styles. I don’t have an amazing camera, but we gather props from around the house, and always shoot by a north-facing patio door so that we have plenty of indirect natural light.
Below I show a number of my favorite pillows from Pillow Cottage.
