map clock

Happy Tuesday everyone!

In the spirit of our recent jump into the future (a.k.a. Daylight Savings time), I made a clock! We've been in need of one - ours stopped working two years ago & has been functioning purely as wall art deco. After taking it down & realizing that the batteries were leaking & the terminals were very ruined, I decided it was time for a change (no pun intended, folks). 

Quick confession before I start this tutorial: I don't own a power drill. This has made my clock-making endeavors… difficult. Those pesky little clock hands had to make it through to the other side of what ever clock face I wanted to use, & without a power drill my clock-making future seemed bleak. That is until I found a circular frame! It worked perfectly, & I was able to cover the opening with my decoupaged paper! The Mod Podge worked really well too - it didn't saturate the paper to the point where I could see stress-marks on the paper. So if you own a drill - awesome. Make your clock out of anything! But if you don't own a drill - do not fret. We can make anything, right? 

To make your own clock, you'll need a few things:

• Wooden circular frame
• Clock kit
• Balsa wood sticks (or popsicle sticks)
• Mod Podge
• Map (or other decorative paper)
• Hammer
• Gold paint
• X-acto blade
• Small & large paintbrush
• Tacky glue
• Hanging hardware

First, attach hanging hardware on the back of your wooden frame. My frame came with a hanging contraption, but it looked very crooked, so I opted to use my own hanging parts. 

Next, stop what you're doing & take a picture of your adorable cat.

Okay, back on track! Cover the front of your frame with Mod Podge, then lay your map page right-side up on the top of the frame, including over the empty circle in the middle. Smooth out any air bubbles. 

Using a new, sharp X-acto blade, cut the excess paper off the wooden frame. The newer your blade, the smoother the cut will be. 

Coat the top with a layer of Mod Podge. Make sure you apply the Mod Podge along the edges to seal the paper. Set aside & let dry. 

While your clock face is drying, cut your balsa wood into small pieces. These will be the marks around the edge of the clock so we can actually tell what time it is! If you're going for a super mod look, you can just skip this part. 

You should have four longer pieces (for 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock) and eight smaller pieces (for the remainder of the numbers). Paint the balsa wood pieces with gold paint.

Now comes the tricky part - figuring out where to put your numbers! I cut a circle the size of my clock face & folded along the lines as seen above. Then I cut my template down so I could follow the crease lines. 

Glue your gold balsa wood pieces in place. 

Almost done, gang. Now it's time to attach your clock motor! Flip your clock face over & cut a hole through the decoupaged paper in the very middle of your frame, large enough to place the clock's arm shaft in. Assemble the clock hands according to the directions that came with your clock kit. Keep the movement hanger attached, & nail it to the back of your clock face. 


Done!

I just love this clock. It's functional & pretty to look at. Plus my girlfriend helped me pick out the paper & colors, so I know she loves it too (harmony in the house!). 

On that note, it's time for me to buy some batteries so I can see this DIY in action. 

xoxo-

m.e.