Whether or not your country or state (or, in the case of Indiana, your section of the state) observes Daylight Savings Time, it’s always a good time to put together a custom clock for yourself or for a friend. A few ordinary supplies can be assembled into a pretty impressive timepiece!
The first clock is simple and doubles as a recycling project! Use heavy corrugated cardboard as the face and layer it with decorative paper and a bold retro image.
When punching the hole for the shaft of the clockworks, a good bookbinding punch is probably your best bet, but if you don’t have one of those, use your X-acto blade. Locate where the clock mechanism will go and begin cutting a hole with your craft blade. Carefully twist the blade to create a hole large enough to fit the shaft. Pull the craft knife all the way through to make the hole large enough and trim any excess cardboard and paper. Another option is to use your scissors and twist the blades through the hole you have started with the craft blade. Of course, you’re going to be very careful when you do this! Don’t worry about rough edges on the hole after you create it. Trim off any spare threads or pieces of paper with detail scissors and rest assured that the washer from your clock kit will cover the hole very nicely.
Another trick is to slide a little bit of tacky glue, using the edge of a scrap of cardstock, between the black battery box and the back of your clock face in order to stabilize the clockworks. This tip will come in handy if your clock face is not as thick as the clock shaft is long, such as in the Thespian Clock, which uses a canvas for the face. Check the clockworks package for the length. All of the projects in this article use kits for a 1/4” thick clock face.
Who doesn’t love secret hiding places? A paper mache book with a hinged “cover” makes a great clock base! Decorate the book by collaging to your heart’s content. This clock was inspired by a dear friend who loves the color green and is a fan of the fairy folk.
One of the great things about collage is that sometimes a “mistake” makes for a very cool effect. For example, I’d normally use detail embossing powder with fine images, but I absentmindedly grabbed embossing enamel instead. Since the enamel melts thickly, and the fine-lined image didn’t stamp very well on the mulberry paper, I now have a cool, ethereal effect, conveniently matching the theme of the clock. Also, since the enamel didn’t adhere completely to the ink, the mulberry paper carries a faint image of the stamp.
This paper doll clock was the most fun of all! With a little faith in serendipity, I collaged paper and fiber scraps on the BACK of my paper doll, before cutting it out, and without looking to see where the elements would land on the doll. This leaves you wide open for how funky your clock will look. The arms and legs could also be attached with jump rings so they are loose and dangly.
Visit your local retailer for the paper crafting products used in these projects, and check out our coupons for savings at your local retailer.
