Tue 20 Oct 2009
Customizing a clock: a tutorial
Category: How To

I’m ashamed to admit that I had a very boring clock in my bedroom for years. White face, plain floral design, black arrows – yuck! Once I repainted the bedroom a bright sky-blue color, the clock stopped making sense entirely. So, I decided to give it a DIY facelift!
Disclaimer: this is a tribute to this amazing clock artist, and if you have the money or don’t want to make a mess in your own home, please support them!
What you’ll need:
- A clock
- Paints & brushes
- Craft glitter (optional)
- Assorted findings
- Glue or glue gun

Step 1: Remove battery.
Step 2: Spray-paint the arms whatever color you envision (I went for gold). Don’t worry about the paint getting on the rest of it, it will be painted over later!
Step 3: Mark 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the ridges of the clock so you don’t forget where they are located.
Step 4: Paint the face any color/pattern you desire. Sprinkle glitter while paint is still wet (optional). Let dry.
Step 5: Arrange magazine clippings, rhinestones, sequins or anything else you like on the face. Be sure that the biggest ones are around 12, 3, 6, and 9 for easier reading. Shift to the side keeping the arrangement.
Step 6: Attach findings such a beads, magazine clippings, buttons & sequins onto the surface with glue. Glue gun works best for heavier pieces!
Step 7: Put up on the wall & enjoy your new clock!

Why October? (first question everyone asks). Because it’s the 10th month, duh! :) Shoe is 8 because that’s when Cinderella went to a ball. Two stars = 11. See, there is logic there after all! ;)

On my bedroom wall
I believe that my house is the reflection of me, so it’s an on-going art project. There is so much quirkiness going on at this point that it would be a crime NOT to share!! Expect more posts on house projects in the future. :)
Deerlings: are you into decorating your dwelling? What are you most proud of in your house/apartment/room?

50 Responses to “ Customizing a clock: a tutorial ”

Comments:
Leave a Reply
Trackbacks & Pingbacks:
-
Pingback from Bonne Vie - Wholestyle on the Web: Week of 10/23
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:31 pm[...] Doe Deere Blogazine: Customizing a Clock – A Tutorial [...]












October 20th, 2009 at 10:21 am
that is absolutely beautiful. What a great idea! Perhaps when I can DIY my own house…because I don’t think the parentals would appreciate this.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 10:37 am
What an awesome clock!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Yes excellent! I’ve been wondering what to do about never being able to find a pretty clock.
This will work.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Cute clock!
I love home projects and interior decorating. I was never really allowed to paint any of my apartment walls (per landlord) until my current one so my bf and I went nuts. Each of our rooms have a theme and color scheme. Kitchen is bright blue and green. Computer room is orange and pink. Bedroom has an Asian theme and it’s mainly black, white and red (walls are painted a deep red color) and our bedding and furniture are black & white. Our double parlor living room is silver/gray, purple, and chartreuse. We painted most of the walls int he living room a silver/gray color with an accent wall in chartreuse (bay window area). We then painted and art deco mural on one of the silver/gray living room walls in chartreuse. I plan on doing another mural on another wall which will be behind the 1960 styled bar we hope to build this winter.
Here are a few photos of some of the rooms.
Kitchen:
(The blue was already there but the top was this ugly yellow when we moved in. Since the blue was glossy paint and hard to paint over we decided to paint over the yellow and then trim all the windows and door with blue)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kpqmHoZkSdlHjA37V38ZRw?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hG3nBzh_7zyAIXGU6XSzrA?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NSleFHmXls8EF8cG7akTHg?feat=directlink
(Please disregard the ugly curtains. Those were there when we got the apartment from my friend. My mom is making me some curtains to match the room. It’s been impossible to find ready made ones to match.)
Computer room:
Our inspiration was this futon from ikea that my bf had. It’s different shades of orange and pink. I already had a pink ikea computer desk and chair so we decided to paint the walls orange to go with them.
Futon that was our inspiration…with my bunny Bilinda sleeping on it. :)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bQsxA32VXPsqY96GQqoPig?feat=directlink
Dorky photo of me last year in the computer room. You can see the wall color a bit and some of my insane hello kitty collection. I’ve been collecting HK items since I was a child (and went nuts buying item when I lived in South Korea for a year) so my favorites and most rare items are in the bookshelf. There is a ton of art on the walls and they all match the color scheme of room. Wish I had more photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-AEiXlr_b4Xm1FDiEBg7JQ?feat=directlink
Living room:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kJhAofcxgK_8X_ew1Wq0Vw?feat=directlink
Was taken last year. We have done a lot more to room since then but you can see the painting scheme. The colors were picked after I got my awesome couch from http://www.eurway.com (my favorite place for furniture besides Ikea) and my navy blue shag rug. Please don’t mind the bun cage. We need to make her a more modern one even though she is hardly in it now…only at night when we are sleeping.
Part of the mural my bf and I painted. It’s still a work in process and this photo doesn’t give the mural justice but you can get the general idea of it. This was taken before it was finished and the room decorated to where we want it to be.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VxpVLMvzTmuERl7f5X3oGg?feat=directlink
[Reply]
Ruby Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 11:56 am
It looks so beautiful! You did a brilliant job :-)
[Reply]
Shayne Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Thanks! It’s still a work in process and I wish I had more recent photos. All of those are a year old, shortly after moving in. Now that winter is coming we will be doing a lot more DIY projects at home.
[Reply]
Doe Deere Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I luuuurve all the limeyness of your place! Great job!
[Reply]
Shayne Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Thanks! You need to take more photos of your place. I would love to see how colorful it is.
[Reply]
Rickey Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
So cool! Love all the chartreuse (my favorite color!!), and your HK collection is effing amazing.
[Reply]
Shayne Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
Thanks!
When most people come over for the first time they are like “OMG I can’t believe you have that much HK stuff”. The scary thing is I have 3 other boxes in the attic filled to the rim with HK stuff. Nevermind all the electronic kitchen appliances I have (coffee maker, toaster, waffle maker) and bathroom soap & tooth brush holder sets. I’m a tab obsessed.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Lovely work! I am in the process of moving into new digs so any house DIY posts will be wonderful inspiration!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:27 am
That’s great. I remember in 7th grade shop class we had to make clocks– I made mine to look like an old fashioned green glass coke bottle. I still have it somewhere.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:57 am
That is a gorgeous clock!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Very nice! But you dont acutally need to mark the single Numbers, because the arms always turn in the same speed so that it doesnt really matter, where you start applying them again.
you can also cut out other clock-boards from thin wood (I did an octo-shape one and painted it in white and light blue like a diamond)
[Reply]
Agnes Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
btw, what i love most in my room in my flat is the “cosmetics-place” with this beautiful mirror which i got from a friend of mine and the wall stickers, each filled with a picture of a gorgeous artist or a good looking goth model.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/36/l_cec3b65029ec4ed9a361e92a41b8ed2a.jpg
[Reply]
Rickey Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
is the pic in the mirror jessica galbreth?
[Reply]
Agnes Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 8:00 am
its a poster of victoria frances!
October 20th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Nice project – thanks :)
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
you never seize to amaze us with your creativity and bold sense of style! love the clock, it has a nice Starry Night (Van Gogh) meets Lime Crime feel to it.
[Reply]
Rickey Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I got the starry night thing, too!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Ahh it’s cute! I love the purpleish streaks in the clock as well. I love the blue walls!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Very nice! I remember I customised my clock when I was younger. Hmm, now I think about it. I have a clock that does need updating…
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Oh, forgot to attach the pictures. My walls have a collection of butterflys,spiders, and soon some bugs. There really cool and hard to find. I buy about one a year to add to my collection, this year I will be getting a Death’s Head Moth very hard to find, and it’s easy to reconise if your a Horror movie fan. It’s from one of my favorites Silence Of The Lambs. Most of them were Christmas presents from my Mom.
I also have some fun photo’s and movie posters framed.
http://www.facebook.com/DesecrationSmile?ref=profile#/album.php?aid=2015709&id=1361982544
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
That’s really pretty.
I am interior decorating challenged. Well, that and I really don’t try. My living situation is so transient, and I hate packing and unpacking. I just can’t bring myself to do any decorating that would make packing up any more difficult or time consuming. Perhaps once I get a place of my own in a more permanent setting…
Although, I DID completely reorganize my room at home (as opposed to college dorm) over the summer. I made my poor brother move all my furniture at least twice. lol My parents moved a couple years ago while I was at school, and my mom arranged my entire room. I just got around to “fixing” it over the summer. Baby steps.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
My room is a reflection of the Enchanted Forest I live in…upon walking in you see an elaborately decorated Magic Mirror with jewelry I made hanging from it, my ceiling fan has birds and butterfly ornaments hanging from the blades so they fly around the room in a circle, psychedelic posters and art pieces made from children’s toys, collages, fake trees, a mini tv for playing VHS Disney movies, a cozy bed with red curtains resembling a tent, a small cubby with a litter of kittens living in it, a pyramid on top where my black cat keebler meditates, a potion cabinet, a purple coffee maker/toaster oven dubbed “The Potion Brewer 2000″, a closet full of crazy clothes, and music playing constantly with the smell of cherry incense in the air…you should come over and play sometime!
[Reply]
Jen Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I must see pictures of this!! Didn’t see any on your site. Love the ceiling fan idea!
[Reply]
Rickey Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Oh my goshdess! Can i move in with you?!?! Definitely ditto on the “I want to see pictures” thing–oh, and: where on earth (although clearly you reside on some much cooler planet) do find cherry incense, because that sounds amazing?
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Oh, more of this please! I love seeing your home-dec projects, and I certainly would not mind seeing pictures of your place from time to time. Sometimes I envision you living in a pink, glittery castle with iridescent unicorns frolicking about on the lawn… :P
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I like my clock and color scheme for my room the best:
This clock, which I made myself, is the same colors as my room, the green is the color of my walls, all my trim and my closet doors are white, and my curtains and part of my bedding is the peachy-coraly colo.
http://s399.photobucket.com/albums/pp73/TakoInk/Crafts/?action=view¤t=clock_5.jpg
also, all the scrapbook paper I’m using as a photo backdrop there, is leftovers from decorating my closet doors.
[Reply]
Doe Deere Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Ahh, adorable clock!
[Reply]
Tako Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Thank you, my favorite part is the dinosaurs :D
[Reply]
Rickey Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Ooh! I like it– are those all buttons, or handmade cabochons?
[Reply]
Tako Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 10:50 pm
they’re all buttons I spray painted from my big jar of buttons (I pick bags of them up at thrift and antique stores for very cheap). A lot of them are multiple buttons assembled together into something new and layered.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
This clock is soo CUTE!! I love doing projects like this in my house too!
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
So glad to know we’ll be seeing more of your home projects soon!!
Yes, I am VERY into decorating, and my favorite parts of my home are…some very OLD wooden armoires that my grandfather made (one is white, one is pink, both are peely and wonderful – the pink one was in my mom’s attic room growing up), a photo gallery in the living room I’m working on that will be almost entirely old pictures of our grandparents looking like movie stars, and all my miscellaneous vintage things from antique store/flea market scours. I also love that our bedroom is converted attic space.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Nice! The one you made I’m sure goes better with the room, but I really like that heart one on the etsy!
I’ve decided that my mother will never be allowed to come visit me– I’ll go visit her instead. Though we generally get along quite nicely, our tastes are almost exact opposites! If we’re reading a fashion magazine together, I’ll go “ooh!” in excitement, she’ll mistake it for distaste and agree vehemently! Similarly, I find her taste too plain for me: when we moved into our current house I was given a choice between cream and a SUPER pale pink for the walls of my room– I picked the pink and she promptly ordered that every wall in the house be painted the same flat cream. Of course, now you wouldn’t know as my room is covered in shtuph, a la below pic:
http://strawberryfingernails.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=53091631
that’s actually sort of toned-down compared to what it looks like now– my artwork and posters (including a GIANT cirque berzerk poster and a bunch of fabric and paper faeries I’ve made) are hung all over, and I’m currently working on building a Weasley clock (not the one with the family’s faces, the one that says “time to feed the chickens”, “tea time”, etc.
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
You never cease inspiring me!
I have to many ideas for how to decorate my living space, but sadly have to wait, since my parents won’t let me do much. :(
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I’m probably the most proud of my black and red walls in my living, kitchen and dining room. :3 Everyone said it would look dumb, but I really love it. Scrumptious and dark <3
[Reply]
October 20th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I’m terribly frightened of white walls so every room in my house is a fabulous bright color. It’s still being worked on, but it definitely has an alice in wonderland feel to the whole thing.
here are some in progress photos, the colors of the living room just haven’t been done justice with this photo
http://pics.livejournal.com/pandorasfox/pic/00015abs
*laughs* and I completely fell in love with door hardware
http://pics.livejournal.com/pandorasfox/pic/00013y39
and the orange sun room
http://pics.livejournal.com/pandorasfox/pic/0001745w
we’re just finishing up the lime and purple rooms……I can’t wait to decorate!
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 6:35 am
Gosh, now I want to run out and make a clock. The one you made is just too awesome.
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 10:56 am
My home reflects my love for India, Egypt an beautiful colours. And of DIY projects !
This is the bedroom:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_eternal_voyageur/3018621589/in/set-72157608810301942/
The living room:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_eternal_voyageur/3047894587/in/set-72157608810301942/
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_eternal_voyageur/sets/72157608810301942/
[Reply]
Go-Go Julia Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 7:42 pm
AH I love your house! ^.^
[Reply]
Eternal*Voyageur @ Venusia*Glow Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Thanks ! I’m having a lot of fun decorating it !
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I can’t wait to make my own. I’ve got to start looking at thriftstores for working clocks right away. Maybe I can sell some too Of couse nothing like RainElizabeths I couldn’t steal somebodys idea exactly, then make money off it and live with myself. I hope her work sells. She should write a book on making them!
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Everybody has such cool houses I’m so jelous of how spacious they are. Walking through my house is like an obstacle course, a maze at best. Actually some of the blank wall spaces in those photos make me nervous. I want to put something there lol.
[Reply]
October 21st, 2009 at 11:46 pm
i love that clock! makes me want to invest in one. ^^
since i live in a strict apartment complex, we can’t paint our walls, boo. :( but! i have been getting preeeetty crafty with some things i stole from my parents house when i moved out.
i can only hope that, when i get a house of my own, my creativity will be able to be unleashed! yay!
[Reply]
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:32 am
Hey Doe I was looking at clocksand this seemed up your alley.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11246321&ref=sr_gallery_21&&ga_search_query=clocks&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=95&order=date_desc&includes=tags&includes=title
[Reply]
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:11 am
i have painted a row of cupcakes at my kitchen wall, to go with my homemade fifthies kitchen table and chairs. i loooove it, but i´m moving to a bigger apartment next month. i have to do it again, but better!
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp163/catcall101/128130-hepburn.jpg http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp163/catcall101/kk2.jpg
btw, i love your blog. it always makes me smile.
[Reply]
February 16th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
I can’t wait to get a house of my own. It would be the perfect mixture of a foresty wonderland (think Alice in Wonderland) living room, a ’60’s Factory themed art gallery (possibly in the attic) and a retro fifties bar in the kitchen.
Right now I’m most proud of my purple walls and the 3 bookshelves above my desk (top 2 are books, bottom one is various trinkets ;]).
[Reply]