Thank you so much for being patient with me this week. My neck is getting better and today I can turn it from side to side, although, I feel like I have been “wacked” from behind. The back of neck and shoulders are sore and extremely tender to the touch still. Maybe another day or two before I am feeling back to normal.
I spotted this clock while the Hubs and I were out on a date night several months ago. Without question I knew I wanted to try to make it! Really, without ever stopping to see what the price was I had it in my mind to make one myself.
I started with removing the top off an old large round laminate table that had been floating around for years in the attic. I painted it with my all time favorite black paint- Benjamin Moore Iron Clad Black. I love this paint because it’s honestly the only paint I have ever used that really doesn’t need a primer and it has a beautiful low-luster finish.
I thought I could just buy the numbers at either Hobby Lobby or Michael's, but Michael’s didn’t have large enough numbers and HB didn’t have all the numbers I needed. So…… I had to take matters into my own hands and made my own numbers. I selected a font , printed out each large number, used spray adhesive to attach the paper template to the wood, and cut out each number using a scroll saw. I also cut a large number of little square tiles to mark out the minutes that went around the outside of the clock.
The numbers and little square tiles were painted with the left over sample paint that I bought when deciding on a wall color for the foyer—SW Macadamia.
Cricut cutter to the rescue again! Cut vinyl makes a great stencil. Using more SW Macadamia paint and then distressed it all when it dried.
** I always like to add a personal touch when I can to my DIY projects. I added our own street address in French. Ooh La La!
I even tried to cut out my own clock hands. After finding a sample pattern online, I used the Cricut cutter to enlarge to the size I wanted and cut out a pattern. Next I traced in on some tin that I found in the garage…..I believe it was roof flashing???
Long story short—I never could get the DIY clock hands to balance right either/or find a clock mechanics to carry the weight of the hands. Needless to say, the clock has been sitting unfinished for a few months, waiting for me to find a solution….. when I was perusing Pinterest one day. (the new love of my life and how I manage to waste some all of my free time.) So hopping from one pin to another, which you know, leads to one blog post idea to another, until I stumbled on to a new favorite blog of mine-- The Exchange. Cyndy shared a wall clock that she did in her kitchen using a kit that she purchased form Hobby Lobby. The hands were perfect for my Pier 1 clock!! (Thank you Pinterest and Cyndy) Now I could complete this unfinished project.
Here is my version:
I didn’t have any idea where I was going to hang this grandiose clock! All I knew is that I liked it and wanted to make one. I decided to hang it in the future “teen lounge”.
As you can see I kind of cheated on the distressing part. I used the black paint on a dry brush to give it that chippy aged look.
It looks pretty lonely all by itself. I am doing some research for my next project – a day bed.
I thought I should see how much Pier 1 Imports wanted for their Grandiose Wall Clock, so I popped on to their online store and found it on sale for $149.99 (originally $199.99). My cost = $35.
Pier 1 Import’s clock has more distressing than I have done on mine. I plan I waiting to see more furniture in the room until I go further with the anymore distressing.
Edit: Here’s an easy step~by~step post to make your own Grandiose Clock. I would love to see photos if you decide to make one.