DIY Ombre Wood Clock

We've been working hard on getting my craft room remodeled, and after a ton of work, it's finally almost done!! Now that most of the storage and work space have been installed, I'm excited to do my favorite part - creating the decor and getting the room looking fabulous! This clock was a bit of work to make, but I am so excited with how it turned out.

One of my new favorite ways to create is to combine crafts with power tools. It's SO much fun!! This is the first time I've ever used a Dremel, and it is seriously amazing! The Dremel® Micro™ 8050 is the most “brilliantly powerful” and precise cordless rotary tool that Dremel has ever produced, with the ability to cut, carve, engrave, sand, grind, sharpen, clean and polish to help you bring just about any brilliant project to life.

The Dremel is light and easy to handle in tight spaces, which came in handy for making this clock. I was also impressed that it was created with crafters, and DIYers in mind, including a docking station that continually charges, and an 8V Max Lithium-ion battery so you can work wherever you want! If you're like my husband and have an older set of Dremel accessories, you're in luck! The Micro 8050 is fully compatible with all Dremel rotary tool accessories.

First, I cut a 12 inch circle out of MDF. I designed a clock template and printed it out and transferred the numbers to the board by scribbling with pencil on the back and tracing the numbers hard on the front of the template. This will leave the numbers on the board, kind of like how carbon paper would work. If you make a mistake, you can easily erase the numbers and start again. Try not to touch the numbers once you're done, because they will easily smear or rub off completely.

Now that that's done, it's time for the fun part!! Make sure the Dremel is charged completely, and start by following the pencil edge of one of the numbers using one of the smallest bits. The Dremel is light and surprisingly easy to handle, especially in small spaces.

My best advice is to hold the soft grip like a pencil, and use about as much pressure as you would a paint brush. Let the Dremel do the work. I wanted the numbers to be noticeably carved in, so worked the Dremel down all the edges to a similar depth by working slowly and lightly. Don't press hard with the Dremel, or you could ruin both the project and your tool.

Once the edges are all cut, switch out the bit to a bigger one and carve out the insides of the numbers. This is where you really use the Dremel like a paint brush since you have a little more room to move.

I was working outside because of all the dust I was creating. I got to a point in the evening where I just *had* to keep working (we've all been there, right??) and the Micro 8050's LED front-end lighting came in pretty handy! It lit up beautifully and helped me get the job done so I could stop for the night.

Once all the numbers have been carved, the edges will need a little bit of sanding with a small piece of sandpaper. You won't need to rub very hard, just enough to clean things up.

To turn your board into a working clock, you'll need to have a place to install the clock mechanism. Mark the center of the board and drill a hole. Every clock mechanism is different, so refer to your specific one for the size of drill bit to use.

I painted the board with white acrylic paint. Keep in mind that MDF is pretty absorbent, so you'll need to do a few coats. Let each coat dry before adding another. If you have any brush strokes or paint streaks showing when you're done, you can lightly sand it and it will all smooth out and look more even.

To give the clock some "Artsy-Fartsy Mama" style, I of course needed to add some glitter! I decided to go with an ombre theme using blues & teal. Mixed with a little Mod Podge Extreme Glitter, and we've got some sparkly magic happening!

To fill in the numbers without creating a gigantic, glittery mess, I decided to combine the Mod Podge and glitter before adding it to the clock. Pour a small amount of Mod Podge into a disposable cup or bowl, and stir in some glitter. Mix well, and carefully fill up each number with the glitter mixture.

To get the ombre look, I filled the top three numbers (11, 12, 1) with the lighter glitter, the middle six numbers with the teal, and the bottom three (7, 6, 5) with dark blue.

Let the clock dry in an area where it won't be disturbed at least overnight. The mixture will sink a little as it dries (compare the 4 to the 5 in the image above), and once it's completely dry, the Mod Podge will dry clear and all you'll see is the glitter. The glitter will stay in place, and you don't need to worry about it coming off everywhere you move the clock.

Once everything is dry, install the clock mechanism. Now your clock is complete and it's "time" to sit back and enjoy it!!

Thinking you might want to start using a Dremel? For more information on Dremel products, project ideas, and problem-solving tips, visit www.dremel.com