DIY Chrysanthemum Clock from Plastic Spoons

Items Needed:
Plastic Spoons (I used roughly 250)
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun/Glue Sticks
Foam Board
A clock (I bought a cheapy!)
(2) 1” screws or longer, philips screwdriver
Xacto Knife

1. I started off by cutting my base out of foam board. I used foam board because 1. It’s light 2. I had some already in my stash 3. it’s cheap! I traced an 18” wreath form. I cut it out using a combination of Xacto knife and scissors. Save some scraps for later!

2. I found the center of the circle, and placed my centered my store bought clock and traced around it so I would have an idea of how far to come down with my spoons.

3. Then I duplicated four things/areas from the back of my clock onto my foam board.

a. The center rectangle for the battery compartment (you will need a way to change/insert batteries to your clock)

b. The circle at the top to hang your clock

c. The two holes on each side (3 and 9 positions) where the clock was fastened onto the original cardboard packaging. These spots you will use to fasten your foam board to the clock!

4. (Next I wish I had spray painted the foam board at this point. I did not. Learn from me and spray paint your foam board! )

5. Cut your spoons! I used regular scissors. After a few you find the “sweet spot” on the spoon where they cut really nicely! Don’t worry if some of the handle is still on there, it will all get covered!

6. I did a quick trial run and just placed the spoons (without glue) in a small section so I could get a hang of the spacing needed and the number of layers to fill the area.

4. Start spacing out your outside ring and get gluing. Hot glue works great, dries fast and holds the spoons on the foam board nicely! Continue until you have all the area covered, overlapping your line you previously drew to outline the clock!

5. Next I covered the face of the clock with paper and painters tape. I didn’t want a white clock and a yellow flower so I needed to spray the clock yellow also. (an Xacto knife works well here to trim the tape perfect with the curve of the outside rim of the clock)

5. After all my spoons were glued and clock face was protected, I took them outside and gave each some light, even coats of Yellow spray-paint. 

6 After that dried I brought it inside and then cut two small squares out of some scrap foam board that I saved from step 1. I cut the squares larger than the holes I cut at the 3 and 9 position. So your measurements will depend on the size of holes you cut.

7. I used a 1” screw to go through the small square piece, through the openings I cut and directly into the back of the clock where it had been originally screwed to the store packaging. Snug as a But in a Rug!

Note: You might wonder why I cut holes for the screws (3 and 9 positions) rather than just pushing the screw through the foam board on the clock (like I did for the small squares). The reason is that the clock sits on top of part of the spoons on the front, so the larger holes gave me wiggle room to get the clock centered and made it MUCH easier to get an exact location on the screw holes located in the back of the clock!

8. Pop in a battery and set the time! Hang and enjoy your fun new clock!

Decorative Wall Shelves

Materials:
• Shoebox or Photo Box (pick one with thick walls. The thicker it is, the more sturdier the shelf will be)
• Spray Paint (for the base color of the box. I used gold)
• Decorative Paper (for the inside wall of the box)
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Screwdriver and 2 Screws

Steps:
• Cut your decorative paper to the size of the back wall of the shoebox. We will be attaching it to the inside of the box so make sure it fits perfectly inside. Set aside.
• Spray paint the inside and outside walls of the shoebox to cover up any logos it may have.
• Once it is completely dry, attach the box to the wall with a screwdriver and nail. For extra sturdiness, screw another nail on the other side. Tip: Hanging the box vertically will be more sturdier and will be less likely to cause a dip on the ledge of the shelf if you display heavier objects.
• Apply glue to the back side of your paper and attach it to the inside of the box. By attaching the paper once the box is already hanging on the wall, the screws will remain hidden.
• Display your favorite (lightweight) decors and you're set!

Mini wall art

Materials:
• Shoebox lids (1 regular size shoebox lid makes 2 pieces of wall art)
• Decorative paper (I repurposed mine from old magazines and shopping catalogs)
• Scissors (not pictured)
• Ruler
• Pen
• Tape
• Glossy decoupage medium
• Foam brush
• Thumb tacks

Steps:
• Cut two 4" x 4" squares from the corner of the shoebox lid (see image above). Use a ruler and pen to mark before cutting.
• Slide both of the square pieces into each other so that they form a box with four walls. Attach them together by applying tape to the corners.
• Cut your decorative paper so that it is a few inches larger than the box on all sides so that it will cover the box entirely.
• Starting with one side at a time, apply a thin coat of decoupage medium to the box, and lay the paper on top. Make sure there are no air bubbles. Repeat until the entire box is covered with your paper.
• Once completely dry, add a thin coat of decoupage medium on top of the box to give it a glossy, finished look.
• Once dry, punch in the thumb tacks as desired.

Ombre necklace

Materials:
• Pistachio shells (I used 34)
• Small piece of thin cardboard
• Glue gun or tacky glue
• Acrylic paint
• Mod Podge (not pictured)
• Brush
• Chain
• Jump rings and lobster clasp
• Needle nose pliers
• Scissors

Steps:
• Cut the cardboard into a semi-circle to serve as the base of the necklace.
• Attach jump rings to the corners of the cardboard and attach the chain.
• Paint pistachio shells the colors of your choice. To create lighter shades of any color, simply add white paint until you have your desired shade. Let dry and add 2-3 additional coats so that the shell is completely covered.
• Once dry, add a thin coat of decoupage medium to seal in the paint and add shine.
• Let dry and start gluing the shells onto the cardboard, starting with the bottom layer and working your way in.

DIY Rope Bracelet

You’ll need:
- a little over 2 feet of 2mm accessory or utility cord (you can also use twine, mason line or any cord)
- a 7/8″ brass S hook
- a pair of pliers
- a lighter

Before you begin, seal the tips of the cord by burning them with a lighter. This will prevent the cord from fraying as you work. With a pair of flat nose pliers, squeeze one side of the S hook until it is completely closed. Do the same to the other side but leave just enough room for the cord to slip through. Thread 6 inches of cord through the closed side of the hook. Fold 3 inches of cord back on itself, creating a zig zag. Bend the last 2 inches of the cord over the zig zag.

Coil the cord twice around towards the left loop. Push the tip through the opening of the left loop. While pinching the tip with your left fingers, use your right fingers and push the coil to the left until the loop is closed and the knot is tight. Test the adjustable knot by sliding it towards the base of the S hook.

Repeat the same steps on the other side. This time, coiling towards the right side and pushing the coil in the same direction.

Trim and re-burn the tips if necessary. Your wrap bracelet is finished! It can be wrapped around the wrist 2-3 times and adjusted with the sliding knots.

Try making the bracelets with leather cord too. Have fun!

DIY Sliding Knot Bracelet

You’ll need:
evil eye or hamsa charm
12 inches of chinese knotting cord
scissors
lighter

Thread 4 inches of cord through one side of the charm. Fold 2 inches of cord back on itself and then again to create a zig zag.

Fold an inch of the tip down over the parallel cords. Coil the cord three times towards the loop.

Thread the tip through the opening of the left loop.

Push the coil to the left and pull the tip until the knot is tight. Test the adjustable knot by sliding it towards the base of the charm. The excess cord will be trimmed later.

Thread the other end of the cord through the opposite side of the charm and create the same zig zag.

Coil the tip around all the cords three times and thread the tip through the loop.

Push the coil to the left and pull the tip until the knot is tight. Trim both ends, leaving approximately 2-3mm.

Melt the ends with a lighter.

Your bracelet is finished . . .

And you’re now protected against the evil eye!

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