Don't buy expensive store-bought clocks. Get the same effect with this clock DIY

When it’s time to swap out dishes, don’t throw out ceramic plates before their potential has been realized. This simple piece of tableware that’s often reserved for holding food can easily be transformed into a beautiful wall clock. All you need are the right tools and a little time. Add some acrylic paint to the mix for a stunning final product that will keep life on schedule and look remarkable doing it.

A ceramic plate provides the durability a clock face requires while remaining an elegant accent item. Beginning the project with a solid-colored plate allows for personalized paints to be added that lead to a customized design. While adults will need to take care of adding the hardware, kids will love splattering color over this ceramic plate in what could turn out to be a family-fun project.

-Plastic mixing bowl, 24 inches
-White ceramic dinner plate, 12 inches
-Black and Decker hand-held drill with diamond bore Bit, 32 mm
-Paper towels
-13-inch by 13-inch protective surface mat
-Plastic paint palette
-Gold metallic acrylic paint
-Paintbrush
-Quartz clock replacement set with a moving mechanism that includes 3 clock hands and mounting hardware. Hour hand: 3 inches, minute hand: 4.1 inches, second hand: 5.3 inches

Instructions
 
1. Fill a 24-inch plastic mixing bowl halfway with water.

2. Place a 12-inch white ceramic plate face down in the water so the plate is completely submerged.

3. Center a 32 mm diamond core bit on the backside of the submerged plate. Gently drill a hole until the bit breaks through the ceramic on the other side. Discard the ceramic that has dislodged from the center.

4. Remove the plate from the water. Dry it completely with a paper towel.

5. Turn the plate face up, and place it on a 13-inch by 13-inch protective surface mat.

6. Fill a plastic paint palette with gold metallic acrylic paint.

7. Splatter the gold paint across various portions of the ceramic plate in a pleasing pattern. Mix and swirl paint as wanted with a small paintbrush.

8. Paint the entire top rim of the ceramic plate with gold. Remove the protective mat from beneath the plate once it’s completely dry.

9. Lift the plate and place the clock-hand moving mechanism through the center hole from the back so the spoke is pointing through toward the front.

10. Place a large metal washer on top of the spoke followed by a hex nut. Turn the hex nut to tighten.

11. Place the hour hand onto the spoke followed by the minute hand. Secure with a small washer.

12. Press the second hand firmly into the center of the spoke. Turn the moving mechanism to the "on" position.

13. Hang the completed clock on the wall or set upright in a plate display stand on a shelf.

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