Hey, are you ready for a DIY project that is super easy but gives you a stunning, sophisticated end product? Well - look no further! After you see this gorgeous clock tutorial - no one, and I mean NO ONE, will question you when you tell them you “picked it up at a French flea market.”
No time to read now? Pin this project for later (don't forget come back to it!)
It blew my mind, y’all, at how easy this project was and the result. What I loved about this project was combining the IOD Silicone Paint Blades with the IOD Brocante Transfer. It’s all right here in the video tutorial - and it’s short because the project is THAT easy.
If you’d rather read all the steps, scroll on down past this video and you’ll find everything you need - and how to make your own vintage french flea market clock.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CREATE A FRENCH FLEA MARKET CLOCK OF YOUR VERY OWN
Rethunk Junk Paint in Snowy Day
Rethunk Junk Paint in Timeless Teal
Large piece of wood for project surface
Soft Rag
Scissors
Clockworks (inexpensive, easy to install, and found on Amazon)
TICK TOCK - TIME TO DIVE INTO THIS QUICK DIY PROJECT!
TACKLE THIS PREP WORK FIRST
Grab the wood you’ll use for the project and go over, front and back, using Rethunk Junk Paint Prep. No need to sand unless you want to get rid of some rough patches - but that’s a personal preference. Once you’ve done this, let the wood dry for a bit (give it 20-30 minutes.)
While that’s drying, open the IOD Brocante Transfer and choose the flowers you want on your project surface. I went with white roses because I’m a Rose nut - and they’re kind of beautiful. BTW, do you know what Brocante means?
Well - it turns out it pretty much means a flea market - and brocanteurs are the antique/junk dealers that sell vintage items and antiques at the flea market (Brocante.) Once you pull out all the rub-on transfers in IOD’s Brocante - you’ll see exactly what I mean. It’s a ‘flea market’ transfer!
STEP 1 - BLADE THE PAINT
Don’t be intimidated by this step because once you try using the IOD Silicone Blades with your paint - you’ll feel completely comfortable. Better yet, take a peek at minute 1:58 in the video and you’ll see how easy they are to use.
I start by actually pouring some of the Snowy Day paint directly onto the wood surface. Then, I alternate between the small and larger blade and move the paint over the entire surface. As the paint gets to the edge, I use the blade to get coverage on the corners and the sides of the wood.
The blades bring ridges and edges into the paint - and that means movement. It’s a personal preference as to how heavy you leave the paint and where your ridges land. But I wanted to make sure there was a definite white element to my background.
Once you’re happy with the loo of the Snowy Day, set it aside to dry. I use a fan to help dry mine - but I was trying to finish it all within one hour. You can walk away from your project for a bit, so don’t worry about a fan unless you want to try that for rapid drying. What you’re looking for is to have the paint get a little “tacky.”
When the paint is a little tacky, the next color won’t mix into the Snowy Day. It will lay on top and the two colors will blend - but in a different way. They work together to create a background color palette rather than a new, blended color.
You’ll see at minute 3:34 that I pour the Timeless Teal on in a couple of places right on top of the Snowy Day. Next, it’s back to the Silicone Blades to move this new paint color around the surface. Using the blade lets me age and distress my work as I’m going (think vintage.)
When you love the look - stop. Now set the entire piece aside to dry completely. (Bring out those fans if you’re using them.)
STEP 2: PICK OUT THE FLOWERS AND RUB-ON
If you prepped for the project by opening the Brocante Transfer and choosing the flowers you’ll use - time to cut them out. If you haven’t had a chance - or couldn’t decide - see what strikes you now that you have your painted surface for inspiration.
Once we get to the next step, you’ll be rubbing on the clock transfer on top of your flowers. Consider how you want to lay down the flowers based on the final result. I chose all white roses - and one set came with a butterfly. I knew I had to have it all behind my clock.
Your floral composition is also a personal preference - but don’t overthink it. Imagine flowers casually gathered and then laid down - a la a french flea market setting. Take a look at what I did at minute 5:42 and minute 5:58 for inspiration. Don’t forget to burnish the transfer completely, once you’ve got it all rubbed down with the tool that comes with it. Burnishing will make sure all the edges are fully adhering to the surface.
STEP 3: IT’S ABOUT TIME
Bring on the clock. You’ll see when you pull the clock transfer out that there is beautiful vintage print also on the transfer. I chose to include that, too. At minute 6:33, you’ll see how I place the transfer overlapping the roses.
Again, using the tool included with the transfer, I gently rub on the clock and continue to lift up the plastic sheet to check for any spots that didn’t adhere. It’s easy to lay the plastic back down and continue rubbing if you do this bit by bit. Lift a portion of the plastic up, check for untransferred bits - lay it back down and continue to rub.
Finish up by, once again, burnishing the entire transfer to make sure all the edges lay down smoothly. But you’ll hear my crowing delight at the end of the video - because I love how this project turned out!
The clock works are so easy to install and very inexpensive. But even as wall decor - even without any clockworks added - this piece is stand-alone drop-dead gorgeous!