I just love thrift store transformations! And this Greek key clock was such a fun makeover. Now I have a fab new addition to our little apartment. 🙂
On one of my regular Salvation Army trips, I happened to spot this little guy over in the frames and clocks section. Greek key! Lately I feel like everyone is going nuts about Greek key, and I certainly don’t want to be left out. I really wanted it, although it looked strange and unlovable, I saw the potential in that poor, weird Greek key clock. But, it was $4… meh, not bad, just too much to justify buying the crazy little guy. When I returned the next week, it had been marked down to $2! Now that price I can do 🙂
First of all, the colors, while not terrible, were kinda strange…. I don’t know, but I’m just not digging the funny silver/gold thing its got going. Could I please direct your attention to that clock face, though?? I mean, what on earth is going on? Besides the fact that the numbers are in fact totally upside down…. why are there Chinese symbols and strange black marks on it? The poor clock face was due for an uplift… no, a full out botox!
Despite, the strange condition of it, I had a vision for this little Greek key clock. I’ve been loving emerald green lately. (As the Pantone color of the year, I’m feeling an emerald-love post coming on…) So, I bought some Rustoleum spray paint in hunter green (I don’t like that name…), but I lied to myself and said it was basically emerald 😉
Jake assisted in the disassembly of the clock (apparently he put one together once for a college project, so thankfully he was all over this!) since I was at a loss. After setting up my fancy-dancy spray paint station, I got to work. Note to self: spray paint disintegrates styrofoam, so don’t place place your to-be-painted-object on it unless you want it to fall off and get weird fingerprints all over it from you attempting to put it back up.
It looked all shiny and pretty after the spray paint coat. And I really like how the color turned out (it’s not REALLY hunter green, right?? somebody help me out on this…) Also, I had toyed with getting enamel spray paint instead, thinking it might be harder and glossier. Since I didn’t get it, now I’m really curious about the difference between Rustoleum’s 2x cover gloss spray paint, and their gloss enamel…
I also had to spray paint some of the inner clock parts that are exposed. And just because I disliked it so much, I spray painted right over that weird clock face.
So… I knew I wanted to highlight the Greek key detailing, and went back and forth on white or gold. In the end, gold won out, it’s just a little more glamorous, what can I say? 🙂 After one coat of gold, my Greek key clock wasn’t looking so hot… As you can see below, the paint didn’t quite cover the green all the way, so I had to apply two more coats.
Next, I googled ‘free clock faces’ and chose a very standard and neutral face to add to the clock. So I printed it, cut it out, and fit it over the old one.
And finally, here she is! My lovely little emerald and gold Greek key clock. Perfect for our bedside table 🙂 I think it adds some much needed color (Hopefully I will find a lamp soon to tie it all together, and maybe make a tray as well)
Just as a funny sidenote… We had a little hiccup in the reconstruction of the clock, for whatever reason, instead of moving the arms, my clock likes to turn the entire face. So the 6 is currently in 12 o clock position. I think if I glue the paper down I shouldn’t have that problem anymore… hopefully! 😉
Hope you have a fabulous Thursday! Here’s a quick birthday shout out to my mom, I love you so much, and hope your day is full of blessings 🙂
