Alter That! Challenge: MDF Clock

This month, we featured an altered clock in our altering challenge feature. We also sent the same clock to Rachel Jackson and Helen Chilton. Here’s are the fab examples they created with it.

In this section you’ll also find additional photos of Gail Milburn’s adorable circular bird book project, which wouldn’t fit into the magazine this month.

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Kitsch Cupcake Frame
Designer: Rachel Jackson


INTRODUCTION:
When I saw the circular shape of the clock in this challenge, it soon brought to mind home decor items like tea-trays and cake stands decorated with cupcakes that are very popular at the moment. I decided to create a little kitsch cake art of my own to grace the kitchen or breakfast bar of any domestic goddess! I settled on a 1950s Americana colour palette, and used dry-brushed gesso to create a slightly timeworn appearance on the frame. This would also make a sweet decoration for a young girl’s birthday tea party, especially with stamped tableware accessories to match!

Stamps Rachel used...
Magnolia Love Muffin (2285H)

Other materials...
Green distressed-style scrapbook paper
Pink distressed-style scrapbook paper
Basic Grey Two Scoops pale pink scrapbook paper
Cream cardstock
Pink cardstock
Watercolour paints
Pink Grapefruit chalk inkpad
Black waterproof inkpad
White gesso
White acrylic paint
Circle punch ½”
Brown fine pen

INSTRUCTIONS:
Begin by tracing around the circular frame onto the green paper. Next, paint the MDF base and circular frame with white acrylic paint, and leave them to dry. Cut out the paper circle using a craft knife. Punch a handful of circles from two shades of pink scrapbook paper, and use adhesive dots to stick them to the paper circle in a polka-dot pattern. Draw freehand circles around each dot with a fine brown pen. Use a dry brush to scrub patches and streaks of gesso over the paper frame – use the gesso sparingly.

Repeat-stamp the cake in chalk ink on to the pink cardstock. Trim the pink cardstock so that it is smaller than the MDF base. Stamp the cake on to green scrapbook paper using the black ink. Cut out the paper cake wrapper using detail scissors. Stamp the cake again on the cream cardstock, using the black waterproof ink. Use watercolour paints to colour the cake, icing and bow. Add the green cake wrapper to the coloured image, and cut out the finished cake. Stick the paper frame to the MDF frame using strong glue. Stick the pink repeat-stamped card to the MDF base, and affix the central cake to the pink card on foam pads. Finally, glue the covered frame to the base.

TIPS:
Designer tip: Make sure your brown pen is waterproof so that you can brush over it with gesso without ruining your project.

Go Shopping!
MDF clock (1434310; £4.60) and Efco papers available from Efco stockists. To find your nearest retailer visit Sinotex www.sinotex.co.uk/efco or call 01737 245450
Magnolia stamp available from Sir Stampalot, www.sirstampalot.co.uk

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Boys on Bikes
Designer: Helen Chilton


INTRODUCTION:
When the MDF clock arrived in the post, my first thought was that I liked the shape. The circular frame had lots of possibilities: I envisioned leaves trailing round the edge, or segments of stamped scrapbook paper in different colours. In the end I did neither – I made the circle into a tyre and stamped boys on bikes in the middle!

I rummaged around in our local hardware shop (the sort where you can just buy one single nut and bolt if you want to!) for embellishments that looked suitably ‘bike – like’! I used a Krylon silver pen on both inner and outer edges and when it blobbed a bit by accident, I just rubbed it in to give a well ridden look!

Stamps Helen used...
Elusive Images stamps: Boys on Bikes (UDLGW0105); Background Textures (UA4GW0160) – tyre texture; Distressed Lowercase alphabet
Prima Build–A-Frame Collection 1

Other materials...
StazOn inkpads – Jet Black; Cactus Green; Teal; Midnight Blue
Memories dye inkpad – Yellow
Adirondack inkpad – Bottle
Silver Krylon pen
Efco scrapbook paper
Glossy white card
Matte white card
Nuts and bolts
Big Bite

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut out the black Efco scrapbook paper roughly to fit and stamp all over in black with the tyre background texture stamp. Stick to the circular MDF blank and trim.

Mark the inner circle onto glossy card. Stamp the boys on bikes in black in the centre and mask them off. Stamp the spokes with the Prima rough edge border and then use the same stamp to outline the circular image. When dry, use cotton wool balls to colour in the background with the yellow, green and teal inkpads. Remove the mask and add yellow to the outside cyclists.
Stamp the words ‘boys on bikes’ in Bottle and Midnight Blue onto matte white cardstock. Cut out the letters, stick to the tyre frame and rub with silver pen.

Edge the inner and outer edges with the Krylon pen and smudge some of the silver paint as you go. Add some blobs of paint to the central image. Stick the boys on bikes behind the central aperture and cover the back with a circle of the blue Efco paper. Use the Big Bite to make holes on each side of the frame and add nuts, bolts and washers.

Tip...It’s much easier and neater to trim the paper round the circular frame once you’ve stuck it down. Just turn frame over and trim from the back.

Go shopping:
MDF clock (1434310; £4.60) and Efco papers available from Efco stockists. To find your nearest retailer visit T. Sinotex www.sinotex.co.uk/efco or call 01737 245450

Elusive Images stamps are available from www.paddystampingplace.co.uk

Prima stamps are available from  www.thatscrafty.co.uk or 01708 732531
 

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Circular Bird Book
Designer: Gail Milburn
Additional images of Gail’s lovely bird book project, which was part of this month’s Alter That! Article.

Updated: 23 June 2009