Handmade Wildlife Clocks

Cuckoo clocks are one of many options.

Both modern and kitschy clocks feature various forms of wildlife. Whether you choose to purchase a handmade wildlife clock or make one yourself, a wide variety of designs can be found. Handmade clocks are made from a range of materials, including wood, stone, paper and combinations that are often framed. Clock-making supplies can be found online and in craft stores.

Wood

Cuckoo clocks are a popular rendition of a clock showcasing wildlife. Look for modern varieties with a minimalist look or an ornate traditional one. Other ideas include crows, owls and ravens for the wildlife feature. One idea is to take a plain wooden clock and have it customized with a laser engraving. Choose your favorite form of wildlife such as fish, bears, moose, horses or whatever else appeals to you. Another idea is to hand carve a wildlife clock out of a larger chunk of wood.

Slate

Wildlife clocks made from slate can be roughly shaped into forms like fish and bears. You can have slate modified to incorporate wildlife imagery. The slate can be sandblasted or laser engraved depending on the size of your design and the size of the slate. For a rustic clock meant to hang in a cabin, have a bear scene sandblasted onto the bottom portion of the piece of slate. Affix the clock hardware in the middle or off to one side to balance the design.

Decoupage

Decoupage your favorite wildlife imagery onto a thin board, add the clock hardware and frame the finished piece. Use craft adhesive meant for decoupage to affix the images in place. Ideas for imagery include magazine clippings, wrapping paper designs, scrapbook pages and printed photos. One idea is to paint the board and place one small image where the 3, 6, 9 and 12 would be on the clock. You can paste the images all over and create a wildlife collage clock. Look for a frame to enhance the style of the imagery. Ideas include rustic, vintage and modern.

Other Ideas

For a modern look, design an animal print clock from your favorite form of wildlife. Zebra, leopard, cheetah, cow and snakeskin are all options that will work well for this application. Decoupage the animal print onto a thin board and affix the clock components on top. Look for wildlife items like antlers to include in your clock design. Other wildlife clocks can be found in shops containing decor and accessories meant for cabins and rustic home interiors. While the traditional wildllife clocks may be kitschy, in some interiors the kitschy factor may work.

References

• Apartment Therapy: Animal Clock by Takuya Oi
• Apartment Therapy: Five Modern Cuckoo Clocks