How to Make a Novelty 1950s Atomic Clock Brooch

I've been so inspired by dollhouse miniatures lately, I want to make everything in tiny form. I found this amazing little mid century dollhouse clock and immediately wanted to make a brooch. It looks like they used a little circle of styrofoam, which would be great for a dollhouse but not so much for a brooch so I made mine a little differently, with clock hands that you can move.

You will need:

card stock

craft paint

a brass office brad

assorted sewing pins with different colored ball tips

a cereal box or something similar from the recycling bin

glue sticks

Using a small circle something (I used a shot glass) trace a circle onto your cardstock and the cereal box and cut them out.

Paint each in whatever color you want the clock to be. I used a robins egg blue. Allow to dry completely

Next, cut two triangle shapes with big enough ends for the brad to go through but small enough that they will fit within the circle. Paint them black (or whatever color you like) and allow to dry



On the chipboard from the cereal box, hot glue the sewing pins evenly spaced all around the circle




Poke a hole through the center of the chipboard, using a toothpick or something to widen the hole enough for the brad to fit through. Do the same on the ends of the clock hands







Poke the brad through the clock hands and into the clock face, opening the brad in the back so the hands spin




Glue the cardstock to the back of the brooch so it covers up those pokey bits and paint the brad black, if you like.



glue a brooch back to the back and it's ready to wear!





If you enjoyed this project, check out my ebook, Pins for Pin-Ups: DIY Brooches for Retro Girls for more novelty brooch tutorials using things that you already have around the house!