Stop Tossing Old Cookie Tins — Turn Them Into Vintage-Inspired Wall Clocks With A DIY

For those who cannot help but indulge in butter cookies and other delectable treats that come in metal cookie tins, it can feel like a waste to throw the tins away. At your grandma's house, you may have stumbled across a way to use them, such as organizing sewing supplies. But there are more unique ways to repurpose cookie tins around the house than simply using them as storage containers. Round cookie tins make an excellent base for old-timey, vintage-inspired wall clocks. On Instagram, Moi Gazzola of moidecomdp modeled how to do just that, creating a hanging clock for the kitchen or living room. All it takes is an old cookie tin, a clock mechanism, a wall bracket, and a dash of creative energy.

If you already have an old cookie tin, you have most of what you need to complete this fun DIY. Your tin should be at least 6 inches in diameter to make room for the numbers. Otherwise, keep an eye out for vintage tins at thrift stores and estate sales — though rare items might have more value as is. A key piece to making this DIY wall clock is the mechanism, which you can get on Amazon. This Tikround Youngtown Battery-Operated Clock Mechanism costs about $10. Measure the diameter of your tin before you buy the mechanism to ensure you purchase one with correctly sized hands. To hang your finished clock on the wall, you'll need a bracket. Look for stylish options that fit the vintage feel of this DIY project, like this cast iron GSY Hanging Plant Bracket for about $24. If your chosen bracket does not come with a chain, you'll need to buy that, too. Make sure you also have a glue gun or another suitable adhesive, Mod Podge, patterned scrapbook paper, and paint.

Paint the entire outside of your clean cookie tin. Moi Gazzola of moidecomdp on Instagram also distresses the exterior with black paint, but this step isn't necessary. She then cuts a circle of faux newspaper print to fit the clock face, giving the fixture a vintage vibe. You can create a similar effect with patterned scrapbook paper, real newsprint, or old book pages. For example, packs of pages from vintage books, magazines, sheet music, and dictionaries are available on Etsy. You could even get experimental and create a nostalgic collage for the clock face. Use a stencil and ruler to carefully add the numbers.

To finish your clock, drill one hole in the top, above the 12, and one hole directly in the middle of the tin. Take the lid off the tin, carefully thread your chain through the top hole, and secure it in place. Push the clock mechanism through the hole in the middle of the tin, installing it per the manufacturer's instructions. Don't glue the lid in place — you need to access the clock mechanism in the future. Finally, install the bracket on the wall in a spot that's visible but out of the way of foot traffic, and hang your clock on it.

Creating a vintage clock out of a cookie tin is one way to effortlessly add vintage decor into your modern home. Tie your new fixture into your existing aesthetic by styling it with some more vintage knickknacks. Another way to boost the old-timey character of this clock is to give it a double face by installing another clock mechanism into the lid. Then your wall clock will resemble an antique railway station clock, adding a little Victorian-era whimsy to your home.