Garden Sundial

• Materials

Polymer clay
Chopstick
Terra-cotta plant saucer
Protractor and compass
Enamel paint and brushes

• Instructions

Roll some clay into a small ball and stick the chopstick (gnomon) into it. Then press the clay onto the center of the upside down saucer. Make sure that the angle between the chopstick and saucer are the same as the latitude where you live (between 24 and 49 degrees for most states)

Carefully remove the chopstick, with the clay still attached. Gently remove the chopstick and bake the clay as directed. Once the clay is baked glue the chopstick and clay ball back into place

Set the dial outside on a level surface with the chopstick pointing north. At noon you want to mark where the chopstick’s shadow falls on the saucer’s perimeter. Do not move the plate and continue to mark off the afternoon and next morning’s hours on the perimeter of the saucer

Using the compass, protractor, and paints mark off on the saucer itself the different hours of the day (similar to a clock face) and then decorate the sundial

After decorating the sundial be sure to put it back in its original position. As long as you don’t move it the sundial will be accurate, but you will need to reset it when daylight saving time is over.