If you’re looking for an interesting summer make-and-do project, either for yourself or for the kids, consider making a decorative garden wind chime.
All these lovely examples were created from recycled materials, so feel free to use them as a starting point or get inspired to come up with your own unique ideas. Just don’t forget to share your pictures with us on Twitter and Facebook!
Pressed flower suncatcher ‘chime’
We doubt this ‘wind chime’ would make much more than a gentle click in the breeze, yet we had to include Hands On As We Grow’s brilliant tutorial for the delightful way these pressed flower discs catch the light.
Xylophone wind chime
Cannibalise an old children’s toy xylophone and you’ll always have a perfectly tuned chime. Wouldn’t this make a fantastic doorbell? Here’s the tutorial!
House key and crystal wind chime
If you’re anything like me, somehow you’ve accumulated a drawerful of old keys that don’t seem to fit anything! This key chime project from A Smith Of All Trades is an excellent method of transforming metallic junk into an elegant garden decoration, complete with rays of dancing light from the crystals.
Painted bamboo wind chime
Would you prefer a ‘tonk’ sound of bobbing bamboo to the ‘tink’ sound of jangling keys? Michele Made Me has the wind chime tutorial for you. These artfully painted bamboo chimes were once simple garden stakes.
Recycled biscuit cutter and miscellany wind chimes
Pretty bead and button hoarders will love these charming shabby chic chimes. We like the way they’ve kept these chandelier shapes fairly simple, but mixed in the odd teaspoon, bell and key here and there. Less is more!
A fairly easy project for someone comfortable with a pair of pliers and drilling holes in metal. Wear some thick gloves and goggles and make sure you clamp down each piece carefully before you drill.
Ombre seaglass wind chimes
The clever folks at the Our Boathouse blog came up with this adorable chime, created with small pieces of smooth seaglass collected from the beach. An interestingly twisted piece of driftwood completes the look.
Pure driftwood suncatcher ‘chime’
Again, we can’t imagine this making a great deal of sound, especially if you hang it indoors as did the Going Home To Roost bloggers. We love the style though – perfect for bringing a relaxed beachhouse vibe to any home or garden.
Japanese-style ceramic and copper wind chime
“That’s not recycled”, I can hear you thinking. “It’s too perfect.” Well, think again. A small Japanese tea cup and some copper plumbing pipe went into making Caitlin’s super minimal wind chime.
Copper kettle and cutlery wind chime
We think the folks that designed this are doubly clever: first for the idea of the cutlery chimes and second for the vintage copper kettle planter! Wonderful!
What do you think of these recycled wind chimes? Inspired to make your own? Share your comments with us here or via Twitter and Facebook!
