It’s a great moment when the garden gate slams shut and you step inside to your private retreat. Whether your garden is a sunny patio or a spot under a shady tree it is a restful, welcoming place to unwind and enjoy family and friends. You gravitate to your favorite Adirondack chair, sip on a tall ice tea and listen to the soothing sounds of bees buzzing, water trickling over the fountain edge and the leaves rustling in the wind.
Since the wind never seems to stop blowing in southern Idaho, what’s a girl to do? Make wind chimes. I rummaged through my junk drawer to find things that won’t break as they clang together. For decorative touches I then sifted through my crafting supplies and jewelry components to add interest and color.
Since different types of materials produce a variety of sounds, I clang my found objects together to find a sound I like. Some materials made loud chimes while others make soft, clinking clatter. Make sure it is pleasing to you and not just irritating noise. Your neighbors will thank you.
Some tools that came in handy are wire cutters, measuring tape, hammer, pliers and a drill. I used 49 thread jewelry wire (24 gauge) and large crimp beads to create my wind chime.
After gathering materials (wire, flatware, beads, washers, bamboo, metal pipe, rocks, shells, jewelry pieces, metal castoffs, etc.) plan your design. For my wind chime I used the decorative lid from a long lost pan as the top and drilled holes evenly around the edge to thread wire. I grabbed my hubby’s blacksmith hammer to beat the spoons and forks flat, then drilled holes in the handles so I could wire them to the lid. I then bent the fork tines and hung decorative elements from each of them. A center hanging element of unknown origin was attached to the screw underneath the lid. This provides something for the outer pieces to clang into. I added gemstones, a skeleton key and jewelry beads to the chimes for a whimsical look. Hang your musical creation in a location of your choice. Since wind chimes are not permanent you can audition them in other locations until you find perfect harmony.