I love making garden whimsy to display in various spots in the garden from items that might normally be discarded. While recovering from my knee replacement surgery I had lots of time to think, create and craft.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Using a piece of driftwood from Wicklow Beach, some colourful beads, some keys and fishing line I created a driftwood key chime. The first task was to change the keys from plain to colourful with some acrylic paint.
This took a couple of coats but the paint did stick finally. I always paint on wax paper so the table surface doesn’t get messy and it is also easy to move the keys around.
Holes were drilled in the piece of driftwood. Each key had a double strand of fishing line and colourful beads were threaded onto it. When it came to fastening the fishing line to the driftwood I used a button. After poking the fishing line through the drilled hole I then threaded the button and when it was knotted tight it.
The buttons stop the fishing line from slipping through the holes. There are also holes at each end of the piece of driftwood to thread a cord through to hand the key chime.
I tried it in a few different places in the garden and in the gazebo. It is really colourful and the keys make a nice, soft sound as they clink together in the breeze.
Other chimes I’ve made:
The mailbox by the front door has some bottle cap flowers, a welcome sign on a piece of driftwood from the Esquimalt Lagoon in Victoria, BC, and the driftwood key chimes. I wonder which key opens the door?
Are you like me and love wind chimes in the garden?
I’m sharing with The Really Crafty Link Party , Handmade Monday and To Grandma’s House We Go, Funky Junk
more garden whimsy and nature crafts
Jackie Hawkins
I love the idea of using old keys in a windchime. It looks especially cute with the different colored keys and beads.
kate
I love it – such a great idea and it looks terrific!
Robin
I love this Linda! What a great way to use a small piece of driftwood.
Myrtle
I love wind chimes and you did a great job on the driftwood key chain chime.
Jennifer Jilks
You are brilliant and creative!
Margie
Another cute craft idea! It’s a great way to use old keys–I would never have thought to paint them!
Teresa
So pretty! I love the idea of painting the keys in different colors.
Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned.
Chas Greener
This is so cute! Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Julie
What a cute cute cute project. I love it. The recycling, the vibrant colours – perfect!
Bright
Hello, I saw you visited mybrightideasblog.com so I wanted to pop over and see what you have been up to. I love this key windchime! I should add this to my things to do…the list is long….this one looks like a lot of fun.
Crafty Gardener
Thanks for stopping by for a visit. I’ve got a long to-do list as well, never have time to be bored, and I’m adding new things all the time.
Michelle Leslie
They’re absolutely lovely and I bet they sound like the fairies are playing their xylophones
Crafty Gardener
I love your description of the sounds of the key chimes. Thanks for visiting today.