'Handmade from Home' is a series that will focus on creating pieces made entirely from what's on hand in your home. No going out and buying. Even if you don't create every project, my wish is that you will start to think toward looking at the things around your home in a different way.
Remember this quote in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo?
The beautiful is as useful as the useful. . .and perhaps more so.
Our homes are packed full with 'stuff'. How can we turn practical into beautiful? That's what our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did many years ago when they created aprons and little girl dresses from the bags the flour came in.
Oh I have enough ideas to fill a book, I'm so excited! So let's get started...
I call this my "Junk Windchime" because it's made from, literally, old junk from around the farm (except for those lovely old chandelier crystals). And even if you don't have the same junk as me, you likely have plenty of items to use for this project. Here are some more photos to help you as you construct your own.
Easy to make (not so easy to photograph), all you need are several lengths of chain and a few pieces of old metal (forks, keys, canopeners, etc.). Go rummage through your craft stash and you'll find something, I promise. If you want to make the sound really pretty, include a crystal piece--the sound is beautiful!
Your best friends for this project will be two pair of craft pliers. They make it easy to connect everything with jump rings. The 'base' at the top is an old cabinet piece. Anything sturdy and longish will work. If you have something that doesn't have the two holes, you can drill them (if you haven't already, start learning how to use power tools!).
Improvise as you need to. Yours won't look exactly like mine. The key is to find old junk-drawer stuff and make something that looks pretty (and sounds pretty). And yes, it will rust after a while if you keep it outdoors. If you can't stand the thought of that, just keep it inside. Hang it in front of an open window.
Let me know how yours turns out.
Handmade from Home {session 02} coming soon.
EDITED WITH A GREAT IDEA BY HEATHER! If you complete any of the projects in this series, please send a photo to my email address. Thought it would be fun for everyone to see. Whether I set up a Flickr site or just show them here, let's share the wonder. Thanks for the idea, Heather!
Love this series. As I have been cleaning and sorting for my move into the studio, have have found a huge amount of stunk = stash + junk. I can't wait for the next session.
Posted by: teresa (maggiegracecreates) | 29 May 2008 at 09:43
Lovely idea Rebecca! Thanks so much for the inspiration...it reminds me of when you had this kind of idea series for the holidays... I think we all need reminding to use what we already have. It's so easy to always want to run out and buy, but so much more creative to hunt around the house to come up with something.
Have a great day! xo natalea
Posted by: Natalea | 29 May 2008 at 10:04
I love how this "junk" is pulled together and made to look so beautiful! What is your secret to closing your jump rings so perfectly?
Posted by: SaraG | 29 May 2008 at 10:11
ohh, i have so many rusty odds and ends that I haven't been able to toss or find a use for. wait till you see mine!
Posted by: emily | 29 May 2008 at 13:02
What a wonderful idea! Can't wait to get started on mine!
Posted by: elizabeth | 29 May 2008 at 14:01
The battery is now re-charged so I can multi task taking the dog for a walk and taking a picture of the MAIN PARTS I'm going to put together...i have my wedding crystal somewhere (I hope I still have it!), after 25 years it started to get chips in it and one of the pieces finally broke...it's now past the 28th year and I hope I didn't throw it out when we moved. Happy happies.
Posted by: joyce | 29 May 2008 at 14:41
Ok, I just threw an old lock away. That will teach me not to purge! Ha! My mom did something like this in the 70's. She used a piece of driftwood as the support and hung old spoons and forks from it. In another piece she used old electric pole insulators, the ones that were long and skinny and ceramic, and hung them from an old rusted gear cog. Thanks for the post. It fired up these fun memories of her.
Posted by: Therese Bradley | 29 May 2008 at 14:46
Yeah...i'm with ya...so sweet..busy packing for a big move...my daughter in Texas ordered (arrived) my copy of Postmark....cant wait to get my hands on it...thanks for all the beautiful tips...i will come back to this when the travels are over...have a gorgeous day :)
Posted by: Debra | 29 May 2008 at 15:04
I completely appreciate that you're sharing your ideas, and how to make them. They are fun, and easily do-able... besides it's jsut plain nice to share! I loved when you did this at Christmas as well.
thanks
Posted by: Dede Warren | 29 May 2008 at 17:31
Oh wow...I just love this windchime! I'm going to start collecting "junk" for it today:)
Posted by: Leah C | 29 May 2008 at 17:44
Wanted to let you know I received my book today and absolutely can't wait to look through it!!!
Love the wind chime....beautiful!!
Posted by: Janell | 29 May 2008 at 18:30
Fun idea. It would be neat to see everyone's finished products......
Posted by: Jen | 29 May 2008 at 19:11
rebecca - that is beautiful. thanks for the inspiration and idea.
Posted by: traci | 29 May 2008 at 19:38
I can't wait to make one! I'll be at our cabin next week, and I'm sure to find some perfect things in the shed there...very cool.
Posted by: Whitney Johnson | 30 May 2008 at 01:26
oh, i love that idea! Your windchime is so pretty! Who knew old rusted locks had that in them?! Can't wait to be on the lookout for what we might have around here. :D
Posted by: Corina Syanovitz | 30 May 2008 at 02:38
Your project reminds me so much of a windchime my grandfather made me years ago from old keys hung from a piece of wood. Unfortunately I seem to have lost grandpa's windchime over the years and house moves.. I may just have to make one of my own!
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa McCobb Hubbell | 30 May 2008 at 05:55
Love your new banner!
Posted by: Sharon | 30 May 2008 at 07:25
This looks like a wonderful series! I love projects that use power tools. :-)
Ann
Posted by: ann | 30 May 2008 at 09:15
Darn house cleaning has to take priority today...no,really, it does, I think there's a completely new animal to gather up in the hair on the floor! HOWEVER, I will be thinking about making this the whole time! It would be great to see everyone's, hope links to blogs get posted on your site, a la Michelle Ward's Street Team Challenges?
Posted by: Heather Bradley | 30 May 2008 at 09:20
This is a beautiful project Rebecca! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas!
~Amber
Posted by: Amber | 30 May 2008 at 14:02
Rebecca, this is sooo wonderful. Beautiful, simple, elegant. I love that you sued things just around your home. You are such an inspiration. xoxox Clarice
Posted by: clarice | 30 May 2008 at 20:24
What a beautiful chime and a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Suzanne | 30 May 2008 at 23:10
The MAIN PARTS are together and the old dog chain I used makes it sound like a bunch of swing sets blowing in the wind. I had a moments pause when i realized this is the primary sound that my refurbished windchimes would make -even now I can hear the laughter of childrens voices as I am writing this comment and that makes my heart wonder what hope sounds like. As I was putting back the original metal heart -I decided for sure that i wanted the pink plastic dove and that got me to remembering that i have a key-chain with the Ten Commandments written on it, so i went and got that. At this point I'll wait to put anything else on it until i get a chance to hear it and see it outside. Happy happies.
Posted by: joyce | 31 May 2008 at 05:07
I LOVE this...I'll have to give this a try!! Laurie
Posted by: Charmingdesigns | 31 May 2008 at 10:33
So stunning... so where in Australia can I buy your book :):)
Posted by: Lucy | 01 June 2008 at 06:11