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Shabby Chic Windchimes

Sink Strainer Windchimes

susyn, member

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Susyn Stecchi

Susyn Stecchi

Photo: Susyn Stecchi

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I am a windchime addict, and junky windchimes are the best sounding, I truly believe.  I made these windchimes using sink strainers, the metal kind that are formed by a wire screened mesh that you place over the sink drain to keep hair and garbage from going into the septic system. If you look at them flipped over, they look like little Easter bonnets or ladies garden hats.  I spray painted one in beige for a straw hat, and one in red for those frisky Red Hat Ladies out there, added a little strip of leftover ribbon and a tiny piece of flower from other projects.  I took lengths of copper pipe that was reclaimed from a replumbing job, the thinner diameter size, used one of those little pipe cutters to cut them into 6-inch lengths, then drilled a hole through one end of each pipe with my drill press. I had scrap pieces of stained glass that I picked up at a stained glass shop for free and, using a water bath, drilled a hole at the end of each of the glass pieces with my drill press, too.  For the straw hat, I used a child's old toy garden spade as the clapper, and freshened it up with a bit of paint.  I used copper wire scrap (from the electrician's wire scraps leftover from some electrical work; it takes some effort to peel away the thick insulation, but the copper inside is bright and thick and great for crafts) to attach the pipe and glass scraps and clappers to the sink strainers, and made a hanging hook out of the top of each "hat" with another length of reclaimed copper wire.  I just love them!

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Comments (4)

susyn writes: In response to shabbychic5's question about whether or not I sell items on eBay or a website, the answer is no, but I used to sell these sort of creations at some shops in Warm Springs, Georgia when I lived there while waiting for the insurance to pay for the hurricane damage to the one and only house I ever owned in Florida.

And thanks to everyone for their encouraging comments! Posted: 10:04 pm on May 20th

georgiamoon writes: Gosh those DO look like hats...they don't look like that in MY house! Great way to utilize lots of scrap materials and make them fun and beautiful. Georgia Posted: 5:50 pm on May 20th

shabbychic5 writes: How cute and clever!! You have a great talent!! :) Do you sell items on ebay or a website? Posted: 3:22 pm on May 20th

monakent writes: How fun!!!! gailmarie Posted: 7:32 pm on May 19th

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