I make driftwood wind chimes to sell at Sunrose Gallery here in Seaside, Oregon. My hubby and I gather wood at the beach and fill up supply tubs in the garage. It is fun to go through the “stash” and find pieces that are just right!
I got this ceramic wind chime with pretty white seagulls at a thrift store for $1.00! There are enough seagulls to make two wind chimes. YAY!
I like driftwood that has a weathered gray patina.
Some folks simply drill holes at the top and bottom to assemble a wind chime. I personally like to wire wrap the pieces because the swirls add a lot of personality to the final wind chime.
To attach the side wires, I make a swirl and bend the wire BACKWARDS to create tension so the wire stays in place. NOTE: I use wire cutters to grab the wire and twist it to be taut.
I make the tension held swirls on each side of the middle piece of driftwood. Then the wire is bent to get the hanging pieces close enough to “clang”.
I used jump rings to attach sturdy chain sections to each ceramic seagull piece.
The chain sections easily “swirl” on to the bottom of the middle piece.
The finishing touch is a pretty white shell to add to the hanging pieces to create a “clanger”.
I have all the supplies to make a matching wind chime perfect for a tourist to take home to remember a happy vacation at our little beach here on the Oregon Coast!