seashore windchimes

February 26, 2011

tags: beach, beads, button, DIY, driftwood, seashells, windchime

by Diane

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we probably have several hundred seashells in the house. Most are seashell fragments and most are shells that Cristy has collected through the years. Bottom line is, there is a generous supply.

To invite positive energy into our home, I made a windchime today to hang near the back door and used driftwood and seashells. And of course some buttons and sparkly beads.

I’m hoping that the soft clinking sound will attract hummingbirds too. Because, yes, it’s migration time again.

Adding soft natural music to the landscape.

Well.

I loved it so much, I made another.

As I was sifting through a large bowl of shells, I saw that charming piece of driftwood. I selected smaller shell pieces and brightly colored beads to accessorize.

There are two companions to this project if you’re interested, one with seaglass and the other with driftwood.

Thank you for reading !

Linking to

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Ron permalink

February 26, 2011 2:59 am

I only wish I knew you back when I lived in Florida and collected sea shells, yet had no idea what to do with them other than placing them in a basket.

I LOVE this windchime, Diane! And the buttons add so much charm!

Hey, I didn’t know that about hummingbirds!?! How cool!

Happy weekend, my friend!

X to you and Cristybella!

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Chrissy permalink

February 26, 2011 3:01 pm

How very pretty, I LOVE seashells 🙂

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Modern Country Style permalink

March 3, 2011 9:22 pm

What a brilliant, brilliant idea! Was it easy to thread the shells on? It looks fantastic.

Sarahx

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peaches permalink

March 8, 2011 8:08 pm

omgoodness, what a lovely wind chime! Beautiful to look at and I imagine it makes a beautiful sounds as well. Love it!

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Kelli permalink

July 22, 2011 1:15 pm

Lovely! My grandmother loves windchimes, and bet she would love for my boys to make her one like this!

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Skye Raphael permalink

November 10, 2011 9:28 pm

Beautiful wind-chimes. I love DIY and I love seashells and I love wind-chimes too! I’d love to make one, but I’m just wondering, how do you make holes in the shells? Except for those that’s already broken, most of the seashells I have are fully intact.

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- Jenny Bogart permalink
  
  April 25, 2013 1:20 am
  
  I used my husbands drill with the smallest drill bit to put the holes in the ones i do just have to be easy so they don’t brake and the bits don’t brake as well.
  
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Ashleigh permalink

March 9, 2012 5:20 pm

This is a fabulous idea, and its perfect because i live right next to the ocean!! thanks for the idea! 🙂

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telitasenretazos permalink

April 17, 2012 5:46 pm

Very Nice!!! I Allways had wished to know HOW I can do the little tiny holes on sea glasses and shells , please tell me how you do it!! 😛

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Inspire Me Heather permalink

July 5, 2012 8:21 am

Hello Diane – your wind chime is so pretty, I love it! I’ve got this linked to my nautical post as well today, nice job!

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Dale Lillian Mills permalink

June 26, 2013 8:34 pm

I use a glass drill bit on the shells which makes for short work on them and sea glass.I have used anything I can find..though ,glass globes( for the lights on ceiling fans ) take a long time to drill through because you do not want to force glass( they look great) , especially thick glass, as well as thin..My friend and I made 2 and they are hanging on our porches .These are lovely and I have some driftwood.Thanks for the idea.we live on the Texas Gulf side near Louisiana so shells and driftwood are plentiful
.

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Jean Kuehl permalink

July 13, 2015 3:56 pm

I’m not particularly handy, but I do have lots of seashells collected over a lifetime – but I have no idea how to drill (?) a hole in them in order to string them to whatever. Help?

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- Diane permalink*
  
  July 13, 2015 4:12 pm
  
  Hi Jean,
  As you see in the photos, I used mostly seashell shards. I didn’t drill any holes. But I can’t imagine it would be very difficult. Just use a drill with a small drillbit.
  🙂 Diane
  
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Joanne S permalink

May 5, 2016 9:24 am

Just stumbled upon this post. Oh my goodness! Your large chime looks just like the one my daughter made me for Mother’s Day when she was in high school. I still have it all these years later. Isn’t it soothing? 🙂

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Nicol permalink

July 2, 2016 8:13 pm

Very nice! Do I have to use a specific yarn…or any kind is ok?

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Ashley permalink

July 8, 2016 8:35 pm

I LOVE these. Found them by searching images because I wanted to make my own but I’m having a hard time figuring out the best string. You never mentioned what you used, could you share please? Thanks so much!!

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