Who else enjoys the thrill of thrifting???  It’s so fun, and totally addicting.  Creating thrift store projects is like a treasure hunt with the adrenaline rush of a Survivor Challenge.  There’s nothing more satisfying than buying someone’s junk and turning it into something totally amazing.

I made these DIY Wind Chimes from thrift store jewelry, and I can’t wait for you to see what I started with.

 

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Welcome to this month’s Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge.  I had a fun challenge this month, and I loved how it turned it.

The Rules:

• Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
• There’s no monthly theme.
• There’s no budget to stick to.

Meet the Hosts

Amanda | Domestically Creative – Pili | My Sweet Things
Angela | Simply Beautiful by Angela – Jeanie | Create and Babble
Molly | Just a Little Creativity – Colleen | Life on Kaydeross Creek
Marie and Pam | The Inspiration Vault – Michelle | Michelle James Designs
Shirley | Intelligent Domestications – Dru | Polka Dot Poplars
Pam | P.S. I Love You Crafts – Gail | Purple Hues and Me
Jennifer | Cookies Coffee and Crafts – Toni | Small Home Soul
Sue | A Purdy Little House – Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home
Victoria | Dazzle While Frazzled – Marie | DIY Adulation
Michelle | Our Crafty Mom – Debra | Shoppe No. 5
 Denise | My Thrifty House – Maureen | Red Cottage Chronicles
Florence | Vintage Southern Picks – Ann | Duct Tape and Denim
Yamilette | The Latina Next Door

Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!

 

 

Sometimes you stumble upon a project by accident, and this was on of those.   Knowing that my Mom is a cat lover,  one of her friends gave her a bag of cat jewelry.  There were earrings and pins, and this lovely gem of a necklace.

My Mom volunteers at a community thrift store, and was going to donate it, but I thought I could use it to make cool wind chimes.

I’m pretty sure that it was handcrafted, but the cat charms were too big and and noisy for a necklace.  Yes, I said noisy.  You know when you wear a bracelet with charms or a stack of bangle bracelets and they jingle?  Multiply that times ten, and that’s how this necklace sounded.

On the plus side, it is a pleasant jingly sound, and will work well for a DIY Wind Chime for my Garden.

 

 

Supplies Used for DIY Wind Chimes

• Cat Necklace
• Beads
• Adirondack Alcohol Ink
• Alcohol Ink Applicator
• Metal Jar Ring
• Wire Cutters
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Galvanized Wire
• Crop-A-Dile or Metal Punch

 

 

I started by cutting the necklace apart.  I wanted 3 pieces that were the same length.  To get them the same length, I have to rewire some of the beads to even up the pieces.

 

 

I could have left the cats and beads silver, but I thought a bright color would be pretty for an outside wind chime.

I used Adirondack Alcohol Ink to add a pop of color.  If you’re not familiar with using Alcohol Ink, here is a video to help you get started.

 

 

 

I colored all of the cat and heart charms, all of the beads, and the jar lid.  I left the wire and connectors silver.

 

 

I used a Crop-a-dile to punch 3 holes in side of the jar lid.  I threaded the wire through the hole and twisted the wire to secure it.  Then I added the beads to the wire.  I did this for all three sections of wire.

 

 

After all of the beads have been added, gather the three sections of wire at the tip, making sure the canning jar lid is level.  Twist the wires together.  Bend the wire to form a hook, and twist the wire back in the other direction to make the hook thicker and more sturdy.

 

 

You’re ready to hang your DIY Wind Chimes on your porch, patio, deck, or in your garden.  When my friends see this, they will never know that this was once an tacky necklace.

 

 

And now for more thrifty goodness!

Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!