While riding our bikes around the neighborhood, one afternoon, Billy and I found something.  Someone apparently had quite a bamboo garden and decided they wanted a new look.  A heaping pile of bamboo sticks.

*freebie* Mama can use that!

With visions of bamboo creations in my head, I planned to grab the car, as soon as we got home.  I started a list even: fence around the garden, a wind chime, perhaps tomato cages.  I was ready to get work.  Today, I want to share my wind chime with you.

Materials:

• bamboo
• hand saw
• drill
• twine
• fishing line
• paint & brush
• spray fix
• key ring

I planned out my design, before making any moves, to avoid mistakes.  I used the hand saw to cut all my bamboo pieces to size.  I found that when sawing bamboo, it works best to only saw in one direction.  Before I started putting anything together, I painted my bamboo pieces with acrylic paint.  After they were dry, I used spray fix {like clear spray paint} to lock and seal my pretty little design.

I used smaller pieces of bamboo, twine and a key ring to build the top part of my chimes.  Then I used drill with a tiny bit to make holes in the top pieces, as well as the hanging pieces.  I strung fishing line through the holes and tied to secure the chimes to the top.  I found that you could pull and turn the tied fishing line so that the knot was actually inside the bamboo and, therefore, unseen.

Now these pretty little things hang happily on my patio, where they sing soft songs to my herbs.  I’m not sure, really, though.  These little girls make it hard to hear anything other than their giggles and squeals.  Plus, their sounds really isn’t loud, so you don’t worry about it bothering any neighbors {I’ve really heard of people who can’t stand wind chimes}.

I have another one cut and ready to paint, but was home some little hands would help.  I’m also putting the finishing touches on the fence around our vegetable garden.  I’ll be sure to share photos soon, though.

Do you have anything handmade in your garden?  Or maybe plans for something?? Tell me about it!