Crafting at Home + Creative Recycling: WIND CHIMES

The first step is to gather an assortment of clean tin food cans that nest comfortably inside one another (the small one shown on the right will hang from the bottom - more on this later). They should fit loosely enough that they can just be dropped inside the next bigger size without force.

Finding a set this large can be challenging, depending on what sort of canned goods you typically purchase. This particular grouping came from a large can of tomatoes; cans of pineapple, olives, and gravy; a small can of tomato paste; and a small, squat can of green chiles.

Once the cans are washed and dried, peel off all the paper labels. To get a smoother finish, remove all the glue (did not bother with this step here beyond picking at the largest bits, as this was just planned to be a colorful addition to an outdoor play area). Depending on how difficult the glue spots are, you may need to use soap, cleaner, or a baking soda mixture. Be sure to wash with soap and let dry again if any cleaners are used.

(If you're feeling extra crafty, you can use those paper label scraps for another project!)

Next, use a ruler to find the center of the bottom of your first can. Use a permanent marker to make a dot where the hole will be punched.

Repeat the center-marking process for all cans.

Use a hammer and nail to gently tap a hole through the bottom of the first can. Make sure to do this on a solid surface that won't be damaged by the striking!

Continue to make a hole in the bottom of each can in the set.

The small, short can noted at the beginning will hang from the bottom of the chimes as a sort of handle to ring them by hand. Alternatively, a large bead or small hoop could be used to hang at the bottom. It simply depends on what you have available!

If you are using a small can, use a can opener to remove the bottom to make a short tube.

If you want a cleaner finish, now is the time to put on a primer layer. If you skip this step, you may be able to see printed dates or imperfections in the can as noticeable in subsequent photos. Depending on your plan for the completed chimes, primer may be important or not. For the colorful layer of paint, try to use an all-weather product such as this outdoor acrylic.

Paint the outside of the first can in your chosen color and leave to dry. Waxed paper or something similar should be used to set the can down on so the wet paint around the edges doesn't stick to the drying surface.

Continue to paint the rest of the cans in your chosen colors (including the "handle" can if you are using one). Note that only the largest can needs to have a painted bottom (now actually the top, since they get flipped over), as the others will not be seen tucked up inside the bigger cans.

Once dry, use the nail to poke through accumulated paint on the largest can's center hole.

Now, arrange all the cans in their correct size order, placing each one slightly inside the next larger can. Lay them out in your preferred spacing; here, they are shown nearly as far apart as they can be while still remaining tucked into each other. If you prefer, they could alternatively be placed closer together to form a shorter finished wind chime.

Next, measure out your cord or line custom to the length of your cans as laid out. In this case, extra length is needed to tie on the beads. Be sure to leave enough to tie all the inside knots and to have a length for hanging the chimes from the top. Here, four times the length of the nested cans was used to account for the knots, tying on the beads, a long top string, and a little extra to trim at the end.

As mentioned, if you are using fishing line or something that thin, you will need plastic beads to tie on so the knotted line doesn't just go through the cans' nail holes. Any old bead can be used, as it will not be seen inside the cans. Perler beads such as these would be a good minimum size to aim for.

To connect all the cans, start by tying one end of the line or cord to the "handle" piece (tubed can/large bead/hoop/etc.) and place it back in the line-up for correct spacing. Hold the fishing line or cord up to the top of the next can and tie a knot to mark where the top of the can is. If you are using twine or similar, simply make a double or triple knot at this point.

If you are using fishing line or similar, tie on a bead where you marked the line with a single knot. A double or square knot should hold the bead in place.

The bead (if using fishing line) or the double/triple knot (if using twine or cord) will hold the can in place on the line once vertical without slipping through the nail hole.

Continue to add each larger can onto the line the same way, checking the spacing for each and tying on as done above. It's done! Simply find a place to hang your tin can wind chimes and trim off any excess hanging material.

Once completed, the cans should nest back into one another for easier transport or storage!