In honor of World Upcycling Day on June 24th, the theme for our Int'l Bloggers Club challenge this month is I Can Upcycle. Taking that literally, I rummaged through our recycle bags, junk bins, thrift store stash, and my jewelry box to make these colorful upcycled tin can wind chimes for our backyard.

Recycled Tin Can Wind Chimes

Our two-year-old granddaughter is fascinated by the wind chimes in our yard. Every time she hears them she'll start dancing. So these ones are for her and I have them hanging on a hook above the sand table she loves so much.

The wind chimes cost nothing to make using the supplies pictured further down. Even the spray paint I had on hand. But if you don't have these supplies readily available, a trip to the thrift store should have you covered for very little money.

If you haven't heard of our Int'l Bloggers Club, we are a group of blogging friends from around the globe who come together on the third Monday of every month to share a themed DIY project. Links to my uber-talented friend's upcycled can ideas are included further down in the post.

We have members from Spain, South Africa, Australia, the USA, and Canada. The theme for our last challenge was Painted Furniflips where I transformed a black and white home office bookcase into a Mid-Century Modern Nursery Bookcase for my due to arrive in August grandchild's nursery.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to make the recycled can wind chimes, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

What You'll Need To Make It

Supply List

• 3 Different Size Tin Cans
• Vintage Folding Steamer Basket
• Beaded Chain Necklace
• Chain With Hook
• 1-Inch Jump Ring
• 1/2-inch Jump Rings x 3
• Berry Pink Spray Paint
• Apple Red Spray Paint
• Sun Yellow Spray Paint
• Real Orange Spray Paint
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• 28-Gauge Wire
• 3 Small Washers (or soda can tabs)
• 3 Large Washers (optional)

Here's How I Did It

I see the vintage folding steamer baskets that I used to hang the cans from at our local thrift stores often and only paid $4 for mine. But even a regular metal strainer would work. Use whatever you have on hand that would work to attach cording for the chimes.

I've used a sugar bowl to make whimsical flatware wind chimes and a teapot to make teapot wind chimes. Let your imagination go wild! If you're making them for kids, use a toy of some kind as the hanger.

An Upcycled Collapsible Steamer Basket

What's convenient about using a folding steamer basket is that it has a handle on the top and three hooks on the bottom to hang the chimes from. But first, I had to figure out how to open a collapsible steamer. 😂

How To Open A Folding Steamer Basket

It took fifteen minutes of head-scratching to figure out how to open the collapsible steamer basket. But once I did, I chuckled at how easy it is. All you do is stick your finger through the opening and pull.

Once you have it opened, take your tin cans and the strainer outside to spray paint them. I used Berry Pink on the strainer, and Apple Red, Real Orange, and Sun Yellow on the cans.

I chose these colors because they echo the color of the square beads on the necklace chain. I didn't paint the inside of the cans because my concern was it may deafen the sound.

Hanging The Painted Steamer Basket

I did the happy dance when I found the chain hook in my junk stash. Alternatively, a large jump ring and cording would work too for the wind chime hanger.

I slipped a 1-inch jump ring through the last loop on the chain and then the handle on the painted metal steamer. Easy peasy!

Holy Food Can!

Make a hole in the top of each painted can with either a power drill and small drill bit or with an awl or large nail and hammer.

Recycled Chain Necklace Hangers

You want to hang the cans at varying heights so they all hit each other when the wind blows. My logic for cutting the necklace chain was to have three beads hanging above the smallest can. Two beads hanging from the top of the medium size can. And only one bead hanging from the top of the largest can.

The measurements for cutting the chain are 5-inches long for the red can, 6-inches long for the yellow can, and 7-inches long for the orange can.

Slip a 1/2-inch jump ring through the top loop of each chain and then the three hooks on the bottom of the folding steamer basket.

1. Wrap a piece of flexible 28-gauge wire around a small (3/16" or 1/2") washer. Alternatively, you could recycle a soda can tab in keeping with the can theme (wish I had thought of that when making these).
2. From the underside of the can slip the opposite end of the wire through the top of the can.
3. Slip the wire through a bottom loop of the chain.
4. Pull the chain through the hole on the can.
5. Twist the wire closed and this will hold the chain onto the top of the can.
6. Repeat for the remaining tin cans.

To Ring Or Not To Ring?

This step is completely optional and in hindsight, a totally unnecessary step. It's the sound of the tin cans clanging together that make the sound of the wind chimes.

Adding a clapper inside the cans to turn them into bells will probably never be heard unless there's one heck of a wind storm. And when that happens, you'll be running for cover inside and won't hear them anyway.

Optional Step

I've included the instructions because, well, I already had the photo.

1. Fold a long piece of 28-inch gauge wire in half and slip a large washer in the middle.
2. Tie the ends of the wire onto the bottom of the small washer inside the cans.
3. Alternatively, you could use a strand of twine or cording of some kind.
4. Adjust the height of the washer clappers so they hang slightly higher than the bottom of each can.

If you want to add a little more whimsy to the wind chimes, use painter's tape to paint colorful stripes on the cans.

Both of our grandkids noticed the wind chimes when they entered our yard right away. Our granddaughter kept running her hands through the cans to make them chime. She couldn't understand why without wind they were not chiming. Grandma's been enjoying the sound of the chimes too on those breezy days working in the garden.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today. I hope you were inspired by the homemade tin can wind chimes. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this idea for recycled DIY wind chimes, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your DIY Wind Chimes or DIY Outdoor Decor on Pinterest.

Now let's see my talented friend's upcycled can ideas by clicking the links below.

Upcycled Tin Can Pull Toy Llama | A Crafty Mix
Aluminum Can Wall Hanging | Unique Creations By Anita
DIY Can Craft | Birdz Of A Feather
DIY Moss Candle Holders Or Vases Made From Tin Cans | What Meegan Makes
Upcycled Tin Can Wind Chimes | Interior Frugalista (that's me)

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.