Articles and Buying Guides

DIY Shabby Chic Owl Wind Chime

ShabbyChic.jpg?Revision=shW&Timestamp=s0GnVG

You'll Have a Hoot of a Time!

With just a few supplies, tools, and some time, you can turn your front porch from drab to fab with this shabby chic owl wind chime. So grab the girls and have a hoot of time getting crafty!

ShabbyChicOwlWindChime.jpg?Revision=vhW&Timestamp=L0GnVG

Project Supplies

  • (2) 4-Pack Measuring Spoon Sets (8 spoons total)
  • 3-Pack Mason Jar Tea Light Inserts
  • 1/2" Mushroom Plug
  • (4) Flapper Chains
  • 2" Pewter Leaf Knob
  • 1/2" Machine Screws/Nuts Pack
  • 19 Gauage Galvanized Wire
  • DAP RapidFuse Wood Glue
  • Twig (8" long)
  • Cheese Grater

Optional Items:

  • (2) 3" Pewter Leaf Pulls
  • Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer
  • Rust-Oleum Vintage Teal Spray Paint

Tools Required

  • Black Sharpie
  • Drill
  • Drill Bits
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Salt & Vinegar (optional)
    694x463GraterPaint.jpg?Revision=3hW&Timestamp=YZGnVG

1.  Start with the Cheese Grater

Take the top and bottom piece of plastic off your cheese grater. This is glued on but comes off pretty easily with a little wiggling. 

If you plan to paint your owl, as shown in the example, you must prime the cheese grate with a metal primer or universal bonding primer. This will ensure the paint adheres to the chrome surface. Apply two coats of Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer to get the best results. Follow the application dry time instructions on the can when painting. 

2. Paint the Owl

Next, spray paint the owl with Rust-Oleum Spray Paint. We used Vintage Teal, but any color will work. If you like a more rustic look, you can leave the metal bare and allow it to rust over time, or you can also create a rustic look by soaking the cheese grater in a mixture of salt and vinegar for 24-36 hours. We soaked the chrome measuring spoons and chain in this same mixture, but you don't have to do this. 

694x463EyesWings.jpg?Revision=6hW&Timestamp=QZGnVG

3. Create Eyes and Talons

While your paint is drying and your spoons are soaking, take two of the ½” wood mushroom plugs and color them with a black sharpie. Then glue them into the mason jar tea light holders to make your owl’s eyes. Glue them flush with one of the side walls rather than in the center to give the owl a sleepy eyed appearance. Next, wrap two small pieces of wire around the middle of your twig to mimic the owl’s talons. 

4. Add Wings

Once the grater is dry, install the door pulls for the wings. Place your door pull on the side of the grater and mark the hole. Then measure 3” below and mark your second hole. Do this to both sides of the cheese grater. 

Use a drill bit slightly larger than your screw, carefully drill a hole on all four of your marks. The screws that come with the door pulls are too long, you'll want to use machine screws instead. Put a nut onto the screw as a spacer, before feeding it through the hole. Now you'll need to reach your hand into the cheese grater to feed the screw through the hole and into the back of the pull. Tighten the pull to the cheese grater. Small hands will help in this process! 

(If you’re looking to cut costs and/or make this project easier you can skip this step. The owl still looks adorable without them.)

694x463GlueScrew.jpg?Revision=MhW&Timestamp=yZGnVG

5. Add the Beak and Eyes

Feed the screw for your “beak” through the middle hole of the grater. Add two machine nuts on your screw before you feed it through. Then place your leaf door knob on the screw and spin until it’s tight and the beak is in a vertical position. 

Glue your metal eyes onto the cheese greater. They will hang over the edges of the grater and should touch at the center.  Hold them in place firmly for about a minute until the glue dries.

6. Glue the Feet On

Glue the twig with your owl’s feet onto the body. Place glue onto the back of the metal wire you previously wrapped around the twig and position it just above the last row of holes. Allow this to dry.

694x463Chainspoons.jpg?Revision=NhW&Timestamp=hZGnVG

7. Attach the Chain and Spoons

Once the glue on your feet and eyes has set, you are ready to hang your spoons. If you chose to age your spoons and chain, take them out of the vinegar/salt mixture and dry them off with a towel. Split the flapper chain in half to create eight total chains. To split the chain, use the needle nose pliers to open the center link of the chain. 

Attach one end of each chain to the top hole of the measuring spoons by using needle nose pliers to open and close the link. Hang your spoons from the existing holes in the cheese grater using the flapper hooks, s-hooks, wire, or twine. 

8. Create the Handle

Cut an 8” piece of the wire and feed one end through the hole, at the top, created by removing the existing handle and wrap it a few times to secure it. Do the same with the other end of the wire, then pinch your wire until you have a general “w” shape. 

owl-wind-chime463.jpg?Revision=PhW&Timestamp=2QGnVG

Hang Up Your Creation

The beauty of this piece is that you can get creative. You don’t have to use the exact items listed to create your owl. Look around your local Do it Best store and you’ll be surprised at the things you see that can be used as eyes, beaks, branches, and wings.