Craft projects are all about using or reusing and recycling items around the house in unique and creative ways. Sometimes all it takes is to flip something upside down and all’a’sudden it’s something completely different!
The bells for today’s craft are like that. The thing I like about terracotta chimes or bells is that their tone is so uniquely theirs—they aren’t shrill like metal wind chimes can sometimes be and little Zuzu Bailey will still be able to say her iconic line when you hear these bells ring!
Terracotta pots come in lots and lots of sizes from the very small to gigantic and you can get them from craft shops to home improvement stores. The nice thing about this project, too, is you don’t have to have an ounce of painting abilities (though I know everyone does!). The technique for this project is to glue ribbon around the bell or decoupage by cutting an image out of a piece of material—like a snowman, candy cane, snowflakes, or other wintery things—and glue it down to the side of the bell.
Terracotta Bells:
Materials and Supplies:
~ Terracotta Pots
~ Wood beads (about an inch)
~ Ribbon (try to get thick ribbon or maybe even cording)
~ Hot glue
~ Scissors
~ Paint brush or foam brush
~ Mod Podge or Elmer’s glue
~ Image from material
Directions:
1. It’s always a good idea to wipe down the pots to get rid of any dust or dirt left on the pot during the firing process.
2. If you wish, you can paint the pots a base color like green or red and even a metallic color like silver or gold.
3. There are two decorating techniques. I went with the simpler ribbon embellishment but you can add a picture or decal or material.
Ribbon:
Use a hot glue gun and glue the ribbon around the rim of the pot making sure you're gluing it right side up while the pot's mouth is down. At the end of the ribbon, fold the end under so that the edge is clean looking.
Decoupage:
Cut out the design or decal you are going to glue to the side of the bell. Make sure it’s smaller than the bell so that you can see everything and there won’t be any creases or wrinkles when you glue it on.
Mod Podge the back of the material. If you’re using Elmer’s glue, cut it with a bit of water so that it’s soupier but not watery. It’s about a 1 to 3 ratio with 1 part water to 3 parts glue. Place the material onto the bell and decoupage over it. I cover the whole bell so that it looks uniform when dry.
Let dry about four hours.
4. Thread the ribbon through the hole in the pot. I do a loop so it can hang the bell from things. You’ll need to glue a stop on the inside of the bell through the ribbon so that the knot stays in place.
5. Knot the ribbon on both sides of the stick so that the ribbon doesn't go anywhere and the pot is secure.
6. Place the inch wooden bead onto the ribbon end and tie in place making sure that it will rest inside the bell when done—otherwise it won’t clang! If you're brain-frazzled like me and get a doll head bead instead of a bead with a hole all the way through it, just knot the end of the ribbon and fill the hole in the bead with glue and
Extra idea?
Christmas bells are special. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a moving poem that was turned into a Christmas carol. The poem is below so maybe you could print it off on nice paper and include it with your gift.
Christmas Bells
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
