Hey guys! I’m just in love with this project! Click here for the video if you’d like to see how I made them, or follow along here!
Here’s what you’ll need:
(Almost everything is from Dollar Tree!)
Dollar Tree:
Two gray buckets
Chalkboard paint
Mod Podge
Ornaments (You might want two large ornaments instead of the ones I used)
Thick rope
Christmas picks (at least four)
Other:
Checked fabric or ribbon for bows
Paint: I used Folk Art Sterling Silver Metallic, Waverly White, Apple Barrel Country Gray, black paint.
RicRac: From Walmart in the Christmas section. Mine was $1.78
Let’s make it!
I started by cutting off the handles of the bucket.
I mixed in some Mod Podge to make my Waverly white paint adhere. You can also spray paint the inside and outside if you’d like. My bucket was gray, but I’m thinking a white one might have been better.
Set the first one aside to dry or use your heat tool. Paint your second bucket.
Using a mixture of black, gray, white and Mod Podge, just bounce your paint brush on the bucket. Too light? Add some gray, dark gray or black. Too dark? Add some white. Just play with it until you get the desired finish. We are going for a galvanized metal look.
Here’s where I’m just blending some colors to lighten up those black dabs you see above.
Set aside to dry or use a heat tool.
Looks like galvanized metal!
Now we need to add hangers.
Make a hole in the center of each bucket. I used my glue gun and it easily melted the plastic. It worked great!
I’m using some nautical rope from Dollar Tree. Use a long length so that you can make a loop at the top and the clapper (ornament) at the bottom.
Put a generous amount of hot glue on the inside and outside where the rope goes in.
Be generous with your rope. You can always cut the rope shorter if you need to!
Now that the rope is done, it’s time to make the clapper.
I used these regular sized ornaments, but you may want two large ones for this.
I painted them black, but just enough so the gold showed through. Red ones would look great also!
I added some ricrak from the Christmas section at Walmart.
Time for some greenery!
Make two holes on either side of your rope. This is so you can stick the stem of your Christmas pick in.
Once you have the picks in, just fluff them out like you want, add a bow, and ding ding ding! You have two great decorative bells!
TIP: Spray your finished bells with a clear sealer if using outdoors!
TIP: From one of our friends: add fairy lights!
TIP: If you want to light up your bells, use LED or the fairy lights because they don’t get hot.
After I seal these, I’ll add them to our Christmas decor outside!
I’d love to know in the comments how you might decorate with these bells!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
XOXO-Erin
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