Make Vintage Bells from Soda Cans

I just love the look of vintage bells hanging on a wreath at Christmas time. 


I've attempted several times to make some that look half way realistic myself but failed. 


I think today I've finally perfected the art of making vintage bells and I'm using soda cans! 


I think they look amazing! Take a look...




wreath with vintage bells


I began with aluminum soda cans, I've tried using aluminum cans from the kitchen but that was a major fail 😩. 


aluminum cans



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Soda cans (or seltzer cans) as they are at my house, work great and are so easy to cut. 


The first one, the largest of my 3 bells, was cut with a tin snip and I cut off just around the mouth of the can. This handy tin snip is great for cutting all kinds of things


cutting top of soda can



The second can I cut, using regular scissors, 3/4 down the height of the can. 


The third can I cut in half then I sanded the bottom edges of all the cans with sand paper to smooth the edges. 


top off of soda can


I banged out the bottom of my cans using a rounded handle awl tool and a hammer. I stuck the all inside the can and used the hammer to bang the tip of the all which rounded out the bottom of the can. 


top of can with 2 holes



Next, I used the same awl to punch 2 holes in the top of the cans. 


I found a few old paint brushes and cut the brush end off to create a dinger for the inside of the bells. The dinger needs to be about 1/4" longer than the can. 


rebar wire and paint brush stub



The paintbrushes I used had holes in them but if your's don't then just drill a hole in the handle. 


I strung rebar wire through the hole in my paintbrush stub and then up through the two holes in the can. 


can with loop of rebar



At the top I wrapped both ends of the rebar wire around a thick round stick to create a loop. 


looped rebar on top of can



Now it was time to give my bells a good spray of metallic paint on the inside and outside of each bell. 


spray painted bell and can


hanging soda can bells



When the paint dried I was disappointed with the metallic color of my bells, it was not shiny like the cover at all. 


painted can



I used a gold leaf kit to cover portions of each can by painting on the adhesive, letting it dry,  and laying the gold leaf in spots on the can. 


gold leaf kit and can



I used a dry paintbrush to tap down the gold leaf. 


Next, I wanted to antique the bells so I used dark wax to dab onto the gold leaf in random places. 


dark wax on gold leafed can



I also used shots of matte black spray paint on the bells in just a few places to further antique the bells. 


3 hanging bells


3 hanging DIY bells


Lastly, I hung the bells through thick jute twine. 


vintage bell with thick jute



I'm hanging my bells in a group of 3 in different sizes on a wreath for Christmas. 


Christmas wreath with soda can bells



READ MORE: WREATH PROJECTS


bells on peg board



You can use them on a shelf for decoration or hang them on the tree! 


Please pin --->> 


bells, wreath and wooden star with overlay



Last year I made another set of recycled bells on a garland that I think came out adorable using coffee pods. 


bells on green wreath


Click here to hear them ring 🔔↓🔔↓ 😂




READ MORE: DIY BELLS


vintage bells on peg board



These bells have a great antiqued look and couldn't be cuter to decorate with for Christmas! 


wooden star wreath with bells


READ MORE: CHRISTMAS


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Pinecone wreath with vintage bells




Homeroad
Homeroad

I am Susan, the author and creator at Homeroad. I am a wife, mother of 4 daughters, and a grandmother of 5 and counting. I am a retired teacher, a DIY blogger and an artist at heart. .