Hillbilly Windchimes

When I started doing outdoor craft shows in earnest, I surrounded my booth with Hillbilly Windchimes. The tinkling noise they made in the breeze would draw people to my booth. My goal wasn't to sell the Hillbilly Windchimes -- though I sold many, many of them -- but rather to bring people into my booth so they might see and purchase folk art or funky furniture.

One day a couple stopped by. They seemed a bit conservative but were so nice. The woman really wanted a Hillbilly Windchime. Her husband not so much.

The man responded to her request like so many do when they really don't want something. "Oh, you're just paying for the idea," he told his wife. He smiled slightly at me. "That wouldn't be hard to make."

I really don't know why I wasn't offended but I wasn't. Instead, I burst out laughing.

I told his wife to take him home so he could make her a Hillbilly Windchime. Then I gave her instructions. He listened but never said a word.

"He needs to go and get a piece of old wood. New wood doesn't look the same. It can't be too old or it will break apart but it needs to be old enough to have character. Then he should carefully drill holes in the wood. Again, if the wood is too old it'll break apart. I use craft paint for the words. It takes two or three coats of paint because the paint sort of sinks into the old wood. Next comes the twine. Don't use just anything. The twine is hard to find nowadays but it really adds character. Then tie the cans to the string. Be sure to wash them out first or you'll attract some critters you'd rather not be around. Oh, and have extra cans. Sometimes the tabs break off when you're tying them up.

Then, I eyed the man and smiled. "When he's done with all that, I want you to bring him back to my booth so he can tell me again that I'm only selling an 'idea'."

The man forked over $2 and the woman happily carried her Hillbilly Windchimes away.