Bead Sun Catchers

 

These little sun catchers are so cute and so easy to make!

When Jean from The Artful Parent posted this project, I HAD to try it!!!

All you really need to make these are plastic Pony Beads!

We used a muffin tin and added the beads to make the designs we wanted. 

You can make these in other shapes, just use different pans. 

No residue will be left on the pan after cooling!

  

Here is what our beads looked like when we were ready for the next step..... MELTING!

Now, I have heard of the smell that melted plastic can make in your home so I didn't want to mess with it. All we did was put the pan on our grill outside for ten minutes. Watch over them, you will see when they are melted! If you don't have a grill you can do these in your oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. I would just suggest that you open windows and don't stay in the kitchen while they are cooking. There is also a suggestion to spray Fabreze afterwards, to get rid of the smell.

Here are our designs after the melting process. It literally takes a few minutes, they will start making a cracking sound in your pan as they cool and then they will be ready to remove!
They just pop right out of the pan!

They are SO PRETTY!

   

We used a small drill and put holes in each of them.... it's so easy your child could do it!

My son LOVED this part!

Here is where I added a step to the whole process....

As you can see, the side that was to the pan isn't shiny. It's kind of dull.

I wanted both sides of our sun catchers to be vibrant.

Therefore, we first hot glued beads on... the small beads, in the picture on the right, are glow in the dark which is a fun touch!

   

After adding the beads we put a little Mod Podge, Dimensional Magic, all over the surface. Just be sure not to cover up your drilled holes! The Dimensional Magic is what brings the dull side to life! It will give it the same glossy look that the front has!

   

 After the Dimensional Magic dried, we strung the sun catchers together with fishing wire. You can add beads between them if you want for added flare! The two pictures below show both sides of the sun catcher glossy and shining in the sun light!

I hope these will add a little color & beauty to a spot in your home!

Check out these links for more fun melted bead craft ideas!

Jean did some freeform experiments & even a stain glass window!

Also, you could make these for christmas ornaments to give as gifts to family or just to put up on your own tree!

*These are also a fun project to add to the the Kindergarten Curriculum of My Father's World, Unit 1 The Sun!