by Deirdre Gould

Created on: July 07, 2009   Last Updated: July 08, 2009

For a durable and striking craft that can be done by children or adults, consider making a suncatcher. Durable and pretty, these can go with any decor and hold any flat memento. There are two versions of this suncatcher, depending on the age and responsibility of your crafters. The first version is for younger participants:

Materials needed:

Clear contact paper

Thread or ribbon for hanging

Sturdy, smooth flat frame such as plastic stencil template, rubber canning jar ring, or (my favorite) the metal honeycomb backing to old air conditioning filters cut roughly in a large circle (if you use this one, make sure to bend the cut edges over so they won't nick your crafters!)

Mementos for the suncatcher such as pressed flowers, glitter, tissue paper (anything flat and eyecatching)

To begin, string a thread or ribbon around your frame and set aside. Cut two squares of contact paper, leaving a margin of about one inch of excess contact paper around your frame. Place one piece of contact paper sticky side up on the table and remove the backing. Center your frame on the paper and firmly press down to stick. Arrange your mementos inside the frame, keeping in mind which end is up (with the air conditioner filter one small flower or item in each cell spreads out the visual interest nicely). Remove the backing from the second piece of contact paper and slowly, with the sticky side down, gently center over your frame. Starting at one corner, firmly press down, working out any air bubbles as you go. If you have any stubborn ones (as may happen around the hanging ribbon) an adult may make a tiny incision with an exacto knife to release the air. Trim the excess contact paper and hang in a sunny spot!

For older participants:

Materials needed:

Two squares of stained glass or two glass medical slides

Soldering iron and solder

copper foil ribbon

metal hook

mementos for the suncatcher (it is crucial these are flat, again I prefer pressed flowers, but any flat item will work)

To begin, clean your selected glass with rubbing alcohol. The glass need not match in texture or color (in fact it's more striking if the pieces don't match) but the do need to be the same size and shape. When your glass has dried, carefully wrap the edges of each piece with copper foil, being careful not to touch the edge with your fingers (the oil from your fingers will make the foil and solder loose). Lay the bottom piece of glass down and center your contents or paint a design on the glass face. Place the other glass on top and solder the edges all around the suncatcher, fixing them together. If your materials are flat this shouldn't pose a problem, but if you have an uneven surface, try using a small clamp to hold the pieces together while you solder. When the solder is hard and cooled, use a pair of tweezers to hold a metal hook on the top and add one daub of solder to affix it.

While stained glass will prevent your suncatcher's contents from fading, both versions of this ornament will last for years. I have a few of each kind that are over 20 years old and are still as eye-catching and unique as when they were made!

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