Melted Bead Suncatchers

I found this idea while browsing blogs and wanted to give it a try.  I followed One Crafty Mama's  directions, but added my own spin.  I do have to say, you should definitely find a place outside or away from your pets/ kids/ hubby to do this project.  The fumes are outrageous and no bueno for your precious pink lungs.

On to the pics!  First, we decided to use muffin tins for our molds since we wanted our suncatchers to be relatively small and round.  There was no rhyme or reason to our designs, so we just threw beads in some and others we picked coordinating colors. 

We also put some clear beads in a Pyrex bowl so we could use that for the top.

We melted ours at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.  The clear ones took much longer, about 45 minutes for those.  After they cooled (when they are cooling you can hear them releasing from the sides of the pan. So neat!) we just turned the pan over onto some paper towels and they fell right out.  A couple were stuck, but after hitting them on the bottom firmly they popped out. 

Next, we had daddy use the drill press to make some holes in them.  I'm sure you could just do this with a regular drill but make sure to to use a very small drill bit  (1/8 inch or smaller) and to be very, so very, careful.  We threaded fishing line through the holes and added a swivel to the top so the wind wouldn't tangle it.  Here it is all finished hanging on our screened porch.

I am SO happy with it.  I love that it's something my kids made and that we all had a part of.  When I first started this, I thought I would make it all matchy matchy to go with our house (and truthfully so it wouldn't be tacky), but I am thrilled that we did it like this instead.  It makes me smile every time I see it. 

Leave me a comment if you decide to do this too.  I would love to see what you come up with!