When I stumbled upon this idea on Pinterest, I was super excited. Cheap, easy summer crafts are exactly the kind of stuff I need to make these next couple months as painless and “I’m bored” free as possible.
All you need is some pony beads, a metal pan and an oven.
These are pony beads.
I’ve bought them at Michaels, Hobby Lobby and JoAnne's before. Any craft store will carry them, they’re really common.
Pick out your pattern or just pick a color scheme and go to town.
Once the bottom of your pan is mostly covered, you’re good to bake. It doesn’t have to be crammed in there either. Our beads still had wiggle room but melted down fine. The tighter the beads, the thicker your sun catcher will be.
This one however does not have enough beads in it yet.
Pop into a 400 degree oven for about 20 mins.
Ava’s was our trial and error one. We put it in the oven and it baked, and baked and baked. I thought that maybe it was the glass pan that was making it take foreeeeeeeeeeever to melt down.
I was right. It has to be in a metal pan. Glass no good.
20 minutes later in a metal pan they were done.
Since the instructions I found online didn’t really give a lot of help, here’s what I learned.
It must be a metal pan, the majority of the pan has to be covered with beads. You don’t have to grease it. Once you take it out of the oven just leave it to cool and it will literally pop itself out of the pan.
You can drill a hole in it and hang it up with string or use a suction cup to stick to the window.
I must say they were so easy and turned out really cute. In fact I bought more beads yesterday so we can make more!
I love this idea, your sun catchers are beautiful. I am looking for a craft that I can adapt for a Sunday school lesson on forgiveness. The Lord wants us to forgive not seven times but Seven times Seventy times. I want to have the children make something that will help them remember this. I am thinking your idea with using cupcake tins with the number 7 X 70 inside. Not sure what I would use for the numbers, something that would not melt. Also would need to put a hole in it for hanging later. Children would be able to hang this up in their window. It would be a constant reminder on forgiveness for them. I will have to try this. Thank you!
Posted by: Bobbie Schultz | October 17, 2012 at 01:02 AM
This would probably be cool with shaped pans. I have a heart shaped pan around here somewhere :) Or I wonder if it would work with metal cookie cutters holding a shape together... I will be trying this, thanks!
Posted by: Suzanne | October 11, 2012 at 12:21 AM
Hi-
I am not sure if you got my comment/questons or not, but I will try again. I LOVE your blog and your ideas! I am starting to make your chore chart and had a few questions. 1. What size frame and 3M hooks did you use? 2. What reward system do you use? Thanks so much!
-Shannon
Posted by: Shannon Doolin | July 28, 2012 at 12:27 PM
wow this is awesome and I am so going to do this THANK YOU
Posted by: Cayle | July 08, 2012 at 07:58 PM