My heart is so heavy for everyone down south who have not fared well through this extended cold snap across the country. In Michigan we are used to extreme temperatures and snowfall, but I know many other places are unequipped to handle these weather patterns. While we will still get the snowy weather for quite some time here I am trying to make fun activities so we can all enjoy the cold temperatures. These ice sun catchers are not only fun (and easy) to make but they are gorgeous to look at.
For my sun catcher I used a pipe cleaner for the hanger. I wanted the extra support the wire gives it and I didn’t want any critters getting caught up in fishing line. You could easily use twine or yarn for the hanger.
For my natural “colors” I used grapefruit slices, leaves and some lavender buds sprinkled in. Some other ideas of what you can use are:
- Berries
- Citrus slices
- Coconut flakes
- Dried flowers or herbs
- Fresh flowers
- Leaves
- Pine branches
- Pine cones
- Twigs
Putting these natural sun catchers together is quite easy. Layer your items in a single layer on the bottom of your pan. For a crystal clear ice layer use boiling water. When you boil water Some of the air escapes so you don’t end up with all the tiny trapped air bubbles making it look opaque (see how I snuck some science in there?). I happened to like the frosty stained glass look room temperature water gives you, so you can absolutely use cold tap water. Stick your creation in the freezer (or if it’s cold enough – outside) and allow to set overnight. When you go to remove your creation from the pan, if it doesn’t pop out rest your pan in hot water for 10 seconds; your sun catchers should slide right out. Hang up outdoors and enjoy!
The Petite Homestead 