Craft Alert: Suncatcher in a Kit

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The craft alarm sounded like a soft tinkling of wind chimes when I passed by the value craft section at the store. For under $5, I could buy a clear plastic tropical bird-shaped suncatcher that included three plastic pots of paint and a brush. That sounded like the perfect project for me: just color the bird like the picture at the top of the package. What could go wrong?

However, when I went to do the craft, much more alarming bells must have gone off in Nate’s head. He zoomed over to the kitchen with questions—lots of questions, some of which I could actually answer, like why? Why did I buy this project? I thought the answer was inherent in the name suncatcher, but a more detailed explanation follows below:

Problem: Summer is nearly over, which means less sunlight.

Solution: Catch all the light from the sun with a $4.99 five-minute-craft suncatcher. Or: get a cat. Cats find and catch all the sunlight in the house, and when you pet them, they’re all warm and toasty, but sometimes, they also throw up and other stuff.

I didn’t always have answers for Nate’s questions, such as this one: How will I hang it when it’s finished? Apparently, you have to buy a suction cup so that it will stick to the window. I hadn’t planned on that. I supposed I’ll just prop it up in a windowsill until that happens.

In any case, Nate was quite handy. For instance, my first instinct was to get a glass of water, so I could clean off the brush in between applying different colors, but he stopped me, explaining that the paint might be acrylic. So, I pried open one of the plastic pots and discovered that the paint was a kind of gel-like material, which was FASCINATING to me for some reason. I really loved the texture, and it basically just poured out onto the clear plastic, dripping from the brush, and it was very soothing, except for Nate’s constant pacing back and forth.

When I was finished with one section, he closed the top of the plastic pot I was using, which makes sense because you don’t want the paint to dry out, but he also explained that tight lids prevent spills: spills he knew he’d probably have to scrub out of the kitchen countertop. And, to be fair, I did almost touch the countertop with drops of paint on my fingers. How this happens to me, I have no idea. That’s most likely why I sound a craft alarm.

In just under five minutes, though, I completed my craft, and Nate said, “Yay! You did it!” with much relief, since the kitchen didn’t sustain any damage that we know of. The tropical bird looks ready to catch the remaining sunlight of the summer—or gather neighborhood cats under the windowsill to roll around, soak in the sun, and other stuff.

Your Turn: How do you savor the last rays of summer?

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Published by ckennedy

Author of the DIY blog: Fixin' Leaks and Leeks. Paper/Rock Writing Consultation, Sole Proprietor.

25 thoughts on “Craft Alert: Suncatcher in a Kit”

  8. This is adorable. Was Nate really that nervous? Paint on your fingers. Ha. That would be me for sure. The lines about cats gathering the sun but also “other stuff.” Ah, delightful. And absolutely yes to loving that sunshine. (Of course, where I live, it doesn’t go far. Well except for now with this whole Hilary thing, but the yard welcomes the rain.)

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    1. Thank you! I put down a very thin paper towel, so yeah, he was a bit nervous that I’d stain the countertops–I mean, I do have a way of letting paint get away from me 🙂 I hope it doesn’t rain too hard where you live. Cheers!

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  9. My friend and I went for lunch at what looked like a beach shack, with frozen watermelon margarita as. Went to the zoo, and planning a trip to aquarium/boardwalk area.

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  10. Love that color of blue! Here it’s so hot that I have to keep moving my plants out of the sun and have double curtains hanging at my windows to keep out the rays:( But as a way of trying to enjoy the sun, I go for an early walk before the temp climbs to 90+

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