Upcycle Mason Jar Lids Into Beautiful Window Decorations With A Creative DIY

Whether you like canning your own food or buying preserves, it is easy to amass a large collection of Mason jars and their lids. There are many ways to reuse old glass jars around the house, but you are still left with an abundance of lids. If you are looking for ways to upcycle your Mason jar lids, then a DIY suncatcher craft may be the perfect DIY for you. The process involves creativity, coloring, and more, and the result leaves you with beautiful window decor. Plus, it is kid-friendly, making it a great project to do with the whole family if you wish.

While suncatchers are typically made of crystal or glass, which are great at refracting light, other materials can also catch the light and bounce it around the room. Even translucent paper is an effective way to get the beautiful effect of a suncatcher. If you do not have translucent paper on hand or you just want more creative freedom, then luckily, there is a way to make regular coloring pages more see-through. This DIY suncatcher project transforms a simple coloring page into a suncatcher with a Mason jar lid as a frame using some oil. There are endless varieties of colors and shapes to choose from. For this project, you need Mason jar lids, coloring pages, colored pencils, oil, cotton balls, scissors, glue, and string or twine.

This project is simple and fun to complete. Start by coloring in a coloring page. Use the Mason jar lid to trace and cut out a section of the page. Then, dip a cotton ball into olive oil, baby oil, or vegetable oil and use it to completely cover the circle with oil. The paper should not be soaked, but you should see a decrease in the paper's opacity. Allow the oil to dry for a few minutes before gluing it into place inside the Mason jar lid ring. Finish it off by tying some string or twine around the circumference of the lid ring and gluing it to secure it. Then, all you need to do is hang it in a bright window and admire how the light shines through it.

Coloring pages are an approachable starting point for this project because they give you ideas for shapes and designs, though feel free to create your own designs on blank paper. Geometric designs, florals, and anything else you can draw are wonderful options. Drawing your own illustrations also allows you to make them fit perfectly within the Mason jar lid frame. You might even want to experiment with using markers and crayons instead of colored pencils or test out coloring lightly and using more pressure and comparing results.

For even more customization, paint the lid ring. Bright hues that match the colors of your paper can make a bold statement. Meanwhile, a white, black, or neutral tone that matches the home decor surrounding your window can make the DIY look integrated with your interior scheme. Hang different colors at random heights for an eclectic result, or uniformly display similar colors for a more polished style. If you are struggling to choose a coloring book page or design, consider seasonal styles. A suncatcher featuring a snowman or snowflake is adorable in the winter, and flowers are perfect for spring. Multiple suncatchers depicting different beach icons like flip flops, seashells, and fish can deliver summer vibes, whereas colorful fall leaf designs can bring the coziness of autumn.

There are plenty of ways to tailor your suncatcher's design and make it perfect for you, plus it's one of many clever ways to repurpose old Mason jar lids. Just make sure you handle the suncatchers carefully, as their paper centers are fairly fragile. Paper is made even more fragile when oil is absorbed, so make sure it isn't punctured or bent in any way when hung, moved, or stored. You can always color a new circle and glue it inside of a ring, but if you want something a bit more durable while sticking to a budget, try DIYing a stunning and colorful suncatcher from Dollar Tree items instead.