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DIY Fall Suncatcher Craft

ByJenn Giam Smith

Make lasting memories with your kids with this simple and affordable DIY fall suncatcher craft. Create unique suncatchers using leaves and enjoy the process.

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Who’s ready for fun #fallcraftsforkids? These Fun Fall Suncatchers are not only easy but so fun! They’re easy to make, a little messy, but totally worth the look on your kids’ faces when it’s done. A perfect activity for kids of all ages and a great opportunity for you to do a craft with your kids.

I’ve been making these since I was little. My mom’s oldest friend used to take my brother and me out for walks, collect leaves, and make these fun suncatchers for our rooms. Now I do them with my kids! 

They’re so easy to make and affordable! Anyone can do this.

What I love most about this is it gives you all an opportunity to walk outside and let the kids explore. Mine always enjoy it, even if it’s just in the backyard.

Here are all the details

This image has a heart and star cookie cutter, wax paper, unwrapped crayons, leaves, scissors, a potato peeler and an iron in a flat lay to show pretty much everything you need to make these sun catchers.

What You Need:

What You Need:

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Collecting Leaves

Start by collecting a few leaves outside. I always have the kids pick different sizes and colors. We even try to identify what type of tree the leaf may have come from.

JJ putting a leaf in her bag.
EM putting a leaf in her bag.
the girls walking through the yard looking for leaves.
The girls looking at leaves
JJ looking a leaf while standing in a big leaf pile.

Next, you’ll take the leaves inside grab all your other items and start making your DIY fall suncatcher craft!

Start making the suncatchers.

Cut the shapes

This time around, I cut the shapes first, but you can also do this step last if you prefer.

  1. Trace the cookie cutters with the Marker onto the wax paper. You need to have 2 of the same shape (one will be the bottom and the other will be the top).
  2. Then cut the shapes out. Again you need two of each shape to make 1 suncatcher.
cookie cutter on wax paper
tracing the cookie cutter on the wax paper
cutting the shaped that were previously traced out.

Lay the first sheet/shape of wax paper onto your counter/table. Or make it a little easier and lay it directly onto the old towel or ironing matte right away

Next, You Need to get crayon shavings.

There are a couple of ways you can do this. I’ve always done this with an old vegetable Peeler, but you could always just use a pencil or crayon sharpener and dump the crayon shavings onto the wax paper. I will say… if you use a sharpener, make sure the sharpener is clean/empty before you start this project. Use different colors to get a fun stained glass look.

Crayon being shaved
Crayon being shaved
crayon shavings on a star shaped wax paper.
Crayon being shaved by my 7-year-old - NOTE: Supervision is a MUST.
another photo of Crayon being shaved by my 7-year-old - NOTE: Supervision is a MUST.
heart shaped wax paper with crayon shavings.

As you can see, this makes a bit of a mess, that’s why you’re using an old towel or ironing matte, not a new one.

Time for Leaves

  1. Next, you’ll place however many leaves will fit well onto the first wax paper sheet/shape. I like to make sure the edges have no leaf coverage.
  2. then you’ll shave more crayon shavings onto the leaves to ensure everything sticks.
  3. lay the second piece of wax paper down. Basically… you’re making a DIY fall suncatcher “sandwich”.
placing the leaves on top of the wax paper and crayon shavings.
The leaves laying on top of the wax paper and crayon shavings.
the other wax paper cut shaped piece that goes on top of the crayon-leaves-crayon-wax paper layers already done. Basically.... it's a leaf and crayon sandwich.

Ironing is Next

This part should ABSOLUTELY be done by an Adult!

  1. Now, you’ll carefully lay your layers (try not to lose any of the crayon shavings or leaves), onto an old towel or iron matte. Unless of course, you did my suggestion earlier and started on the towel/matte.
  2. Set your iron to the lowest setting, no water-we’re not steaming-we’re using the heat from the iron ONLY.
  3. Carefully set your iron down. I like to start from the outside and work my way in to help keep the pieces together.
  4. once all of the crayon shavings are melted turn your DIY fall suncatcher over and do the same. This ensures that the crayon shavings on both sides are melted.
Ironing the star shaped suncatcher
the heart shaped suncatcher after being ironed on one side.
the heart shaped suncatcher after being ironed on the other side.

Now we need to make them into window catchers!

I mean these DIY fall suncatchers are far less fun if they can’t hang on a window! But if you’re feeling lazy… you could just tape them on. I don’t like to do that because the tape tends to stick onto the window after some time and leave a residue that requires scrubbing, and who has time for that?

To make able to hang:

  1. take a Single Hole Punch and punch a hole at least 1/4 of an inch in from where ever makes sense on your suncatcher (depending on shape and size).
  2. String a Ribbon carefully through the hole, and tie a knot with both ends at the top creating a loop.
Hole punch into the heart shaped suncatcher
Tying a know to make a loop for the heart shaped suncatcher
the finished heart shaped suncatcher

That’s it! Hang it in any window that gets lots of sunlight!

This DIY fall suncatcher craft makes fun gifts from the kids to house party guests or include them in your thanksgiving guest gifts.

finished sun catcher hanging on a window

Making it as a gift?

Don’t forget the gift tag! If you share it on Social Media, make sure you tag me on Instagram or Facebook using #alwaysjennsmith or @alwaysjennsmith! I LOVE seeing your makes!

Feel free to comment with any questions or suggestions

Always, Jenn Smith (Signature image)

Need some more DIY ideas? Try these fun projects:

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©Photo, Prop Styling, and Styling by Jenn Giam Smith

My name is Jenn, I'm wife to a true blue Wisconsin Man and mom of 5. I'm here sharing my passion for food, craft, family, & life (especially my love of Wisconsin)! I grew up in a food-oriented family. Most of my recipes are a mix of fun and easy (sometimes fast), and when I can... I add a bit of my family's Chinese-American-European roots.

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