Upcycled CD Sun Catcher DIY. DIY Suncatcher Craft Project for Every Season. Bring a little extra a light and some smiles into your life, regardless of the time of year, with this easy and fun DIY suncatcher craft project! It's a great way to add a little more self care to your life!

How to Make CD Suncatchers: Crafts for Adults and Kids

October 9, 2018

This cd suncatcher is perfect for upcycling old CDs. Learn how to make this easy DIY suncatcher craft for adults and kids throughout the year. This creative project is great for individuals as well as large classes with steps suitable for students and grownups of every age.

DIY Suncatchers

Whether you’re looking to bring some extra light into your home or spark joy in your life, this cd suncatcher is the ideal project! This DIY suncatcher craft is an easy, affordable and fun year round activity for adults, kids and families. It’s also a great way to take time out for self care and explore your creativity.

The following tutorial will show how you can easily repurpose both old and new CDs to create upcycled cd suncatchers. There’s an easy hack for removing the painted side of CDs which I’ll also teach you.

First, however, I wanted to share how I learned this hack myself along with my experience making this adult craft project for the first time.

Adult Crafts for Self Care

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed throughout the fall and winter holiday season. On top of the pressures of work and parenting, there are holiday activities to contend with. Not to mention all those holiday family obligations that we sometimes wish we didn’t have. Like you, there are days I just need a break. For the rest of the year, I’ve promised myself I will do just that.

As I tend to isolate myself more during cold weather months, part of my plan for self care is to get out of the house and socialize more. To help me find activities I know that I’ll enjoy, I’ve been keeping a steady eye on upcoming Facebook events. For events I’m interested in, I mark as “interested” so I get a reminder via Facebook a few days before. However, for events I’m kind of crazy about, they get put on my paper wall calendar. (Yes. Yes. I have one of those.) This way my favorite events won’t slip my mind.

While my final decision for Halloween activities is still up in the air, I have committed myself to several activities for October. Events like an art exhibition opening at a local gallery, music at a local restaurant, a monthly Wine & Art Wednesday, and another monthly event pegged Rooftop Riot for my BFF’s birthday.

Of course, since my boyfriend Greg goes to most of these things with me, I’m having to schedule around football. Luckily, most live bands play at restaurants with televisions. (So he can’t cop out. Bwahahaha.) He’s been a real sport about trying new things though. It can be hard to put yourself out there if you don’t a sidekick. So he keeps me honest so I don’t bail to binge on Netflix instead.

Suncatcher Craft for Adults

Last month Greg tagged along for Wine & Art Wednesday. It’s run by my friend, Hillary, so it’s a great opportunity not just to see my friends, but to meet new people AND get crafty. I took along some wine (2016 L’Atelier du Sud Red Blend and 2017 Finke’s Sparkling White Blend, both of which were amazing!) and we spent the evening learning how to make our own DIY suncatchers.

While suncatchers seem like they might be seasonally specific, I think that this project is great for anytime of the year. I love making these upcycled CD suncatcher as a winter project to help overcome seasonal depression. Plus it’s the perfect chance to create imaginative snowflakes or winter themed flamingos for your windows!

There are several things that I really love about this project:

One, you can repurpose old or scratched CD’s for this project. Therefore, it won’t cost a lot of money to create if you already have existing materials on hand.
Two, you don’t need to be an artist to make these upcycled cd suncatchers. In fact, it’s incredibly easy to trace your favorite designs onto the CDs. Or, you can freehand an abstract idea.
And three, this DIY suncatcher is amazingly therapeutic. I’d had a terrible week leading up to making these. However, by the time Wine & Art Wednesday was over, I was in great spirits.

Ready to make your own DIY suncatcher craft for adults? Following is my easy step-by-step tutorial for making DIY suncatchers using repurposed CDs. You’ll also find photos from my adult craft night to walk you through the process!

DIY CD Suncatcher

If you’ve been wondering how to make beautiful suncatchers out of CDs, then this tutorial will answer all of your questions. Following you’ll discover all the supplies and materials necessary to embark on this wildly fun project . Whether you’re an adult or a kid, this project is definitely worth the effort.

Whether you’re looking for ideas for your preschool classroom or project for a women’s craft night, this is a great project that everyone can make! Not only is this project a lovely way to relax and unwind, but it’s also perfect when you want to create a mini masterpiece to display in your home.

Supplies & Materials:

These are the materials and supplies you will need to complete this project for DIY suncatchers:

Blank CDs: CDs are used as the base to make these DIY suncatchers. They don’t necessarily have to be blank as there’s an easy hack to remove the paint from CDs so they can be used for this craft project for adults and kids. If you don’t have old CDs laying around, you can buy them in bulk at a relatively inexpensive price.
Tape: Tape is used in this project to remove the paint from the CDs to present a clean canvas to create your suncatcher designs.
Scissors: In order to cut the fishing line used as a hanger for these DIY suncatchers, you will need a sharp pair of scissors.
Permanent Markers or Paint Pens: While optional, paint pens and markers are great for outlining your design to paint. You can also use these writing tools to add additional decorative elements to your final design.
Suncatcher Paint: In order to see sunlight through your DIY suncatcher, I recommend you use paint specifically designed for the task. Suncatcher paint is ideal for this adult craft project.
Paintbrush: To paint the designs you choose for this easy project, you will need a paintbrush to paint onto the CDs.
Fishing Line: Fishing line is perfect to use as a hanger when making DIY suncatchers. It ties easily through the hole inside the CD to display your project. And, because it’s clear, it won’t distract from the piece you create.
Colorful Beads: While optional, beads can be used to decorate your project. Simply string them onto the fishing line you use as a hanger.

How to Remove the Paint from CDs to Make Suncatchers

To make these upcycled CD suncatchers, you will first need to remove the painted layer from your CDs. Fortunately, there’s a quick an easy hack for this.

Here are the directions for removing the paint from CDs so they can be used to make suncatchers and other crafts:

1. To remove the painted layer from the CD, simply place a small piece of tape over the painted side of the CD. Make sure that one end of the piece of tape hangs off the edge of the CD.

2. Now lift the edge of the tape by the outer edge of the CD slightly.

3. Next, take a pair of scissors and scratch off a small amount of the coating under the outer edge of the tape. This tiny scratch will allow you to pull off the paint with ease.

4. Press the tape back down over the small scratch you made. Then pull the tape away from the outer edge of the CD. That painted layer or coating will pull right off! (I never would have believed it was THIS easy!)

5. Repeat as needed until all of the coating has been removed and you’re left with only the clear CD plastic. After which, your CDs are ready to repurposed to create something new.

How to Make CD Suncatchers

Now that you know how to remove the painted surface from CDs, here are the instructions on how to make suncatchers out of CDs:

1. To make this project, begin by removing the painted layer from your CD.

2. Next, use a permanent marker or paint marker to draw your design onto the CD. You can either trace a design onto the CD by placing an image or mandala pattern under the CD. You can also draw your own design.

3. Once you’ve drawn the outline for your CD you can either use suncatcher paints or permanent markers to color in the design.

4. Allow your suncatcher to dry completely.

5. Once the paint has dried, tie a length of fishing line through the hole in the CD so it can be displayed.

TIP: If you don’t have fishing line, you can also use string, yarn or ribbons. However, fishing line works best as it’s clear and isn’t as noticeable.

6. After the fishing line has been added to the suncatcher, you can also add additional decorative elements to the hanger. To do this, simply add assorted beads to the fishing line, then tie them in place with a knot. You can add the beads to the fishing line both above and/or below the CD.

TIP: For ideas for decorating your DIY CD suncatchers with beads, be sure to check out my Instagram post here. This animated clip shows this suncatcher craft for adults in action. It also illustrates one way to use beads as a decorative element for this project.

Ways to Decorate Upcycled CD Suncatchers

In addition to using paint to decorate these upcycled CD suncatchers, you can also incorporate other elements to decorate your project. Some of these may require a strong glue to hold the design elements in place. Therefore, be sure to have some ready to go if you choose something that needs to be permanently adhered to the surface of the CDs you use to make your DIY suncatchers.

Following are some other ways you can decorate this unique home decor:

Add stickers. Keep in mind that most stickers will fade over time. If you choose paper stickers for this project, then be sure to keep your suncatcher indoors to prevent the stickers from peeling off in the weather. You may also want to seal the finished project with a clear UV blocking spray sealer to prevent the images from fading in the sunlight. Otherwise, vinyl stickers, or those made for cards, will hold up best outdoors.
Glue on gems or small stones. Gemstones make a beautiful design element to any suncatcher craft for adults. Glue small, clean gems or pepples around the edges of the CDs after painting on the design. Or incorporate them into the design itself.

How to Display Suncatchers

In order to display your suncatchers, you will need to attach a piece of fishing line or string to the completed project in order to hang them. Once you’ve done this, they are ready to be displayed anywhere you get sunlight!

There are lots of places to hang suncatchers outdoors. You can either loop the top of the hanger around a tree branch and tie it on. Or you can also display these DIY suncatchers outdoors on a deck. For tall decks, try hanging them from the bottom of the railing so they’re visible underneath. Or hang them on a plant hook outdoors in your yard or garden to scare off garden pests.

Inside, you can tie the top of the suncatcher hanger to the latch on a sunny window. Or use a small piece of tape to hang them on a window or glass screen door.

Are Suncatchers Safe?

Because these DIY suncatchers are made from flat plastic and not rounded or curved glass, you don’t need to worry about them directing enough light from the sun to create the heat necessary to start a fire.

Ways to Make Suncatchers

Making DIY suncatchers using repurposed CDs is just one of many ways to make these fun hanging decorations. In lieu of using recycled CDs to make this suncatcher craft for adults, you can also use a number of other materials. Here are some other ideas for ways to make them:

Use an embroidery hoop to make DIY suncatchers. Simply press dried leaves and flowers between wax paper and heat with an iron. Then place the design inside the embroidery hoop.
Glue colored glass gems used for floral arrangements, like those from the Dollar Store, together to create colorful, glass gem suncatchers.
Use puffy paint to decorate recycled lightbulbs for unique balloon suncatchers that are sure to turn heads and become an instant conversation piece.
Glue jeweled hearts and beads onto plastic sheets cut into shapes. Then punch a hole through the plastic at the top, using a hole puncher, to string the hanger through.
Preserve natural elements in between two sheets of contact paper. Then cut out the center of a paper plate. Cut the contact paper with your design so it’s just larger than the hole inside the plate. Then tape the contact paper to the backside of the plate and attach a hanger to display.
Use hobby wood and clear plastic sheets to create 3D suncatchers to display in your home. Another fun suncatcher craft for adults, this project allows you to create terrarium suncatchers with dried florals or faux greenery inside.
Place tissue paper in between cut outs in a design you create from painted cardboard or construction paper.

If like my tutorial on how to make recycled CD suncatchers, then be sure to explore my other adult craft project and ideas here. Alternately, you can also shop for all inclusive DIY kits for one stop shopping to keep your creative juices flowing all year.

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