DIY Suncatcher Terrarium: Adult Crafts for Seasonal Home Decor

This 3-dimensional DIY suncatcher terrarium is inspired by geometric glass terrariums. A fun twist on what is traditionally a kids project, these terrarium suncatchers are updated as adult craft. So it’s easy to create unique, seasonal home decor for a sunny window, shelf, mantel or table. All while having an enjoyable afternoon indoors.

Keep reading to learn how to craft your own seasonal or holiday inspired DIY suncatcher terrarium. Plus check out my video tutorial for a step-by-step guide for making this fun and enjoyable adult craft project for your fall or winter home decor.

A Grown Up Suncatcher Craft for Adults

Sometime back I made a upcycled CD suncatchers as part of an women’s craft night with my friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this adult craft project, and wanted to give it another go. However, rather than crafting a traditional suncatcher, I wanted something unique and little more grown up. A DIY suncatcher that not only looks great hung in a window, but that would also double as seasonal home decor. Thus, my idea for a DIY suncatcher terrarium was born.

I recently ran across a cute children’s suncatcher craft in a Facebook group. It featured seasonal botanicals pressed between clear contact paper. The preserved botanicals were set between two paper plates with holes cut out in the center that served as a frame. I loved this idea of using seasonal botanicals and other natural elements to make a suncatcher. However, I wanted an adult variation on a suncatcher craft that didn’t involve paper plates or popsicle sticks.

I also thought it would be cute, that rather than use a round frame for my suncatcher, to make the shape more like a geometric terrarium. After all, terrariums include all types of plant life instead. And what’s more fun than a terrarium that a.) you don’t have to take care of and b.) you can hang in your window?

How to Make a DIY Terrarium Suncatcher for Seasonal Home Decor

Much like my faux geometric glass terrarium, my DIY suncatcher terrarium can be made using either preserved plant life or faux plants or botanical elements from the floral department of your favorite craft store or the Dollar Tree. Therefore, this adult craft project is left completely up to your own interpretation, based on the elements you choose for the project. This makes it easy to customize this DIY suncatcher terrarium to fit your own personal style or home decor. It also makes it simple to craft one of those lovely suncatcher terrariums for each new season.

Unlike traditional suncatchers, which tend to be entirely flat, this DIY suncatcher terrarium is about is 3-D and has some width to it. Much of this width translates into actual empty space inside the suncatcher. Therefore, you have a lot of leeway to choose the faux plant life, preserved botanicals and other elements you’d like to include. 

You can easily make a holiday DIY suncatcher terrarium for Christmas using bottle brush trees that are cut in half, faux berry stems and glitter snow for a winter scene. Or opt for pinecones, dried leaves, pine needles and bark for a fall themed look.

As we’re in for months of cold weather right now, I’m sharing two ways to make my DIY suncatcher terrariums. I’ve included one version for fall using foraged elements as well as one for winter using faux elements. However, these same ideas can easily be translated into spring and summer versions. So don’t be afraid to experiment! The process for making these DIY suncatcher terrariums is the same, regardless of the elements you use to decorate them.

While my DIY suncatcher terrarium is displayed as seasonal home decor that fits neatly on a table or shelf, this suncatcher craft project is absolutely gorgeous in a sunny window too! Simply screw a small eye hook into the top of your suncatcher and thread with fishing line to display. Alternately you could also attach Command Tabs or Velcro Hangables to the back of your suncatcher to mount to a window or wall.

DIY Suncatcher Terrarium Craft Project

Supplies and Materials:

• 2 – 8 x 1 ½ inches Pieces Craft Wood
• 4 – 6 x 1 ½ inches Pieces Craft Wood
• 4-5 1/4 to 1/8 inch diameter Craft Dowels
• Copper Paint
• 2 Thin Acrylic Sheets
• Various Fall or Winter Filler Elements
• Small Eye Hook (or Picture Hangers)
• Fishing Line (If using eye hook)

Tools Needed: 

• Hot Glue Gun & Glue
• Sharp Scissors
• Sandpaper
• Paint brush
• Ruler

Directions on How to Make A DIY Suncatcher Terrarium:

To start, cut two acrylic sheets into a hexagon shape, with the top and bottom being 8 inches long and the 4 remaining sides being 6 inches long.

Now cut the craft wood down to size. Use a ruler to measure out two pieces of wood that are 8 x 1 ½ inches each, then cut to size. Follow with four more pieces cut down to 6 x 1 ½ inches.

Next, use a pair of scissors to cut the dowels down to the same length as each of the craft wood pieces. You will need two dowels, cut to size, for each piece of wood.

Hot glue a dowel, that is an equal length to a craft wood piece, about 1/4 inch from the edge of the craft wood. Then repeat on the other side of the craft wood with second dowel. Repeat for six of the craft wood pieces.

Cut six additional pieces of wood craft so they are about 1 1/2 inches long. They should be equal to the width of the craft wood.

Hot glue one of the small dowel pieces to each end of both of the longer craft wood pieces.

Now place the craft wood pieces on their sides in the hexagon shape, using the acrylic sheets as your guide.

Next, hot glue the ends of the short craft wood pieces on either side of each long pieces of craft wood. Do not glue the short pieces together.

Paint all of the craft wood pieces and dowel pieces with the copper paint. (Or another paint color of your choice.) Allow the paint to dry fully before moving on to the next step.

Once the paint has dried, slide one of the pieces of acrylic into one of the wooden half-hexagons of craft wood. Use hot glue to affix the acrylic sheet in place, so that it is pressed against one side of the dowels.

Now slide the second piece of acrylic into the half-hexagon of craft wood. Hot glue the second sheet of acrylic into place.

Before filling your DIY suncatcher terrarium, first clean each of the acrylic sheets. You’ll want to make sure they’re really clean. So think, spring cleaning those dirty windows!

Once the acrylic is clean, fill the interior between the acrylic sheets with your chosen fall or winter filler materials. You can hot glue them into place on one side, if necessary, to keep them from shifting or moving around. These elements can include pine cones, pine needles, glitter, faux floral evergreen branches, tree bark, or any elements of your choice. If any of the pine cones or other fillers are too wide for your suncatcher, and deform the acrylic, simply cut them down with your scissors.

Once you’ve completed the arrangement, slide the second half-hexagon piece in place over the acrylic sheets. Then hot glue the joints between the two half-hexagon pieces together. For a more polished look, you can sand down the glue and paint over it.

Your DIY suncatcher terrarium is now ready to display in your home as seasonal home decor. If you’d like to hang your suncatcher in a large picture window or on a wall, simply screw an eye hook into top and attach fishing line. Or attach a picture hanger the back. Otherwise, your suncatcher terrarium is ready to display, as is, on a shelf, a holiday mantel, or on a table.

Yield: 1 Suncatcher Terrarium

DIY Suncatcher Terrarium

Print

This 3-dimensional DIY suncatcher terrarium is inspired by geometric glass terrariums. A fun adult craft for unique, seasonal home decor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 1 hour

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Difficulty Intermediate

Materials

• 2 – 8 x 1 ½ inches Pieces Craft Wood
• 4 – 6 x 1 ½ inches Pieces Craft Wood
• 4-5 1/4 to 1/8 inch diameter Craft Dowels
• Copper Paint
• 2 Thin Acrylic Sheets
• Foraged or faux botanicals
• Small eye hook
• Fishing line

Tools

• Hot Glue Gun & Glue
• Sharp Scissors
• Sandpaper
• Paint brush
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Cut two acrylic sheets into a hexagon shape, with the top and bottom being 8 inches long and the 4 remaining sides being 6 inches long.
2. Cut the craft wood down to size. Use a ruler to measure out two pieces of wood that are 8 x 1 ½ inches each, then cut to size. Follow with four more pieces cut down to 6 x 1 ½ inches.
3. Using a pair of scissors to cut the dowels down to the same length as each of the craft wood pieces. You will need two dowels, cut to size, for each piece of wood.
4. Hot glue a dowel, that is an equal length to a craft wood piece, about 1/4 inch from the edge of the craft wood. Then repeat on the other side of the craft wood with second dowel. Repeat for six of the craft wood pieces.
5. Cut six additional pieces of wood craft so they are about 1 1/2 inches long. They should be equal to the width of the craft wood.
6. Hot glue one of the small dowel pieces to each end of both of the longer craft wood pieces.
7. Place the craft wood pieces on their sides in the hexagon shape, using the acrylic sheets as your guide.
8. Hot glue the ends of the short craft wood pieces on either side of each long pieces of craft wood. Do not glue the short pieces together.
9. Paint all of the craft wood pieces and dowel pieces with the copper paint. Allow the paint to dry.
10. Slide one of the pieces of acrylic into one of the wooden half-hexagons of craft wood. Use hot glue to affix the acrylic sheet in place, so that it is pressed against one side of the dowels.
11. Slide the second piece of acrylic into the half-hexagon of craft wood. Hot glue the second sheet of acrylic into place.
12. Clean each of the acrylic sheets using a microfiber cloth.
13. Fill the interior between the acrylic sheets with your chosen filler materials or chosen botanicals or other elements. You can hot glue them into place on one side, if necessary, to keep them from shifting or moving around.
14. Slide the second half-hexagon piece in place over the acrylic sheets. Then hot glue the joints between the two half-hexagon pieces together. For a more polished look, you can sand down the glue and paint over it.
15. Screw an eye hook into top and attach fishing line. Or attach a picture hanger the back. Otherwise, your suncatcher terrarium is ready to display on a shelf, a holiday mantel, or on a table.

DIY Suncatcher Terrarium Variations

There are a number of ways to design the interior of your DIY suncatcher terrarium. All you need to do is change up the elements you use to make your suncatcher terrariums and you have a unique accent piece for your home decor. You can easily make this suncatcher craft for every season. Or, create an evergreen version that fits your home’s decor regardless of the time of year. You can also craft these suncatchers with holiday themes to display in your window or home during your favorite celebrations.

I created two seasonal versions of my suncatcher terrariums — one for fall and one for winter. However, the same concept is easily translated for spring and summer as well.

My fall terrarium suncatcher is filled with both foraged purchased materials. I used preserved tree bark and pinecones from the craft store, as well as foraged fall leaves and pine needles. If you want seasonal fall decor with more color, you can spray paint dried leaves to help preserve them and give them a vibrant orange, yellow or red color. You could also add small, faux floral pumpkins that have been cut in half as another alternative.

In addition to a fall terrarium, I also created a winter themed terrarium suncatcher. To create my winter DIY suncatcher terrarium, I filled the inside of the terrarium with dried bark, faux floral pine needles and berries, small pinecones and white glitter snow. You could also expand on this idea using small bottle brush trees that have been cut in half. Or try adding miniature jingle bells, fake snow or other faux winter florals to create your perfect terrarium.

If you like my DIY suncatcher terrariums, then be sure to check out some of my other home decor ideas and adult crafts. You can also follow Soap Deli News via Blog Lovin‘, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Or subscribe to my newsletter.