Sparkling DIY Outdoor Suncatchers from Old Jewelry and Stained Glass

Turn old necklaces, beads, and broken jewelry into dazzling outdoor suncatchers that shimmer in the sun and dance in the breeze. These DIY suncatchers combine reclaimed jewelry, stained glass, mirrors, and prisms to create one-of-a-kind hanging art that catches every bit of sunlight. Whether you hang them from a porch, deck, or garden hook, these recycled jewelry suncatchers add a touch of color and movement to any outdoor space while giving new life to forgotten treasures.

While visiting a Farmer’s Market in Nashville over the Summer, my daughter Jamie and I fell in love with some oversized DIY outdoor suncatchers. You may have seen them referred to as “tree bling” or “garden jewelry.”

Thrift Store Jewelry

I spied a great deal on some vintage jewelry at my local thrift store. The prices were reasonable, and at 50% off, I couldn’t resist.

You may recognize the table; I painted it and added a floral decoupage paper design. These jewelry pieces are just a few of the ones I bought that day.

Shiny Prisms

I found these prisms on Amazon. They make a nice addition to jewelry and beads when you’re making a wind suncatcher craft.

Random Jewelry Pieces

I worked on this project on another recent visit to Nashville with my daughter, Jamie, and my Grandson, Eli. Jamie had also found some good deals on salvaged jewelry to make our upcycled jewelry decor.

Supplies and Materials to Make DIY Outdoor Suncatchers

• Salvaged Jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, and belts.
• Prisms
• Small Craft Mirrors
• Salvaged Beads
• Suncatcher Kit
• Jump Rings
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Metal Cutter
• Bowls for sorting beads, jewelry, etc.
• Hot Glue Gun
• Assorted Wire for jewelry making.

Now, let’s see how to make the magic happen, so easy that the kids can do it!

We set up a craft table and got busy creating our own recycled jewelry art pieces.

1. Metal Cutters: used for cutting jewelry pieces apart.
2. Needle-nose pliers are helpful to have two pairs for separating jewelry parts.
3. An assortment of jump rings for attaching random items.
4. Round Mirrors, glue them back-to-back with hot glue.
5. Assorted beads to add customization to your upcycled jewelry decor.
6. Bowls for sorting beads, jewelry, and scraps (garbage).
7. Prisms are a necessity for achieving beautiful reflections on your outdoor decor.
8. Eli’s first of many DIY outdoor suncatchers
9. Gail is creating a pattern from several necklaces and more.

Tips for Making a Wind Suncatcher Project

The Suncatcher Kit linked in the materials list is something Jamie already had on hand. She and Eli made some small indoor suncatchers as Christmas gifts last year. The kit has a nice selection of items, so I bought one to bring home and have a girls’ craft session with friends. If you purchase the kit, you can skip many items listed in the materials list. I grabbed the metal cutters from my junk drawer when I grabbed my needle-nose pliers. They were a must for separating the heavy jewelry pieces.

Stained Glass Suncatchers

Jamie bought a few scrap stained glass pieces at SMART in Nashville. Using one of the larger pieces for practice, she perfected the process after several attempts. The key was to start at a low speed and angle, then raise the Dremel and increase the power. To prevent the glass from breaking, water and scrap wood under the piece are necessary. The scrap wood was an extra-large paint stirrer. Jamie used these diamond Dremel bits from Amazon.

Jamie used pretty beads and a braided gold jewelry wire to make her stained glass suncatchers. She also made the beaded suncatcher to the left of the two stained glass pieces. My salvaged jewelry suncatcher is on the right.

Related Content: Vintage Jewelry Pushpins

The 28-gauge wire was too thin to make a stained glass suncatcher, so we improvised. I prefer to twist my wire when I need something to hang a project. You can see how I twist wire with my drill in this article: Loaf Pan With Twisted Wire Handle.

Because the gold wire is very thin, I left a driver bit in the drill and wrapped three equal strands around it. Jamie held the other end as I slowly triggered the drill. You can see the difference in the wire in the above photo. This twisted wire technique not only makes the wire stronger, but also makes it much prettier.

I only made one DIY outdoor suncatcher, shown here on the far right. Most of my time was spent disassembling the pieces of jewelry. The components of my reclaimed jewelry tree bling include at least two different necklaces, two sets of mirrors, parts of a bracelet or huge hoop earrings, and prisms. The small blue “disco-like” ball at the bottom and top are my favorite pieces from the earrings or bracelet.

When dismantling the jewelry, I kept a small section of the original chain on either end to provide space between my items. I purchased pieces with chain links for this purpose.

DIY Outdoor Suncatchers

I have always loved the prism effect of suncatchers; however, when they are outdoors, the colors dance all around when the breeze blows the pretty recycled jewelry art. The image is blurry due to the wind, but I wanted to share with you the beautiful reflections dancing. This photo shows Eli’s first five creations.

Eli ended up making six, but I’m sure he would have made many more if I hadn’t needed to bring some of the jewelry home. For his project, second from the right, he used the clasp at the end of the necklace to attach his final prism.

After making my piece, I tried it out, holding it and then turning it the other way to decide which end I wanted to be “up”.

Looking at the top of mine (on the right), you can see the enormous hoop earring from which I removed parts. Below, I explain how I attached the mirrors to the top and the bottom of the suncatcher strand. I believe the next one I make will have at least one more set of mirrors and a few more single prisms scattered along the strand.

How to Attach a Pair of Mirrors

To attach a pair of mirrors, I used some of the wire that came with Jamie’s Suncatcher Kit. Starting with a long length, I threaded it through beads, leaving a hoop on each end. The hoop acts as a jump ring to attach other pieces. The mirror is placed where the wires come together. A dollop of hot glue on one mirror back allows the second mirror to be placed on top, locking in the wire ends. Those of you who make jewelry may know of a better way to do this, but I was making it up as I went along.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment with Color and Design

Sometimes, you have to think like a kid. Neither Jamie nor I saw Eli’s “vision” when he started adding random beads to the jump ring on a set of prisms. I love the end result of the colors with the flat prisms.

Adding a Brooch to Your Bling

During a fun girls’ weekend, Terry added a pretty dragonfly brooch to her salvaged jewelry bling. Not shown, she also added a flower pot lapel pin to her other project. Shown in the photo above hanging in her bathroom, but she will display them in her kitchen window.

Salvaged Jewelry Tree Bling

This is the tree bling I made during our girls’ weekend. I will be displaying the two I’ve made, as well as many more, at the hideaway in the Spring.

Marketplace Jewelry Haul

This is a small selection of jewelry and beads that my daughter, Jamie, found on Facebook Marketplace for us to share on future projects. I’d love for you to share in a comment below how you would use all of this salvaged jewelry.

Thrift Store Decor Projects

I haven’t seen the final projects yet, but I know they are going to be fabulous! Which one will be your favorite? Please share this post and leave a comment before you head out to visit my friends!

• Revamp a Lamp
• Old World Santa Christmas Tray
• Salvaged Jewelry Suncatchers (You are here, thank you!)
• IKEA Secretary Desk Makeover
• Mahogany Side Table Upcycle
• Beautiful Thrifted Thanksgiving Tablescape
• DIY Christmas Bells
• Fry Pan, Tiered Tray, and Decorative Bowls
• Gingerbread Village from Christmas Houses

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