Sunless day ideal for long-awaited project

As my previous post illustrates I'm somewhat fascinated with the ideas over at Wisdom of the Moon.

This weekend I've finally had time, and enough of the necessary supplies, to try out her Marble Suncatcher project.

Since I haven't worked a lot with glass I decided that I wouldn't attempt this project until I had the glue she recommended. I found that about two weeks ago and only last week remembered to stop by the Dollar Tree for flat-backed marbles.

I assumed that I had fishing wire (or something similar) in my jewelry-making boxes.

This assumption has led me to the opportunity to explain a part of the reason that I don't follow instructions perfectly most of the time: We live in a rural area. Not WAY out, but roughly an hour, round trip, to the nearest general shopping area where you're going to find the most basic craft supplies. Figure about two hours, round trip, to go to a craft or home improvement store.

I McGyver a lot, as you must guess. This project is no different. Unbelievably excited to get started on my own suncatcher, I decided that I didn't care if I didn't have the recommended string, I'd just use whatever would be strong enough.

In this case: Tiger tail, a coated wire that is plenty strong, but unquestionably more visible than fishing wire would have been.

Next, My Guy and I have numerous projects and possible projects and future ideas and "Ouu, lookies!" sitting around. We're not yet an upcoming episode of Hoarders ... but we don't have a helluva lot of space if a larger project needs to "set" for 24 hours.

If your house is like ours, just cut a couple of cardboard strips to use as "trays" so that you can create/move/set as needed.

Finally, I very much wanted to hang my suncatcher indoors AND outside once the weather will let me go near the muddy yard. My magnet and velcro bin at first didn't garner much that I could use. The marbles are much heavier than you think they're going to be.

Then I remembered THE magnets. The ones that My Guy, a tech person who works with tech people, gives to me from unsalvageable computers.

Keep a few of these magnets around, if you can find them, as they have lots of uses and another feature that can be helpful -- holes.

Computer magnets are themselves adhered to strangely-shaped metal chunks which have holes for screws. So, using this project as an example, string the suncatcher wire through the holes, adding strength to the also-glued wire and, once complete, the holes easily slip over a cup hook for outdoor hanging.

Indoors hang the suncatchers from the tops of mini blinds.

I'm laughing at the fact that there's no sun to help me show off the shininess of these marbles hanging in the window.

As many of you know my house is almost always awash in unbelievable amounts of sunshine (even when it's snowing we seem to be closer to the sun than other people).

Still, these add a lovely glint and color I'm dying to add all over my house, yard and office (the boss' office windows, anyway). YAY! :)

Now that I have the glue and the marbles, by the way, I'm digging in my cabinets for the perfect vessel to turn into a marble-covered candle holder. Yay again!