Flowering Fern Sun Catchers

I am always trying to think of new ways to make sun catchers this time of year- it’s the perfect easy craft to celebrate the Summer Solstice.

This year I was struck by a Slavic/Lithuanian myth that ferns develop a magical flower on the eve of the Summer Solstice. Of course my science nerds know that ferns don’t flower at all, they produce spores and fertile fronds, but another plant that grows right next to the ferns in my garden (and often in nature as well) is St. John’s wort. (St John’s Day is also what some call the Summer Solstice, interestingly) the magical fern flower is reputed to be yellow, but it may turn red on this special night. St. John’s wort is of course yellow and turns red when infused in oil. St John’s wort is also reputed to be magic when picked on the Solstice. So whether or not St John’s wort is the magical fern flower- I decided it would be the perfect flower for my sun catcher.

The base for this sun catcher is just a recycled piece of plastic cut into a circle (from a greens container) the ferns and flower were pressed and the attached with mod podge. I twisted some branches to make a little frame for the whole thing or you can just punch a hole and hang it without. Voila magical fern flower!

Materials:

• recycled plastic (like from a greens or fruit container)
• pressed ferns
• pressed St. John’s wort flower
• mod podge or clear glue
• thin green branches (optional- green in this case means fresh, not the color green)
• hot glue (optional)
• string for hanging

Method:

Cut the plastic into a circle.

Lay the ferns in a circle with the tips pointing outwards. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, paint the plastic evenly with mod podge or glue, Lay the ferns top. Place the flower in the center. Paint over everything with the mod podge/ glue to seal. Allow to dry.

Punch a hole at the top and hang in a window, or make a frame from branches:

Twist a fresh green branch into a circle, wrapping it around itself to secure. Continue twisting a few more sticks around the circle until it feels reasonably secure. (It will lock in place as the wood drys out) Hot glue the sun catcher to the back and hang in a window!