Clothespin Craft: Make an Easy Sun Craft

Summer equals sun and what better way to celebrate this hot season than with a fun and easy craft? Make this summer sun out of a recycled lid and new or old wooden spring-load clothespins. This is a fun craft for the kids to do as they're staying inside and out of the summer heat.

What You'll Need for the Sun Craft

The items for this craft can be found around the house or will cost very little if you don't already have the items. First you will need a lid from a frozen orange juice can or some other type of lid.

You will also need several wooden spring-load clothespins. The number of clothespins needed will be determined by the size of the lid you use. As a variation, purchase mini spring-load clothespins from a craft store to use for this craft instead of full-size clothespins.

A thin diameter dowel rod will be used to turn the sun into a garden stake or you can use a length of jute twine or yarn to hang the sun as a decoration. A hot glue gun will be handy to attach the dowel rod if you make the craft into a garden stake.

Yellow raft paint will be needed for this sun craft. If you have it available, gold glitter glue could also add a touch of sparkle and shine to this sun. An extra decoration could be adding orange streaks on the clothespins to add more color to the sun craft.

Paint the Parts of the Sun Craft

Cover your work surface with newspapers to make for easier cleanup. Paint the clothespins yellow and allow them to dry. While the clothespins are drying, paint the lid also. I used my brush to do a stippling effect with the paint to add texture but this is not necessary.

Put the Sun Craft Together

After the paint has dried, clip the clothespins around the edge of the lid. You can use dabs of craft glue or hot glue to secure the clothespins. If you wish to use the sun as a garden stake, glue it to the end of a dowel rod. If you prefer to hang the sun craft, thread a length of jute twine or yarn through one of the clothespins.

If you plan to use this sun craft outside, you should give it a coat or two of clear spray paint to help seal the craft paint. This will protect the paint and help it last longer out in the weather.