Stained glass necklaces made with melted plastic cups

These stained glass necklaces or window hangings are made of melted plastic cups

This week I had my lovely, just turned 5-year-old niece staying with us in Paris. We made these stained glass necklaces out of left over plastic cups, and colourful Sharpie pens.

Stained glass neclaces made with melted plastic cups

Our guests from London brought the bad weather with them, and it has been raining non-stop in Paris since they arrived! To occupy the time, we made these stained glass necklaces out of melted plastic cups.

Sharpies and plastic cups to make stained glass necklaces

To make them, all you need are some clear left over plastic picnic cups and some Sharpie pens. Simply colour the cups in any pattern of your choice : spots, vertical stripes, horizontal stripes, stars and hearts are all great. Just remember that your pattern will change a lot when you melt the cups down.

Put the cups on a piece of greaseproof paper, and cook them in the oven at 185° for a few minutes. They should melt down, but you will need to flatten them when just after they come out of the oven to make a disk that is as flat and uniform as possible. Poke a hole in them with a skewer, or a hole punch before the plastic cools and becomes too hard. But be careful – they are hot!

Thread a ribbon through the hole you have made. Use the ribbon to hang the your melted cup artwork around your neck, or to hang in the window as a beautiful sun catcher or mobile.