12 Summer DIY Projects You HAVE to Make

I was teased with some blisteringly hot days when I was in Ottawa last week, so I'm definitely ready for summer.  Spring is still a little blah and brown here, but I can see little green buds!  I'm looking forward to crystal clear water, brightly colored flowers, and long hot days in light, summery dresses.  To get prepped for the season, I rounded up 12 can't miss summer DIY projects.

A Fun Embroidered Straw Sun Hat:

There are SO many variations of this embroidered straw hat DIY around and each one is really cute.  Use anything from ribbon to embroidery floss or sequins to create a sweet message.  Here's the perfect straw hat - with a wide floppy brim, tons of room for a quippy message! 

A Graphic Beach Towel:

No one will steal your beach towel when it's so personalized!  Or maybe this will be too cute and no one will be able to resist a little thievery.  Either way, it's a snap to make these graphic beach towels: all you need is a solid beach towel (the brighter the better) and some bleach!

An Adorable Straw Bag with Pom Poms:

I love the idea of adding some sweet pom poms to an old straw bag to give it a fresh new look for summer.  Pom poms are easy enough to make, but you can also pick them up for pretty cheap!

A Tassel Trimmed Tote:

Pom poms not your thing?  You're going to hate some of these summer crafts because poms poms and summer seem to go hand in hand.  But tassels have just as summery a vibe.  This turquoise straw tote - with it's 60s vibe - is begging for a little tassel action.

A Bug-Deflecting Citronella Candle:

Oh hey, this project looks familiar!  Keep those pesky bugs at bay and keep the party going long after sunset with these pretty DIY citronella candles.  They're easy to make and a clever way to re-use old china or dishes - I scooped this pair from the landfill!

A Pretty Embroidered Fan:

A little embroidered gives a basic straw fan some visual interest and is a fabulously stylish way to keep cool when the temperature sky rockets.

A Sweet Bathing Suit Cover Up:

How sweet is this adorable DIY bathing suit cover up?  I pinned this and totally planned on making this before our trip to Punta Cana but then I got lazy and ordered this cute strapless cover up (it's the BEST) instead.  I might just add pom poms to it for the summer and call it a day.  If you're not lazy like me, this turquoise pom pom trim would be so cute!

A Pom Pom Trimmed Beach Tote:

You know what looks perfect with that pom pom bathing suit cover up?  My easy peasy pom pom trimmed DIY beach tote!  This turquoise jute fabric would look especially summery.

A Chic Straw Clutch:

For those hot summer nights, a cute pom pom trim clutch made from - of all things! - a circular place mat, how clever.

A Pom Pom Trimmed Bikini:

So, is a pom pom trim bikini under a pom pom trim cover up with a pom pom trim beach tote too many pom poms?  I didn't think so either.  You can buy a pre-pommed bikini but it's pretty pricey - it's probably way cheaper to DIY this, plus then you can focus on finding the best fit. 

A Pretty Clothespin Holder:

Now, to hand wash, de-sand, and line dry all of those pom pom pretties: my DIY fabric clothespin holder.  I still love this handy little thing - and what says summer more than line dried clothes?

A Pair of Glitter Sunglasses:

The tutorial is a bit more complicated than it might seem at first glance, but it's worth it to get these glittery shades - imagine them sparkle in the sun!  Oooohhhh, aaaaaahhhh.  

What's your favorite summer DIY?  Are you tackling anything beachy, or just excited for those long, warm spray painting days?

Modern DIY Plywood Projects - 15 Ideas to Inspire You

Although I will always favor solid wood (I'm currently in my home office, admiring the DIY solid walnut desk), plywood has a special place in my heart.  It's affordable, versatile and comes in gorgeous veneers ranging from walnut to knotty pine.  If you're looking for inspiration, here's a list of 15 modern plywood DIY projects - including some of our favorite plywood projects, from the Dans le Lakehouse archives.

Easy DIY Plywood Counter Top

How gorgeous is this plywood counter top?  It's such a perfect choice for a laundry room, where not everyone can - or wants to - drop major coin on a solid surface counter.  It was made for under $100!  Seeing this project makes me really antsy to renovate our laundry room (not that hiding it with a curtain didn't do the trick for now!)  In the meantime, I did pick up a little inspiration from this boho laundry room and add a wicker laundry basket to mine. 

Quirky DIY Plywood Wall Art

This unusual wall art is the perfect way to put plywood scraps to good use!  The different shapes and stains add a lot of interest and warmth to an otherwise minimalist white wall.

Clever DIY Plywood Day Bed with Storage

How cute is this plywood day bed?  I love that it boasts hidden storage inside - that's so practical for smaller spaces and guest rooms. 

Our Gorgeous DIY Walnut Plywood Bed

You knew I'd include our recent DIY bed on this list!  Even though not everyone can whip up those welded legs (you can buy some that are kind of similar), the frame is SO easy.  Imagine it with mid-century modern legs...these sturdy hairpin legs might work.

Inexpensive DIY Plywood Credenza Top

Our plywood topped fauxdenza is still going strong even though the whole credenza was fairly inexpensive.  I would have loved to have splurged on a slab of live edge, exotic purpleheart wood that I spotted while we were shopping for supplies, but plywood fit into our budget so much easier!

Practical DIY Plywood Storage Bench

An unused wall was packed with function thanks to this DIY storage cubby meets bench.  What a great multi-function project.  

Turquoise Painted DIY Plywood Magazine Storage

A white wash finish really brought out the grain on our DIY magazine holders - but the turquoise interior is really what makes me smile!  This was such a practical project and they still have pride of place on my Expedit in the office.

Versatile DIY Plywood Desk on Hairpin Legs

This DIY plywood desk has a secret: it's transformable and can adapt to different tasks.  Such a great idea for a hardworking space.  Plus I'm drooling over the idea of mint hairpin legs!  Why do hairpin legs just look SO GOOD with plywood projects?

Handy DIY Walnut Plywood Storage Bins with Lid

I am still so smitten with these walnut plywood storage bins build we made - they are great for stashing stuff in our otherwise storage-less bedside tables.  Plus now they complement our walnut bed!  

Minimalist DIY Plywood Side Table

This plywood side table on - you guessed it: black hairpin legs - is such an easy beginner project.  It's simple and straightforward to make but looks so modern and chic.  I'm also loving those casual eucalyptus branches.  I tried to grow a eucalyptus plant inside during the fall, but it withered and died - dried eucalyptus might be more my speed.   

Mid Century Modern Inspired DIY Plywood Bench

Check out how slick this DIY plywood bench looks - but it's such a simple project as well.  The glam gold legs are the perfect finishing touch - these mini hairpin legs or these walnut ones would be cute too. 

DIY Plywood Outdoor Sofa

This plywood project takes the cake!  Hubby and I have wanted an outdoor sofa for the deck but outdoor furniture is pricey.  I don't know if we'll have time this summer, but I love the idea of just making something.  I already found the perfect turquoise sunbrella outdoor pillows, so I'm extra motivated!

 
Simple DIY Plywood Dog Bowl Stand

Both of Szuka's raised dog bowl stands were made with leftover plywood and hairpin legs.  Those hairpin legs make a simple design look so retro.

DIY Plywood Necklace Display

Another great beginner woodworking project - or the perfect way to use up scraps - this triangle jewelry stand beautifully displays necklaces.  Why not turn those pretty baubles into art?

DIY Plywood Peg Wall

The plywood peg wall featured below was shared on Apartment Therapy and it got me thinking that a plywood peg wall might be a fun project for the "fish room" (what I hope to turn into my craft room - see the house tour for photos).  Here's a great tutorial, if you're thinking you could use a pretty peg wall somewhere too.

If you're going to try any of these DIY plywood projects, skip the home improvement stores.  I hate seeing a great DIY project marred by construction grade plywood.  Head to a local lumber yard instead, where you will find a bevy of gorgeous wood grains.  My local Windsor Plywood stocks so many gorgeous veneered plywood varieties, including teak, walnut, maple, oak, and cherry.  If you absolutely cannot find any locally, you can always order sheets of specialty plywoods like walnut online, which certainly adds to the price but sometimes it's the best option!  For the edges, I prefer to edge band my plywood with matching edge band but I think these examples demonstrate that it can look good raw, too.

Have I missed a favorite plywood project?  Let me know in the comments!

P.S. Check out my Pinterest board devoted to DIY furniture for more ideas and inspiration!

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20 Modern DIY Projects to Dye For | How to Dye Anything!

Over the years, I have gotten really into dyeing fabric: from updating tired linens to saving money on clothes by giving them a fresh new look, I really love a good DIY dye project.  Plus dyeing has to be the easiest craft on the planet - it's such a fun way to dip your toes into the world of DIY.  If you find yourself with extra time this holiday weekend, here are my favorite DIY dye projects from the Dans le Lakehouse archives - plus a bevy of other dye ideas I can't wait to try.

Try... Dyeing Yarn for a Wall Hanging

Whether you're a knitter or a just making a cute wall hanging, don't settle for store bought yarn colors.  Yarn can be so easy to dye!  Dip dye it (like the wall hanging from Brit & Co, below), tie dye it, use natural dyes or a bottle of turquoise Rit - the sky is the limit.

Try... Updating Crocheted Doilies with a Bold New Color

My DIY dyed doilies will be making another appearance this year because they complement wintry tablescapes - and my teal dining room chairs! - so beautifully.  But I have a whole box of vintage doilies, so I've been considering a follow-up project in turquoise or indigo... ( I used Rit dye in teal for these ones).

Try... Updating Old or Discolored Linens with a Fresh New Hue

Once I saw how much more modern and interesting vintage doilies look once they're dyed a fresh new color, I decided to update a vintage white linen table cloth and napkin set with a much more dinner-friendly gunmetal grey hue.  Dye is a great way to make tired, maybe a little discolored or stained, table linens look and feel new for holiday entertaining - or just to complement this year's holiday color palette!

 
Try... Brushing on Dye for a Hand Painted Look

If you want to get a little more hands on with dyeing, try brushing it on to create a one-of-a-kind design with a painterly vibe - it looks perfect on a napkin with modern brass flatware.  Get inspired by this tutorial from Home-ology.

Try... Ice Dyeing Napkins or Pillows for a Watery Handmade Fabric Design

The ultimate set-it-and-forget-it DIY dye project!  Pile up some fabric after soaking it in soda ash, cover it with ice, sprinkle with cold water dye, and just let the ice melt.  It's a DIY so nice, I've tried it twice: see my DIY ice dyed pillows and various color combinations of ice dyed napkins.  

Try... Making a Dyed Dog Leash from Rope

I'm dubious about whether this DIY dog leash would be tough enough for Szuka but if you have a pup on the gentler side, how sweet is this dip dyed rope leash?  Great tutorial from Brit & Co.  

Try... Dyeing Bottle Brush Trees for the Holidays and Beyond

With the holidays approaching, it's time to start thinking about festive tablescapes and mantle decor!  Try a classic bottle brush tree collection and customize it to match your decor with this easy DIY dyed bottle brush tree tutorial.  Snag a pack of bottle brush trees online and give them a bleach bath before dyeing them whatever color you like - or just buy some pale pink frosted bottle brush trees, I won't tell (you've got 19 other projects to try here!).
  

Try... Dyeing Fresh Cut Flowers Pretty Colors

I actually tried this during the summer and dyed a bunch of daisies a deep indigo blue - actually, I did it a few times and kept forgetting to photograph them for a tutorial!  It was such a fun project - kids would love it.  Look how great these roses from hello, Wonderful turned out:

Try... Dyeing Old Clothes to Make Them Feel New

Find a perfect holiday dress or top but it's the wrong color?  Take a stab at dyeing it yourself with this easy tutorial (click over for some trouble shooting tips for the best coverage).

Try... Dyeing a Rug for a Trendy Over-dyed Look

Yup, you can dye rugs at home!  Hide a stain, or just give a thrift store find that gorgeous over-dyed look, with this tutorial from Design Lines Ltd.  Sweet Paul has a lovely turquoise over-dyed rug tutorial too.

Try... Dyeing Jeans Darker to Get the Perfect Wash and Fit

Why is it that the darker the denim, the more dressy it looks?  Deep indigo denims can pass for business casual and even look great with a sparkly top for holiday parties.  If you found the perfect fit - in the wrong hue - just dye them darker!  Read my tutorial for all of the details on dyeing jeans a darker shade.

Try... Making a Hand-Dyed Embroidery Thread Tassel Necklace

This necklace started out as a pile of embroidery thread and jewelry-making supplies.  Learn how to make these delicate tassels from Oh the Lovely Things and hand dye them any color - even ombre! - to make a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind necklace.  Or add hand dyed tassels to a throw pillow or blanket.

Try... Experimenting with Shibori

If anyone is keeping track, shibori dyeing, with a long and rich history and sudden resurgence in popularity, might just go down in history as THE most popular DIY dye project - ever!  There are tons of tutorials out there, but this one from A Beautiful Mess is great for beginners.  After that, you can learn to experiment with different binding techniques - this is an excellent tutorial - and use real indigo, or just stick to rubber bands and Rit dye, either way it will look gorgeous and unique every time (here's a great DIY Indigo dye starter kit)

Try... Whipping up Easy Dip Dyed Napkins

While shibori has taken the lead as the ultimate DIY dye project, sometimes the simplicity of a good dip dyed project just looks right.  From throw pillows to napkins, dip dyeing can lend a watery, lakeside vibe to any home decor piece - plus it's super easy!  Check out my dip dyeing tutorial for trouble shooting tips and tricks and get the scoop on achieving a softer gradient.

Try... Dip Dyeing Anything You Can Get Find

With the basics of dip dyeing mastered, the simple technique need not be limited to fabrics!  Check out this tutorial from I Spy DIY for a cute and quirky dip dyed planter:

These dip dyed wood candlestick holders from Almost Makes Perfect are so pretty too (and you can buy all kinds of unfinished wood candle holders online, if you don't want to make them from scratch):

Try... Dyeing Wood!

Did the DIY above have you thinking, "I never realized you could dye wood"?  Dyed wood can look really amazing.  I've experimented with it (after seeing the image below) and made dyed birch slice coasters in a deep green shade.  I'm planning to experiment some more and share a tutorial (the only trickiness is the moisture + wood, which can ruin a project quickly with warping).

P.S. Have you seen this article about indigo dyed wood applications?  So good.

Try... Experimenting with Dyeing Fabric Naturally

Next on my DIY dye to-do list is experimenting with all natural dyes.  I've already been using purple cabbage as a natural alternative to food coloring, so the next step is to try out some natural dye methods.  Tumeric makes a brilliant, bright yellow (as demonstrated by this great natural dye tutorial from Glitter Guide) but tons of fruits, vegetables - even acorns! - can dye fabric and I can't wait to start experimenting.  There are great resources out there to get started, like this handy guide.     

Try... Capitalizing on Sunny Days with Sun Print Dye Fabric

You need sun, a cyanotype kit, and some pretty leaves and flowers to make your own sun printed fabric with a botanical print (check out this great tutorial from Apartment Therapy).  This was definitely on my summer diy to-do list but I ran out of time so I'm flagging this tutorial and looking forward to long, sunny summer days when I can give it a go!

Try... Taking a Stab at Wax Resist / Batik Dyeing

This might be the longest "been meaning to try this but just haven't" diy dye project for me!  I've wanted to do something like this since seeing kekfestes (the centuries old Hungarian twist on batik dyeing with Indigo dyes) in Hungary way back in the early 2000s during my first trip to Hungary.  This tutorial from A Beautiful Mess is such a pretty, modern spin - and an easy, DIY-able take - on a technique that's thousands of years old.  You just need a simple wax resist crayon like this one.  And this tutorial has tons of tips and tricks too.  A must-try for me - got to finally do this during my winter craft-a-thon.  

Try... Making Those Shoes New Again by Dyeing the Leather

Whoa!  This was news to me: you can dye leather!  I've seen DIY dyed leather boots, a leather sofa refreshed with leather dye and now this gorgeous shoe makeover from Paper & Stitch.  Who else is ready to raid their shoe closet for a DIY shoe dye party?

Yup, you can pretty much dye anything!

Nothing is safe, once you're bitten by the DIY dye bug.  Hopefully this round up of 20 modern DIY dye crafts has inspired you - have I missed a great tutorial?

Let me know in the comments!

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