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31 delightful DIY projects for any summer day spent indoors

Get inspired by these seasonal and stylish DIYs suited to rainy days and heatwaves alike.

Get inspired by these seasonal and stylish DIYs suited to rainy days and heatwaves alike

triptych: left: a pillow on a couch; middle: a cardboard dollhouse on a blue table; right: a hand arranging a colourful floral arrangement in a vase
(Photo, left: withwendy; middle: Lady Hayes; right: Mariah Hamilton with styling by Abigail Ballanger)

When the weather outside is less than agreeable, plug in your glue guns. While some rainy days and heatwaves call us straight to the sofa to dive into a new book or break out a deck of cards, there are times when we'd rather get creative and tackle something a little more hands-on. It's an ideal opportunity to pick up a new DIY project, so we turned to our archive to select ones inspired by all things summer.

Dreaming of better weather ahead? Why not craft an insulated cooler for your next picnic; a gorgeous, gauzy canopy for bug-free afternoons; or a mini fire pit to gather 'round at night. Wondering what to do with all those flowers in your garden? Follow expert advice from floral artists on how to arrange blooms beautifully in any size vase, or whip up a spa-inspired aromatic shower bundle using fresh herbs. If DIY-ing decor to freshen up your space is more your thing, try your hand at working with clay to craft a delicate swan trinket dish, or take out your power tools and make your very own mid-century modern plant stand. Or, if you're in the mood to make something you can wear instead, learn how to bead friendship bracelets that exude last-day-of-summer-camp vibes or sew up a whole stack of scrunchies. 

Find the instructions for all of these projects — and so many more ways to make the most of a day spent indoors this summer — below.

Summer canopy

(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Mini fire pit

Pastel outdoor game table

2 women playing checkers at a table outside. The table is painted light orange and has a white checkerboard painted on it.
(CBC Life)

Picnic DIYs: A mini insulated cooler, virgin mojito-inspired ice cubes and a tote that becomes a blanket

Wood herb pallet

Tie dye

left: a woman wearing a tie dye sweatsuit; right: overhead shot of tie dye masks
(Source, left: mashaapparel.com; right: Instagram/@wildflowerdyes)

Foraged bouquet 

(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Aromatic shower bouquet 

two illustrations on a white background. left: a bouquet of eucalyptus, juniper branches and other fragrant greenery in brown paper wrapping. right: a claw-foot tub with bubbles in it. water is flowing from a shower head. a bundle of greenery is wrapped around the top of the shower head.
(Illustration: Katie Flohr)

A small, medium or large dried floral arrangement 

three images of floral arrangements. left to right: a small, medium and large bright floral arrangement with dried florals
(Photo: Mariah Hamilton; styling: Abigail Ballanger)

Beaded friendship bracelets

left: overhead shot of bracelet making supplies. right: a hand making a peace sign, with a beaded bracelet that says 'peace' around the wrist.
(Photography by withwendy)

Hair pins

(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Scrunchies

2 photos of withwendy wearing a blue sweater and a stack of scrunchies in a pony tail on top of her head.
(Credit: withwendy)

Organic hair gel

(Photography by Makeba Lindsay)

Sea salt hair spray

Quartz-inspired soaps

A hand holding 3 gemstone-shaped soaps.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Unicorn ring holder

(Photography by Lady Hayes)

3 DIY ways to display your beloved childhood stuffed animals

Cardboard box dollhouse 

cardboard dollhouse on a blue table
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Stuffed animal bookends 

Mid-century modern wooden plant stand

(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Paint-dipped paddles

Cottage bottle opener

Swan dish 

Left: a swan-shaped dish; right: withwendy holding the dish and smiling to camera
(Credit: withwendy)

A pillowcase with sashiko-inspired stitching

(Credit: withwendy)

Gilded laurel wreath objet 

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