DIY Summer Drink Stirrers and Tray
On these warm summer days I find myself stopping and taking a deep breath to enjoy the summer heat. It was a rough winter, even in Los Angeles. Something about the summer just makes me feel like it’s time to kick back a bit and try to enjoy the days a bit more.
My oldest son is finishing up his first year of “real school” in TK (transitional kindergarten). He has a fall birthday, so he will be in regular kindergarten next year. I have basically signed him up for every summer camp that exists because, as a working parent who depends on school for childcare, it can be so hard to fill those summer days for the kids. Even with the summer planning chaos, the end of the year parties and cleaning the classroom, and all those things that are so nostalgic make me feel those summer vibes!
My baby (who is 20 months now!) will be starting school! Well, it’s technically daycare, but we call it school. It’s pretty great because it is a Montessori school and they really do treat the days like a school day…with a nap. Even though I am so excited for him to start, because I know he is going to have so much fun, part of me is so sad to see him go off to school. I need him to go to school so that I can actually get work done! Any parent will tell you that you get zero work done when you “work from home.” I find myself just randomly crying every time I start getting things organized for the next few months. Anyone else feel like being a parent is the craziest emotional roller coaster ever?
Anyway! I am soaking up summer and welcoming the al fresco dining with a really fun and easy DIY. These drink stirrers are so stinking cute and they go perfectly on my “Hello Summer” tray. The trick with the tray is to trace a font that you print out, that way it just looks like you have amazing writing, but it is all an illusion.
Check out the video below and the step out is written below!
Materials for Drink Stirrers
E6000 Industrial Strength Glue (or a glue gun)
Materials for Serving Trays
Plexiglass Sheets (at your local hardware store)
Reversed Design, Printed Out to size desired
Directions for Drink Stirrers
1. String your wooden beads out onto the kabob skewers. Leave space in between each bead so you can thoroughly spray paint around each one. Lay the ends of the skewers over something so that the beads can dry while suspended.
2. Tie the ends of the embroidery floss skein and cut the middle for an easy tassel. Tie this to the top of the swizzle stick.
3. Thread your beads onto the swizzle sticks and glue them into place.
4. Paint the beads with your desired pattern.
Directions for Serving Trays
1. Measure your tray and cut your plexiglass to fit the bottom of the inside.
2. Find the design you would like to create. Reverse the image on the computer and print it out.
3. Place design face down on the plexiglass and lightly tape it. Flip the entire thing over so that the plexiglass is now on top.
4. Paint your design with the paint pens and let it dry.
5. Place the plexiglass into the tray, with the painted side underneath.
6. Serve up your drinks!
