Well its summer and I’m in Phoenix. So stepping outside right now is like stepping onto the surface of the sun. Its times like these that I don’t want to bother with any projects, I just want to live in a tub of chilled jello. But not if it is lime flavored. No one likes the lime flavor. Fortunately I have scoured the internet to find other great ways to stave off summer heat. So instead of putting your head in the freezer take a look at these quick and simple D.I.Y. projects to keep you cool. Just try remember, summer will end and it will cool down again. Eventually…in a few more months…why am I in Phoenix?!
1. Frozen Desserts
It might seem like a gimme to make Popsicles or even take a stab at making ice cream. But some of us are not patient enough to wait the 20 minutes for the Popsicles to freeze. Enter in:
Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites!
They only take a few minutes to make and freeze and are incredibly delicious. Plus they are “healthy” for you. It just depends on what your definition of healthy is. These are great for parties with little ones since they are quick and easy to eat. They are also good for storing and popping into every once in a while. Like, every day, for the rest of my life.
For those of you slightly more ambitious in your dessert making skills check out these ice cream pops or Nutella Popsicles. They are still simple and quick to make but there’s plenty of room for creative interpretation.
All three of these desserts can be found on instructables.com along with hundreds of other delicious frozen confections.
2. Watermelon
Again, it seems like this would be a gimme for the summertime, but there’s more to watermelon than hacking out wedges. For instance there are dozens of creative ways to display the carved out melon at your next social gathering:
If you are in a hurry or just don’t want the delicious juice to go to waste there are several D.I.Y. recipes for turning your watermelon into a mini-keg.
Recipes found for this keg can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic so it just depends on the kind of party you want to throw. If you are looking for some more adult watermelon beverages you can find recipes and tutorials here.
3. Fans and AC units
Sometimes a refreshing drink is not enough to keep you cool. Sometimes you need something more to circulate the stale air around you. Enter in the very simple and effective hand fans:
There are hundreds D.I.Y. guides out there to making folding fans or paddle fans, especially since they are a popular accessory to weddings. But if you are going to make them, why not geek them out?
How can Picard look so hot while keeping me cool? These are some fans my husband and I made for Comicon using some poster board and paint sticks. The paint sticks were free at the hardware store and we just printed out the faces of the captains on our home printer.
If you need something with more of a kick try creating your own AC unit with a cooler and a small table fan.
This is a life hack that everyone should know how to do and it’s surprisingly effective. There are many variations to this design that can be found on instructables.com or makezine.com.
4. Cooling packs
For those of you who do venture out during this time and are mangled by the suns rays, a quick way to alleviate sun burn is a D.I.Y. cooling pack.
There are plethora of tutorials on making a cooling pack and range from using cornstarch to dish soap. I’ve found that simplicity works best and using only rubbing alcohol and water in a Ziploc bag will do wonders for your crispy skin. If you want to get fancy, spread some aloe vera cooling gel on the outside of the pack to help heal your skin as you sooth it.
5. Water Weapons
Lets just say, this is the most fun you’ll have keeping cool. No matter what age you are engaging in a water battle is a necessary evil. If you’re a skilled marksman with water balloons, here’s a great tutorial on making a balloon launcher:
If water guns are your weapon of choice then try modifying your average garden hose with one of these bad boys:
It’s a tri-force to be reckoned with. This gun is so simple to make and cheap and will surely rain terror on your enemies. Me personally? I’m going for the water cannon:
This D.I.Y. is a bit more complicated but great effort bares great fruit. The kid down the street will never make fun of your Bon Jovi backpack ever again.
So when trying to stay cool this summer don’t forget to have a little fun too. And lets not leave out your furry friends. Make sure your pets stay cool too…
but not too cool.
Laurel Way is a writer for film, television, websites, and blogs. She is based in Phoenix, Arizona in the U.S., and has two fat cats and a loving husband. Laurel is a geek to her core and loves all things within horror, sci-fi/fantasy, and more. When she is not writing films, she is watching them, and her go-to movie snack is popcorn and Milkduds.
