3 Adorable DIY String Light Ideas To Light Up Your Summer

These whimsical lighting ideas look just as cute and festive during the daytime as they do on a warm summer evening.

1. Cotton Candy Lights

This whimsical take on a childhood favorite was created by Kia from With Lovely.

The materials: cotton batting, lantern string lights (white or pink), light pink spray paint, spray glue, decorative paper, scissors, and double-stick tape.

Separate the cotton batting into strands until it’s wispy. I cut mine into 2-by-4 inch strips, separated them so they each became two strips that were half as thick, and then pulled the cotton apart until it was about three times the original length.

Paint the cotton batting with a layer of spray paint on each side. Don’t worry about the color being even — a bit of variation will actually make it look more realistic.

Make the paper cones. Cut the paper into rounded triangles about 4 inches long (you should have one triangle for each lantern), roll the paper into a cone, and secure with double-stick tape.

Attach the paper cones to the lanterns. Spray the top of each cone with glue and place it on the bottom of a paper lantern, holding for at least one minute or until set.

Add the cotton candy. Spray each lantern with spray glue, then wrap strands of colored batting around the lantern and the top of the paper cone until you’re happy with the shape and size. Repeat until all lanterns are complete.

And there you have it — deliciously adorable decor that's perfect for an outdoor fete.

2. 3-D Geometric Hexahedron String Lights

Lindsey from Hello Hydrangea made these modern geometric lights that remind me of miniature Confetti System shapes.

The supplies: string lights, glue, scissors, crepe streamers, colored paper (the lights shown are made from several shades of blue), and this template.

Step 1: Print out the template on your colored paper. Cut it out, fold along the dotted lines, then glue the shape together.

Step 2: Fold a 10-inch piece of streamer in quarters and fringe it. After unfolding the fringed streamer, trim off segments and glue them to the hexahedron, starting at the the bottom and working up. Trim the ends.

Step 3: Cut a hole half an inch from the top point of the shape. Then just slip a shape on each light.

And you’re done!

3. Colorful Globe String Lights

Melanie of the wonderful DIY blog You Are My Fave created this tutorial for us. She says: "I love the colorful bulb lights from La Case de Cousin Paul but I don't make it to France as often as I would like to and high shipping fees aren't my jam. So I came up with a way to get the look with a few supplies that are easily accessible from anywhere."

Step 1: Dye the cheesecloth in the colors of your choosing, following the directions on the package. Allow time to dry.

Step 2: Cut cloth up into squares large enough to cover the bulb. Make sure to have enough squares for the amount of bulbs that are on your strand.

Step 3: Untwist the bulbs from the strand. Take one and cover it entirely with Mod Podge using a foam brush.

Step 4: Take a cloth square and place the bulb covered in glue near the middle.

Step 5: Drape the cloth around the bulb and press down firmly to adhere. Trim the extra cloth.

Step 6: Repeat steps 3 & 4 until each bulb is finished.

Step 7: Let dry, and then twist the bulbs back into their sockets.

I know you might be thinking, “Wait, isn’t this a fire hazard?” Fact is, the bulbs don’t reach high enough temperatures for the cloth to catch on fire. So try it out and bask in the rainbow-hued glow of your beautiful new string lights!

Check out 46 more string lighting ideas.