The upcoming long weekend is SO CLOSE and oh man, I cannot wait. Not only does Memorial Day give us some desperately needed time off of work, but it also means that it’s summer time! In anticipation of many beach and pool days ahead, I wanted to whip up a festive little DIY to make sure you’re always prepared to soak up some sun at a moment’s notice.

So let’s make a little beach ready tote, shall we?

Supplies:

• Plain canvas tote bag
• Acrylic paint (in red, white and blue, if you’re feeling patriotic)
• Foam paint brush
• Small paint brush for touch ups
• Painter’s tape
• Potato (yes, a potato. You read that correctly)

Instructions:

1. First things first, make yourself a potato stamp by tracing a circle onto a potato and carving out the area around your shape (in full disclosure, this is easier said than done – if you need some more help, full details from DIY-pro, Martha Stewart, who is obviously better at these things than I will ever be)
2. Tape off area you’d like color blocked on your tote with painter’s tape, making sure tape is nice and tight to ensure a smooth line when you’re done
3. Paint bottom section of bag using acrylic paint
4. While this is drying, use potato stamp to make polka dots on the upper portion of the bag. I’ve found it works best to use a paint brush to get an even coat of paint on the stamp – don’t worry if the polka dots are not solid immediately after stamping, it’s super easy to just use a small brush to touch up your circles and fill in any gaps
5. After paint is dry, remove tape and voila! You’re done.

But what good is a beach tote without having some of your summertime essentials packed and ready to go? Think of it as a kit for creating the ultimate summer with all of the classics on hand:

c/o Summer Ice Pop Tic Tac Mints // Bikini // Sunglasses

// Flip Flops // c/o Sunscreen // Beach Towel // Hair Ties // 

Coin Purse // c/o Water Bottle // c/o Surf Spray // Panama Hat

Are you as ready for summer as I am? What are some of your beach bag essentials? Do you have any fun plans for this Memorial Day weekend?

This post is sponsored by Tic Tac Mints – thank you for supporting the brands that partner with Pretty & Fun. All opinions are 100% honest and my own and I only work with brands I truly feel are a good fit for my blog and audience.