I’m bringing out pastels and simple DIYs for a colorful summer pie party.
I partnered with Edwards® Desserts to add a sweet centerpiece and develop three easy, budget-friendly entertaining ideas you can recreate with only a few materials. Each project centers on paint and pastel tones, and all are straightforward enough for anyone to try at home. Below are step-by-step descriptions and tips so you can adapt these ideas to your event.
Quick, low-effort projects almost always start with paint, and these three pastel-inspired DIYs are no exception. They’re designed to be easy, attractive, and inexpensive — perfect for casual summer entertaining. Ready to try them?
Pastel Cutting Board Serving Plates for Desserts
Add a pop of color to your dessert presentation by painting plain wooden cutting boards and using them as serving trays or individual dessert plates. I used inexpensive cutting boards (about $6 each) and painted them in soft pastel shades. To keep them food-safe, place a sheet of parchment paper between the board and the food. This keeps the painted surface protected and makes cleanup simple.
This idea is especially fun for desserts because it feels unexpectedly whimsical and elevated. After the party, the painted boards can double as kitchen wall decor. Customize yours with any color palette, or experiment with patterns, washi tape, or stenciling for a bolder look.
For this pie party I served Edwards Turtle Pie, which features caramel ribbons, chocolate chunks, pecans, and a cookie crust, and a HERSHEY’S® Chocolate Crème Pie from Edwards’ single slices line. Both were easy crowd-pleasers and fit the casual, colorful theme. Edwards Desserts are available in many grocery store freezer aisles — check your local product listings for availability.
Pastel Photo Booth Backdrop
A photo backdrop is an instant party pleaser, but you don’t need a lot of time or materials to create one. I painted a 4×5 ft canvas drop cloth in a lively salmon-pink and hung it on the wall as the base. Then I made wide accordion banners from long strips of paper (about 16 inches by 120 inches), folded them back and forth, then opened them slightly and draped them across the painted cloth for texture and vertical interest.
This backdrop is fast to assemble, highly customizable, and lightweight to store. You can also adapt the accordion fold into a table runner by folding the same way and laying it down the center of a table for a coordinated look.
DIY Canvas Napkins
For a cohesive tabletop, paint raw unprimed canvas to make reusable napkins. Dilute interior wall paint or acrylic with water for a softer application, brush two thin, even coats onto the canvas, and let it dry fully. Cut the painted canvas into squares — 18×18 or 20×20 inches work well — and leave the edges raw for a relaxed, modern look. The water-thinned paint softens the canvas fibers so the finished napkins feel more like linen while keeping a handmade aesthetic.
These canvas napkins pair beautifully with the pastel boards and backdrop, creating a coordinated, casual tablescape that reads intentional without being fussy.
To recap, these three projects — painted cutting boards as serving plates, a painted canvas photo backdrop, and water-thinned canvas napkins — are designed to be low-cost, easy to make, and visually cohesive. They let you create a charming pastel-themed gathering without needing advanced craft skills or a big budget.
Which of these summer entertaining DIYs would you try first? I’d love to hear which idea you like best or how you’d customize the colors and patterns.
P.S. Outfits shown in the photos: Sara wears a DIY summer shift dress and Kathryn wears an IGWT dress.
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This post was created in partnership with Edwards® Desserts. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep creative blogs running.