To me, watermelon is synonymous with summer. Although we don’t live in the south and it’s hard to grow watermelons here in our rainy climate, nothing beats cold watermelon on a hot summer day.
Watermelon not only has a very high-water content (about 96%) it also provides nutrients like lycopene, citrulline, and vitamins A and C. Studies suggest that this sweet, red melon may even boost heart health, reduce muscle soreness, and decrease inflammation.
The origins of watermelon have been traced back to the deserts of southern Africa, where it still grows wild today. The old varieties were tough, drought-tolerant plants prized for their ability to store water for tribes crossing the Kalahari Desert.
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show watermelon harvests from thousands of years ago.
Photo: Edited by Cathy Arkle
I think summer is the perfect time to celebrate this fruit/vegetable (arguments can be made on both sides).
Most of the crafts on this list can be done outside. Just spread a tarp or a cheap plastic tablecloth on the grass and get crafting!
Watermelon Cookies
Last year, I shared this recipe for “watermelon” cookies. They were not only delicious, but so much easier to make than I thought they’d be. You can find the recipe here: June Cookie-of-the-Month: Watermelon Slices!
Watermelon Sachets
If you go on Pinterest and do a search for “free watermelon cross-stitch patterns”, you’ll find instructions for everything from easy stitchery all the way to beautiful and complicated patterns. I quickly stitched this easy one and turned it into a lavender sachet. Simply cross-stitch or embroider a watermelon picture, pair it with some fun summer fabric (right sides out) and sew around ¾ of the edges. Fill it with dried lavender and finish sewing around the sachet. Use pinking shears around the edges.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Kitchen Towels
I buy plain towels at my local craft store and throw them in the washer and dryer before I decorate them. Then, you’ll need: cheap sponges, scissors, craft or fabric paint and a brush. Cut a sponge into a rounded triangle shape. Get the sponge damp (not wet!) and wring it out really well (if it’s already pliable, skip this step). Paint red, white and green stripes on the sponge to mimic a watermelon slice. If you are using a white towel, you don’t need to paint the white strip, just leave it bare. Carefully press the sponge paint side down onto the towel. Use a paint pen or black paint to add some seeds. Heat-set the paint once it’s dry using an iron and some parchment paper or a pressing cloth.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Watermelon “Fries”
Check out this recipe for watermelon fries and coconut dip: Spicy Watermelon with Coconut Dip
Watermelon Coasters
What is summer without cool drinks? How about making some very easy watermelon coasters? You’ll need: wooden circles (craft store to the rescue again), the same paint colors as before (green, red, white, and black), paintbrushes, and acrylic sealer or varnish. Paint the coasters white and let the paint dry. Then paint a thin green rind on the outside edge and let that dry. Skipping a thin line of white, paint red flesh in the center (we did two coats of the red). Add black seeds with a sharpie. After everything is well-dried, paint a coat or two of sealant over the whole coaster. Wouldn’t these make a fun hostess gift for someone?
PC: Ann Kirsten
Watermelon Garland
Here is an easy and fun garland to hang inside or for an outdoor party. All you need is an assorted package of doilies, red and green paint, a sponge brush, a glue stick, twine and a black sharpie. I bought this package of doilies from the dollar store. You only need the smallest three sizes.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Water down green craft paint until it looks more like watercolor paint. Sponge the paint onto the biggest doilies you’re using. I used a pizza box to paint the doilies on and I did it outside. Carefully lay the painted doilies on the grass to dry. Using watered down red paint, paint the smallest doilies. Note: the medium sized doilies stay white.
PC: Ann Kirsten
When the painted doilies are dry, fold each size in half (including the white ones). Add seeds to the red ones with a black pen.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Layer the doilies to resemble a watermelon slice. Use a glue stick on the uncut middle of the doilies to hold them together. Lastly, glue the green doilies onto a long piece of twine.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Watermelon Rocks
I picked some rocks up from my yard. I tried to find rocks that resembled a watermelon. Wash your rocks and let them dry. Paint your rocks white and let them dry again. Paint the bottoms of the rocks a light green color. Add dark green “wiggly stripes” if desired. Let them dry. Leaving a small white stripe, paint the tops or centers red. After drying, add black seeds with a sharpie. Seal the rocks with sealer or ModPodge. Place them in the garden or paint some more rocks to resemble a different fruit or vegetable and make a tic-tac-toe board. Your rocks can be the markers.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Watermelon Treats
Do you have kids who don’t like watermelon? Make Rice Krispies Treats instead. This recipe makes it easy to figure out how much of the green and how much of the red you will need.
Ingredients:
- 5 Tablespoons of butter (separated)
- 6 cups mini marshmallows (separated) (a 10 oz bag)
- 7 cups Rice Krispies
- Red and green food coloring
- Chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips
Spray a round 9” cake pan with cooking spray. In a microwave safe bowl, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 cups of mini marshmallows for 45 seconds. Stir briskly. Add in green food coloring and stir again. Pour in 3 cups of rice cereal. If it gets too hard to stir, simply microwave for another 15 seconds. Pour the Krispies into your prepared pan and press it around the edges. You can use a piece of plastic wrap to mold it, or I like to spray my fingers with Pam and spread it that way. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you make the red part.
For the red, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter with 4 cups of marshmallows for 1 minute. Stir in the red food coloring. Pour in 4 cups of rice cereal. Pour it into the center of your cake pan so it tops evenly with your green “rind”. We had extra so we poured the rest into a little dish to eat later.
When you are serving, cut it as you would a slice of watermelon and add chocolate chips for “seeds”. Mini chocolate chips would have looked awesome, but they were 6.99$ a bag and I already had regular ones in my freezer. Remind me to tell you about the time I bought 4 bags of high-quality chocolate chips for a dollar at a sidewalk sale! That’s 25 cents a bag!
PC: Ann Kirsten
Ice Cream Bomb
I’ve had this recipe for over 40 years. Originally, it called for lime sherbet, raspberry sherbet, and coconut sherbet. My kids (and now my grandkids) are not fans of sherbet, so while my original try turned out perfectly, no one would eat it. The recipe has remained unused ever since. Then, I had the genius idea to use regular ice cream instead. I used: pistachio ice cream, vanilla, and black raspberry. I again used regular chocolate chips.
Leave the pistachio (green) ice cream out for 30 minutes (set a timer!). Line a bowl with plastic wrap. Spoon the softened ice cream into the bowl and spread it around the bottom and edges with the back of a spoon (if your ice cream gets too soft to mold, simply freeze it until you can “fix” it). Put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Spoon softened vanilla in a thin layer over the green. Refreeze. Fill the center with red or pink ice cream and freeze overnight. Remove from the bowl, cut into pieces, press chocolate chips on and enjoy!
PC: Ann Kirsten
There you have it, a whole extravaganza of watermelon fun. I hope you find something to do from this list to help you celebrate summer. And remember, we would love to see your pictures!
Note: Did you know melon is mentioned in the Bible?
“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the MELONS, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” Numbers 11:4-6
PIN THIS!
Read more of Ann’s contributions to allmomdoes here.
