DIY Inspiration: Sombrilla

When I go to the beach, a sun umbrella is a must. When I was in my early 20s I could spend a day in the sun, but now I prefer to enjoy the beach while sitting in the shade slathered in SPF 45. In fact, this past weekend, we had two umbrellas working in tandem for an even larger shaded area on what was one of the hottest days of the summer. So, I was delighted when I spotted the Sombrilla, a beach tent, on Pinterest. How cute and clever are they?

Manufactuered by an Australian company called Hollie and Harrie, these beach tents seem like a great alternative to a beach umbrella. For one, they would be much less awkward to store and you wouldn't have to worry about a wind kicking up and uprooting your umbrella. I also love that you can adjust the strings to change the position of the canopy as the day goes on.

Sadly, the Sombrilla is a little pricey at $150 plus whatever international shipping would cost. However, I think this could be a great DIY project: Don't you?

UPDATE: I discovered some basic instructions for how to make a very similar sun shade online on the website Trails.com. Their diagram is very similar to that of the Sombrilla!