Affordable DIY Canvas Art

I have been really itching to change some things up in our living room.  I feel like it's missing color, and while I love calm neutral creams, whites, and browns, I think I need to add some pops of color in the mix.  So my plan is to add some color with this DIY art project, and hopefully in the future, some colorful throw pillows for the couches.

So here is what my family room looks like "before".

Weston and I bought this painting when we were first married, and I still like it.  I'm just not sure if it's my style.

So anyway, Michaels had their canvases 60% off last week!  So I snatched up a 36"x48" canvas for my project for 16 bucks.  I spray painted the entire canvas a teal color.  I highly recommend using spray paint.  It's so quick and easy, and you don't have any brush strokes.

My inspiration for this piece came from Pinterest.  I know, shocker.  Well anyway, Emily from Jones Design Company painted a lattice pattern across all of her walls in her office.  She must have the patience of Job.  It turned out beautiful though, and I thought I could use her pattern for my canvas!

My stencil cut out on heavy duty cardboard.

I used a fine paint brush to outline my pattern.  If I had been using a darker color for the pattern, I would have used pencil to outline.  After you outline your pattern, use a 1/4" paintbrush and paint along the inside of the lines.  It takes a steady hand and a lot of patience.

Here is the finished product.  It's a little bolder than I'm used to in my house, but I really like it.  What do you think?

Fish Fry

Weston and I have been looking forward to last Saturday for weeks now.  Good friends, beautiful weather, and delicious food for Weston's first weekend off in many weeks.  He just finished an ICU rotation with long hours last week, and it's really nice to have him back.  Our weekend couldn't have been better, and our good Texas friends, Amy and Ogden, hosted a fish fry at their house on Saturday.

Amy bought the cute, restaurant-style fish baskets and liners at World Market.

Ogden fried the catfish to perfection. Maybe it's because his family comes from a long line of cattle ranchers.  But this guy knows how to both grill and fry you up something delicious.

Water, lemonade, and plenty of adult beverages.

The girls: Kendall, Elyse, Amy and I (missing Sarah who wasn't able to make it Saturday)

Everyone played cornhole and washers.  For those of you like me who are new to the game, washers is a Texas version of cornhole, and it is pretty embarrassing how bad I am at it.  Instead of bean bags you throw washers into really tiny holes.  Sounds tough, right??  We had some pretty good washer players particularly ones with plenty of tailgating experience with this game, but not this girl.

Thank you Amy and Ogden for hosting a fantastic party!  It was a blast.