Patio Makeover and DIY outdoor art

I've mentioned before that I wanted to make it a goal to makeover our patio this summer, and I'm happy to say it's looking a lot better out there.  We pressure washed everything which made such a huge difference.  That instantly made everything feel cleaner and made me want to spend more time out there.  I added some cushions to the chairs and gave our table a few coats of spray paint.

I also added some DIY outdoor art to this small little nook we have out there.  It's hard to add color to outdoor spaces without using fabrics and rugs. (two things that haven't held up well for me out there in the past)  So I went a different route this time and created some super easy art that should hold up well over time. 

You may remember that I was really loving this bag I saw at Target.  I loved the pattern and colors so much that I let it inspire my art.

You can make your artwork any size, but I went with 36" by 36".  I created a super simple frame by screwing some pressure treated outdoor posts together in a square shape.  Then, I just nailed a piece of plywood to the front side to create a canvas.  I went with pressure treated wood on the sides in hopes that it would hold up better over time.    

Then I just started painting.  A quick coat of white primer gave me a clean slate to work with.  The colors were just random colors I had leftover from previous projects mixed with a few new colors that I picked up from Lowes in the sample sizes.  I started taping and painting with no method to the madness.  

I sketched some different patterns to give it that aztec look I was going for.

I did do a lot of taping to try to get things as straight and even as possible, but towards the end I ran out of steam and just started eyeballing it.  Once I was finished painting I gave it several coats of sealer to help things hold up better.

side note - I picked up this console on Craigslist for a song and paired it with my painting for a nice little vignette.  Of course I gave it a little makeover too.  Some orange spraypaint made it way more fun.

And here it is all together...

Hopefully I can finish the rest of it before winter!

Linking up to:

The DIY showoff party