It’s Tuesday the 10th, and that means it’s time to share this season’s unofficial Pinterest Challenge — a simple, fun prompt dreamed up to help us stop pinning and start creating. It’s not sponsored by anyone; it’s just a friendly nudge to make something with your hands.
I decided to try painting again simply because I wanted to. Aside from a painting I made a while back, I hadn’t picked up a brush for anything beyond walls, accessories, and furniture in years. Am I about to have a gallery opening? Absolutely not. But I had a blast, I found spots around the house for each piece, and they genuinely make me smile. The best part was using art supplies that had been tucked away for months — it felt great to finally break them out. I hope I keep going, because painting really felt like my kind of fun.
Following the challenge rules, I pulled inspiration from several projects I’d pinned previously and put my own spin on them. A few highlights that shaped my approach included geometric fabric patterns, a childlike painting done with carefree strokes, a clever stamp project using found materials, a commissioned piece that served as a compelling muse, and small watercolor cards that showcased joyful, imperfect strokes. All of those examples encouraged me to be loose, playful, and experimental.
My painting session began after my daughter went to bed. I grabbed a small set of acrylics and several inexpensive canvases I’d bought, and settled in for a couple of evenings of dab-and-layer painting. I didn’t overthink technique — I focused on color combinations I liked and applied paint in short dabs, sometimes dragging the brush to blend, sometimes leaving the marks textured and raw.
The first small canvas came together quickly and happily. I chose a palette of red and coral with green, yellow, and blue accents. I liked how the colors played off each other and immediately wished the piece was larger. Starting small felt less intimidating, though, and allowed me to experiment freely. If I ever want a bigger version I can always scan or photograph the piece and print it larger on nice paper.
The second painting took a different path and didn’t click with me as much. That taught me an important lesson: take time choosing your colors and don’t rush to fill every inch of the surface. Painting felt more like a marathon than a sprint — patience matters.
I then moved on to a chunkier 5 x 5 canvas and let myself be very loose. For that piece I stuck with the dab-dab-dab approach and ended up with something that feels a little water-lily inspired. Small streaks of coral and bright turquoise pops created a fresh, cheerful vibe. Again, color choices determined whether a piece felt finished or not.
After everything dried, I looked for places to display the new art. A hallway gallery wall is a rotating spot for framed pieces, so two thin canvases were slipped into existing frames in place of an old print and a postcard. The thicker canvas landed on a different framed wall, and some of the smaller works found homes elsewhere in the house.
Next I experimented with larger canvas boards. I photographed stages of those pieces as they evolved, which was revealing: things often start awkward and uncertain before settling into something I like. One helpful takeaway was learning when to stop. It’s easy to keep “improving” a painting until you lose the qualities that initially appealed to you. Pausing and assessing as you go helps avoid overworking a piece.
In person some of the canvases reveal a neon greenish-yellow color that makes them feel modern and happy. When a piece still didn’t feel finished, framing helped it read as more resolved. My partner and I made two chunky wood frames from scrap materials to give these paintings a bit of scale and presence. We originally planned to hang them in the office, but ultimately they looked best in the kitchen. For the piece above the stove we slid a thin acrylic sheet in front to protect it from cooking splatters and keep it wipeable.
Here’s a straightforward budget summary for the project:
- $11 — five small canvases and a brush from a local art supply store
- $16 — a 24-color set of acrylic paints
- $0 — two homemade chunky frames made from scrap wood and supplies on hand
- $0 — two existing frames repurposed for the smaller canvases in the hallway
- $3 — a piece of acrylic to protect the painting above the stove
- Total: $30 for five painted canvases (about $6 per finished piece)
If you count the paints as a holiday gift purchased earlier, this could even be considered a project completed largely with materials we already owned. That made the whole challenge feel extra low-stakes and fun.
If you took part in the Pinterest Challenge, we’d love to see what you made. You can add links to your project post or share photos in the comments. If you don’t have a blog, linking to a public photo gallery works just fine. The goal is to celebrate creativity, share inspiration, and encourage more making rather than pinning.