In the summer, artistic ventures often get put aside in favor of more active outdoor pursuits. This backyard mural project lets you combine the two, transforming an old white sheet into a monumental canvas.

DIRECTIONS: Start by soaking an old sheet in water and then hanging it on a clothesline or draping it over a fence. Get out various tempera paints and applicators--sponges, paintbrushes, squirt bottles--and go at it, creating pictures, tic-tac-toe grids or just colorful designs. You can also mute and mix colors with a water-filled spray bottle. Whenever you don't like what you see, simply hose down the canvas and start over. For art on a smaller scale, try the same techniques with a pillowcase or an old T-shirt.