Hello Yellow!

I did it. After months of contemplating and weeks of actually owning the paint, I finally changed the color of my front door to my favorite color...

Yellow! Actually "zesty yellow." Pretty bold, huh. But I LOVE it. It inspired a porch and patio remodel. Can I show you around a bit... (fair warning, lots of pictures...)

Well the birch has been around for a good year, it's kind of a four seasons thing for me. It never really goes anywhere just gets updates for the season. The pots and wreath are from my spring porch. Yes, it is the same wreath, minus the flowers and with strips of torn fraying fabric wrapped around it. Since the new color is so striking, I decided to not hang a wreath on the new door, at least not yet. The chair got a new coat of paint and is now home to the wreath, and old school chalkboard (literally, and the original art is courtesy of my six year old) and potted plant in an old kettle. The egg basket was purchased at a yard sale for $.50 and spray painted black. The colors, meh, but it works for me.

Oh and I finally found a worthy place to hang the wicker hanging basket, no flowers but a terra cotta candle instead.

This is my front patio. My brother decided we needed a "sunrise porch" and put this in last summer and it hasn't changed. Same bench. Same ugly black greenhouse pots with Blake's attempts to grow tropical plants in Ohio... yes, Ohio. It was definitely not calling me to spend any time there. So I spruced it up, again with stuff I have...

The little dresser was from my grandpa's tool shed. He kept all kinds of rusty random objects in it. Now it holds the kids chalk and a few squirt guns. I took out the middle drawer and turned it upside down to use as a plant shelf.

The basket on top hold a few mason jars that are empty most of the time and filled with queen ann's lace when guests are expected.

All of the pots were bought at a local community yard sale for $2, as in about 20 of them. Plastic is not my favorite but I needed an affordable solution until I can splurge on some beautiful glazed ceramic. At least now I don't have to look at all that black plastic.

And the section of fence 1) needed a new home that didn't involve the garage or the wood pile 2) adds depth to the porch and balances the height of the dresser and most importantly 3) serves as a rustic trellis to the kiwi. (Until recently it was climbing ugly white metal closet shelving. ) I think this looks much better.

Most times I park the van, unload kids and things, and trudge through the front door, ignoring everything else. Now when I pull up to the house and see the yellow door I smile. I have sat on that bench and enjoyed an afternoon tea and a quite moment away from the chaos around back where the kids play. It is a treat to have a pretty place. (I am using the word "pretty" way to much lately. I may actually become a real girl. Forget that, I will NEVER carry a purse.)

Enjoy one last shot of that happy yellow that will be my sunshine in the monochromatic winter months. There will *hopefully* be many calm moments drinking tea on my gorgeous sunrise porch before that winter gets here!