Look What I Did! ...About a Year Ago

Don't you love when you're going through the mass of pictures on your camera to delete those fuzzy throw-aways in order to have enough space to take pictures of student projects only to stumble over some gems you forgot you even took a picture of in the first place?

Hmm? Dontchya?

Well, I discovered a few projects that I worked on about one year (or a tad less than that) ago. I was full-blown pregnant, but the warm spring air was demanding that I get out there and do some work. So, this is what I did...

Ick. No amount of spray washing can clean this; I may have to borrow a pressure washer soon (and pray...and pray...and pray that it doesn't take the finish off the siding). Anyhoo, awhile back, we got a new front door (we have also since put in new windows, all paid for one (or a few) at a time over the last 4 years), which I painted a perfect, cheery red.

(((Insert picture of red door here. Oh, wait. I don't have one. Wait 'til I've finished my spring cleaning, then you'll get a good eyeful.)))

These shutters have annoyed me since day one. It seems that all of the houses built (or renovated?) on our block at a certain time used the same materials...including this ugly green paint that has faded in the sun. I've tried cleaning them, but no amount of scrubbing fixes this blemish.

I pondered. And wondered. And envisioned. And pondered some more. What would go with red? Will I keep the foundation the bluish gray or turn it more of a deep tan? Should I find a nice kelly green, shiny black, or some other bright color to fix up the shutters?

Well, after so much thinking, I just decided to DO. Without further ado...

Shiny black, it is! After a few light coats of Rustoleum Glossy Black (for a buttload of surfaces, even this old crappy metal), here's our current view...sans the flowers and flag. 'Cuz, y'know. I did this a year ago. (And, man do I wish I'd gotten a picture of those flowers. They grew like MAD; neighbors still talk about how gorgeous they were. I hardly had to take care of them (seriously, with a newborn? I ain't Martha), so let's just call it luck.)

Now, the question is -- do I keep the gray bottom? (There are spots in dire need of patching/cleaning.) And if the foundation's gray, what color do we do the deck and front porch? Because, seriously, the front porch has been begging for something since we moved in, and the treatment we did on the deck last year ain't cutting it (I like white rungs and stuff, but we did a paint/stain combo on the floor part and it looks streaky and is peeling a tad). Dark gray floor, white everything else? Whatchya think?

Oh, and my dream is to get some prices on a new driveway this summer, too. Just call me Rockafella Skank. Wait, don't. :-)