Silver Trappings

Part-Time Perfectionist

This is my after of my front porch re-do. Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting a Project Procrastinators Party. So we have had two weeks to complete the painting project that we had been procrastinating on. I chose my two outdoor benches. And along with painting this bench on my front porch, I decided since my front porch was insanely ugly, I should try to give it some help.

So - freshly painted bench, new pots with LIVE plants in them, and a new door mat.

I am a perfectionist about some things. It irks me when people do a sloppy job when it would not have taken that much effort to do it right. But, well, there are some things that I am not a perfectionist about. So I guess I am a part-time perfectionist. Apparently, painting the back of benches carefully falls under the second category. If you go here, you will see the trials that beset me in this process. I had actually hoped to paint my front door black before this "After Party," but, alas, I am too pathetically opposed to sweating that much within a two-week time frame. So when I do get around to applying black paint to the front door (and changing hideous brass kick-plates to silver!) I will show you more pictures.

I love this square planter by the front door. I planted a boxwood in it that had a tag that says "Ideal for Topiaries." I am totally in love with all shapes and sizes of topiaries. I do not currently have any, mainly because I am opposed to yard work and to sweating, both of which are required to grow and sculpt a topiary. I also happen to have a black thumb. But I did buy this little boxwood, in the hope that I can overcome, and the little boxwood will overcome and will grow in wisdom and stature, and become this . . . Beautiful, huh? I loooove topiaries!

And I got rid of the, umm, lovely mat that came with our front door, and bought this one. I love it!

I did show two outdoor benches in my before photos, with the plan to paint them both. The other one is on my back deck. Yeah. Ummm. Yeah. (If you really want to know, you can read "What was I thinking?" two posts down.)

So, here is a reminder of the Before:

And the After:

It's not the wrap-around porch with wicker furniture and plush cushions of my dreams. But at least it is a little more welcoming than it was.

Black front door coming soon. And since that will require more outdoor labor and sweating, you better come back and see it!

Shannon