Something New to Greet You!

Hey everyone!  Happy Monday!  Did y'all watch the Oscars last night?  We thought it was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining presentations that we've ever seen -- gotta a kick out of the "Jaws" music playing when someone was getting a bit long-winded!  It was also a first for us in that we had actually seen quite a few of the movies that were presented and now we know which ones will be on our Red Box rental list!  Well, enough of that;  I have a little show 'n tell reveal for y'all today, so let's get started.

One of our newest DIY projects, and one of my very favorites is this transformation that we've been planning for awhile.  It all takes place right at the front entry.

Don't freak out, this is what it looked like when we bought the house eighteen months ago.

                 

Ta da!  Just a bit of a change!  I love this door, and it was a great bargain -- I'll explain later!  

We have a love/hate relationship with the security door.  Love that it's a security door, but hate that it looks like one...LOL!  We are investigating options, so will keep you posted on that little challenge.  We will also be replacing the handle & lock, but haven't found what we want just yet.

Now, do you want to see how this beauty looks from inside?  First, you have to see how the foyer looked just before we moved in.

Then and......

Now!!!  I didn't realize how dark our foyer was until it wasn't anymore!

Just a bit of a difference, right?

I just love the Craftsman style of this triple pane, leaded glass door!  I haven't yet gotten over a little "startle" every time I walk past, because I think the door is open with all that light coming through....lol!

Now, let me explain how this is a budget-friendly DIY project.  The Man has discovered a warehouse called The Handyman's Candy Store here in the Phoenix area.  Builders from all over the valley drop off cabinets, granite countertops, plumbing items, doors, you name it -- all things that they didn't or couldn't use for a project or had to change per a customer's request.  They set the prices and notify the "Candy Store" to slash prices periodically.  The Man has definitely found his little piece of "heaven on earth" and has gotten some fantastic things for upgrading our home.  Do you remember the extra cabinets & trim pieces that he used in our kitchen redo (you can see it HERE)?  It all came from this wonderful store.  I even enjoy poking around there sometimes, and one day we found these beautiful triple pane leaded glass door panels and then found the door frames that completed the door -- great find, because our doors are really tall.  Anyway, the door and glass insert cost $145 total -- yep, you heard me right!  Because the door was going to be so heavy once it was all put together, The Man decided to hire a finish carpenter to install it, costing $200.  Then we he bought paint to match our exterior trim and painted the door.  Total cost of new door = $361!  Now I don't know if you've priced doors like this lately, but they are a heck of lot more than $361!

The Man and I think this is one of the best improvements (other than granite in the kitchen) 

we've made to-date!  What do you think?

Alright, since we are in the entry, I thought I would share a bit of tweaking I've been up to.

Bunnies, eggs and butterflies have started showing up around here this week, 

and y'all know how I love to decorate my old Singer turned entry table!

 I just love this little bunny that I bought at Pier 1 a few years ago.  I thought he really needed something special to rest upon, so I got my "craft on" and made THIS book page wreath.  It cost me nothing, just a bit of time!

I did buy myself a new toy tool -- a Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  It was on sale, and I will be using it a lot for cards and other scrapbooking projects.

I just punched them out of brown craft paper -- you can bend them in the middle and with just a dot of glue, they really look like they are just fluttering around......squee!

Oh, Mr. Bunny is a "saucy" little guy!

I moved this wire cloche from the sitting room & added a few book-page bundles. 

 Hmmm....are you noticing a theme going on here?  I'm really having fun with book-page crafts, and will be sharing more in upcoming posts.  I don't do a lot of the more "cutsie" Easter decorating but stick more to adding touches of Spring and a lighter look in my vignettes.  

Hope you enjoyed and will come back again very soon!

I love to party here:

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

Dawn at Creative Cain Cabin for Budget Decorating Party
Kathryn at The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Mondays

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Table Top Tuesdays

Leslie at House on the Way for Twirl & Take a Bow

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Jody & Stan at Rooted in Thyme for Simple and Sweet Fridays 

Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading

Karen at Sew Many Ways for Sew Darn Crafty

The Tablescaper at The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays