Sprucin' Up the Front Porch

I bought some flowers yesterday to plant in pots I had from last summer and decided to clean up the front porch a bit.  It had been neglected since Fall and needed a little color and a little love.

Here is the before:

 I found the wreath at Goodwill, it was still for sale at Target when I got it.  It was a pretty orange and green dried leaves and flowers, I thought the orange looked good on our teal door.  I'm so happy I didn't pay full price for it, because after hanging out on our door for a few months, it was sun bleached!

 I was very bad and painted the front entry window but never scraped the paint.  Terrible.  I could never remember to get a scraper when I was the hardware store so it stayed like this... for. way. too. long.

 Yay!! Paint has been scraped!

And the not so earth shattering but definitely an improvement AFTER:

 So since I don't know how to get those useful little arrows onto my pictures yet, I am just going to point out all of the improvements that need to be made (and it is even more obvious now that I see this picture).  On the left we need some street numbers, above the trellis...that is where the Clematis will be blooming soon.  We need larger outside lights and in a darker finish so that you can see them against our oh so pretty orange brick.  I need a cute welcome mat.  And I need to paint the glass door surround another color other than taupe.  Any ideas, same color as the shutters?

Houzz

...and maybe some bigger containers would help too.

Houzz

I also thought about doing this with a climbing rose bush.  I think this looks amazing.

 But for now, we have Snapdragons.  They kinda make me happy with all their pretty colors.

 Our front lawn, you can see the scrawny cherry tree on the right.

Our maple tree, the colors on this thing are amazing! 

 Kwanzan Cherry Tree is not yet in full bloom and is just sooo pretty, 

I am in love with this tiny little tree.

So the porch is spruced up but is definitely far from done.  But you know when you look at something so much you don't really see it anymore, until you see it in a photograph?  That's how I feel today.  I think I have some big plans for our front porch that will bring in way more curb appeal!  

Also, as a side note, I haven't jumped on the bandwagon and invested a real camera yet, 

all I have is a little 'ole Canon point and shoot, but I think I do alright with it.  Maybe one day.  :)