Making it Home: Another door opens when one closes...

For two years I've been searching for the perfect front door to let natural light in to a corner of our living room that lacked windows due to the original door. I told you all about that in this post here. Just so you folks who haven't made it over for dinner yet, or in a while, can see what we were working with here's a peak of the old door before. I snapped it while doing a vine project that went terribly wrong (muuurder). I'll have to revisit it next spring to achieve my dream cottage look out of this old cedar ranch house that we love:

To sum the whole fiasco up, one day I walked in from wandering through the door section at the Habitat Restore and realized that I didn't have to buy a door. I already had one that had proudly been displaying the garage that we haven't quite tweeked to our likings. I wasn't feeling a warm and cozy vibe when guests gathered in the kitchen and could see my car, half finished projects, and tools.

Ding! Switch the two. I was a little annoyed that we didn't think of that before. So David tried his hardest to do so and it didn't work. Ah, first world problems. The door needed to be planed and torqued more than my husband's tools could offer. In comes a Daily Deal from the Athens Banner Herald.

I buy these suckers up all the time. Massages, food, retail, carpet cleaning, and now half off an hour of handyman work from one of the best contractor groups in Athens, Bonafide.

Russ Sanders came in and did a great job in a little over an hour. He was super friendly and professional.

Here's a way way before in June of 2010 before temporary curtains, wall decor that we already had on hand to get us through a few years, and minus one of my favorite pieces that we've bought to date. The coffee table. The room was super dark, and that's even after we painted the heinous maroon walls Casa Blanca. (the available light also has a little to do with my {lack of} camera {phone} skills):

 Behold, light! This picture was taken around the same time in the late afternoon as the one above with two table lamps on, minus the overhead light- of course it was taken with a digital SLR , which helps- but you get the picture. Bah duh dum:

Up next, wall hangings, new curtains, and some coffee table flair. All on a budget. I'll also cover the front facade soon with new lighting that my dad installed. David has been working like a mad man and my pops has stepped in a few times with a hand, I'm pretty sure he does it as an excuse to see his granddaughter.

As far as our to do list goes, and it is long, most importantly we're going to fix the sink hole in our front yard. I've been gathering quotes, and I'd love to have it done in time to reseed the yard for winter. Our daily reminder? A 5 gallon bucket on a copper pipe which was first placed there to protect trick or treaters from breaking a leg. The neighbors love us. Our earth will swallow you.