Easily controlled color LCD for hobby projects?
This LCD assembly works with serial commands and is only about $35 [USD].  There are other options as well, but even once you get past the command set, interfacing to small LCDs physically is difficult due to the FPC connectors they use.  If that is not a problem, you might find more variety with low cost color displays from Newhaven Display International.  I've used two of their products so far.  Digikey carries some of them, but some seem to have a large minimum order quantity, so you might have to order directly from newhaven.