DAILY DANNY

Plated Wall

Flea markets and antique fairs are always hit or miss.  Over the weekend, I stopped by the Renninger's Extravaganza in Kutztown, PA and had a whopping (sarcasm alert) 45 minutes to run through a few hundred stands looking for small treasures for my new house.   Since when do I have so many meetings on a Saturday?   But I digress...

One of my favorite finds were these octagonal metal plates I found at one of the last booths I stopped by.   There was a whole set of 32 plates broken down into (8) large dinner plates (8) salad plates (8) dessert size ones and (8) itty, bitty plates that I have no idea what they are supposed to be used for.  The dealer told me there were from the 1950's... never used... and could be mine for a bargain price. 

Here are some of the plates back home, all airtight sealed in plastic bags that look like were sealed at least a decade ago.    I took my scissors and opened up each package, picked at the price tag stickers, and threw them into the dishwasher.    There was a warning on one of the old, faded stickers saying to avoid using a dishwasher since it would fade and age the plates.... but that's exactly what I wanted... so into the Bosch washer they went....

When I get around to it, I'm planning to actually mount the plates to a wall in the new house.  I love the idea of pewter-y silver against dark gray walls.    In my other house, I've mounted plates to walls, too.  I love the look!    Here's my front porch with pie tins against a blue painted wall....

And here are my handmade reglazed silhouette plates in the craft room.  More plates, the better!    (PS-The metal stools in this room were moved to my new house into the craft room there.   They looks so much better in the new house!)

Backyard Eco Makeover

Okay, isn't this outdoor dining room set-up gorgeous?  When I took a look at my digital shots on the plane ride home from Los Angeles, I was so happy with this end result.

One of the other projects I worked on in LA was a makeover on the backyard of Access Hollywood co-anchor Maria Menounos.   It was filmed for a segment on the upcoming "Access Green" and was also shot for the pages of Life and Style magazine.   Because it was shot for the magazine, I can't share the "overall" images, but I couldn't resist sharing a detail shot with all of you.

This long farmhouse table was filled with a simple galvanized bucket from the hardware store and wildflowers.    JCPenney simple white dishes were stacked up (ready to be filled with yummy salads and sandwiches), pink glass JCPenney tumblers brimmed with organic lemonade, and my favorite JCP capiz shell lanterns were waiting to be lit up.

I loved the look of Maria's old deck chairs, so I thought all they needed was something fun to dress them up.  Our lead stylist Jules Moore came up with this clever idea using JCPenney bamboo throw rugs:

How fresh and modern does that look?    So simple and so perfect.

Anyway, that's all I can share.  I will say Maria was absolutely wonderful and engaging; we had so much fun shopping and shooting the segment at the JCpenney store in Glendale, CA.   Thank you to the professional and kind associates there; you made it easy!

Stella's Store is Stellar

I was recently in Los Angeles for a couple of work projects.  One of them was a visit to the Stella McCartney store in Beverly Hills to scout the location for an upcoming charity event I'm helping to put together.  The event is going to benefit Baby2Baby, a non-profit organization that collects lightly used baby items and gives them to mothers in need in the greater Los Angeles area.   

When I was at the store, we decided the backyard garden space would make the most ideal spot for the fundraiser.  Stella has always been a sweet rose in my book, so it makes no surprise that the store itself is nothing but a gorgeous English rose garden.    Here are some pics:

This topiary blows my mind... it's a horse!   A little green whimsy for the garden...

At the side of the backyard is this rose vine covered greenhouse.   The dewy, fragrant smell of roses permeated the air around the store.

Here's the entrance to the greenhouse.   The crushed stone and potted plants add to the horticultural feel.  I think this greenhouse would make a lovely potting shed for the party.  I'm thinking guests could come in and fill an aged terra cotta pot with organic soil, pop in some flowering bulbs, and take it home as a gift.  I think an antique chandelier needs to hang inside....don't you?

 

And here's the entrance leading to Beverly Blvd. in front...the only reminder you're still in car-heavy Los Angeles.   I think we need to line the walkway with clean-burning Method candles.

Can't wait for the event in a few months!   I hope we raise lots of money for Baby2Baby, too!

 

Detox Boston: Craft Day!

Okay, so I had a blast in Boston at the Method Detox Boston party.   Method, the eco-friendly cleaning supply company, opened a "pop-up" shop on Newbury street to help give people in Boston a chance to try Method products and stock-up on all the latest and greatest. 

One some of the nights, I hosted small parties to a group of local people to introduce myself and do a fun crafting project together: reglazed silhouette plates.

We picked up a bunch of old plates from Goodwill, some bakeable porcelain glaze, brushes and 8 1/2 X 11" sticker paper to make these plates.   I thought I would share some of the creative plates the guests came up with!

The Method logo on a plate!   

One of my favorite ones: grassy green glaze with yellow glazy dotes in the middle of each daisy flower.

A very cool plate: a blue and white porcelain plate with yellow glaze on top.   You can still see the transfer pattern below, but it somehow looks updated and more modern.    Stickers spelling out EAT peek through...

Here's my plate: a silvery, grassy plate.   Just random strips of stickers slapped on, two coats of silvery porcelain glaze, and that's it!  You can see the old pattern of the plate peeking through.   And, how funny: my Blackberry right next to it.   Hmm...I might be a crackberry addict!

Feed Bag

On Sunday, I co-hosted a small party at the Caravan Store in New York City in celebration of Earth Day.   Co-hosting the event was model and presidential niece Lauren Bush who has a wonderful program supporting the United Nations World Food Program's School Feeding operation.

When you buy a FEED bag, it feeds one child for one school year.  To date, the program has fed over 37,500 children in need around the world.

I've known Lauren since I put her in the pages of Organic Style magazine years ago and I'm impressed she's used her name for such a wonderful and solid cause.  I encourage all of you to pick-up a FEED bag to help the cause (and get a cool, strong, durable bag in the process, too!).   

Boston Sightings: Winston Flowers

I was in Boston recently to help out my friends at Method with their Detox Boston campaign.  But more on the fun pop-up shop on tomorrow's post....

On the beautiful Spring day, I decided to walk to the store location and stop in stores along the way.  One store that my friend insisted we stop at is called Winston Flowers.   It's a small chain of flower stores in the Boston area that, I think, feature incredibly fresh and beautifully creative arrangements.

At the store entrance, giant gray containers were simply filled with dark, deep purple pansies.    

Okay, here's an idea that I think I may be doing at my new house: Outdoor zinc planters filled with very tall branches of pussy willows.  What I like about this arrangement is that A: I can find locally sourced pussy willow branches in my neighborhood, B: this arrangement will last for months and months and C: did I mention it will last for months?

Here's a tall vase filled with water and fully bloomed purple hyacinth bulbs.   The bulbs have a thin wire tied around the bulb and are weighted down with pieces of crystal.    The heavier the crystal, the more weighed down the bulbs.  The lighter, the less weighed down.   And there you have it: a weighted bulb arrangement.

Okay, squint your eyes and take a close look at this picture.   It's just tall branches with test tubes tied right to the branches.    Pour some water, insert stem and voila!  Arrangement.   So, I'm thinking if I do make this pussy willow arrangement for the front of the house, then I could tie test tubes to it once in a while and have a different, fresh arrangement.

All in all, my friend was right: it was worth stopping by and snooping around.   Plus, I got some great gifts for all my friends I met in Boston on this trip.

Peg Board Holder

The previous owner set-up this peg board system in the craft room and I decided to leave it up and intact.

I've started to hang random crafting and home improvement tools on the wall.   And I just love how they take on a strong artistic look as the collection builds.   The pop of yellow from the hammer...the spiraly look of the hole puncher...even the deep red from the scraper.

I plan on painting the peg board a vibrant color---maybe Kelly Green?---as I add more hooks and tools.

Almost all of these tools are used or vintage in nature.   I really don't think it's terribly important to buy new hardware when you're planning on using it just sporadically. Believe it or not, flea markets are a great place to find a well-loved tool for very little money.  Plus, having splatters of paint here and there just adds charm and character.

Happy Earth Day!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!    I hope you're all having a wonderful, eco-friendly, green-filled day.

Today, ironically enough, happens to also be my birthday.  Today, I turn 31 and I'm more grateful than ever for this day.    

Thank you to everyone who supports and reads this blog... for all the kind notes and messages...and for everyone who does Just One Thing each day to make our world a healthier, better place to live.

I'm off to celebrate my Earth Day Birthday... will be back tomorrow with more daily green ideas, tips and how-to solutions.

Now go out there and celebrate!   Cheers!

Kitchen Re-Do

So, one of the things I loved about this house was all the original architectural touches left untouched throughout.    I loved this custom made metal vent hood in the kitchen: the clean lines, the simplicity of it, the bright pop of orange from the vent hood.

But as the tile went up and the color scheme in the house stayed consistent, this orange hood just began to stand out a bit too much.   It may not be obvious in the photo, but the orange did clash with the green tile.   So I decided to neutralize it by painting it black:

I bought one of those paint sample cans and put in 3 coats of black paint.   Yes, it's plain and simple.   And I know lots of you love color... but I think once all the "living" elements of the house are in place---large apothecary jars full of food, bowls and plates, etc---we'll have enough color and warm elements in the house.    So, for now, I am fond of the black vent hood.

I've begun painting the existing kitchen cabinets a steely gray.  They were all beat up wood cabinets (in good shape) that I thought needed some easy updating.  So I filled in the holes with wood putty, sanded them down, painted them with a coat of primer and added two coats of gray flat paint.  I swapped out the old knobs for simple black bronze ones and voila!   New cabinets.

Another shot of the repainted cabinets.   I love how the little black knobs just POP in the kitchen.  It's beginning to take on a cool, industrial look.

And for fun, my new library area in the craft room.   I kept the existing shelves and vintage light fixtures and even rescued the paint splattered ladder for this room.  I'm beginning to stack old books and magazines on the shelves.     Underneath will be going two Smith and Hawken wicker rockers, perfect for relaxing. 

Pot Kitchen Stool

You find the most unique ideas when you least expect it.

I was in New York City for some meetings and decided to stop by Crumbs Bakery and pick-up a dozen cupcakes for my next meeting.   On a side note: if you haven't been to Crumbs in NYC, pack your bag and go.   It's addictive.    And there's nothing healthy at all about it.   But worth every calorie.

Any way... as I was walking down Broadway with a tray of cupcakes, I stopped by this kitchenware store and saw this ingenious idea for a kitchen stool.   It's just a large stainless steel pot inverted on top of an old metal stool.   The existing seat was all worn and falling apart; adding the inverted pot on top cleaned it up and made it a functional stool.

Washing Bottles

I get so many comments about this bottle collection idea featured in the April issue of Body+Soul.  It was photographed at my house on the Delaware River and it's definitely one of my favorites: Just fill a square tray with a mix/match collection of vintage bottles and containers and fill them up with cuttings of wildflowers.

But lots of people have asked me, "how on Earth do you clean them?"    They seem to think I'm sitting here week in and week out dusting, polishing and scrubbing these bottles clean.   On the contrary: think dishwasher.

Just load the dishwasher with all the bottles and make sure they're spout side down; that way, water won't be collecting inside the bottles as they wash themselves clean.

The cutlery tray is perfect for smaller bottles.  They seem to fit snug inside and get really clean; no worry about small bottles slipping through and cracking.

20 minutes later, steamy cleaned bottles ready to be re-arranged on the tray.   How easy was that?

Wicker Boxed Gift Set

At a store called Gristie's near my house in Bucks County, PA, I found a couple of things that I think will make perfect gifts for my friends and business colleagues.   

In my company, I work with a number of people who help me in my day-to-day business, so it frees up times for me to think of creative projects and ideas for our TV shows, books, magazines and other projects.   There was a time where I spent all day long just focusing on the business of my company and never found time to be creative.   So, I am forever grateful to my team for helping me.  In other words, I am constantly thinking of creative ways to thank them for their help.

One of my agents out in Los Angeles will be getting this antique picnic basket full of delicious local treats.   Here's the vintage basket I found at Gristie's:

The basket was in remarkable shape and it was quite the steal at just $14.    So, off I stopped at the local farmer's market and picked up a selection of locally made treats:

Salsas, pickles, jellys and jams....  then I'll add a bunch of organic dried lavender and wonderful homemade soaps from a local farm nearby.   I'll wrap everything up carefully in eco-friendly recycled paper "packaging" wrap and tie the whole thing up with ribbon.

Hope he enjoys it!

Antique Shopping

I had a scavenger day a week ago and had so much fun seeking, searching, shopping and snapping away with my trusty digital camera.

One antique shop I decided to stop by was one of those that I constantly drove right on by.  It wasn't because I didn't want to stop inside, it was because it was never open when I drove by.  But this time, I saw the door open and pressed the brakes to a stop.

This store specializes in antique beds of all shapes and sizes.  I've been on the hunt for several beds for the new house and just completely overwhelmed by all the choices out there.    Do I want new?  Old? or no bed frame at all?   The hunt continues.     Above was a contender for the guest house: a solid antique rope bed with "acorn" finials.

Another one in Queen size (which is rare with older beds) was this one: I love the whimsical look of this one and the light tones in the wood.  I thought this would be fun in a guest room with one of my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattresses sans boxspring.   Two bamboo fiber bed pillows and the best organic cotton sheets from JCPenney.   Oh gosh, I'm getting sleepy... better continue...

Here's a great pic of row after row of antique beds.  So many fun styles to choose from...

Okay, so in a store full of beds, what do I fall in love with?   This bookcase.   I think it's Adirondack/Gustavian style... and it was in amazing condition.   It was a bit pricey (I won't say how much), but not terribly out of question.  Plus, it's definitely one-of-a-kind and the knowledgeable store owners would deliver and set it-up for free.   I thought this would look great in the master bedroom full of books, extra blankets, candles and a whole writing set of journals and pencils to write down thoughts...   

Hidden Treasures

What a surprise!

One of the fun things about owning an older home is that you never know what you're going to find.   Case in point: I was looking around the craft studio bathroom and decided to remove some things off the wall to give the room a good cleaning.   After I removed the mirror, I found this little box in the wall!   A safe! 

Oh, what treasures will I find in the safe?  Will it be a stack of cash?  Diamonds?  Gold?  Jewelry?   I actually felt a little excited at this moment...just wondering: What on Earth could be in there?   

Game over!   All that I found was this empty bank envelope for "First National Bank."   It looked old, but was empty.   

But still: how fun is this?   Restoring an old home can give you unexpected surprises here and there: some good, some bad.   All in all, it's worth it.

Loud and Clear...

I hear ya all loud and clear:  I won't paint the duct work in the craft room! 

Actually, standing in the room today, I was getting used to it.  I think what I will do is swap out the white vents and strip them down to the galvinized metal so it's all stainless steel.   

Thank you for your comments!  It really helped and it did change my mind!

CONTEST! Win a Jurlique skin care set

Well, it's been a while since I've had a contest on this blog, so here's a new one.   The prize?  TWO---yes, count 'em up, two whole boxes--of Jurlique skin care products.    They were sent to me as gifts by Jurlique, but I'm re-gifting and recycling by giving it away to one lucky reader on this blog.  (I must admit: I am rather fond of this packaging.  It is a lovely gift).

Anyway, to win the prize, send an answer to DANNYBLOG@AOL.COM for a chance to win.  In your email, answer this question:

"What would you like to see me cover in my debut column in Better Homes & Gardens in August?"

I need some help deciding what green topic to kick-off my new monthly column in Better Homes & Gardens.    Best idea wins the prize! 

GOOD LUCK!

Weekend Random Thoughts

I found this vintage chair in an antique store in Lambertville, NJ.   I ALMOST bought it, but decided I didn't quite want it.    But I love the unique design of the chair; it's a collapsible canvas chair with two belts as arms on the chair.   Yes, I realize it looks a bit dingy in the photo, but in person it had a great, well-loved patina to it.   But like I said, I passed. 

I thought this was a cool recycling center station at Los Angeles International Airport.   As I waited for my flight back to Philadelphia, I took this shot; I like how it looks modern and cool, but has just the right shaped slots for the various recyclables.   There's no way you can accidentally toss an aluminum can into the paper slot.    I actually stood there and cleaned out my bags of scrap paper and notes so I could recycle them.    Multi-tasking!

Speaking of notes, one of the most commonly asked questions I get when I give lectures is "where do you get your ideas?"   I get inspired all the time at totally different places, so I am constantly emailing myself notes and drawing on slips of paper here and there.   They all end up in an "inspiration" binder that is overflowing with paper.    I thought I'd share an idea that was jotted onto a piece of paper when I stayed at The Bowery Hotel in NYC.   This one is for a leather floor basket made from old belts.    I STILL have to make one...  hmm..note to self.

Polishing the new wood floors

I heart Method.   And I love their new OMOP wood floor care kit.

Originally, Method's eco-answer to the Swiffer was packaged in a clear, plastic box.  Great green product on the inside, not so green plastic on the outside.    Now, they've gone back to the eco drawing board and repackaged it in eco-friendly bamboo fiber.    Here's a close shot of the embossed messaging:

The packaging is totally biodegradable and compostable, so I took it with me back to my cottage house and shredded it for the compost bin (I don't have one yet at the new house.  Spring project!).

I love microfiber towels, so I was happy to see a removable and machine-washable microfiber pad for the OMOP.  Just attach to the velcro strips, squirt seom of the OMOP cleaning fluid onto the floor, and wipe away.   Shiny floors.    Correction: Shiny brand new floors!

Oh, and a shot of something that puts a smile on my face: my new bamboo cutting board.   It is designed to sit inside the Kohler designed sink.  So I can chop vegetables right in the sink and push the peels and skins into a compost bucket.  No mess and no fuss.   And it just looks cool, too.   I can't wait to cook in the new house!

Painted Duct Work?

The super energy efficient heating/cooling system is installed and up and running!   

In the craft room, we found the easiest and most efficient way to heat/cool the space was to install a strip of exposed duct work from the ceiling.   I have really tall ceilings in the house, so hanging this duct work from the ceiling does nothing to make it feel confined.  In fact, I think it actually accentuates the height!

Anyway, I have been looking at the shiny galvanized metal and now I'm thinking I'm going to paint the whole thing a matte, solid color.  So, I need your help choosing a color...

DARK BLUE

CHOCOLATE BROWN

LIGHT BLUE

MINTY GREEN

All of these colors are from Serena and Lily's eco-friendly paint line.    Thanks for your help and input!

Walls and Art

Okay, so I over-ordered too much glass tile from Shaw.  I admit it.   So I am going a bit crazy tiling things around the house.    At least we're in the final stretch now of this 3 month renovation.  Just the other day, I was on the phone with Comcast booking the day they'll turn on the TV, phone and high speed Internet.  I am still in denial that it's almost ready to move-in!

Above is the kitchen backsplash behind the stove.   I had the entire wall tiled with the same tile in the bathrooms.   In this very tall kitchen, it's so dramatic and beautiful.  I am beyond thrilled with the results. 

 

With the next fun step of decorating on my mind, I get to re-visit some of the pieces that were left behind in the house.   I love this large mobile artwork and have been racking my brain where to hang it in the house.  Originally, it was hung in the kitchen... but now I'm thinking it'll go into the living room.      

Luxe Eco Lab

The folks at Kohler had a sneak peek preview of an amazing new bath product in NYC recently.  They held the event at a studio space called Luxe Laboratory.  I thought there were some interesting things in the space, so I grabbed my digital camera and snapped away.   Above is a gorgeous top-of-the-line kitchen with white Icestone recycled glass/concrete countertops and backsplashes.   I love Icestone (it's in my own house) and love how it works as a massive backsplash.    For the look of rich marble but without the drilling, Icestone is a great way to go.

This tablebase is amazing.   In my book "Simply Green Parties" I took a tree trunk (since the tree fell down) and used it as a tablebase for an outdoor table.   Here's a similar idea using large driftwood with a very large piece of glass on top.  I love the marriage of wild natural with modern glass.

And no, your eyes are not fooling you: these flowers are arranged upside down.   Basically, a fresh cutting of hydrangea is inserted into the glass cap with water-soaked oasis.   Insert base and display.  A different way to show a simple flower.   

Dining by Design

Last week, I was in New York City to attend the annual Dining by Design event at Skylight Studios.  It's a charity event put together by the Design Industiries for Fighting AIDS and features one-of-a-kind set-ups that can sit 10 guests.   Here are some snapshots from the event.  Above is a lovely David Rockwell designed booth with a "ceiling" of bright white lights.

The Viking booth "chandelier" had drawings of different Viking products.   I love the sketch-like feel of each piece of paper.  I believe this light fixture is for sale at Design Within Reach, too.   

 

Here, at the JCPenney Wedding Registry booth, a wonderful arrangement of vibrant yellow flowers anchored the table.   

 

My seat at the dinner.   So many glasses!   I think the glass of white wine in front is responsible for my wild silent auction bidding.  But it's OK; all the proceeds go to a great cause.   I ended up winning four tickets to "The View" with a backstage meet and greet with Whoppi Goldberg, followed by lunch in NYC.   I think my family will have a great time with this prize! 

 

And this is the Domino magazine table.  I think it looks inspired by the gardens at Versaille.   I can't even imagine how much time and work went into this gorgeous tablesetting.      

Belted Rug

I was virtual window shopping today and came across this interesting rug from Branch Home.

It's made entirely from vintage leather belts, all artfully arranged and stitched together to make a large area rug.  This one measures about 27.5" in diameter, and I think could be an interesting rug in an office or even a great tablecloth for a round table.

So, this has me thinking about vintage leather belts now:   one idea that I am absolutely obsessed with is buying a junkie stripped steel lounge chair and replacing the broken PVC strips with leather belts to create a leather lounge chair.  Confused?   You'll have to wait until I make it to see what I'm talking about....

Dryer Lint Use

The other day, I was cleaning around the house and thought, "you know, I should really clean out the lint trap in the dryer."  So I pulled out the trap and found a huge mass of lint.

I've written about different reuse ideas for dryer lint in the past.  You can place it in the yard, for example, and birds will come and pick it up and use it feather their nest. You can also use it as a firestarter in the fireplace or BBQ; just light it with a match and it'll get the fire roaring.  I've heard people who use it to stuff pillows, too.

Anyway, as I was holding the mound of dryer lint in my hands, I noticed how soft it was.    And here's what I discovered: It makes the absolute best buffing cloth for cleaning around the house.    I took it to the range where it soaked up greasy stains and polished up stainless steel to perfection.   Then I flipped it and buffed the countertops clean with just a few spritz of Method's Go Naked all-purpose cleaing spray.   

Before I knew it, the kitchen looked spotless and clean and I could toss the dryer lint away, full of dirt, grime and who knows what else.

Lettered Rocks

Back in the March issue of Country Home was a profile of designer Lily Kanter's house in Mill Valley, CA.   One of the craft projects I came up with for the shoot was to take a bowl full of simple river rocks and personalize them with stick on letters from an alphabet set.

For years, I've loved letting weekend guests go down to the river or woods and pick up rocks that they love, sign them with a Sharpie, and then add them to a large apothecary jar in the kitchen.

This is a fresher, cleaner and more modern approach.   You can find the alphabet stickers in most craft stores and just spell out whatever words you want on the rocks.

You can do all of your family's names....say a message of WELCOME to guests....or just number them 1-10 and use them all over the house when you need to keep things in order. 

Nested Centerpiece

So, the last week I've been putting together the layout for my new 2009 calendar called The Simply Green Home.   It's been a lot of fun choosing photos, writing tips and working with the calendar publisher to not only do a gorgeous calendar, but one that features minimal packaging (no plastic shrink wrapping) and recycled content (from really, truly recycled paper).   

One of the photos I'm particularly excited about is the one above: it's two green wreaths twisted together to make a giant "nest" of sorts as a centerpiece.   This was originally shot for an at-home Christmas story at my house for LIFE magazine about 2 years ago.   So I contacted the photographer to buy the rights for the calendar because I just loved everything about the shot.  And I also love the simplicity of the idea, too.

You can just place pomegranates inside and they'll dry out naturally.   It's one of those centerpiece ideas that lasts almost forever, so you set it out and forget about it.    

Hummer Goes Green

I've been in the market for a new car for a while, and I am SO excited that Hummer has decided to go green.

I've just returned from the dealership where I placed my order for the Hummer hybrid: previous models got a dismal 8-10 MPG, but my new Hummer hybrid gets a 50% boost in performance to a whopping 12-14 MPG!    Isn't that amazing? 

And I am planning on getting it custom colored in a dark green color so people know it's a hybrid, too.  Unfortunately, the only place that can do the paint job is on the West Coast, so I'll have it trucked across the country to get it painted and trucked right back to my house when it's done.

And one more thing:  Happy April Fool's Day!