DAILY DANNY

Stacked Cups and Plates

 

For a while now, I've been using this super adhesive glue (E6000) to glue random plates, cups and mugs together into tall serving tiered trays as gifts.   They are so easy to make and all you have to do is have some of this glue and patience to let it fully dry.

So, imagine my surprise to see this lamp in Anthropologie recently: stacked plates, cups and a teapot to make a lamp.   I'm thinking these were vintage pieces that they repurposed into a lamp and the end results of kinda fun.    I do love how Anthropologie is always pushing their designers to come up with more interesting and handmade looking pieces.

 

And for those of you who don't remember my stacked tiered project, here's a pic from the very first example I did.    It is literally flea market chipped plates, creamers and a five cent bird figurine all glued together.   This E6000 glue is so strong, you could literally hold it by the bird and it won't break apart.    Don't even think about trying to do this with a hot glue gun....it just won't work!

How Tacky

 

Well, here's an office supply trend I'm starting to see more and more of lately: using thumbtacks as wall ornamentation.  

Here, a bunch of metal thumbtacks are just poked into a wall to spell out the word SWARM.  

 

Here's a clsoer look.  As you can see, it's not done precisely, but more scattered to give it a looser, more organic feel.   Even some tacks are randomly poked outside of the letters to suggest that handmade, by-chance feel, too.

 

This one is all rhinestones all over a wall, but I was thinking a box of old white and red thumbtacks could do the trick, too.   Now, if you mind poking hundreds of tiny holes all over wall, why not try this artistic trick on a piece of corkboard and hanging that instead?    You could spell out a word like "HELLO" and hang it on the front door.   If someone wants to leave a note, all they have to do is pull out a tack and attach a note right to your piece of "tacky" art.

Glass and Bottle Fixtures

 

Well, it started with this stunning crystal chandelier I saw at the uber-pricey and fun-place-to-visit shop Moss in New York City.   For just $50,000, you can have this Opera House worthy fixture hanging in your home, too.

Clearly, it's a masterful piece of art, but it's way out of reach for me or anyone I know to purchase.  But since digital pictures are free, I'll post it here as an inspiration piece.

 

How about this interpretation?   From NYC to San Francisco, I spied this champagne glass flute pendant hanging in the window of the Gump's store near Union Square.   It's just one champagne flute carefully hung on top of each other over and over until it becomes a glimmery light fixture.   I'd imagine a run to a thrift shop could score dozens of old flutes and you could make one yourself...or....

 

Why not save your empty Method dish soap bottles and make a plastic (safer) fixture yourself?  This one is hanging in one of the conference rooms at Method and It's just a shining example of something quirky, modern, resourceful and fun.

Laundry Ghost

 

Happy Valentine's Day!   

Just a funny shot to post about today: my laundry ghost.   I washed some t-shirts and a hoodie today and hung them all up to air dry.  Lately, I've been air-drying a lot more because A: it's good for the environment and B: it doesn't shrink my shirts.   I've even gotten to the point of piling t-shirts next to the vents in the guest room to dry more quickly.  The forced air from my heating system gets them dry in minutes.   

But as I looked at the laundry area this morning, I thought this looked like a creepy laundry monster/ghost.  

Enjoy the day!

3 Form Recycling

 

A few weeks ago, I hosted a luncheon in New York for magazine editors to preview my new Wholearth Beauty and Bath line coming out this Spring.   The invitations for the luncheon were printed on an eco-resin embedded with real dried flowers.   The material is called 3-Form and it's a nice marriage between modern and organic.   My publicist for the beauty line had some leftover tiles and brought them with her when she came by to visit for the recent magazine photo shoot.  Left with the piles of tiles, I sat here in the craft room and thought up some uses for them.

 

First idea:   I glued four pieces together to make luminaries.  This was so easy: just use the hot glue gun to adhere all the sides together and use a little extra glue to reinforce the sides once everything cools down.    They look so cool.   When you place a candle inside, the whole thing glows and you can really see the embedded flowers.

 

After I made the luminaries, I still had more boards.   And guess what: they happen to be the EXACT size of the panels on the patio door.  So I stood there and just inserted them into the wooden slats and they looks like stained glass (but better!).

 

Here's a closer shot: you really can see the random flowers just floating in the eco resin.    I'm glad these 3 Form boards were dropped off at my house.  It really has added something modern and organic to my craft room.

A Day at Home

 

On one of those rare days where I can work from home and sorta “take in” the house a bit, I like to redecorate and mix my to-do list with work things and home projects at the same time.   Today, I did a conference call about my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress line and then I followed it up by washing all the sheets on the beds and mixing and match new sheets.    Then I edited some copy for my new syndicated newspaper column “Do Just One Thing,” and then I grabbed the leftover stones, seaglass and pebbles from the Four Seasons luncheon last week and tossed it into a jar in my craft room (above).

 

After spending an hour working on a proposal and report, I grabbed the extension ladder and decided to  hang the collection of antlers I won at the Rago Arts auction two weeks ago.   Yes, I won.   I know I debated on this blog if I should buy them or not, but I decided a few things:  A: they are vintage and B: they went for a great price.  Here they are hanging 15’ feet up in the air.    Trust me: I installed these properly using a variety of art hanging tools.

 

And here’s the living room sans the vintage American flag that A BILLION people have told me was hung backwards.     It was an ordeal getting the ladder over there (I have really high ceilings) and bringing down the flag.    I rehung the flag in one of the guest rooms and---this time—it’s hung right.  

Okay, back to work!

 

Weekend Thinking

 

I'm sitting here in my craft room looking at this table full of Christmas bows.   These are Martha Stewart K-Mart holiday bows (the kind you peel and stick) that my local K-Mart store was giving away.   They had huge boxes of them with a sign reading 90% off.    So I bought 10 large bags and paid $4 thinking there could be some project you could do with these.   

Any thoughts?  

 

So, as I'm sitting here thinking... I just realized a flock of birds showed up to feed on some bird seed I put outside.    It's kinda peaceful and fun to see them.... when suddenly...

   

It's the attack of the bird seed eating squirrel.  Every day, he crawls up the window right in front of me and dine away....   So cute, but so ferocious!

Okay, back to the bows.   I don't normally stock up on "stuff" is see marked down to nothing for the sake of just buying it... but I felt compelled today...  

Natural Arrangements

 

I recently hosted a luncheon at the Four Seasons in New York City to celebrate the launch of my Wholearth Beauty and Bath line.   I'll share pictures from the luncheon with you soon right here on the blog.

One thing I had so much fun doing was creating aromatherapy arrangements for the table centerpiece that didn't involve using any flowers at all. 

I just used an assortment of dried moss, red and white seaglass chunks, raw wood silhouettes (hearts, peace signs, leaves), Indonesian river rocks and a slice agate stone on the side.   All of them were sprayed with the fine fragrance from the Wholearth line (it's USDA certified organic!) and left to sit on the table and perfume the air gently.

 

The materials were so easy to find and inexpensive, which I think is key when doing a large event.   I'm thinking of doing a very large aromatherapy arrangement like this for the master bathroom of my house.    Might even make a nice gift! 

Stay tuned for more pics from the party...had a great time and I'm glad all the editors and store buyers had a chance to preview it.  Can't wait to share it with all of you!

Plastic Bag Rehab

 

The other day, I found this perfectly clean K-Mart shopping bag at my house (people from photo shoots leave stuff behind ALL the time)  and thought it would be a good opportunity to show my little trick on recycling a plastic bag into a fun little plastic flower.  All you need is a bag (check!), scissors and a piece of scotch tape.    That's it!

 

Star by crumpling up the bag into a long strip and folding it in half.  And again.  And once more.

 

Tie a piece of tape around the middle.  It'l look like a big bow tie.

 

Snip off the ends of each "bow tie", about 1" in from the ends.

 

Star snipping into the cut parts.  This gives the plastic bag flower some detail..

 

Now start to pull the bag apart by fluffing it on both ends.   I find if you just keep smushing it with your hands and seperate the layers, it's enough to get a great looking flower.

 

Voila!   Plastic flower.  It reminds me of a peony.   It's really easy to do and it can create fun, oversized flowers for a party or an arrangement in just seconds.  Have fun!

Rock Salt Tealights

 

Short and simple post today.

I went by the hardware store today to pick up a bag of the de-icing pellets to have on hand for the next ice/snow storm.   How naive of me: not a bag in sight.   Note to self: when the weatherman is calling for a major winter storm, don't wait until the last minute to get the winter supplies everybody else is going to be hoarding.

So, all that was left was the traditional rock salt bags, while plenty, happen to also be the cheapest de-icing solutions out there.  I know they wreck havoc on plants and gardens, but when push comes to shove, I have to make sure the people who work for me and visit me don't slip and slide all over the place.   So, I hauled a 50 pound bag to my car and headed home.

When I ripped open the bag and pour it into the galvanized bucket, I was noticing how beautiful the rock salt crystals were.  So pure, so gem-like, so organic...and now so pouring all over the driveway.

I scooped up the mess into a vintage pan I had on hand and thought it would be cool to tuck tealights into the dish.  When lit, the candles reflect off the salt and you get a great shimmery glow.   When the party is over, just use the salt to de-ice a slick sidewalk.

Floored by Rugs

 

I was recently down in Atlanta, GA for some meetings and stopped by the Rug Market to see the latest and greatest in area rugs coming out this year.   One showroom I spent some time in was Shaw Living, which is one of the largest manufacturers of area rugs in the country.

One rug that caught me eye was this psychadelic one called "Fling."   I think many of us are very safe when it comes to buying rugs, but it's really the more daring ones that end up being photographed in all those magazine spreads.  Have fun, I say. 

 

Another one I loved was this very textural rug that have giant, oversized roses on it.   It was super plush and so detailed, really showing what intricate and amazing rugs they can do on their looms.   All of Shaw's rugs are made in the USA, too...so it's nice to see that all the design, production and sales can all be done right here.

 

Here's a really fun rug.   It was actually designed to be used in a kid's room, but I could totally see it to warm up my craft room.   Why do all the kids get all the fun stuff?

 

On the hang tags, there's information about the style, sizes, etc about the rug.  But there's also information about the recyclability of the rugs.   The Shaw nylon rugs are 100% recyclable; they can be sent back to Shaw where they are shredded and respun back into virgin nylon string and respun into new rugs.   It's cradle-to-cradle, meaning it can be infinitely recycled forever and ever.

 

These rugs are reproductions of actual antiques found in New Mexico.   These are the types of rugs you buy in lots of different colors and shapes and layer all over the place in a cozy living room.   A little part of me is Bohemian, I suppose, and I think I may need to embrace that rather soon.

 

And here is a nice choice that I also think is a universal mainstream one, too.    It's from Tommy Bahama for Shaw and called the "Abstracted Leaf" rug.   Who knew Tommy Bahama made rugs?  Rugs that are 100% recyclable?

Wintery Living Room

 

I'm like a gypsy.    I move from one room to another working away to keep things different.   I love wireless internet access, because I don't have to be stuck in one room to get work done.   So, I decided to break free from my Dell Studio Hybrid desktop and bring my little Vaio over to the dining room.   Sitting here working on a speech, I loved how the living room looked in the winter light.    There's a dusting of snow on the ground right now, which reflects light right into the house.   It's a diffused light and---I don't know why---does somthing to lift my mood.

My living room has changed a bit.   The table behind the sofa is now a foyer table (used to be a desk) that holds my new terrarium and a large arrangement of tall, barren branches I clipped from a dead bamboo plant in the yard.    Having tall ceilings lets you create tall arrangements, and it only re-emphasizes the height of the room.

And then there's the vintage flag:  Many of you will comment that it's hung backwards.  Yes, it is.   But as one commenter once told me, "it's your flag, hang it however you want."   So, it stays.   Honestly, it's the easiest thing in the world for me to hop on up there and re-hang it (it's a production...), but I think when we shoot the house for some upcoming magazine photo shoots, I'll get around to doing it.

 

And sitting from the dining room table, I loved this "hallway" that was created in the large living space.   The two JCPenney club chairs create a nice board game area...the vintage military cot overflowing with blankets, pillows and throws...and the unbleached linen drapes softening the oversized windows.    From this view, I see a parade of wildlife all day long: herds of deer, hawks and a never-ending flock of wild birds pecking away at the bird feeders.

Agate Love

 

I don't collect things on the intention of starting a collection.   What I mean is that you'll never come over to my house and see a giant display of vintage toy cars in their original boxes in curio cabinets.   Nor will you find a room dedicated to anything about frogs.   I'm not a collector.   But I do find myself aquiring things to the point that I'm like "I have a lot of this..."

Case in point: Agate.    The gem-like, beautiful stone that comes in a myriad of colors.   Agates crystallize inside lava when gas bubbles fill with mineralized water and solidify into concentric circles in a wide variety of colors.   It's made by Mother Nature and it's like a beautiful piece of artwork you can live and use around the house.

Up above, I keep a stack of thesed sliced agates on the coffee table as coasters.   So, chilled drinks rest on top and look beautiful.

Over at the bar, I have a large Agate slab keeping a soy candle and some glasses in place.   It adds a little dimension, color and interest to an otherwise straightforward bar.

 

Over at the online site VivaTerra, they have this really handsome agate night light.   I have been eyeing this for a while now, but I decided to pass and get LED night lights for my house for energy saving reasons.  But still...this is quite the agate beauty.

 

And another agate product at Viva Terra, these chargers or platters.   I'm not sure I'd serve food on them (just imagine trying to scrub off debris in the sink...too much of a hassle), but I think they'd look great as a base for a centerpiece for a table.

I'm off to the flea market to meet up with my gemstone/rock guy.   I'm looking for the smaller rock style agate that are cracked open.  I think they'll look great in a bowl tossed with some organic fragrance....

My Resolution: Keep it Clean

 

Last year, I started using an eco-friendly housekeeping service to keep my new home clean.  I moved from a small cottage that was about 1,000 square feet to a new home that was over 4,000 square feet with 20' ceilings.    I thought, "there is no way I can keep this clean myself."  So I had this great crew come in and help me scrub, scrub, scrub away.  Anyway...

This year, I have been struggling to come up with a New Year's resolution.   Originally, I thought I would resolve to double the amount of money I give to charity this year.  And then I thought, I should do that anyway, so let's pick something else.   And then I resolved to end the housekeeping service and keep the whole house clean myself.

As many of you loyal readers know, the signs were there.  I blogged about my obsessions with a steam mop.  I mean, who blogs about a mop?  But I love dragging it out and watching bursts of steam disinfect and clean my floors.  So easy and so satisfying.

And that's when I realized I find it therapeutic cleaning my own house: scrubbing the bathroom tubs with Method's Le Scrub, wiping the countertops with grapefruit spray and microfiber towels, and using the "animal" function on my Dyson to pick up dirt and crumbs on the floors.   When I found myself enjoying scrubbing a toilet, I wondered, "Am I alone?"

There's a stylist I worked with years ago who has started a cottage business about the zen of cleaning.  His name is Michael DeJong and he gives tips and advice on finding the joys and pleasure in keeping one's domain clean.     Check out his site at: http://www.zencleansing.com/.   He might be the closest to how I'm feeling lately...

That said, I don't LOVE cleaning.    But when I'm stressed out and running into a creative block when, say, writing a book or working on a story, I'll grab the vacuum and clean a room for a few minutes.   It de-stresses me and gets me re-thinking right away.

Am I alone here?   Or do you enjoy cleaning, too?

Cabinet Collections

 

Even though the majority of my new house is furnished and decorated (although, is it really ever "over?"), the one area that has been neglected has been the built-in bookcases in the living room.   Strangely enough, I actually started on the bookcases the first day I moved in, painting the inside of the cabinet black and polishing up the wood shelves.   And then I forgot all about it.

Over the holiday, I emptied all the prop closets and packed up a box of collected treasures from my cottage and brought them over to the main house.   And then I decided I would display flea market, antique and handmade finds together in the cabinets.  

 

I love this one a lot.   All the antique glass pieces, LED light bulbs (so futuristic) and a bowl of hand collected seaglass wired together.   The black paint makes the glass "pop" a bit.    I love how you can't tell which is a $100 antique piece and which is a twenty five cent junk store find here.... can you?

    

Here, I grouped all the "white" items together.   Looking at this photo makes me remember where I found everything and how I aquired it:  A vase as a gift from the Mayor of Teipei when I was there on a book tour...the marble pieces from a flea market sold to me by a retiring botanist...an antique vase I bought in South Korea as my one "splurge" I allow on my visits overseas...

 

This one is a lot of fun.   The peanut dish was a junk store find and I love it.   The mounted animal plaques hang inside the bookcase, which is kinda unexpected and fun.   And I love the glass paperweight---sorta tie-dye-y-----that I got when I went to Prague as a teenager. 

Thatched Fencing

 

When i bought my house, one of the things that needed to be done so I could move in was to pass "code" on the railings at the entryway.   To do it as minimally inexpensive as possible, we stuck to putting up some 2X4's and ugly orange plastic netting (now removed) in the front.   Cost, almost nothing...but it passed code.

But now I'm faced with what to do with the front of the house.  Originally, i was going to rip it all down and put up some Trex decking or tension wire fencing and do this whole modern/retro/cool look.   But as the weather went very cold very quickly, I've put this project on the back burner until the Spring.

 

And then I saw this!  Over at Terrain (see yesterday's post), they thatched the side of the railing with durable sticks and branches, all woven inside and out to create a really organic, but totally durable and safe fence.   I think I can replicate this at my entryway very easily and gather all the branches I need right from my own property.   And in the Springtime, I could plant some flowering vines that can grow throughout this to give a little life to the front of the house.    When it warms up, I'll give it a try.  If it doesn't work, no harm done...all I wasted was some time and nails.

 

Speaking of outdoors, these are the new metal birdfeeders I've hung up around the house.   One word: Squirrels.   I think within 20 minutes of hanging them up, I already had squirrels twisting and turning on branches to get to the bird feed.  Seriously... it was like they watched from up above and pounced.

Terrariums

 

I spied this amazing terrarium at a store called Terrain in Pennsylvania.   Terrain is a new concept store by the people behind Anthropologie, with a focus more on gardening, household plants and all the lovely accessories that go along with raising and growing plants at home.   So, instead of a ho hum gardening center, they actually are trying to make it look lush, fun and engaging.   If you're an Anthropologie fan, then come back Monday for a full report (and pics!) about Terrain.

But first up: Terrariums.

I travel all the time for work, so I find myself constantly nursing back houseplants back to life when I return.  Only in the summer months do I get a break: I put all the plants outside on the back patio and let Mother Nature water and care for them.   I have seen the deadest of plants spring back to life in the summer months.   Trust Mother Nature.

     

Terrariums are pretty fool proof because it's a self enclosed structure that stays moist and keeps the plants alive for days (if not weeks) without watering.  Think of it like a mini greenhouse or biosphere for plants.

I've seens lots of terrariums in those typical globe-like structures, but I've been looking to do one in a bit more interesting way.    Sure, the top terrarium is gorgeous...but it's also probably $1000 to purchase and enormously heavy to carry.  

So, I like the smaller version that's now living in my craft room.    The galvinized sides and glass windows really make it pretty and I like having something live in my office.  

Natural Care at Bed Bath and Beyond

 

Well, it's pretty exciting and fun to announce that my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo line of green mattresses are now available in New York City at Bed, Bath and Beyond.    It's actually the only Bed, Bath and Beyond in the country to sell mattresses and it's the only NYC store to carry the Natural Care line.   

I stopped by the store recently to say hello to the sales associates and thought I'd share some pics.   Up above are the two models of Natural Care---plush and firm---on the sales floor.

 

It's a little surreal to see my picture making a bed in a store selling beds.   I remember this photo shoot we did down in Georgia at one of the most beautiful places I've ever been called Serenbe.   It's so interesting to see ideas go for concept, to photo shoot, to headboard in store.  

 

Also at Bed Bath and Beyond, they had a whole "Green" section selling eco food and cleaning products, too.   Look at this row of green cleaners!    I see lots of Method products here:  The dryer sheets, shower spray, all purpose wipes, laundry detergent, wood cleaner, Go Naked dish soap...goes on and on...

 

And a reusable tote bag with the name of the eco market:  Verdi.    Green!  

 

And a look outside of the "store within a store" at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Spending time in this store makes me wonder when the NYC store for JCPenney will be ready and open.  I can't wait for that to happen in 2009.   It'll be a really exciting day!

Feed Bag Pillows

 

A few months ago, I spent a week putting together samples of different vintage fabrics, swatches and antiques as "inspiration" for an upcoming home collection I'm designing.  More on the home collection later...

One shop in Pennsylvania I love to visit is an old general store where you can still find vintage feed bags for sale for about $1 a piece.   I decided to buy a whole stack and have some pillows made, where they shuffled back and forth between meetings as an "idea" for a product line.    But now that the inspiration stage is over, I decided to pull them out of the prop closet and decorate with them.

I absolutely love the Morton's salt bag pillow up top.   It's so soft and worn and the pillow insert inside makes it all cushy and great to curl up with.

 

And I took a larger feed bag and just used the very graphic rooster part to make a smaller throw pillow.   I love the extra wide edging on it...gives it a clean, handmade touch that somehow works.

I have lots more feedbag pillows left in "case" form in need of inserts.   I could go nuts and just have a million of these pillows around the house, but I think for now, these two will do.    Maybe I'll give some away on the blog down the road... could be fun!

Brown Paper Packages

 

Two years ago, I wrote a book on eco-friendly gift wrapping called "Simply Green Giving." You can actually find copies of it at Pottery Barn stores right now (and probably at half off post Christmas!) to get lots of eco ideas for wrapping gifts.

This year, I decided to wrap all my presents using a large roll of recycled brown kraft paper, natural red/white twine and green woolen yarn.   The large kraft paper was actually leftover in the craft room by the previous homeowner (who used it to wrap up his artwork) and the natural string was material I found in my box of crafting props.    Here are some gifts all wrapped up and ready to go.  I used some manila mailing tags as gift tags, too.    Just love the simplicity and ease of all the gifts.

 

On the back of the dining room chairs, each person gets a monogrammed stocking full of eco treats and gifts, too.    This year, in addition to small toys, playing cards, candy and personal care products, I am also giving warm slippers to people.   I don't allow shoes to be worn in my house, so I make it my responsibility to give people a brand new pair of slippers to wear instead.  I figure:  Win-win.

Oh, the bear.... I just had to buy it to give.   How could you resist?

Winter Wonderland

 

This morning, I woke up to the morning light and looked at the window to what many would think is a winter-y, dead ravine of trees.   But to me, winter is one of my favorite times of year because it really encourages this idea of coziness, warmth and indoor fun.     With a light coating of snow on the forest floor, it just adds to that idea....

 

Over by a nest of LED string lights, It's been fun just poking random things here and there.   Today, this wooden ornament was found on the floor, so I just stuck it on top of the lights.  

 

Up in New York City, I am constantly seeing LED lights everywhere.   Here, on Park Avenue near Grand Central Terminal, these mini evergreens are all festive with blue lights.   I'm so glad to see LED technology becoming much more mainstream.

 

And back at home, as I was flipping through a magazine in the sitting area of my bedroom, I glanced up at a collection of trophies I've been collection and realized I never blogged about them.   One thing I'm beginning to collect are vintage dog show trophies.  I have no idea why I am.... but there's something peculiar and handsome about these trophies that I think just adds to the quirkiness I'm trying to achieve here at my house. 

Random blog post today, I admit... but that's what winter is really all about...randomness!

Holiday Decorating

 

I don't think there's such a thing as too much holiday decorating.   Now, I don't mean covering the house with string lights to the point that the local news is camped outside your house to cover "the most festive home in America."    But I think it's okay to add something to each room to celebrate the holiday season.   

In the craft room, I've been spending A LOT of time in there working on some new product lines, so to make the room a bit more festive, I covered the windows with paper snowflakes that were used in a recent TV appearance.   These paper snowflakes look good from inside and outside the house.

 

On the long shelves, I strung a HAPPY HOLIDAYS sign made entirely out of spent pens, pencils and other writing utensils.   It feels very architect-like in appearance.    The sign is huge...so it's quite dramatic and fun to see each morning when I walk into my office.

 
Over by the open beams in the house, I strung some white LED string lights up.   I took to types of lights and twisted them together to give them some weight and variety.   And then I just swagged them in between beams.   What's sorta funny is that I found nails already in place where I wanted to swag them... making me think the previous homeowner may have done somthing similar....

 

And my floor to ceiling homasote inspiration boad is really starting to take off.   I think this is my favorite part of the whole house.  I can just tack tear pages, fabrics and photographs right onto the wall and get ideas from them.   This wall is ALWAYS changing, but today, I thought it looked particularly inspiring.

Holiday Decorating

 

I've long been a proponent of always getting a real Christmas tree vs a fake one.   I used to live on a Christmas tree farm in Reading, PA where I got a lot of first hand knowledge of the business.   Real trees, you see, are grown on farmland that's ususally unsuitable to grow other crops, so growing evergreen trees helps preserve land that might otherwise go towards development.   And there's a whole host of other reasons, ranging from combatting global warming, providing habitat for animals and providing jobs all while growing a renewable and recyclable resource.

That said, this Christmas, I'm not going to set-up a live tree in my house because I'm simply not around enough to keep it watered and healthy.    So, I clipped some branches from the yard and set it up in a tall vase in the living room.

 

On the large branches, I've hung two types of ornaments.   The first one are handmade straw ones in the shapes of snowflakes and stars.   I really love the simplicity of these.

 

The others are wood cut outs that I've glued and glittered.  They were just twenty cents a piece at the craft store and I picked up ones in the shapes of polar bears, stars and a few moose ones.   I just love the very sparkly, simple look of these and even love how inexpensive it was to make.

 

And for the "tree skirt," I just took a few strands of the soft glow LED string lights, connected them, and wrapped them around the base of the vase as a glowing nest.  At night, it's actually quite amazing and I love the fact they A: don't get hot (so it's safe) and B: use around 1/10th the energy of regular string lights.  

Eco Holiday Office Party

 

Every year, I do something called a satellite media tour with my nonprofit partner the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation.   Each year, I've shared eco holiday tips ranging from gift wrapping presents using recycled materials to my favorite green gifts to share and give.   This year?  I was inspired by the NBC show "The Office" and came up with eco ways to bring festive cheer to work using trash into decorative holiday treasure.

 

Here's one of my favorite ideas: Making a gingerbread house using an old cardboard box and some basic office supplies.   Cut the old carboard box into gingerbread house shapes and decorate using things like post-it notes (for shingles on the roof), reinforcement stickers and dots as "candy" and even White Out as "frosting" along the edges.    My favorite stylist Vanessa Boer created this from my creative notes.   Didn't she do an amazing job?

 

Leftover ofifce paper and coffee filters made into charming snowflakes.  Here, more is merrier, right?  Just fold the paper and cut away.  No two snowflakes are alike!

 

And here's half a sign that read "HAPPY HOLIDAYS."  Take dried out pens, and pencil runts and shape them into letters.   Glue them onto paper rounds and hang up!   Macgyver, the TV spy, would be really proud of this one.

 

And an olide, but goodie idea:  Use old VHS tape as shiny black ribbon on gifts.  How cool does this look?  Just curl it up with sharp scissors to get these fanc bows.

Yolo Spin Art

 

Oh boy...what a I thinking posting this picture?   Ha ha...

I was at the Greenbuild Expo last week in Boston and will be blogging about all the amazing eco-friendly building supplies that I discovered over at the Better Homes and Gardens blog in a few weeks.  I'll let you know when those posts are up.   Really exciting stuff....

But here's something a little goofy and little fun from my friends at Yolo Color House.

If you don't know Yolo and you're interested in painting a room in your house, head on over to their website.   

Yolo is a line of eco-friendly paints (zero VOC) that come in a whole range of nature-inspired colors.  I'm a big fan of choosing colors from nature for two reasons:  one, I'm Mr. Eco Friendly, so I like being connected to the Earth in my own house.   But two: you can't go wrong with colors from nature.  I call it a foolproof palette because if you love beautiful flowers, leaves, grasses and shells...then, you'll love their colors for the walls in your house.

Anyway, onto the picture above.   This is a fun project where you basically put a card on a revolving machine (think very fast turntable) and squirt some extra paint onto the card as it spins.  You get these cool splattered cards.    I was thinking for Christmas, it might be fun to take extra paint and just splatter a grocery store brown paper bag, let it dry, and use it to gift wrap gifts.

LED Holiday Decorating

 

I've been having guests stay at my small cottage, so I stop by now and then and stock the fridge, wash the sheets and now I'm decorating it for the holidays.

I hung up the grapevine wreath I had in storage on the front porch.  Last year, I wrapped it pretty densely with LED string lights that I got from Brookstone.    LED lights are great because they use about 1/10th the energy, last about 100,000 hours and never got warm.  So, it's safe to wrap them densely on top of each other.   Here's the LED wreath all lit up...

 

At my other house, I've hung up a bunch of new LED wreaths as well.   Here, I have lights from Phillips that I wrapped densely around a very large grapevine wreath.   Notice the color difference?  Here, they are more glowy yellow.... where above, they are more icey blue.   Today, LED string lights are almost indistinguishable from traditional incandescent string lights.   Why both with the old version?

 

In the kitchen, I poked a dead bamboo branch from my front yard into a large glass jar and hung some vintage ball ornaments on it.   I just love the simplicity of this.

 

And back at the cottage, a nested wreath sits on the front porch with a terra cotta bowl full of more vintage ornaments.   There may not be a holiday tree at the house, but there can at least be a little festive cheer.

LED Bulbs and More

 

Last Saturday, I was in NYC to tape an appearance on CBS The Early Show teaching non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning techniques.   Since the show is at 7AM in the morning, that really gave me an unexpected early morning/afternoon free to look around NYC before I headed home and left for Los Angeles.   So, on this drizzly Saturday, I decided to visit my two favorite stores in nyc: The Strand Bookstore and ABC Carpet and Home.

First, at ABC Carpet, I found this display of lightbulbs and couldn't believe that they were selling LED bulbs in conventional shapes for all types of indoor light fixtures.   I haven't seen these before and I especially had not seen them in a retail environment where you could see them all lit up first.

I decided to buy a few bulbs (pricey at around $40 each), to test them out.

First, a few notes about LED bulbs:  unlike compact fluorescents, they do not contain harmful metals like mercury inside.    They also do not get hot to the touch, making them extremely safe, and they last around 100,000 hours and use just about 1 watt of energy per hour.   They basically pay for themselves.  100,000 hours is 4.1 years of light time.   Turn it on today and it will basically burn out 4 years later.  If you turn the light fixture on and off like a normal person, they will pretty much last forever.

 

Here are a bunch of the bulbs all boxed up.  They're made by a company called LEDTRONICS and their website is www.ledtronics.com

 

These are the two bulbs I bought for my house.  You can see all the little LED bulbs inside that light up.  The casing is plastic, which is smart because it makes it shatterproof.  Had it been glass, it would be too easy to shatter, thus making your $40 investment too vulnerable.    I'm going to seek out some "open" lamps to put these in so people can see this new technological bulb in action.

 

Elsewhere at ABC, they have a great green furnishings program that features recycled and sustainably harvested wood furniture pieces.   This giant dining room table is something I'm eying and love for my house.   Unfortunately, the $9,000 price tag is a bit high, but well worth the price since it's totally handmade and one-of-a-kind.   In retrospect, if there's a sale on the table, I may consider buying it.  It really will last forever.

 

And here's the intricate top to the table.    Saw so many wonderful things at ABC and learned so much.  If you're in NYC, it's definitely worth a visit to shop, learn and eat lunch. 

Tomorrow, my visit to my all time favorite bookstore: The Strand.

Blazing Japanese Maples

 

Last week when I went to vote (yeah, Obama!), I decided to stop by my little cottage on the river to check up on it and bring some books over to my other house.  When I parked my car, I was amazed how bright red the mature Japanese maple trees have turned.   Here's a pic of one young branch peering over the road up to the house.

 

From the front porch, the large maple trees have created a canvas of nothing but deep red leaves.  I wanted to make a fresh pot of coffee and just sit on the porch and look out on the road...but the polling place was definitely more of a priority.

 

And one more pic from the top of the stairs.   It's amazing that this property has a whole hillside of nothing but mature Japanese maples.   So amazing and it's something I will totally miss when the house is sold.

Renovated Craft Room

 

I've been having some work done to the craft room to make it a bit more efficient and up to date.   I've had so much fun working with the new Dell Studio Hybrid computer and just loved this juxtaposition of old built-in cabinets meets new technology.

 

Overhead, I had these new Restoration Hardware overhead fixtures installed for lighting.   Originally, there as very little overhead lighting and in the middle of the night (or an overcast day) it was rather dark in the craft room.   Can you believe I found these for 90% off at the Restoration Hardware Outlet?  What a steal.   Inside each light are two energy efficient CFL bulbs.

(PS-And did you notice that my overhead heating/cooling duct work remains unpainted?   A very long time ago, I asked you if I should paint it and you gave me a resounding NO.  So, here it remains unpainted and I love it.)

 

On the back wall, I had 10' panels of eco-friendly homasote board (covered in burlap) installed.   I wanted to make this wall more functional, and I think this was a way to do it.  Now I can just poke magazine tear pages and other items right to the wall.  It's going to be a revolving inspiration wall.

 

Here are some vintage quilting patterns I found in a bag at a junk store.   They were used by an Amish quilter and looked to be very old.  I don't sew, but I thought the shapes were interesting, so I pinned them up.

 

And here's a vintage movie reel I've repurposed.  I am using it to hold ribbon and just wound it around and around.   Pretty cool, right?

Random Monday

 

I'm having a random Monday with random work projects and random ideas.   Call me Random House.

I love the trees on the property around this time of year; there's a whole myriad of colors on the ravine-side of the house and then there's a forest of yellows on the backside.   Each morning, I see the squirrels running around the backyard looking for things to stash for the winter.   Today, this squirrel ran up to the windows and sat there watching me type away.  So I walked over and it ran up the tree (just in time to take this shot).    Okay, so what's my point?   I'm thinking I should put out a feeder for the squirrels.

 

Okay, so speaking of nuts: here's a vintage peanut dish I found at a flea market.   It's all-metal and shiny gold on the inside.   I have a feeling these are pretty common some time ago, but what's new to me....   Here I've got a collection of beads sitting in the dish.   So, let's see: create a feeder full of nuts for the squirrels.... fill a peanut dish with vintage wooden beads...

 

And I've taken those beads and added them to the string on the Amish-made walking sticks I have sitting by the front door.    Okay, it's a little hippy dippy to do this, but aren't walking sticks hippy dippy to begin with?    I like having these sticks by the door...I feel like they encourage my guests to grab one and go for a walk.  Or maybe walk the dog...a dog if I had one....

 

And here's the $1 dog sketch I bought all nicely framed up.   Yikes: you can see my reflection in the glass.  But I'm happy with the way this turned out and I think it'll look nice in a guest room or in the craft room.

Now, maybe I should go adopt a dog...

Fall Energy Savings

 

This morning, I stopped by my local Lowe's store to get some air filters for my heating and cooling system.   It's one habitual thing I try do every 90 days: replace the filters to keep the air in the house as healthy and allergen-free as possible.

But while I was there, I couldn't help but notice all of these energy saving devices that I really needed for my own house.   So, in other words, I went nuts.   I bought some of the Philips LED holiday string light (okay 20 boxes) that I'll be using this Christmas season to light-up both indoor and outdoor trees.  Since they will last about 25,000 hours, I figure it's a good investment over the next 10 years or so of use.    And then I found amazing surge protectors, LED flashlights, some new CFL bulbs and a water heater cover.    So, I spent the morning getting my home energy-ready.

 

I've been looking for a good surge protector for my some-time desk in the living room.  I sit here with my laptop and printer and other electronics when I'm just home for a day or so and need a plce to work.   This Belkin surge protector actually clips to the side of your desk, so it makes for easy access and won't be in the way.   I like how i can turn it all off with a flick of a switch.

 

Down into the basement, I was reminded how much gutting I had done to the house months ago.   Here's the old boiler when the home was heated by heating oil.   I switched the whole house to a super energy efficient electric heat pump that both heats and cools so beautifully; it's called Acadia from Hallowell and it's considered the greenest of the green.   But, here, is the ripped out old system sitting in the basement.  I think I need to get this scrap metal recycled.

 

I KEEP FINDING STUFF in this house!   Here is a box of old carving tools I found tucked behind a shelving unit in the basement.   How cool!

 

And here's my electric water heater all snug and wrapped up now.     I'm actually researching going tankless with the house and have found some electric versions that are just hitting the market.  It's the greenest choice since you're not heating up a whole lot of water just waiting for it to be used; a tankless version gives you hot water when you need it.   No waste.   But every plumber I speak to says now is not the time to get an electric tankless system.    Any insight on that? 

Junk Markets

 

Can you imagine shopping at a store where you pay based on the honor system?   There's a store in Pennsylvania where the vendors set everything up outside and they trust you to walk all the way inside and pay for the item if you want to buy it.  In other words, when the store is closed, the outside shop is all right out there...in all the elements.      Amazingly, people don't steal from this outside shop and they say people pay for the items they want.   That said, if you're stealing a 10 cent terra cotta pot, then you must REALLY be struggling...

 

Here are some rows and rows of glassware and jars and the random (of course) Exit sign.  Everything has layers of dust and dirt on them, but a good cleaning and disinfecting can turn anything from unsightly into totally functional.

 

Believe it not, I have found some amazing steals in this outdoor junk heap.   One of my favorite things was an old school galvanized washing tub that I repurposed into an outdoor bar.   That $5 find has been photographed a million times for magazines and it remains one of my favorite finds.

 

Now, inside the store, I found some nicer, less "junky" items.   This horseshoe chair cracks me up.  I have a set of black horseshoe chairs at my cottage that were made from an Amish farmer.   I never thought I'd see something similar again, but here it is... how fun!

Fall House Prep

 

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and living in Pennsylvania, the forests surrounding my house turn an amazing technicolor of oranges, reds and yellows.

Before I drove off to the train station for some meetings in New York City, I looked at the trees in front of my house and loved how the bright color popped against the black color of the house. 

To get ready for Fall, I've done a few things:

 

I've brought some Adirondack chairs from my river cottage and placed them in the backyard by the new firepit.    The large tree bench was salvaged from the backyard when a storm knocked it down to the ground.   I'm planning to put backs on the tree to make it a bit more comfortable for sitting.   I can't wait to have some guests over for an evening of S'mores.  Yum!

 

I've brought the large round outdoor table inside and covered it with a lovely John Robshaw hand-blocked tablecloth.   I've been in the market for a new dining room table for a long time, but now I'm thinking I just might use this round table as the dining room table!     I love the large round light right about the large round table.   The Danish chairs were from the original homeowner and left behind.  They work!

A House Tour

 

As you know, I've decided to list my little cottage on the Delaware River and sell it fully furnished.   Hopefully, the many shopping trips to antique stores, auctions and flea markets will be appreciated by the new owners.    As I was poring through the many digital images I have on file of the house, I thought I'd share some additional pics of some great ideas that came from living at the little blue house.

 

This wreath is one of my favorite projects.  It's literally just a bunch of vintage horse show ribbons clipped onto a simple grapevine wreath.  Lots of color and it's a bit whimsical, too.    Oh, yeah...so easy to do since all you do is clip em write to the wreath.

 

This antique burl bed came with the house when I bought and I think it deserves to stay.  This little nook in the upstairs bedroom just feels so welcoming and comfy.   I had the windows re-insulated recently so it stays even warmer and cozier in the winter.

 

This TV stand is actually one of the first pieces of furniture I ever bought.  I found it in a junk store in Washington, DC for around $30.  It's actually a church podium.  I've painted it a million colors, but I like this deep gray the best.   Behind it are a bunch of shelves perfect for storing movies.  The map behind the TV is an old school style map I found at a flea market.   I thought the map of Australia was appropriate since I just returned from there when I found it!

 

And the perfect dining room for weekend entertaining.   I bought these wood chairs in the scratch and dent section of Ikea because A: they were like $5 each and B: already assembled!   I reupholstered the stained fabric with vintage cashmere sweaters and now they are just so cozy.   I well tell you, I can't believe how many people come up to me and say they too have reupholstered their chairs with sweaters as a result of seeing this photo.  So cool!    And the two side chairs were handcarved, raw wood chairs that I had upholstered in hemp fabric.  They kinda look Swedish in style and totally work with the room.   And, yes, that's just a branch I found that's the curtain rod!

On the Market

 

After a lot of thought, I've decided to re-list my cottage on the Delaware River.  It's for sale!  I had put it on the market about 9 months ago when I purchased the current home I'm in now, but took it right off after I thought I could still use it as a location for photo shoots and product development.   But after I finished paying to have it regularly cleaned and maintained (and realized nobody lived there), I thought it was time to let it go.

This time there is a positive twist: I am selling the cottage fully furnished.  So, all the antique furnishings, accessories and down to the brand-new bamboo towels are included in the price.   Let's take a tour, shall we?

 

I love this kitchen and it was the first thing I renovated when I moved in.  The backsplash is all recycled glass and the countertops are made from recycled concrete & glass from Icestone.  The cabinets are amazing Italian-designed pieces that feature that "no slam" technology; you close a drawer and it slowly slides back into place.   Lots of Energy Star approved appliances fill out the rest of this very efficient galley-style kitchen.   In the winter, you can fold laundry at the end of the kitchen and look over the hillside to see the Delaware River.  So pretty!

 

The famous craft room!   It's been photographed so many times for magazines like Country Home, Life, Body and Soul and Philadelphia Magazines.  I may take the reglazed plates with me to the new house, because I remember spending so much time making them.  

 

The upstairs reading nook in the bedroom.  On a very cold winter day, this is the coziest place to sit down, read a book and be glad you're not outside in the frigid cold.  

Interested parties should contact Marty Millner.   I'll miss this cottage, but it's time to be realistic and focus on one great house.

Obsolete to Absolutely Great: Cassette Tapes

   

Okay, so I've transformed old CDs into dumbbells and I've taken old records and melted them into serving bowls...so it only makes sense I would turn my attention to old cassette tapes.

Back to Goodwill!   I found lots of these cassette tapes in the bargain bin and grabbed about 20 to play with.  This little craft project cost me a whopping $1 to try out. 

 

And here's the finished project.  I made a cassette tape storage box.   It's all put together with a glue gun (so perfect in any crafting toolbox) and I think the end result is sorta fun.

 

The top is just two cassette tapes glued together with a vintage bed glued on top as a knob.  I have no idea what I could store in here (been thinking facial tissues for a while now), but it might be a fun gift box for something.

Overall, the project took just 5 minutes to do.   Is it my best work?  No.   But is it fun?  Yes.

Chalkboard Door

 

I've painted the guest bedroom bathroom door with two coats of chalkboard over the weekend.  I must say, I am absolutely thrilled with the results.   Above, I've written a little welcome note to my guests.

Chalkboard paint is surprisingly easy to work with.  You can find the non-toxic paint (in can form, not aerosol spray form!) in most home improvement stores.   I found a can at my local Lowe's store that could actually be tinted almost any color; it's the carbon mixed in the paint that makes it "chalkboard" paint.   You need that extra grit to make sure chalk sticks to the paint.   But after much thought, I thought a traditional green chalkboard color looked best.

I started by sanding the door by hand and then putting one coat of primer on the door.  I had some leftover primer from the house painting job I had done and used that.  I did find putting a coat of primer on raw wood did help achieve professional results.

Then, on went two coats of green chalkboard paint.     Off I went to Chicago for business and I came back to a dried door (although it only really takes a few hours to dry).   I took a piece of chalk and rubbed it all over the door and wiped it off to "cure" it.   

Now, it's ready for messages, doodles and whatever!

 

And here's the door closed.   Tic Tac Toe anyone?

Flag Drapes

 

I recently was looking around on some design blogs for inspiration, ideas and just---well----wasting time when I saw a living room photo that caught my eye.   The homeowner had hung a flag in front of the window, which was photographed so beautifully with the morning light poring through the thin fabric.

Looking at the photo, I thought flags could be a great idea to hang in the guest room as drapes.   So I picked up some cafe curtain rings (those little clips that hang onto fabric) and bought a couple of nautical inspired nylon flags from a store in old towne Williamsburg, VA.

Originally, I planned on sourcing vintage flags from flea markets and antique stores.  But you know the saying: if you go to those places hunting for something very specific, you're never going to find it.  So after searching about 6 stores, I gave up and bought them online.  But nylon is still a good green choice because it's not PVC (so there's no harmful off-gassing) and they are totally machine washable and durable.

Sure, it's a little "out there" with the design, but I'm pleased with the result.  The super cozy guest room has a yacht room feel to it (without being literal) and I like how cozy and comfy the new bed and reading lamps above the bed make the overall room feel.

Help me Choose: New Trex Decking

 

In this economy, I figure if you can wait to do certain repairs or improvements to your home, then wait it out.   And then sometimes, your house has a better way of telling you it's time to do it now.   Case in point: the decks around the house.  

I KNEW the wood was deteriorating, but I figure if I could live with it, then I could wait a bit to have it replaced.   If it was only cosmetic, then who really cares?   So, one day as I stood on deck and managed to fall right through a rotten piece of wood, I landed beneath the deck of my front porch and thought "okay, you win house: I'll do this now."

So, I am going to hire an architect to come up with plans to do interesting and timeless decking and railing, all while using either eco-friendly Trex or ChoiceDek recycled plastic lumber.    Here are my color options. 

 

 

 

 

I kinda like Gray and Sandstone and I was thinking of actually doing wide stripes of the two colors instead of just picking one and stick to it.   So, it would be like 5 planks of one color and 5 of another and so on and so on.  

Okay readers: vote!

Speaking of the Craft Room...

 

I had all the built-in cabinet drawers in my craft room re-aligned recently so they would slide in and out with ease.   After all the construction here, they all got jammed up and I couldn't open them at all.   So after things were re-adjusted, sanded down and tightened, I'm happy to report the room is coming together again.

 

One of the selling features of this house were little features like these extra deep drawers that I envisioned holding large sheets of paper, supplies and other crafting tools.   But when I originally filled them up with scissors, hole punches and glue, everything just got jumbled and rolled around inside.  

 

So, I picked up some bamboo utensil holders and placed them inside.   Now everything has a home and is neatly organized.   I will say seeing everything in one spot at the same time really does help you stay focused on the project at hand.

 

Elsewhere, the peg board keeps frequently used tools accessible and ready to go. 

 

A stainless steel paper towel holder from Ikea actually does a better job keeping rolls of paper organized and ready to go.   I keep these really for niece and nephew, who can tear a sheet and draw to their heart's content.

 

And on the bookshelves, I have jar after jar full of random supplies ranging from chalk to glue gun sticks to brushes to a grommet kit.   It's a hodge podge, but I know what it's for and I do find myself grabbing a jar everyday and using the contents inside.

Crafty Sign

 

Yesterday, I blogged about buying some vintage plastic letters that I found in the attic of my favorite store.  So, today I'm going to share what on Earth I did with them.

First, I know a lot of people have the heebie-jeebies with dusty old things from flea markets and thrift shops.  Sometimes, even I get freaked out a bit seeing how aged or smelly an old blanket can be.   But that's why we have soap and that's why we clean things up.   Case in point: these dusty plastic letters.

I let them soak in a very warm bath of water with my favorite Method cucumber dish soap.   Here they are all sudsy and waiting for a quick rinse.

 

And here they are drying out.   Don't you love the look of the letters?   They are very retro to me, but in a very clean, modernist way.

 

And here they are re-arranged and hanging in my craft room.   Seriously: who would've thought a random box of letters would spell out "CRAFT ROOM."    Seriously!   It was like they were meant to be in my house for this very reason.

Utility Closet

 

Okay, many thanks for all your input on what I should use to carpet the inside of the utility closet here at home.   As you can see, I went with the pattern "Working Class" because I thought the utilitarian feel of the closet was perfect for this very rough and durable modular carpet.   A very handy carpenter actually installed this for me when I was away in Los Angeles and he did an amazing job.  He even covered the little hatch door to the crawl space (on the left)! 

I did come back and install some organizers on the wall to keep the ironing board, iron and cords all organized and accessible.  I like how they look against the freshly painted walls.

 

In the back of the closet, I have built in shelves that I reupholstered with some old painter's tarps and tacks.    I work with Method cleaning products as a partner, so I have access to a plethora of product from them.   So, here I keep a "mini store" of my favorite Method goodies and let people "shop" the store when they visit.   I have a lot of editors from magazines who come to visit me, so I find this is a nice way of welcoming them to my home.   So far, the Go Naked all-purpose wipes seem to be the most popular.

I'm happy with the way this turned out and I think it's incredibly much better looking than before.  Many thanks for your comments.  It's fun when we decorate together!

Recycled Scarf Blanket

 

The other night, I was sitting at home for the first night since returning from a very long trip to Los Angeles.   It was 63 degrees inside the house (at least according to the thermostat) and I realized maybe it was time to switch my eco-friendly heat pump system from "Cool" mode to "Heat." 

But instead, I decided to throw some extra blankets on the bed and pulled out a warm alpaca blanket I made a few months earlier.   It's stitched entirely together from 5 or 6 alpaca scarves and made into the coziest blanket.    I confess: I didn't sew it myself.  But I did have my local dry cleaner do it for me for very little money.   It is, after all, just straight lines that have they sew up and down the scarves.

 

This idea of making a quilt from scarves may be familiar to many of you.  I also have another quilt made from a hodge-podge of scarves that was photographed for "Body and Soul" magazine a few months ago.   Here's a pic how it can also look a bit more homemade by stitching them together with just yarn and a very big needle.

Anyway, as the Summer turns to Fall and the evening gets more chilly, I thought some of you might like this idea to stay cozy and warm.  

Modular Carpet for the Utility Closet

 

I'm tackling the hallway utility closet and turning it into a walk-in closet storing my surplus of Method cleaning products, extra paint and home improvement supplies, and other items that I need for the home (like Christmas ornaments) that I can store all year round.

I decided to cover the floors in the room with modular carpeting, which is easy to install, durable and---eventually---recyclable.   So, help me choose a pattern for the floor! 

 

I'm testing this pattern called WORKING CLASS in the first photo.   Here's a photo from the company's website.  I like the simplicity of the durable, gray tiles.

 

This one is called CORRUGATED TILE, because I think it looks like cardboard.   What do you think?

 

This one is called GREEN ACRES.  It reminds me of Astroturf, doesn't it?  I just like the color, but I wonder if it's TOO green for the room.

 

And here's a fun one called SHANGRI-LA. 

Okay, what would you choose for the floor?   Would love to hear your thoughts.  I'll tell you the winner in a few days.

Deal of the Day: LED Task Lamp

 

Here's a weekend deal of the day (er, or weekend).   These lovely traditional and classic-looking task lamps feature high-tech lighting: LED lighting.

The light output of these lights equals a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb, but the one LED bulb (included) will last 40,000 hours.  In other words, the light will last for 4.5 years if you turned it on and never turned it off (but, not that you would ever do that, would you?).

On sale from $149 to $119. 

Big Bolts of Yarn

 

Happy Friday!

Quick and simple idea.  I was at the Lowe's store in Burbank, CA picking up supplies for a home renovation project in Los Angeles and decided to go down an aisle I rarely walk down.

There I found giant bolts of all types of shipping string and yarn for very little money.  Undyed, uncoated and just wholesome, straight-forward all-natural string.

I thought there was something very decorative and organic about it, so I picked up a bunch and added them as a tableau to my client's living room table.   I love the wooden pedestal that displays one bolt of string.

At my office at home, I have a giant bolt of red and white bakery string on my desk.  I originally bought it because I thought it added a nice decorative touch, but I have found it to be useful for a myriad of things.  I wrap up gifts, hang ornaments at Christmas, tie-up with mail and use it bunch flowers together.   String...who knew?

Safety Pin Pillow

 

I get ideas for projects from all sorts of places.  Case in point: the Rite Aid store in Los Angeles, CA.

I stopped by the store to pick-up the basic essentials and was looking at a package of 275 mixed gold and silver safety pins.  They were on sale for $3 and I thought, could you do something creative with them?   

I had this mossy green JCPenney throw pillow and liked how the gold and silver pins looked against the green fabric.   So, off I went to see what I could do to marry the pillow with safety pins.

 

And here's the after.  I just kept pinning away to create a starburst pattern on the pillow.   It's actually very cool looking in person and soft to the touch.  Just make sure the pins are properly closed!

 

And here's a detail shot of the starburst.   I am slightly obsessed with this project now and I'm thinking of doing stripes and other intricate designs using safety pins.  I'll keep you posted.

House Tour Continued

 

More simple decorating ideas in my house...

Above is an old botanical book that I picked up at a flea market a few weeks ago.   The bookstand is an old wood one from a library that I also found at the flea market.  Strangely enough, it wasn't for sale; instead, the dealer was using it to showcase vintage books for sale.  But after a bit of pleading and bargaining, he agreed to sell it to me.  

 

A vintage military cot I picked up on Ebay sits behind the sofa in the living room.  I've been loading it up with blankets and pillows and now it just screams winter cozy.   I can imagine a very chilly day this upcoming winter and grabbing a few blankets to stay warm.

 

And here's the wooden side table I bought at HD Buttercup in Los Angeles.  It finally arrived (I ordered two) and I've put a collection of random antique store and flea market finds on top.   The glass paperweight was something I bought my Sr. year in high school in Prague.   Even back then, I was seeking timeless items I could live with forever.

Win! New Method Goodies!

 

As Method's Green Living Partner, one of the perks of working with this fabulously cool and eco-friendly company is getting a sneak peek at all the new products that are coming up.

In the mail today were two new Method products:  Marine Naturals Method Body wash and Water Flower Method hand wash.

Method has been green way before it was cool and they've been doing a lot of great things like using post-consumer recycled plastic packaging for their biggest selling items and even shipping products to stores in biodiesel fueled trucks.   You can keep up with them on their website at methodhome.com.   Check out their blog for more inspiration and updates.

So, I have the Marine Naturals Body Wash and Water Flower hand wash to give away.  One winner gets both.

You know the drill:  Leave a comment and tell me where you shop for Method products.   I'll pick a winner by Monday of next week!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.  THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ENTRIES!  WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.  STAY TUNED FOR MORE CONTESTS!

Food Storage Drawer & Walking Sticks

Totally random post today.  Hope all of you are having a great day!

In my kitchen, I've gotten around to creating a food storage container drawer.  Here, I am keeping my red, white and blue Sigg food storage boxes and Ikea glass containers (which they sadly discontinued) ready to go.    I'm starting to prep larger batches of healthy food that I can snack on and have ready to go.  I've been obsessed with making protein-rich quinoa salads recently and will share my recipe for a date-infused salad down the road.  It's addictive and good for you!

 

And because I live deep in the woods and I'm trying to encourage my guests to take a hike (literally), I picked up a bunch of walking sticks from an Amish craftsman recently.    These tall sticks have been polished and sanded down and drilled with cording around the top.   Most of my friends don't need walking sticks, but there isn't something nostalgic about grabbing one and talking a walk through the autumnal leaves.   I also just like having a grouping here by the front door...always ready to go.