DAILY DANNY

Washing Baseball Caps

The other day, I was thinking, "How on Earth do you wash a baseball cap?"

Putting it in the washing machine would just tumble it to bits and take the shape out of it completely.  And scrubbing it by hand would be too arduous and probably do a not-so-good job.

So, I did a little research online and found out in some usergroups that running your baseball caps in the dishwasher was the solution.   Just run it on a regular cycle (without detergent) and then let air dry when it's done.

I did this with my baseball caps and found it worked!   I did run it in my clothes dryer on the drying rack so it didn't tumble.  It came out smelling fresh and looked just like new.

Quick Decorating Tips

Over the 4th of July holiday, I hosted all the festivities at my house and grabbed the digital camera when I wasn't cooking, cleaning or having fun.

Here are some quick ideas I think can work in almost anybody's house.  First up: Organizing by material type in the kitchen.   Here, I'm thinking of doing a whole row of glass...followed by white ceramics...then stainless steel.   It's not quite there yet... but I think you can see where I'm heading with this idea.

Leftover bagels from breakfast hung up in the tree with natural rope.  I'm seeing if the birds or squirrels will find them tasty or not.

I mounted a soap dish on the wall by the front door to hold my housekeys instead of soap.   I am finding this little dish is a great way to make sure I don't misplace my keys again.

And here's a vintage military cot I moved from the cottage to my new house.  I find it's useful to have it behind the sofa to store extra blankets and pillows.   They're handy, but organized.

A Day in San Fran

I got to the West Coast a day early before my Marin County gig and decided to spend the day in downtown San Francisco.   I've been in SF plenty of times, but I always find that each time I'm there, I can find new neighborhoods to explore and find lots of fresh ideas and new sources for my work.

One store I found myself spending lots of time in was called Paper Source.   Above is a sign that says it all, doesn't it?

Here's a chart that shows all the sheets of paper that come in a recycled variety.   No beige!   I love the poppy, pool and bluebell paper colors.

Then it was off to an amazing rug store where I discovered..... pillows.    Forget the piles and piles of rugs! 

This dyed velvet material is something I've been seeking for my living room sofa.  Something comfy, something homemade and something a big bohemian.   I've always thought there must be a way to do tie-dye influence in an elegant way.  I think these pillows hit the mark.

A more tie-dyed looking throw pillow...

Every corner reveals more hidden shops.  Here's a store appropriately called "the secret garden."   I trekked my way down and poked around the store and found an amazing collection of recycled glass plates and bowls.

Back to my cozy room at the St. Regis Hotel to refresh and change for dinner.

Dinner at Zuni Cafe!   A James Beard award-winning restaurant featuring organic, sustainable ingredients in the most delicious dishes.

The owner immediately introduced herself and offered a behind-the-scenes tour.   What a treat.  Here's one of the chefs making Zuni's infamous Ceasar salads.

Fresh, sustainably-caught oysters.   I love the use of old menus as dividers in the cold ice.

Greenest Fair on Earth

Last week, I spoke at the Marin County Fair... the greenest fair on Earth!   I have some more digital photos of all the fun I saw at the fair.

Above is a beautiful display of locally made wines entered for judging at the fair.   What a fun job it must be to be the judge of this competition!

There was a green living exhibit on display and I was immediately drawn to this sculpture.  Correction: wind turbine.   Now you can harness the power of the wind at home and create your own energy...all while having something on your roof that looks like a piece of art.

This collection of seaglass was expertly glued together into a jeweled birds nest.  How cool is this?

Home grown roses up for judging...all beautifully displayed in recycled glass bottles.

A beany Mona Lisa....

I was immediately drawn to the bonsai tree exhibit.  A true art form!  

Another great example.

And meet Biodiesel Betty!   She introduced me before I spoke and did an amazing job educating all types of kids about green living.  Inside her reusable tote bag was all the eco packaging they used at the fair: paper straws, corn-plastic cups and corn starch bowls.

Help me choose an outdoor table

Okay, I broke down and bought the chairs I spied in the antique shop windows a few weeks back.   They are Belgian cafe chairs (so they'll do well in an outdoor environment) and I just love the design of the chairs: stackable, great color, and very comfortable to sit down on for a long dinner.

But as you can see in the photo, it's missing an outdoor table.   And that's where I need your help.

I'm thinking of a few options:

1.   A recycled plastic long table from Loll Designs.

It's made from recycled plastic from old milk jugs and other recyclable plastics.   I love the eco aspect of it and I think it can seat lots of people.   But it's a bit pricey...

 

This LL Bean outdoor set is a nice contender.  Good price, simple lines and it's all metal (so it's easily recyclable if that day ever comes).

And here's a detail of the chairs I bought.  Love the kelly green paint color!

Recycled Starbucks Fun

How fun is this?   At my quick trip to Marin County before the 4th of July, I was able to scout the fairgrounds at the Marin County Fair at all the creative and resourceful exhbits on display at the "greenest fair on Earth!"

One highlight was the clever recycling of old Starbucks cups, straws and other disposables into new amazing sculptures.   Isn't this boat amazing?   The sides of the boat are made entirely from green Starbucks straws and the port windows are Starbucks frapp cups.

Here's a detail shot of the windows on the boat.

This Ferris wheel is so appropriate for the festive nature of the county fair.   How resourceful that the cups are the little seats you sit on for the ride?

The Starbucks Lochness Monster!

And how fun is this pick-up truck?   Seriously, this makes me want to route through the trash can at Starbucks, rinse everything off, and make something myself.

Glowy Rocks

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!

I hope you're enjoying the day off and celebrating with friends and family.    I've got a whole gang of family members at my house celebrating, so I'll leave you with this quick eco tip for the 4th.

If you're celebrating outside, keep a glowy path of rocks leading guests to and from the dining area to the house.   All you have to do is gather rocks and pebbles and cover them with a simple coat of glow-in-the-dark paint (from the craft store). 

The paint works by "charging" up in the sun all day and the reflect the stored light at night.   It's actually a great thing to do for Halloween, but I find it works great in summer to add light to the backyard without installing any actual outdoor lighting.

Have fun...enjoy...and celebrate the 4th! 

Green CFL Bulb

One of the fun things about New York City, is that you can walk down any block and get a whole variety of window shopping ideas and inspiration.  I used to live on Bleecker street right across from the famed Magnolia Bakery; it smelled like frosting 24/7.  If you're a sugar-fan, it was a dream come true.   But as more of salt fan, it was overwhelming.   So when I moved, I didn't miss it for one second!    But I digress....

Walking down Bleecker, I was attracted to this window display of a green CFL bulb.   It was for a trendy florist that has an all-black displays so the green flowers can "pop."    Today, they had these cfl bulbs hanging...

I've been thinking of installing a mini-greenhouse at the new house and think these green CFL bulbs would be perfect for it.   It would play up the "green" house aspect, all while being energy efficient.   But this greenhouse dream is, oh, many many years away.  For now, this bulb might have to do. 

Mattress Testing

Okay, so I've been infatuated with mattresses lately.  With the launch of my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress, I've been absorbed in the world of better sleep.   In a recent day trip to Atlanta, GA to meet with Simmons, my manufacturing partners, I got a quick tour of their testing facility.

Above, my mattress is lined up to be tested with giant rollers to roll back and forth across the mattress. 

Here they are about to get rolled on.  One of these rollers will go and forth for several weeks on the mattress, replicating many years worth of sleeping.   We do these tests to see how the mattresses will wear over time.  My mattress comes with a 20-year warranty, so you can imagine they've been tested on many, many times.  

Here's another test on a different Simmons mattress being pounded on over and over again.   It was this test that showed how certain materials don't work in mattresses and needed to be reformulated and rethought until it hits the marketplace.

And one more look at the pouncing machine.   Then it was time to go back to my meeting... but what fun it was to see all this behind the scenes research!

Showroom Visit

The other day I hopped to Brooklyn to make a visit to a showroom where buyers for retail stores go to to place orders.    It's not open to the public, but as a consultant for JCPenney and an editor with Better Homes & Gardens, I got to walk thru and see what's new and coming out for Fall.  I took a few digital photos of items that I loved and wanted for my own house.

Above is a beautiful bowl made entirely out of driftwood.  It would go so well with the driftwood mirror I have at home.  I've been mulling about creating a driftwood collection at home...

Can you believe these wallets are made entirely out of duct tape?   I have this policy that I don't replace my wallet until I absolutely, positively need to.   I mean, the last stitch of string could be holding two pieces of fabric together until I replace it.   But when that day does come, I may have to switch to one of these cool striped duct tape wallets.

This seedling kit is darling.   It's made from recycled concrete bags molded into seedling pots.  The wicker basket is a great carrying case.   This makes me want to start an herb garden.

And these wood grained utensils?   I love the nature-inspired look of these pieces.  It's nice to see that every utensil doesn't have to be silver-plated and boring.

Fourth of July Tips

I love the week of 4th of July.  It just feels like, well, summer to me.

I'm off to California to speak at the "greenest fair on Earth" at the Marin County Fair right outside of San Francisco.  It's one of those fun old fashioned county fairs with farm booths, pie-eating contests, ferris wheels and cotton candy.  I'll take lots of photos.   If you're in Marin County, come see me on Wednesday, July 2nd at 6PM.   I'm giving away a free Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress!

Anyway, here are some fun eco-entertaining tips from my book "Simply Green Parties" that you can use for your own summer parties this week.   First up: lemon scented hand towels.  

Just grab some small towels and soak them in ice water with a squeezed lemon.  Ring them up, roll them up and serve with a lemon slice on top.   They'll refresh and disinfect at the same time.

For corn on the cob, just grab some twigs from the yard and sharpen them up in a pencil sharpener.  Jab, grill, enjoy!

It's easy to make your own healthy popsicles.   You find these molds in the kitchen supply aisle.  Just fill it up with a fruity sports drink, insert popsicle sticks and freeze.   Full of vitamins and much healthier than regular sugar pops.

My Regular Texas Trips

As many of you know, I work with JCPenney as their Green Living Partner and help them as a spokesperson and consultant on their eco-product designation campaign called "Simply Green."   The logo helps our customers (and associates) identify products we create that are recycled, renewable or organic.   I'm down in Texas quite a bit for meetings and one-on-one time with design directors, executives and buyers.   So, this time I thought I'd share a little insider view of their Energy Star award-winning corporate headquarters.

Above is what is known as "the statue."   This is a giant statue of the founder, Mr. James Cash Penney.

Here's a photo of the very first JCPenney store.

One of the first JCPenney promotional gifts given away:  how green!   It's a toothpaste squeezer so you can get every little last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.   I want one of these!   

Some old matches that were given away back in the day.   

Vintage stationary with the old JCPenney logo.   Seeing this photo makes me miss my old typewriter.   I might go search flea markets or a Goodwill store to find an old typewriter to have on hand.  I love the look of the fonts when freshly "struck" to paper.

I also stopped by the JCPenney Stonebriar store nearby to check on my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress.    I also go into stores and refluff the pillows and clean-up the displays.   Sometimes I personally explain the mattress to customers who may be there when I'm there.   I always end up giving away free signed copies of my books to people!

Anyway, here's a sign on the bed promoting their 40% off special sale right now.    Good time to buy and save!

And here's how it looks on the sales floor.    So pretty.  

(PS-I've gotten lots of emails asking why it's not available for sale in some JCPenney stores.   This mattress is on display in all 165 stores that have mattress departments; stores that do not have a mattress department will not have this on display.    To find the closest store to you that has a mattress dept., all you have to do is go to www.naturalcarebed.com and type in your zip code in the store locator.   It will be available for sale in a few weeks on jcp.com as well!)

Barn Sale

About a week ago, I was sitting at a stop sign in my car and saw a handmade sign next to me reading "BARN SALE!  NEXT SATURDAY!"

I had no idea what a barn sale was, but I soon found out it exactly is what it sounds like: it's a barn full of used stuff for sale.    And it was bargain central, I discovered.

Above is a collection of wonderful country style chairs for around $5-$15 a piece.    Someone should've bought the whole mismatched (but similar) set and used it for a kitchen set!

I found a collection of vintage garden books for $1 a piece.  I snatched up a bunch, including field guides to trees and shrubs.  I love the green book on the left; the pattern is really pretty and could be a nice pattern for a bedding set.   Hmmm...

And bargain central!   $1 for a vintage crock...$75 cents for an old bronze box...and just $1 for a set of vintage strawberry wooden baskets.   I have a use for all of these in my house.

And here's the crock with the crown emblem on front.   It's all chipped and faded...but that's why I love it even more.   $1!!

And speaking of low prices, when it comes to ridiculously low prices at these barn sales, I don't bargain down.   The only time I really negotiate is when it's something priced above $10.    But how silly would it be to say "I'll give you eighty cents instead of one dollar?"  

Question: can you recycle empty paint cans?

For a long time, I've been told that once a can of paint is completely empty and used up, you can safely toss the can into the curbside recycling bin for recycling.

Well, I just had my house painted with who-knows-how-much-paint from Benjamin Moore's Aura Exterior line.   Above is a photograph of all the empty cans with the dried up black paint dripping inside and outside.

As I looked at the cans, I just couldn't imagine it would be OK to recycle them.   There's still a coating of dark paint inside and outside of the steel can.    If I rinse out food containers for recycling, shouldn't I do the same for paint?

So, I asked Benjamin Moore, and here's what they said:

Always check your local recycling regulations, but in general, once they are dried out, they are safe to recycle in your regular recycling.

So, there you have it.  I'm going to put them out for recycling and see what happens.  Maybe I'll print out the email from Benjamin Moore and tape it to the cans....

Tote Bag Winner

Congrats to "KIEREN" for winning the handmade tote bag.   Many thanks to all of you for entering.   I have learned that we all love chocolate, wine and tofu on this blog! 

I chose a number at random to pick this contest's winner; if they left a way to contact them, they won! 

Congrats to Kieren for leaving "Fruit. Berries. Wine" as her additions to the grocery list.

Plenty more contests to come!

Auction Results

Last weekend, I attended the Rago Arts Discovery Auction in New Jersey.   It was a day-long auction that, quite honestly, exhausted me by the end of the day.   All I heard all day long was "10, 20, 30, 40, do I have 50...50?   50?  50?"    I swear, I thought I would wake up raising my hand that night.

Above is what I faced all day: the auctioneer (who also appears on Antiques Roadshow!  Who knew?) and his bidder assistants.

First, the bargain:   The $1 light.  I didn't buy this, but it was the only item to go for exactly $1.  "Style of Fontana Arte" chrome and glass ceiling light.    Not my style, but definitely worth more than $1!

I was the successful bidder of this set of Austrian China called "Victoria Blue Birds."   It was a lot of 27 mixed pieces and I paid about $200 for the whole set.   I did some research and found each plate to be valued around $75 each.   So I think I did pretty well!

I did not win this outdoor metal furniture set that I desperately wanted.   Once the bidding went over $500, I stopped because I knew the people who really wanted it, would stop at nothing.   But it did sell for a pretty good price: $1100 for the set.   Pricey, but still a good deal.

I did win this keyhole rocker. "Wegner/Gaetama keyhole rocker with canvas sling seat and back on oak frame."   I put it next to the giant stone fireplace in my house.  How cozy will this be this winter?

A set of gorgeously framed (not pictured for some reason) oil paintings by South African artist Liz Hugo.   $100 for two paintings...framed.    That's a great deal for original art.

And how crazy is this?  The former owner of my house was a painter.   His name came up and my head popped up like "why do I know this name?"    Here are two oil paintings he most likely painted right in my own studio.     They sold for a few hundred dollars each.

And I bid $40 on a set of pottery sight unseen.   How bad could it be?  I love the organic shape of these pots and put them as a grouping on my dining room table.    The little grass clippings look nice in them.

New Gardens

There's been a lot of activity lately at my house, so I thought I'd share some photos of the outside of the house and the changes that have been happening.

The house is now completely painted and finished!   I love how the black paint color (name: Twilight by Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior) looks in the woods.   The wood beams have been sealed for water protection and, in the process, have taken on a rich, dark color now.  I love it.

The property has been sorta neglected for a while and the grounds were overtaken with invasive plant species.   I hired a wonderful landscape design team that I met on a Country Home magazine photo shoot I was producing to come and work on the house.    They've done a great job and I think they'll do an even better job as we keep maintaining and upgrading the property.     Once the invasive underbrush was removed manually (with no herbicides thank you very much), the property has taken on a much cleaner, manageable look.

One of the things I discovered as the brush was being cleared were little outdoor statues.  Here's some kind of wooden totem pole, pagoda and bench.   I'll reuse them somehow.

In front of the house, we trimmed back the ivy (I decided to keep it) and unearthed old stepping stones already in place!  

In the front, we've planted a fern specimen garden.  All organic leaf mulch was used instead of hardwood mulch for environmental reasons; no hardwood trees were cut and chipped here!    I love how the ferns are going to grow intermixed with the bamboo.   The stepping stones were added and they now lead to the guest house deck.

Speaking of moss, we harvested sheets of moss from the roof and reused it on the ground by the stepping stones.   It looks so soft and cozy to me.

Window Shopping

Okay, I don't have much to say today...except, go out and enjoy the day.

The other day I was denied a visit to my favorite store in Frenchtown, NJ.   It's a great little antique-y shop that I found my drafting table and some amazing other things.   It was closed.  So, here's a photograph of the charming outside of the store.

And these are great chairs in the window, aren't they?   I love the green color and the wood seat.   They just don't make chairs like this anymore.   It's a whole set...but I have no need for more chairs.  It's funny when you look around your house, you see nothing but seating.    

Glass Trash Can?

There's a weird debate going on with my friends right now about my choice to have see-thru, glass trash cans in my house.    These trash cans are just in the office and bathrooms, not in the kitchen or areas where you REALLY need a good, durable trash can.

These aren't really glass trash cans, but really durable, thick, tall vases.    But I loved the look of something see-thru on the dark wood floors.

But my friends immediately thought---since I am Mr. Green Jeans---that I did this to make people feel bad about throwing anything away.  If you can see it, then it makes you want to throw away less.

Do you think if trash cans were see-thru, then we would be a bit more aware of we "throw away?"  (even though there is no "away" really)?    Ponder it...

That said, I updated my handpoured beeswax candles the other day.  I bought a sheet of beeswax, cut it into a circle and put it on top of the candle.  Just punched a hole to let the wick through.  I am really with this result.

Cottage Visit

I stopped by my cottage the other day to grab some folders, turn the compost and move some furniture around.  I also took a few shots of some changes...

I love my pathway at the bottom of the hill, with the hillside greenery creeping in.  I'm thinking about planting moss around the edges of the pavers.

Hanging in the tree are the mission style solar lanterns I hung about 2 years ago.  They hang from bird feeder hooks and just dangle in the trees.    Because of the energy efficient LED lights inside, they cast a strong glow still at night.    They should last for another 8 years!

I had an entire square tray filled with glass bottles that's been shot for everything from Country Home to Martha Stewart's Body + Soul magazine.   I thought it was time for a change, so I took apart the display and put the bottles on the fireplace mantel.  

I had A LOT of bottles, so more went into the outdoor tiered wall holder.   They are begging for cuttings, aren't they?

And my horse shoe ribbon wreath!   I love this wreath, but it was time to move it from the upstairs to the living room since I moved the driftwood mirror that once hung here to my other house.    It adds a punch of color, doesn't it?    I'm still looking for horse show ribbons at flea markets.   My friends who did compete in horse shows says these ribbons aren't exactly 1st place prizes... but who cares?  I love it.

Etching Glass

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been buying mismatched pieces of recycled glass tumblers, cups and even a beer mug at stores around the country.  I'm a little obsessed with finding the right recycled glass and thought it would be fun to have a mismatched collection to use at home.

When I got the flooring installed in my house, I got to know the people at Bella Flooring in Pipersville, PA very well.     One of the folks at Bella, named Kathy, had a small side business sand-blasting images into everything from ceramics to metal to glass.   So I knew who to go to when I wanted to customize these recycled glass cups. 

Here are some image printouts that I emailed prior that I wanted on the glasses.   I chose images from nature: bees, deer, birds, acorns, etc.

And here they are transferred to a special film just for sandblasting...

Once the film is put into place, each glass has to be meticulously wrapped completely.   She saves old office paper just for this purpose.   Etching takes lots of prep work!

Here's the glass being blasted.   You stick your hands through industrial rubber gloves and it's all done in a self-contained box.   The more you blast it with sand, the deeper the image.  She insisted I blast a glass myself... and I must say it was quite fun.  But it was a tad bit scary knowing things could shatter or fall apart if done improperly.

And the finished product.   I added a terra cotta charger plate into the mix and put an etched bee in the center.     What fun...   The above acorns glases are some of my favorite...followed by the birds on branches.... Customizing some of your own belongings really makes them your own. 

What patterns would you etch into a glassware set?

Handmade Grocery Tote

I had some fun recently with some custom silkscreening and decided to take some organic cotton reusable tote bags that I picked up from EcoBags and customize them a bit.

I made three totes and have decided to give one lucky reader of this blog one of them as a prize!

Leave me a comment:   What ingredient would you add to this grocery list?

Someone will be picked at random and be sure to leave a way that I can contact you.   Winner will be notified by this email address: dannyblog@aol.com.   So no spammers emailng commenters!

Good luck!

Black, Black and more Black

Thank you everyone for your comments on what color I should paint my front door.    As you can see, I went safe (is that even the right word?) with the color black.   The trim around the house has been painted a semi-glossy black, so I figured it would be nice to have the semi-gloss paint on the front door, too.   I'm really happy with the results.    Even this hodge-podge mosaic on the right looks updated.  Black really does just clean everything up, doesn't it?

Okay, so one of the painters at the house sold me on a product that take the rustiest metal object and make it look like hammered silver.   My doorknocker was unrecognizable and, frankly, I was thinking of replacing it with a fancy one from Restoration Hardware or Aero Studios.

But she talked me into letting her give it a facelift.

I am so glad she talked me into it.  It looks great and now I can see it's a fist holding the knocker!   Who knew...  

And just one more shot of the black painted house...

Summer Salad

Oh yum.    The fresh taste of summer!   I had a bounty of greens, watermelon, strawberries, cranberry jelly and brie cheese for lunch today.   Oh yum.     It's official: I am hooked on salads for now.

This whole tomato scare this week---McDonald's, Subway and Taco Bell pulling fresh cut tomatoes due to food-borne illness---got me thinking: try local. 

My local farm stands have a bounty of amazing fresh, organic and locally grown greens, fruits and veggies...all perfect for salads.  My favorite thing to do is to buy sweet corn, run a knife along the side and slightly sautee it in olive oil with fresh sage.    I'll toss it with baby greens, dill, and a big dollop of ricotta cheese as a light summer salad.  

Or I'll buy local eggs---the have the blue-tinted ones here---and I'll crack them in an ovensafe dish, dollop butter on top and sprinkle fresh herbs.  Bake in the oven until cooked and crispy...and sprinkle some fresh cheese on top.

go summer!

More Auction Finds

Okay, auction mania continues.   Maybe my problem is that I'm a novice at the whole auction buying thing, so everything looks good.  Also, I'm not a collector, I'm a decorator.   So, I am buying what I'll actually be using and living with...instead of buying something to re-sell down the road.    Anyway...

I showed by friends this very worn rug and they just looked at me like I was crazy.   But I loved the patina, finish and look of it for the living room.

These cushions are not the greatest, but the chair is amazing.  This is Stickley, which is unusual because Stickley is usually wood furniture.   This wicker chair could really work in any home.

These two vintage metal wire outdoor chairs are perfect for the house.   I just have an awful feeling lots of people will be bidding away on these...

And this one, too.   But I will try to win and score a deal, too!

I Love This

I love this.

Saw this post over at treehugger.com, and just thought it was fun, functional and just "why didn't I think of this?" in nature.

Why not celebrate the swirly CFL bulbs by making it into an ice cream cone pendant light?

My First Auction

I've never been to an auction before, so it's kinda exciting to be a novice at a furniture/art auction that's coming up.    Before an auction starts, there's a preview week where you can go and see all the items up for bids and examine them for damage or just to see what they look like in person.    The other day, I stopped by the preview day at the Rago Arts auction in Lambertville, NJ.  I took photos of everything I loved...  I'll be back on Saturday to bid, bid, bid.    I figure if you fall in love with LOTS of items, then the disappointment of not winning won't be so bad.   I have no idea what items will go for.... and will definitely report back.  If you're at the auction, too, say hi!

Above is a leather woven chair from Knoll.   I sat on it and really examined it.  The wear is usual for the age and I think will look great in the house.

This vintage rocker chair is a bit "out" there, but I love the clean lines and Danish look of the piece.   The canvas material is in great shape and I love how the bolster pillow is just rolled up with rope.

Here's a vintage Knoll desk with wood top and chrome legs.   I think this will FINALLY be the dining room table for my house.    People always warn about scratches and dents...but I actually think it looks better that way.   Maybe my taste is bargain-centric...

Stacks and stacks of vintage art books.  I have bookshelves galore in my house I want to fill up with beautiful art, gardening and design books.   I refuse to buy new books, so I'm hunting for vintage books at yard sales, flea markets, used book sales and...now auctions!

I'm not bidding on a clock, but I loved how they presented all these clocks on the wall. 

This nearly mint condition Danish Dansk flatware set is amazing.  I know people have the germies about vintage flatware, but I find if you clean it very well and disinfect in soapy water, it's totally fine to use.   I mean, when you go to a restaurant, do you really think you're the first person to use that fork?  Think about it...

And this porcelain Austrian collection of dinnerware is amazing.  I love the bold use of the bird image all over the plates.  I..must...have....

More finds tomorrow.....

100 Degree Fall Photo Shoot

Nothing like an almost 100 degree day to throw some firewood into the fireplace and start a cozy fire, right? Just when you're sweaty and hot, why not make it hotter and more toasty?   ha ha.  I kid.

We did a photo shoot for a November magazine spread at my cottage on the Delaware River the other day.   Here's a lovely shot of the amazing photographer Alexandra Rowley (I kept calling her Cynthia Rowley, the fashion designer, in my head) shooting away.   We set-up my glazed silhouette plates on the fireplace and lit up my collection of thrift store shot glasses made into tealight candles.  

Here's one of the many projects we set-up in the story: a Fall Apothecary table.   This is the only "project" I will share for now so I don't give away too many Autumnal secrets... but you basically collect items from the forest around your house and display them like little bits of art.  I have a fern frond in my faux bois pitcher... some lichen covered branches... an old seashell from the seashore.... and some leaves floating in water.   Very pretty!

Look how green and lush my hillside is.   Here some of the photo shoot team looking for twigs for a porch photograph.  How funny to see everyone scramble...I had to take a photo!    The magnolia tree I planted looks healthy.

Eco Travel Byte

I went to Los Angeles recently for work.   Whenever I travel, I always try get the lowest rates possible for flights and hotel rooms; I have no shame in using Hotwire.com to save money.   But when it comes to car rentals, I always get super picky and rent hybrid cars.    Often, I'll rent a hybrid car from Hertz and will find a giant SUV sitting in the spot the tell me to go to.   I go back to the counter to ask them why they gave me a huge SUV... and then I'm told I was given a complimentary upgrade because I rent from them all the time.   Then I have to explain why an SUV upgrade is a downgrade... and basically, confusion sets in. 

But I digress.

I totally scored with Hotwire and got a room at the new Palomar Hotel in Westwood.   It's a Kimpton property, meaning it's a boutique, eclectic and fun property.   This hotel was just 3 weeks old, but I was impressed with the visible eco additions to the property.

Above is a shot of the in-room recycling bins.   Whenever I travel, I save my cans and bottles and bring them back to the hotel for recycling.   I know, it's a bit weird... but it's what I do...

And here's how I saved 25% off my valet prices!    25% of all hybrid vehicles.   Very cool.  Ecological and Economical.

Black Painted House

It's black!   I am so happy Spring is here because that means I can finally get around to getting the house painted black.   Way way way back on this blog, I asked all of you what color I should paint the house, and everyone agreed black would be a fun color.   So, this week my wonderful painters have been here painting away.   The once white house is now a dark, cool black.    It's a bit shocking first.. but I love it.   And once the trim is painted a glossy black, it'll be even better.   I'm using Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior paint; it's one-coat coverage and doesn't need a primer.  It's also one of the greenest exterior paints you can find right now, too.     Here's the main house getting painted....

The guest house is painted!   What color to do the front door though?  Trim still needs to be painted black.

The pinkish red front door looks totally out of place.  What color should I paint the front door?    I was thinking a kelly green could be fun...

And here's a shot from the large windows in my craft room.   It really does update and modernize the house, don't you think?    And for those who are concerned that a black house will just absorb heat, keep in mind I'm covered by shade on all sides.   Trust me: my landscaper knows nothing but shade plants will work here.    Translation: Ferns, ferns and more ferns.

Tinicum Antiques Festival

I realize a lot of you may think I just shop all the time.   I don't.   I just happen to be blogging more about what I'm buying because I've moved into a new house.   And since this blog is all about what I'm discovering each day, it just happens to be a bit heavy on shopping.    So, to that.... I say, here's a blog post on my shopping at the Tinicum Township Antiques Festival last weekend!

Here's a gorgeous shot of the red barns on the community park.  It hosts lots of events throughout the year, including a great arts festival and this annual antiques fair.

One booth had vintage mounted antlers for sale.  One of them was inscribed with a royal crown, meaning it was hunted on palace grounds about 75 years ago.   I'm on the fence lately about buying vintage antlers and wall mounts... I think they're unique and very handsome... but I'm a vegetarian and not so keen on hunting.   Ugh!    Thoughts?

You find everything and ANYTHING at these festivals.  Like these vintage circus costumes!

A very cool piece of art?   Some vintage hat forms that could work on top of a long bookcase.   I'm all for eclectic taste, but this isn't quite what I was looking for...

I walked by the vintage horsehoe mirror about 5 times.   I was on the fence about it and just wasn't sure... but I snatched it up.  As I was writing the check, the dealer told me he used to live in my other house, the cottage on the river.   So fun to live in a small community and meet everyone.   Once he told me that, I was convinced I bought the right piece.

Totally randomness.  Love it.

Filling up my trunk:

1.  Metal photographers carrying case.

2.  Tree stump side table.

3.  Vintage ticking throw pillow

4.  "Dear John" vintage letter framed.

5.  Horsehoe Mirror

All going to be lovingly used.

Hemp Chairs

They're here!   A very long time ago, I blogged about having three offices chairs reupholstered.  They were left behind by the previous owner, but were in DIRE NEED of repair.   One chair was covered in layer after layer of packing tape... one was totally torn and unsafe to sit on... and one was, well, let's just say a favorite of the household cats.   Not too clean.

I had a bolt of hemp fabric leftover from years of reupholstering, so I decided to use it up here.  And today, the chairs arrived.   Here they all are in the front foyer waiting to be placed throughout the house.

This is my temporary office, so I thought this swivel desk chair would work great here.   It's so comfortable and durable.  I loved how the reupholsterers polished up the wooden arms and buffed the metal legs.

And look what I found!  The before shots of the chairs.   The swivel chair is a wreck, right?   The red chair looks OK, but it was REALLY dirty and fraying.   And the fabric chair looks OK, but it was unsafe.   So happy to be able to refinish and save these chairs.  It feels like they all got a mini Extreme Makeover!

Stella Garden Party

I always thought Stella McCartney represented the ultimate in eco-chic, so when I got an invite to attend her Spring collection preview at the Jefferson Market Garden in NYC, I hopped on the train and headed to the city.    In the past, Stella has been so gracious to me, allowing me to host various fundraisers and even my own book launch parties in her shops in NYC and Los Angeles.    This showing was no exception to what a great hostess she is...    You can read more about the presentation at Fashion Week Daily's website.

But here are some fun pics from the "picnic" in the park:

A group of us---editors, stylists, reporters---fought for the models' attention.  All I got was the lovely girl on the end.  

Both of my friends who attended said the same thing: "the models look like they're 12."    Youth aside, you hvae to love this handmade bag.  

You forget for a moment you're at a fashion presentation: here are models chatting on a Smith and Hawken bench under an arbor of flowering roses.   Stella, fyi, donated five McCartney rose bushes to the garden, too!

And then it was over.   Something funny about a model walking away from a "picnic" in high heels.

I love Stella and her efforts to be kind to animals and to the planet.  Lots of organic cotton in this collection, and as always, leather-free "veggie" shoes. 

Fun time, fun show... and a real treat.

Chick Feeder

Just a pretty photo I took this morning: the antique baby chick water feeder that I'm using at home to give water to our wild birds.    I found this for $10 at an antiques show and---after seeing versions of this in other shopping trips---I snatched it up this time and brought it home.

You fill up the Ball canning jar with water, screw on the metal lid and invert the whole thing.   Water slowly drips out for the birds to drink.     Every day or so, I just replace it with new water.  

There's something very simple and functional about this....

Eco or Repackaged?

I'm all for big companies going green.  In fact, when Clorox announced the (almost) billion dollar purchase of Burt's Bees, I thought that was an amazing thing.   And when they launched GreenWorks cleaning products---which actually do have some eco-friendly merit to it---I was equally impressed.    As a partner with Method cleaning products, I've always felt the goal is to have everyone in the industry compete to be as green as possible.  Why not?  The planet wins at the end of the day.

But what does bother me is when companies repackage or send out "green" products that are a tad misleading.    The other day, I was shopping at my local Wegnman's grocery store and saw this bottle of Palmolive Eco dishwashing soap.   I took a long look at it: It's free of phosphates which helps our lakes and streams.   Sounds good.

Phosphates in soaps are used to help build in detergent into products, like laundry soap and diswashing liquid.   It basically is added to help the product's efficiency; the phosphates help clean better. 

But when the sudsy water goes down the drain, it enters our lakes and streams, where it has also been found to be a fertilizer for waterborne plants, like algae, which clogged waterways.   

So, isn't a great thing that Palmolive is selling a phosphate-free "eco" soap?

Not so fast.   If you look at any of the non-eco dishwashing soaps, you'll find that they are all phosphate-free, too.   Even regular Palmolive is phosphate-free.  Just look for the tiny, tiny print on the back of the bottles.

So, basically the eco version of Palmolive Eco+ is only different because they proclaim their phosphate-free formula in bigger letters, in different packaging.

What are your thoughts on this?   Is this greenwashing or just repackaging?   It definitely isn't a greener option.

Is it a book?

I thought this was a book when I pulled it out of a junk box in one of my many junking journeys through life.  Instead, I found something totally different:

Instead, it's a foldable flatware set carrying case.    Inside was a complete set with each little tab holding its own spoon, fork, and knife.    The whole thing was lined in velvet and it looks like it hadn't been opened up in decades.

I thought it was a great set, so I snatched it up ($34) and brought it home.   Why don't they sell flatware sets like this anymore? 

Living with Found Objects

It's called the Thrill of the Hunt.   

I don't know why, but I decided to sit on the floor in a dusty junk store... and go through pile after pile of old tablecloths, fabrics and who-know-what to see what I could unearth.  I found this vintage American flag with just 48 stars!     It's enormous (the fireplace is enormous) and I love how simple it looks just hanging in my living room.

If you go to a store to buy a new American flag, they can be A: expensive or B: really cheap.   The expensive ones are fabric and look good, but are entirely brand new.   The really cheap ones are plastic, look cheap and smell like vinyl.

So, for $30, I can have a vintage flag made from cotton that's great quality and not expensive.  Woo hoo!

 

I bought these utensils per piece at the same store.    They were around 65 cents each and probably aren't worth a lot of money.  Some are monogrammed.  Some are tarnished (correction, all are tarnished).  And there are dents and dings here and there.   But I loved these for my styling work and thought they would look amazing in photographs when we're shooting placesettings for the magazine, my books or whatever.  So into a strange prop clo