Flower Explosion!

I woke up this morning and on my nightstand was this:

I was like "Oh wow, thanks Abe!" and he said "Did you look anywhere else?" so I looked over at my dresser and saw this:

Abe worked at an event last night for the USA Network. I think he said it was at MOMA...or maybe it was at The Modern. I don't know...doesn't matter, all that matters is that the party used $25,000 worth of cut flowers and Abe brought home as many as he could - because they were going to throw them all away!!!! Makes me sick to my stomach. Poor little flowers. He brought home 4 stems of Phalaenopsis orchids, which are just amazing. He said two of them (I think they might be Butterfly Phalaenopsis) retail for $100 a stem! There were also tulips, white Calla Lilies, and two stems of Hydrangea. I feel like the florist version of Scrooge McDuck. I just want to dive head first into the blossoms and do the backstroke in them.

Make Over: End Table

I picked this table up on the corner of 2nd Ave and 39th Street. I couldn't resist - I was walking to the train and saw it and couldn't bare to let it get thrown away. Funny, I took it on the train and the girl next to me commented on what a cool table it was. I walked home with it and when I turned up Freeman Street I saw an awesome wood bookshelf on the street waiting to be trashed. I called Abe and tricked him into helping me carry it home (he thinks I have a little problem). While I was waiting on the sidewalk the same girl from the train walked up - she lived in the building I was trash picking from. We had a good laugh, but she must think I am a crazy person.

First I put the table into the shower and gave it a good scrub - you never know why things get thrown away. In the city you have to be extra careful of bed bugs and cockroach eggs. I know, so gross, I am itchy just thinking about it.

Next I had to pull out the glass top and support board. The glass had a painted design on the underside that was half flaking off so that had to all be scraped off. I put the board under a heavy box of cat litter since it was a little warped.

Next I painted the table in latex paint in the color Flaming Sword. At the time I was too lazy to prime the table, but looking back I should have as it would have saved me from painting several coats of the Flaming Sword.

Since I scraped off all the glass paint I needed to do something in terms of decorationg. I got some paper from Columbia Omnicorp (it's near my office).

I traced the shaped of the board and added on an extra inch on all sides.I cut out the corners so it would wrap around the board neatly.

Then I painted on a bunch of Modge Podge, place the board on the paper, wrapped the edges, and put Modge Podge on the back side as well.

The original table held the glass in with staple gun staples, but I ran out of staples and wanted to get this thing done so I angled in nails and it worked just as good.

Voila! Now that this project is over I need to find a home for the table - we don't really have room for it here.

Snuggle Muffin

Call me a crazy cat lady, but how can you blame me...look at this little guy.

I don't know if he likes snuggling as much as I do.

Paw close-up!

NEW Pillows!

New pillows! They will be available on my website ryangreendesigns.com later this week.Right now I have two colors, but if you would like a custom color combo just send me a request (form available on my website).

Pillow covers are made from Ecospun felt, which is a product made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Pillow forms are filled with polyester and made in the USA.

Turquoise with green and charcoal flower.

Happy Eggster!

Today was Easter, but among some circles - namely, my circle - today is also Eggster. Last year Sam, Chelsea, Colleen and I started the tradition of Eggster. The holiday involves cutting edge experimental egg dying techniques and "character eggs", lots of mimosas, and lots of egg puns. This year we upped the ante with about 6 or 7 more people, 2 kinds of banana bread, a pitcher of Bloody Mary, an amazing frittata, glitter, and 4 or 5 dozen eggs.

We started around 1pm and five hours later we had a carton of "Best Eggs" and a small cartons of "Worst Eggs" - and a bowl full of egg salad, which I'll be living off of for the rest of the week.

I have to brag - I won Best Egg with my Lucha Libre Egg and was personally congratulated by the Registrar of Eggster. Why is he a registrar? I don't know - he was born out of a haze of champagne last year.

Abe prepping the dyes.

Tim blowing out some eggs.

Selecting the Best and Worst required a nomination and a back-up vote.

Voting was a rigorous process and not everyone agreed on the nominees.

The Registrar looking over the Best Egg contenders.

The Registrar congratulating Lucha Libre Egg.

Abe and I took a little walk after the Eggster festivities and before Big Brother started.

Empire vs. Chrysler