Too Much Coffee...Not Enough Table

I have had quite a bit of coffee today. Way too much. Which means I am surfing my usual blogs at super-duper speed. And speaking of coffee...I have decided today that I need a new coffee table situation. My current situation is this: I have 2 vintage trunks, one deep brown and one silver aluminum, stacked on top of each other that currently serve as my living room catch-all. And though I love these vintage trunks, its time for something new. With that said, here is a roundup of all the coffee table possibilities I am drooling over. I'll let you know what I decide....

This one is from Wisteria, available here. Love the industrial touch of the casters on the bottom. This is too pricey for me, but maybe I could add some casters to the bottom of another table that I have distressedOk, so how girly and lovely is this lucite and mirror-topped table from Capitol Furnishings (available here.) Its like a big yummy peice of jewelry for your living room. I know, however, that this one is way out of reach because the price is listed as "available upon request." Which basically means "if you got a degree in art, there is no way you can afford this table." Sigh.

Wouldn't two of these little guys side-by-side be adorable? I love the gothic-y French feel of the legs mixed with the minimalist top. And the shelves provide a perfect place to store the baskets I keep craft supplies in for easy reach while watching whatever's on Bravo...

And of course, I love the classic black design of this Pottery Barn Table. Classic & Stylish.

Handy-Dandy Inspiration

One of my favorite blogs is Design for Mankind, which celebrates design in all forms and fashions. As a graphic designer, painter, & maker of things, I look for inspiration everywhere I go and am consistently being inspired by the world around me. Which is why I so adore the monthly E-zine that Design for Mankind kindly produces. It is well designed and chock-full of inspirational advice and musings from all sorts of arty people. You can download a new PDF each month to enjoy right here. Here are a couple of excerpts from this month's issue. Enjoy.

I Heart Thomas Paul

Thomas Paul is a design genius. In my never-ending quest to redecorate my bedroom ( including the endless search for the perfect whited udvet cover...) I have been searchinbg high and low for the perfect grpahic-cool throw pillows. And, by golly, Thomas Paul has hit the nail right on the head with his amazing aesthetic. I especially love all of his pillows- esp the balck peacock one shown below (that Tori Spelling has in red in her home on Tori & Dean:Home Sweet Hollywood, my newest embarrasing TV obsession, but I digress...) Once I figure out my bedroom color scheme some of these beauties will come live with me.....

You can view all of his gorgeous designs at http://thomaspaul.com/

and purchase the entire line at http://www.velocityartanddesign.com/tp.html

Hot and Cold

I just adore this post I found on Sew Mama Sew teaching you how to make a Rice Heat Therapy Bag. I have the lovely affliction of getting leg cramps all the time, and have used heating pads forever to help alleviate the aching. But these bags are a much more environmentally-friendly (ie: non-electric & reusable, made from fabric scraps) and beautiful way to soothe my aching legs. Thank you to Kristen and Beth for the adorable idea!

Find the tutorial and cutie-pie pics here.

Rooms I Heart..

I have been a blogging bum. Sadface. And a designing bum at that. While I am supposed to be designing a spread right this very moment for the furniture company I work for, I am instead pretending I don't live in an apartment and can actually rip up the carpet and paint the walls and plant a garden where I live...sigh. Oh well, the next best thing is enjoying gorgeous pictures of places other people call home- all courtesy of Domino. Enjoy.