Inspired By...

...colorful mugs that brighten my day and also keep my hands warm in the chilly New York fall. These just make me want to sit down and learn to knit after all.

Available at Leif

...a cupcake stand fit for a queen (or at least for a lover of all things baroque and faux baroque, like me) and a party to match!

Photo and DIY by Jenny for Oh Happy Day

...a gold-leafed Eames chair that dreams are made of. If I don't have something dramatically gold in my apartment soon, I don't know what piece of furniture I'll resort to DIY gold-leafing.

Photo by Okay Art

..the brilliant idea of an Articles Club. My girl friends and I had a Book Club in LA once upon a time, but somehow only half of us (those left over college English majors, primarily) ever finished the book, and we found that we mostly spent club time drinking a wee bit too much wine and chatting about sex and silly things. So a discussion club based on articles that everyone could actually finish (before proceeding to drink a wee bit too much wine and chat about silly things)? Count me in!

Photo by Shannen Norman for A Cup of Jo

...this lovely pillow that will always remind me of my favorite city I call home.

Available at SITE

...just the cleverest way I've ever seen a map displayed. And of my favorite country to boot (haha).

 Photo by Marie Claire Maison

Image credits: 1) Cheery winter mugs by Leif via Eat Drink Chic; 2) Trompe l'oeil cupcake stand tutorial and printable by Jenny Batt for Oh Happy Day; 3) Gold Eames chair by Okay Art via Creature Comforts; 4) Brilliant Articles Club idea by Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo; 5) Manhattan pillow by SITE via Fab.com; 6) Gorgeous map of Italy by Laudani & Romanelli as seen in Marie Claire Maison via A Cup of Jo