Gift Ideas. I've returned at last.

Oh, its been so long. Christmas is already this week, and New Year will soon follow. I've missed posting over the last few weeks, mostly due to the preparation for the holidays. But it also means that I haven't been getting my healthy helping of design either, and I feel starved. So here are a few things that will remedy the situation.
I want to start with woodsy things. I love great accessories for the home, and they are that much more fun when made of a warm and appealing material. This JigSaw table from Smartistart Design was spotted on the british shopping websites. It is made from solid beech, actually the pieces are. So the owner gets to play with those puzzle pieces and assemble them into side tables (twelve large puzzle pieces each), or a coffee table (twenty pieces big).And what are wood tables without proper coasters for your coffee mugs. And those Bamboo Type coasters are definitely proper. Any lover of typography would be quite happy to get those as a present.

Weaponry is an art

Museums in all countries around the world boast with extremely elaborate and beautiful pieces of weaponry from different ages, and so far 2000's have little to show. But there are a few artists, whose work is in museums and private collections, and quite rightfully so. Here is a collections of pieces by Russian masters of metal. They are extremely utilitarian, and yet artistic. A cornerstone of every piece is history, poetry and philosophy. I am very impressed.

Sinful

Young brit Kacper Hamilton of Hamilton Design Studio is in love with all things theatrical, and it shows. One of two projects completed for 2008 so far is his set of seven wine glasses inspired by the seven deadly sins. Very clever! I wouldn’t consider this to be part of the product design, but a piece of art for sure!