BEAUTIFUL BOOKS: What's On Your Coffee Table?

"The best decoration in the world is a roomful of books." 

-- Billy Baldwin

Sometimes, I admit, I do judge a book by a cover.  Whether art, photography, fashion, food, design, "coffee table" books can add spectacular color, life and interest to your home, for a smidgen of what real art would cost. In keeping with this month's theme, and continuing our seasonal series of reader's favorites, please share in the Comments section some of the beautiful books you display in your home. I'll then list your pretty picks, along with your blog link if you have one, in the Style Maniac Amazon Boutique (if offered direct by Amazon).  Looking forward to meeting some gorgeous new selections.

Currently on my table: Degas by Robert Gordon & Andrew Forge

STYLE MANIAC's NEW FALL WARDROBE

Perhaps you've noticed: Style Maniac has a whole new look for Fall.  And by Style Maniac I mean the blog! She's dressed for autumn, inspired by the fiery russet of a velvet jacket, leopard boots, bags and wallpaper, my favorite coffee cups and the touch of magenta in an October leaf.  Her signature yellow color now shows up as gold and toffee in the text links.   And she has a few lil treats for you: scrolling updates from Twitter, Facebook and the website; an extended list of Links I Love (both in sidebar), plus a showcase of great reader quotes (scroll down to footer for this clickable link).

And this is just the beginning.  Just as the blog posts--and my own home and wardrobe--celebrate the change of season, so will the blog design.  So, dear email & RSS subscribers, don't forget to click through every so often and enjoy the full pretty picture. And to all of Style Maniac's smart, fun and stylish readers: thank you for visiting, commenting and letting me share my mania day by day and season by season with you.

Special thanks to my friends Andrew & Lee.  Our recent Media Bistro Cocktails chat helped focus so many plans for this blog. Stay tuned ...

Leaf image via Backgrounds.  All other images by Doreen Creede. 
Leopard boots: Wilbur Vintage. Leopard wallpaper: Ralph Lauren.  Gold wallpaper: Donghia. Gold coffee cups: Marc Blackwell New York.

WHO's THE BOSS?

Addison Graves, age 4, is a genius.

Kate Harper Designs Kid Quotes card from Style Maniac's archives.  Discovered at Target.

PEN & PAPER

Despite technology--and sometimes because of technology--I still like to put my ideas down in ink on paper. In a pinch I'll take a scrap magazine subscription card and chewed up Bic ballpoint to jot down swirling thoughts in the middle of the night, but the process becomes that much more enjoyable when employing tactile tools such as the smooth silver Cross pen (only with the porous point refill) I was given as a gift when I left my first job many many years ago, or Elsa Peretti's sleek red lacquer pen for Tiffany (which I have gifted, with great response) and witty, well-designed journals, like these "I Had/Met And Liked" Archie Grand Notebooks from Jasper+Black.  Write on.

Image from House Beautiful magazine.

LOVE. PASSION. WORK. PLAY. LIFE.

When I saw this last month on The Pink and Blue Blog, I actually screeched out loud: "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Pretty much sums up my philosophy on life.

With thanks to Ms. Pink, original source {updated} Holstee