My Dog Is Really Awesome. Are You?

My Dog (Bella The Idea Dog) "is really awesome!"
So is That Nametag Guy.
Even FurbySays he's Really Awesome.

My buddy Jim Kukral has created a really cool (er... really awesome) new website that allows you to register your name, website, girlfriend, favorite band, movie, or tv show (or whatever other really awesome item you'd like) as part of the AwesomeMillion.com project.

The first 200 awesome things are almost all reserved. Given the viral nature of the idea (and the popularity of similar concepts like milliondollarhomepage.com) you might want to jump on the bandwagon soon.

UN-like the Million Dollar Homepage, a dollar will get you far more than a measly old pixel in the middle of an ugly webpage. A dollar in Jim's AwesomeMillion.com project nets you an exclusive subdomain on IsReallyAwesome.com (i.e., DonTheIdeaGuy.IsReallyAwesome.com). The page displays a personal and official-looking certificate stating that you are "certified really awesome" by AwesomeMillion.com.

A BUCK?? That's cheaper than a greeting card and waaay cooler. Invest $5 and you gain the ability to include a custom link and upload your own 150x150 graphic.

NOTE: I just registered "MyMom.IsReallyAwesome.com" and instantly became her favorite child! (Take THAT, Melinda and Joe!)

Coffee Stain or Nouveau Design?

Here's a creative caffeinated twist on something usually seen as a negative. Designers Valeria Miglioli and Barnaby Barford have taken your coffee cup's habit of leaving irritating ringmarks on your tabletop and turned it into an artistic experience.



Distributed through the home and gift site, Generate, this set of two coffee cups have patterns molded into the bottom of the mug. This way, instead of leaving boring old circles of spilt coffee, you leave behind floral patterns. The images were even created to link together, so rather than trying to minimize these messes, you can encourage your artistic bent expand your canvas to encompass the entire tablecloth.

If you're playing along at home, from which beans might this product solution have grown? My vote would be for Lima Beans or Magic Beans. A concept created from a normally 'yucky' extension of your product idea (coffee stains), or is it a 'happy accident' that might have been discovered by spilling coffee near a scrapbooking rubber stamp project?

What other beans might apply?