I have been looking around how you can create model frames in WoW and it has been quite the fun. Also while looking for models I found Maiev's weapon witch I kinda made into a minimap with the cool weapon green aura glow.
Possible idea for how other models can be integrated into the UI to make it more "alive" and moving.
(Yes there is a green aura moving around the edge of the minimap, tried to fraps but when I compressed it the quality dropped and it looked like crap :P)