I suggest that the phenomenon of conceptual metaphor is simultaneously offline and online. In the course of using conceptual metaphors offline conceptual structures in long-term memory (image schemas, domains, and frames) are put to cognitive work online in mental spaces in working memory. This view enables us to take into account a variety of metaphor-related mental activities that speakers engage in at this level. These include getting primed to use particular metaphors by context, giving metaphorical expressions specific socio-pragmatic functions, creating novel metaphors, using metaphors deliberately, mixing metaphors, and blending.