WINNERS!

well, the results are in, the votes have been tallied and your d*s diy contest winners are posted below. i can't stress how much i enjoyed this competition- i want to thank all of you who participated, from the very bottom of my heart. you overwhelmingly confirmed my suspicions that there was a well of untapped talent out there. so, my hat is off to all of you- it is because of people like you that i do this- i love to share all of the wonderful talent that's out there, so without further ado, here are your winners according to category.

FURNITURE!

my first love, the category nearest and dearest to my heart, furniture was the part of the contest i was most excited about- and i was far from dissapointed. you guys turned out in droves and i was so thrilled to see such enthusiastic and creative responses. so, here are your winners. enjoy...

FIRST PLACE [cardboard chair by nick tretiak] this chair was a clear favorite for me for one simple reason: this chair represents to me, the essence of design: a problem solving process that creates something that is both functional and beautiful. nick, an id student at rit, was short on cash but long on supply scraps, so he created something that combined function and form beautifully. i even love the way the graphic of the brand logo works with the design. this is design at in its most basic form and i wanted to celebrate it. so, congrats nick, great work.

2ND PLACE [shelves anna nicholson]anna's shelves are something i wish i could just whip up if i had the time. gorgeous, simple and functional, these shelves are the sort of thing i'm surprised hasn't already been picked up by a manufacturer. great work, anna. keep it up!

3RD PLACE [skifta mobller by peter hanchak] third place goes to brooklynite, peter hanchak (who i just realized i went on a blind date with before the days of ac. small world). his collection incorporates a subtly interactive material in each piece. ex: the chair features a thermochromic heat sensitive surface that creates a series of "memories" showing where the user sat and how they moved about on the chair. cool stuff, only reason it was third is because im kinda tired of bent ply. sorry. great stuff, peter.

HONORABLE MENTION(S) [smor chair by ilana and wooden bench by nick tretiak] i love both of these for their whimsy and creativity. definitely worth the honorable mention...

PRODUCT

this was a tough category for me bc i couldn't decide if some pieces should be in product or "other" so, sorry if it bugs anyone. i made these choices so i could showcase as many people as possible.

FIRST PLACE [pet products by mary] mary was turned in by her significant other and i'm so glad she was. i'm a sucker for pet-centric design so it's no surprise this was my favorite. i love what talented people can do with an idea and some spare time. these dog beds are great and the catnip toys are even cuter. way to go, mary!

2ND PLACE [key chains and record platters by jenn] while i've seen similar platters on the market already, i like the style of these much more. the others have sort of harsh edges. while both of these products are simple and straight forward i think that they represent diy design well- plus they reuse existing materials, which is always a bonus in my opinion. great job, jenn!

THIRD PLACE [external ipod charger by chris diclarico] i almost didn't put this one in because it's gotten so much attention already (next time please don't send me stuff that's been all over the internet already), but i had to admit it's cool.

JEWELRY!

i'll have to admit i was a bit underwhelmed in this category, but i found two entries that definitely stood out from the rest. check em out and enjoy...

FIRST PLACE [rose pins by llubav obando choy] llubav works for hable construction (love them!) and designs these adorable rose pins inspired by her nature peru. i think they're the perfect combination of dainty and elegant. you can contact llubav here.

SECOND PLACE [ear candy by manchester and hue] manchester and hue make the cutest earrings. founded by christie and brie, this company makes fantastic jewelry. but more interestingly, their turnons include chivalry and crosstown buses, while they're turnoffs are black socks. ick.

GRAPHIC/PAPER!

i created this category because the best entries were all paper products. so, hence, your graphic winners are as follows...

FIRST PLACE [cards by pancake and franks] i love these cards. enough said. the wood grain and the heart are fantastic.

SECOND PLACE [cards by saturate design] i know i know, i've talked about kate before, but i love her work. i don't exactly love the idea of animals as food, but you know, it's a cute design. there are plenty of others to choose from. great job, kate!

THIRD PLACE [pet cards from pixel and floyd] i love pixel and floyd. adorable handmade cards with a pet theme. too cute. i especially love that image of the dog jumping in the air.

OTHER!

this category is a mixed bag, some stuff might be a better fit for the product category, but it worked out that i could showcase more people this way. so, enjoy your other catgory winners!

FIRST PLACE [clocks by seth] i think these clocks are hysterical. they embody diy design. i'm especially fond of the little brown clock. too cute. makes you feel like design in within your reach (no pun intended) and anyone could make them. i love it. but didn't like the thinly veiled pickup attempt in seth's email. shame shame, seth.

SECOND PLACE [felt buddies by jessica] i love these. cute and a perfect fit for the "other" title. oh, and jessica likes noodles and cake. yum.

THIRD PLACE [porcelain chandelier by karen] karen is a swedish designer who's got a ton of talent. i love this porcelain disc chandelier, it's elegant and dangly and that's fantastic. what's also fantastic? karen is an american tv addict and she loves desperate housewives. lol. awesome. thanks, karen!

HONORABLE MENTION(S)[record boxed by walt and tool textile from enid] these guys deserve a nod for their hard work. i love walt's dedication to creating a home for his records out only record material (do you think that freaks the records out? to be housed in their own skin? eek) and enid's cool graphic tool pattern. two great designs that certainly earned their honorable mention. great job guys!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED- I WAS SO HONORED THAT YOU ALL TOOK THE TIME TO ENTER. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! ALL MY LOVE AND ADMIRATION, D*S