ac is from massachusetts, so in my opinion it’s no wonder there are so many great things coming out of the mass moca. like this “upside down syrup” inspired by artist natalie jeremijenko’s 1999 on-site installation, “tree logic”. i love the font, the packaging and the fact that the can will read right side up or upside down. $8.95 at the mass moca “hardware” store.

the moca has some great gift shop goods as well. i have a serious design crush on this anchor key chain. it’s summer and i can’t get enough of nautical themes…

fun things at the sf moma…i love these acrylic dominos by david quan. available in lime, blue or pink for $12. [don't miss the 2x4 exhibition going on through november 27!]

michelle smith is a great raleigh, nc-based designer specializing in handcrafted home goods, accessories and paper products. you can see all of her work by checking out michelle’s site (which will have a working e-commerce section soon).

my favorites are the graphic lavender sachets (especially the tree pattern version), the notecard sets and the sophia bag. until her shopping site is up, you can purchase via etsy online, right here. thanks, michelle!

oooms is the design studio of eindohoven based product designer, guido oooms. founded in 2000, the studio works on primarly self-initiated products and is looking for manufacturers and producers for the bulk of the existing pieces, but, i thought it definitely warranted checking out. who knows, maybe someone out there can help with finding a (manufacturing) home for oooms’ products.

my favorites are the bright green wire chair (i think it would look fabulous anywhere) and the low res chair, made of steel and polyether foam. both are pretty conceptual and might not be the comfiest of chairs, but i think they have great lines, a simple concept and a lot to work with in terms of creating a sell-able version with a manufacturer. check out the full oooms line here.

thank goodness for d*s reader, stephanie. without her i would never have found out about day-lab, an adorable little online boutique that sells gorgeously crafty things like cards, painfully awesome jewelry and all sorts of accessories like bags, shirts and pins. a bit towards the crafty set for some people, but if you’re a one good bumblebee reader and you know what craftster is, this site is for you.

run out of a tiny apt in the garden district of baton rouge, louisianna, day-lab is full of wonderfully designed, hand-made goodies. started (and still run) by amy shutt (who designs cool pillows herself) and ryan baudoin, day-lab is the perfect place to cruise around if you’re looking for something cute, reasonably priced and made by someone with their own two hands.

i’m tied for my favorites- it’s a dead heat between the animal pillows and the freakishly awesome jewelry section. as far as jewelry goes, i love the owl earrings, the bird earrings and pin, the apple necklaces and the lovely, lovely bubble collection. you can’t go wrong with any of it. it’s just too cute. (yes, too cutesy for some, but not for all)

thanks to stephanie for passing this along. i believe she found it via the daily candy, so i wanted to throw that credit in, too. thanks stephanie and dc!

[editor's note: the day-lab site is down as i'm finishing this post, so try back again if it poops out on you]

i’ve been thinking about what i’d like to have another contest for…but seem to be drawing up blanks. apartment therapy has the interior design category down- i always love seeing people’s places up close like that- but there seems to be a lot of room for more fun contests out there.

i loved the DIY contest from earlier this year, but it’s time for something new- so, if anyone has any ideas, please do throw them out there. feel free to fill the comments section with any ideas you have about what it might be fun to throw a contest for…best new chair? best new kitchen product? i don’t know, something more exciting, right? i’m feeling uninspired so i’d love to see what all the other design lovers out there are thinking about…thanks for your tips! i’ll look them over, process and announce the contest(s?) in early august. thanks!

atlas is a manufacturer of beautiful, quality wooden furniture. my favorite pieces in their collection are far from new, but i haven’t heard much about them lately so i thought i’d check back in, because sometimes pieces that are built so well continue to look fresh and modern. and these certainly fit that description.

run by designers joseph fratesi and thomas wright (atlas west and atlas east, respectively), atlas operates in both brooklyn and sanfranciso. their work has been mentioned in all the top design publications, and with good reason- their clean lines, beautiful materials and timeless designs are perfect for those looking to invest in a truly beautiful piece of furniture. you can see the whole collection here and contact them here for information on pricing, installation and purchase. (my favorites are the bed, shelving and dresser)