Like I needed any more distractions, virtual or otherwise, while I am at “work” — reader Nina submitted Peter Fowler’s collaborative project with HP, Toyrama, to our Design Showcase this afternoon, and it’s got me wanting to create some serious stop-action uh, action and just about nothing else right now. The competition is split into two segments, professional and open (for students/enthusiasts/people who think they’re awesome but probably suck), and you can win some serious prizes, for your time. For her top-notch submission, Nina scores a subscription to Desktoptopia. Want to snag some goodies for yourself? Thanks to Kohler, all you have to do is head on over, submit your finds and you could be next.

New York’s Brian Crumley, a fifth-generation Texan, Gen Art favorite, and increasingly-hyped accessory designer, has taken on something a little heavier than jewelry in his latest collection. Peace Under Fire: Aggressive Symbols of Peace features metal worked into twisted (or un-twisted, depending on your original viewpoint) interpretations of weaponry. In this sombre collection, fighter jets, knives and nooses become peace signs while guns tie their barrels into knots, squeezing out their last drop of blood in the form of a red crystal. My favorite of the collection is this noose, because — as sad as this sounds — I think I’ve been somewhat visually desensitized to jets and guns, and am required to think more when looking at a form of torture I automatically categorize as dated (a poor, yet classically American, assumption). You can find Brian Crumley’s designs in most major U.S. cities, or at the online store of a few major distributors like Creatures of Comfort or Fred Segal.

Via Refinery29

Blik, the I.D. award-winning line of wall decals, has once again teamed up with Threadless in order to produce a steady stream of awesomely sticky art. You may remember the cheery result of their first collaboration, a one-time competition that placed Letter’s 7.00 among Blik’s other designs, but this time around the battle will be bigger and longer lasting. Each month, the team at Blik will be posting a selection of their favorite Threadless t-shirts, then leaving it up to visitors to select which designs will be turned into one of Blik’s surface graphics. The chosen tees will then be transformed into self-adhesive wallscapes, ready to slap on windows, ceilings, and pretty much any other flat area you can find. My favorite thing about the stickies from Blik is that, unlike vinyl, they are all easily removable, meaning I can leave them up or switch them up as much as I choose — a nice detail for when it comes time to abort ship.

There are currently nine Threadless-begat designs available, and I like almost all of them (and almost as much as I like the rest of the stuff Blik offers), so take a look, then be a champ and cast your vote for the next round.

Meet the Knockman Family: Cha Cha, Kerotama, Koron, Pororon and Knockman himself — all members of a strangely endearing/possibly highly irritating wind-up toy family, newly in stock at Hero Design Studio (who also, as it turns out, are some of the nicest people like, ever.) According to the Hero team, the last Knockman series sold out at lightening speed last year, so expect these ones to be no different — they even have their own MTV spots and a totally kitschy website, if you want to see them in action before you plop down your plastic. Designed by Japanese artist-musicians Maywa Denki, the little guys dance, bash and knock against eachother like any hyperactive ensemble to create a uproarious symphony of amusement — without the emo-hair and Klonopin dependencies, obvs.

In the never ending race for your next oddball t-shirt, Threadless will only get you so far. In steps Oddica to help finish the job — a collection of tee designs from some really well-known designers and subjects ranging from Star Wars (tongue-in-cheek, not fan-boy) to Kenneth Lavalee’s lemming-like creatures in Sheltered. And at prices ranging from $15-20 per shirt, depending how many you buy, there’s no question that they’re affordable.

Oddica further differentiates itself from the likes of Threadless and Design by Humans through the way it treats its artists. The former use a voting/win for good design type of program for their artists; Oddica hires their artists…and then they treat them well. Read about their artist program and their 41% rule here. Hurray for capitalism artist empowerment.

It appears there’s been a mistake. Even though designer and artist Adam Cruickshank has t-shirts up for sale at Commune and 2×4, worked on Sketchel, and participated in the ongoing 22 Flavours project for Lifelounge (his flavour is Banana Split), and despite having done design work for Sneaker Freaker Magazine, he’s never had a post all to himself before. Well we’re fixing that right now. I mean look at those teeth! They make my gums hurt. They’re gnarly as hell.

And that’s what makes Adam’s new site truly worth the visit. It’s not just a gallery of his work for the aforementioned outlets — it also introduces you to areas of his work that you’re most likely not familiar with, like those teeth, or “Feather Mountain” from an art installation he did for a gallery in Australia. He’s a very talented guy, now with a website to prove it.