new for 07: the d*s scholarship and jan shop

welcome back everyone! i hope you all had a wonderful holiday and have been easing back into work as painlessly as possible. kate and i have been working on the site and im thrilled to start again today with several new projects to announce. first and foremost is the one i've been working on the most for the past few weeks: the d*s scholarship.

i've always been so inspired by the amazing student designers i've met through this site- they constantly open my eyes to new materials, forms and ways of viewing products and the world around me. i often receive emails from students explaining that they can't afford to pay tuition, buy new materials or finance potentially career-changing (but unpaid) internships. internships can really be a turning point in many young designer's careers and it's sad when they seem to cater to students who can afford to pay for travel, lodging and supplies for an entire summer. so i thought, why not find a way to give back to the next generation of great designers?

along with contributions from the d*s shop, sponsors, myself, family and friends i plan to raise upwards of $5,000 to distribute among three student designers. i'll narrow the applicants to a final ten that will be interviewed via video and podcast and introduced to you here on the site alongside a slideshow of their work. then YOU will vote on who you think the final three winners should be. voting will commence in april and the winners will be announced and rewarded on may 1, 2007. i hope that we can raise enough money to give these talented up-and-coming designers a leg up as they continue to grow and create. all of the details for eligibility and applying will be housed right here on the scholarship homepage through may 1. please pass this on to any students you know, i would be most appreciative. in addition, we've added a donation button to the scholarship page should anyone feel inclined to donate to the scholarship fund. any and all contributions are greatly appreciated and will go directly to the final three students. if we exceed the goal amount the extra funds will be distributed among the winners

and, just as exciting- we have a new crop of designers at the d*s shop! this month we're showcasing pillowcases from little by jenny, fabric birds by jill bliss, cards from sub studio, silhouette prints by deanna bracken, a beautiful print by manymuses and aviary cards by paper stories. each product is made by independent designers, available for under $100 and 100% of the proceeds go to the designers themselves- just click here to browse the collection and shop.

and for the first time this month we're debuting a new section of the site: d*s scholarship goods. in lieu of the charity section of the shop, we'll be selling special designs whose proceeds will go entirely towards the d*s scholarship fund. these designers have been kind enough to donate beautiful products this month: fresh drawings by alyson fox, brand new (gorgeous) pillows by lena corwin and adorable lamps by re-surface design. each month we'll showcase special goods that will contribute to the fund to support student designers. [and don't worry, i will continue to donate to charities with my own money as i always have].

so, click here for more information on the scholarship and here for the january 2007 d*s shop. stay tuned for more new features today...it's going to be a busy one! xo, d*s