Yesterday, Rick Smolan released the top secret project he’s been working on with HP: THE OBAMA TIME CAPSULE, a customizable book. Using the HP print-on-demand technology we last showed you with MagCloud, people can weave their own names, photos and messages into an historic large format book featuring the work of the world's leading photographers, graphic artists and writers.

The book can be extensively personalized by answering a few questions and uploading photos to the project website. THE OBAMA TIME CAPSULE offers readers seven different ways to personalize the book. If you’ve been courting your own ISBN, you’ll come close with co-author credit on the front cover and a photograph of you on the back (as well as inside amongst celebrity supporters). Each collectible copy of the book is printed one at a time. Most publishing industry analysts agree that print-on-demand will be the publishing model of the future.

“From grass roots Facebook campaigns to viral YouTube videos, the Obama campaign took the presidential race to a new level in terms of personalization,” said Smolan, co-founder of Against All Odds Productions (AAO). And the book follows suit: Using the Internet, publishers have fewer barriers to market and by only printing what is necessary, excess inventory and waste are eliminated.The OBAMA TIME CAPSULE (retail price $64.95) is now available exclusively through Amazon at an introductory price of $34.95. Additional sponsors for the book include Google, AOL, Facebook, Glam Media, Blurb, Microsoft, eMotion and NewPage.

If you’re not an “off-the-rack” kind of guy, or always need to get your clothes altered, custom options kind of suck. Tailors are expensive, and they’re always touching us … down there. But, now there’s a faster way of getting a shirt that looks — and more importantly fits — right. ShirtsMyWay takes individual button-down components and personalizes the measurement, pattern, and material. We didn’t even know what a ‘placket’ was until ShirtsMyWay showed us we could get it in Urban Safari brown.

Ever dreamed of designing your own hoodie? Blame it on the credit crunch, but Champion is opening up its shop and letting you do the designing. They’ve come up with a super easy Hoodie Remix website to dream up your design. Customize major parts of the hoodie using a full color range, as well as some predefined patters. It’s mix and match from there. We pumped one out in five minutes (not pictured) and half that time was spent debating the zipper color. Here’s the huge bummer: you aren’t able to buy what you create. It’s a contest. The designs are submitted and, through the harsh judging of your peers, a few winners will be chosen. The contest ends March 31st so start entering or voting.

Despite the fact that we have accepted the need to traverse shoeless, beltless and beverageless through airport security, most of us still can’t stave off baggage carousel gridlock by bringing along anything other than a black roller bag. I’m among the guilty who assumes that my beat-up Samsonite stands out due to a few strands of green yarn I’ve affixed to the handle. All this is about to change with DotDrops, an innovative concept to customize your luggage. Using the snap-on microdots that come with the bags, you can send a message to TSA and your fellow travellers that says you love, among other things, America, martinis or aliens. As if that’s not enough, each purchase is accompanied by a DIY toy by French company Artoyz. With several styles of suitcases, an exclusive toy and lots and lots of dots, you can really make a personal statement.

Ray-Ban Wayfarers have become one of the most iconic sunglasses in the world. Following last year’s Project Colorize campaign, which saw collaborations with artists Ron English and Tara McPherson, Ray-Ban is gearing up to release a pair of shades designed for the DIY movement. Or, rather, lack-of-design. The Colorize kit will come with a blank pair of Wayfarers and a pack of markers and stencils with which to customize them.

We like to think of ourselves as savvy, stylish shoppers. Often times when we go out looking for the perfect item of apparel we know exactly what we want. Unfortunately, it’s a rare occasion that it actually exists. We usually have to settle for a close approximation of our ensemble. Or maybe we don’t. 9tailors — an online custom haberdashery aimed at young professionals — presents a cheaper creative alternative to a bespoke wardrobe by letting you be the designer. All you have to do is log on to their site and in four easy steps you have the garment of your dreams. Just choose the design, pick a fabric, enter your measurements and make sure it fits your fancy. Like our luggage combination, it’s as easy as 1,2,3,4.

One of the worst feelings is showing up to a social gathering and seeing someone wearing the same shirt as you. Our friends over at MarkerTees has solved this travesty. They’ve just released a whole line of tees that let you use your shirt as a blank canvas. Each comes with a re-writable marker that allows you to experiment. When you want to change your message, simply throw the shirt in the wash and the drawing disappears. If you can ironically dream it, you can wear it.

The Prize: Would you rather bomb hills than countries? Skate or die? We’re serving up one customized Strike longboard from our friends at New Jersey’s Bustin Boards. It’s like Choose Your Own Adventure — if your adventure consisted of graphic, color, scheme, trucks, wheels, etc. This one comes with Randal 180mm trucks and Bustin Boca wheels, with an option to upgrade your prize for a little extra cash.

The Rules: In the COMMENTS section, name your favorite hill. (Blueberry, Hamburger and King Of are already taken). Only one entry per reader. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

The Deadline: Contest is open now through 12/12

This past summer we told you how you could tastefully turn your car into a moving work of art. Infectious, who brought us vinyl decal packages by some ill designers, have spread to laptops. With a huge range of designs to choose from, you’re bound to find something that complements your computer no matter what your taste. From playful and cartoony to dark and abstract, the collection features designs by those who worked on the car designs along with six new contributing aritists. See the whole array at infectious.com.

If the word “whoa” hasn’t yet worked its way into your vocabulary it’s about to, thanks to the eye-popping, fully-customizable skateboards created by Corbusboards. In the past “fully customizable” meant merely blanketing your board in decals and graffiti, but Corbus eschews the traditional yet limited wooden board base in favor of a durable aluminum one, welding it to match some absolutely dope designs. The result is a few functionally ferocious decks that are ideal whether you’re bombing or grinding.

Unless you’re an 18th-century French king, you’ll probably agree with us when we say Louis XV style furniture is stuffy. But if all that turns you off to these pieces is the fabric, you’re in luck. Custom upholsters Atelier de Tapisserie will print images of your puppy — or just one you think is adorable — onto classic leather chairs and ottomans. All you have to do is supply them with the photo, sans drool.

via Pupstyle

We really tried to not use the word pimp in this post, but alas — the crew at Infectious Car Art pimp a meaningful message (see, it works here) with their Obama Car Art contest. Independent artists have a shot at seeing their Pro-bama graphics plastered all over Infectious patrons’ cars — in addition to some prize money — prior to this year’s election. A progressive idea built to push a progressive candidate? If you’re an artist who can see yourself hitting this, the deadline for submissions is August 7th. McCain would have attempted to adapt this concept to his own campaign, had he not shun the Internets.

You want designs? Bored of Neighborhoodies? Ok, then we’re gonna give you designs. Or, more accurately Arts and Crap is. In the ‘printshop’ section of their site, you can choose from thousands of designs (more to come soon, though we’re not exactly sure why) to smack onto an American Apparel tee. For an extra $10, you can add-on your own design, ink, or combine of the logos. The possibilities are endless! But for this weekend, we suggest ordering the one that reads “BBQ.”

I won’t lie. The classic scene with Christian Bale in the 2000 thriller American Psycho really got me thinking about business cards. I am already known for obsessing over the finer details and seeking out the extraordinary in mundane, everyday products — so why shouldn’t a small, rectangular piece of paper that is meant to sum up my professional existence deserve some attention? After seeing some samples from Salt Lake City based The Mandate Press, I was hooked.

Ben Webster started his printing business after taking a letterpress class as part of his design curriculum. A side hobby turned full blown business, occupying a 2000 square foot shop, The Mandate Press produces everything from business cards to hang tags and offers hand finishing on products including die-cuts and gluing. And the turnaround on your order is pretty quick for a shop with only two employees. The Press can have a custom project to you within five days, as opposed to two to four weeks from others. Check out their list of personalized cards on the website. You get to choose from six designs and get 250 for under $100.

Sure, your genetic code makes up the building blocks of who you are, why you’re balding, were never good at sports, and will probably die some time in your mid-forties … but beyond the science and premonitions of doom, what has deoxyribonucleic acid done for you lately? Has it provided bedroom wall art? If it hasn’t, you better take a look at DNA 11. The medical maestros who decoded our art appreciation gene with a personalized DNA portrait are now further customizing with their GenePak. Isolate specific traits, such as Sport, Brain, Love, Gender … or just frame your anal retentiveness or inability to finish anything, and hang it up for all to see. When you buy your very own visual representation of your genes at DNA11’s Website you can honestly say that you have a personal portrait in your home.