When it comes to jazzing up your various personal devices, anyone can run to the mall and get some kind of jelly cover. Usually the art options range from low-res images of the Mona Lisa to the cast of South Park. Cute, but maybe not the trend-busting art-accessory you were hoping for.

Zune Originals takes customization to the next level by commissioning some of the world's hottest artists and graphic designs to create custom work specially designed for their players. Launched this week were new additions from the likes of Josh Spear-fave and Vectorfunk master MWM, Japanese illustrator and former game designer Ippei Gyoubu, French artist Rolito, and manga/art nouveau hybrid illustrator and visionary Aya Kato.

Each design is laser-engraved onto the metal backing and the screen displays a full-color version of the same piece. Slick. You might not be able to impress strangers with the tunes you're listening to, but you can show them you've got an eye for hot art.

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TokyoFlash watches have made their way around the Internet for their creative watch faces and amazing design. They’ve just launched a new watch that may be the most straight forward watch in their inventory, but it is so smooth. The LED powered digital watch displays the time in an easy to read format (have a look at some of their more math oriented approaches to telling the time) and is beautiful and bright. It’s true, the Japanese are living in the future. Maybe if we’re really nice Josh can pick up a couple while he is in Tokyo.

Ridiculous design rules: If you design, you probably have some, and they’re likely as laughable as the ways our grandmothers told us we could get pregnant (kissing; freeze tag). I don’t design, I’m a copywriter, but it may be fair game to suggest that anyone who depends on their right brain for a living has their own weird mix of regulations. Good thing we now have a safe place to keep them — because man it feels great to know that you’re not the only one basing your decisions on batshit superstitions.

Ridiculous Design Rules — the site — is the safe place I’m taking about, and if you feel the need to whisper some confessions into the ears of the Intertubes, this is the place to do it. Or, you could use the site to rant about someone else’s ridiculous design rules — like the ones that wind up holding your best work from the light of of day (”Too much white space…”) — and let the other users rank it to aid in your justification. Either way, it’s cathartic, and God knows I need some of that to get ready for the amount of toxicity I plan on wallowing in this weekend.

Plenty of compostable dishware doesn’t stand up to everyday dining. Whether they’re not made very well, get soaked through by a messy meal, or just can’t take the heat of your microwave, you probably think they should get out of your kitchen. Just before you jump the gun on banishing the biodegradable you should know that all paper plates are not created equal. Verterra’s new line of compostable plates can handle everything you dish out, whether you’re using them in the microwave to reheat last night’s dinner or you’re going back for your tenth serving of chili. These babies, molded using the simple ingredients of leaves and water are certainly up to snuff and even up to being used in the oven. This dinnerware created from agricultural waste bears a strong resemblance to a classic wood dishware. And while they might not last as long as real thing, they’re ever so durable and compost in a home system inside of three months to insure environmental friendliness.

Squidfire has long been one of our preferred online purveyors of choice apparel. Their hand illustrated, hand printed gear has regularly illicited “ooh” and “aaah” sounds from those who gaze upon their killer creations. For the longest time the only way to get a hold of these wondrous wares was to catch the founders cruising around in their Cadillac or surf over to their online store, pick something you liked and then wait a few days for the delivery man. Luckily for those who favor instant gratification over automobile pursuits and parcel post, Squidfire has opened up a new avenue for compiling more quality clothing in the form of their very first store on West 36th Street in Baltimore. If you happen to find yourself in the Hampden neighborhood of “the Greatest City In America” do yourself a favor and get some of their brand new tees…or if you’re not planning a trip to B’more you can still buy them online.

Sick of graphic tees? How about graphic tees — you know, shirts with things on them that are more art than everyday. More Paris than campus. More come hither than come again? Our favorite jewelry makers Alex and Chloe recently started carrying a selection of tees like that (and a few cardigans and hoodies), and while it did take me a hot second to move past the sticker shock, things progressed quite nicely from wha? to wow.

The shirts are designed by Kenzo Minami, Alex B. and Christopher, and happily enough, they’re all unisex. They’re also almost all worth a doubletake, which is increasingly rare in the tee biz these days. I pulled three of my favorites from their fairly largish collection, so if you like those, click on through. While you’re in the hood, be sure to check out their accessories collection if you’ve yet to experience it — we’ve been loving that stuff since… well, since gold was affordable.