In 2003, Adam Podlaski took his pile of damaged skateboards and brought them to his brother with a demand: make something of them!

With his degree in industrial design from Philadelphia University, Jason Podlaski saw quickly that all of the decks had snapped in one of two ways: either directly in half, or at the one-third mark.

These shapes suggested to him a seat and legs of a chair. And so deckstools were born.

Using an old skateboard truck — the part that holds the wheels — as a connector, Podlaski fashions a half-deck into the stool seat, and four of the longer pieces into legs.

Combined with the zealous effort skaters put into customizing their boards, this makes each piece of furniture completely unique.

You can select your one-of-a-kind stool from the website gallery and snag it for $199.

Recently, Jason and Adam teamed up with Victor Perez of sk8lamps, and show and offer their products at his Fishtown workshop and gallery.

Some new product offerings are on display there, such as the deckbench, and lid cushions that sit atop the wooden stool seats.

Additional collaborations with Perez, who specializes in lamps created from old boards, are forthcoming in 2011.

Whether you’re relaxing on the beach or just on the lawn, the Yosemite Valley Gear foldable hammock is bound to make you smile.

The steel frame is light but strong, and the nylon hammock attaches with easy-swinging hooks (touted as “high-grade Japanese bearings”) at each end.

Best of all, assembly is easy. And not “Ikea easy,” but actually simple.

If you can uncork a bottle of wine, you’ll be able to set this baby up in under 5 minutes.

This $60 accessory is perfect for carrying to the shore instead of a beach chair.

Great if you’re trapped indoors working and want to spend your lunch hour truly relaxing on your roof or deck.

Or maybe even — on late summer evenings when stomachs are full and brains are buzzing — for unexpected house guests.

h/t @toofeets, bottom photo by @phillygrrl

Previously the exclusive realm of Visa, MasterCard and American Express, in the early 1990s plastic calling cards were introduced. Unlike traditional credit cards, these cards were relatively disposable. In the late 90s, the plastic gift card began replacing gift certificates, starting at McDonald’s and spreading rapidly through retailers everywhere. In the past decade, the plastic gift card has become the most popular present.

In 2006 alone, an estimated 17 billion of these cards were produced. There are a couple of companies that have popped up to either collect and recycle the cards, or to resell and exchange them. Orr’s decor pieces are aesthetically pleasing, but also a statement on the rise of consumerism across the globe.

Amy is one of several emerging crafters who will be featured along with established artisans at the Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show, opening this weekend at the Naval Yard.

Friday evening’s Preview Reception will benefit InLiquid, a Philadelphia-based non-profit that helps artists gain exposure and promote their work. The reception will feature Orr’s work, along with others who work with “recycled materials.”

As long as industry and science continue to find and develop new materials, craftspeople will find ways to make them into art!

The clean, elegant wood frame is offset by the fun colors of the nylon that creates checkered patterns for the seat and back.

Over on Apartment Therapy, Kristen points out that Tim’s beautiful, handcrafted work is not cheap ($700-$1,600), but that it looks entirely worth the price.

We caught up with Tim via email and he was kind enough to answer some questions.

Read on for Tim’s thoughts on these re-imagined lawn chairs, the Philly design scene, how we should embrace a push to “buy locally” in artisan crafts  (just like the current ”buy local” trend for food & drink) and his love of the pencil.

PDB: Were the strap chairs & stools developed for a particular client? What was the inspiration behind them? Are they comfortable as well as good-looking?

The classic aluminum webbed lawn chair was not regarded as a piece of high design; however, it is something that many of us have a nostalgic relationship with. That lawn chair has become extinct, and its replacement is the molded plastic lawn chair available for a few dollars at any mega box store. These plastic chairs lack a sense of handwork that the aluminum chair had in it’s woven seat. My Strap Series is a type of a commemoration and reinterpretation of this relic.

The frame is now constructed from wood with visible joinery and a furniture grade finish. The seat, although webbed, has an upholstery foundation, so instead of your weight putting tension on the straps and creating a stiff surface, you are supported, and the woven top becomes a soft seat.

PDB: Is your work showcased anywhere? Where can it be purchased? Is there a good atmosphere in Philadelphia for artisans like yourself?

As of now, my work is available directly through me. My contact info and examples can be found on my website at timlewisstudio.com.

After growing up in nearby Mongomery County, I attended University of the Arts here in Philadelphia, and then worked for four years for one of my teachers, Philadelphia studio furniture maker Jack Larimore. In Philly there is a general respect for well-made things — which is something you won’t find in cities that don’t have such a rich history with furniture and craft as ours.

The working atmosphere for artisans in Philly (and especially in Fishtown) is tight knit. Great sources abound, from upholstery suppliers like Quaker Jobbing and Katz Foam, to pattern makers for casting and machinists — a place around the corner from me restores machine motors. Just as we have that rich history with craft we also have a history with industry.

PDB: How could the market for individual craftspeople in Philadelphia be improved?

To make the local market better for artisans like myself, we need to have more shops and places that focus on local design. There are many artisans here like me, but it’s hard for us to find the right place to sell our work. It’s not always appropriate for a gallery and many of the showrooms here focus on international designers.

We need to make it known that you can “buy locally” in the design world, just like you can at the grocery store. The benefits resonate beyond the initial maker. The local network of suppliers and fabricators also benefits: none of us are outsourcing work to China – that’s not part of the process for us!

If you buy something from a larger design firm with furniture in mass production, that’s not going to be the case. Local commissions are also often competitive on price, since we don’t have the overhead of running an international corporation.

PDB: What’s your favorite tool — your go-to object that you couldn’t create without?

I couldn’t create without a pencil. Maybe it’s is a lame answer [Ed - We don't think so!] but I am a huge advocate of drawing. It’s the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to develop your ideas.

Also, I highly value variety. It’s hard to come up with new ideas when you keep asking the same question. I’m constantly switching up the way I work, from making highly finished furniture to pieces made with sticks and super glue, from large scale to small, and with varying degrees of hand work to machine work. This helps keep me loose, and from becoming too dependent on one skill.

PDB: Any forthcoming concepts or designs you can let us in on?

A chair version of my Plank Stool [inspired by another American relic: grade school furniture] will be done soon.

I’m working on the preliminary sketches for a shelving unit that has a shelf support system similar to some antique wooden clamps I have.

Another interesting design is the Iris Chandelier created with copper toilet floats. [Surprisingly attractive!]

Also I’m about finished with what you could sum up as an architectural proposal for a tree house that should never be built, called New Ground.

PDB: Sounds cool! Thanks for your time & insights.

It is currently on display (and available for purchase, just $2,499) at the Sony Style | Comcast Labs cool place (I mean, store) below the Comcast Center at 17th and JFK.

The Organic Light Emitting Diodes have a million-to-one contrast ratio and produce incredible color.

Looking at it is not like looking through a window. There is no glass in the way. Look through the little 12″  frame and you see what appears to be reality on the other side. Go check it out.