Customizable article and methods for use thereof

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of attachments, each attachment of the plurality of attachments comprising a decorative element and a pair of flanges projecting from the decorative element, including a first flange projecting from a first side of the decorative element and forming a first opening and a second flange projecting from an opposite side of the decorative element and forming a second opening of the same size and shape as the first opening, the decorative element, the first flange and the second flange being aligned linearly or substantially linearly along a common longitudinal axis;
• and
• (b) an article comprising a base having a top surface with a first periphery and a second periphery that is substantially parallel to the first periphery, and an array of means projecting from the surface for detachably attaching the plurality of attachments to the article with elastic deformation of the means from a non-deformed shape to a deformed shape when at least a portion of the means is forced through the first and second openings and with return of the means to a non-deformed shape when the at least portion of the means has passed through the first and second openings, wherein each of the first and second openings formed by the first and second flanges is shaped and dimensioned such that each of the array of means (i) is insertable through any one of the first or second openings formed by the first and second flanges when forced to the deformed shape, and (ii) returns to the non-deformed shape after insertion through the first or second openings and secures the attachment to the article unless and until the means is removed through the first or second openings with the use of force;
• wherein the array of means comprises a first plurality of means evenly spaced along the surface closer to the first periphery than to the second periphery and a second plurality of means evenly spaced along the surface closer to the second periphery than to the first periphery, each of the plurality of means protruding from the shaft portion in at least a direction substantially parallel to the surface;
• and wherein each of the first plurality of means is disposed with respect to a corresponding one of the second plurality of means such that, with at least a portion of corresponding of the first and second plurality of means inserted through respective first and second openings of one of the plurality of attachments, the corresponding first and second plurality of means are aligned along the common longitudinal axis and the common longitudinal axis is disposed substantially perpendicular to the first and second peripheries of the surface.