About CustomMade

CustomMade is an online matchmaker connecting Buyers who want one-of-a-kind Creations with professional and passionate Makers.

Steve Jobs and Lessons for Entrepreneurs (with Corollaries for Custom Artisans)

Posted by Pedro in For Makers, The Pro Shop on October 31, 2011

The death of Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple and the force behind the “iRevolution” (bet you’re not far from an iPod, iPhone, or iPad), is a great loss for all of us.  However, Jobs was “more than just a tech-wiz,” blogger Alvina Lopez reminds us.  He was also “an incredible innovator and [...]

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Futurepieces Past: Multipurpose and Moveable Custom Desks Inspired by Innovative Historic Designs

Posted by Pedro in Custom Inspiration, For Customers on October 30, 2011

Halloween Eve is the perfect time for talking about ghosts and fears.  If you search carefully, you’ll surely find a few ghosts in the CustomMade galleries.  If you read our blog, you might even find a post or two that frightens you.  Or perhaps, you just don’t believe in ghosts.  As for those scary stories, [...]

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“The Cutting of a Sapphire” – A Gem Cutting Tutorial

Posted by Pedro in Concepts & Buyer Guides, For Customers on October 29, 2011

Exquisitely cut gemstones are so often centerpieces in custom jewelry design.  Have you ever wondered how artisan jewelers are able to work their magic so precisely on these challenging materials? Daniel Stair of Custom Gemstones has graciously allowed CustomMade to post his tutorial “The Cutting of a Sapphire” on our blog.  He’ll take us through [...]

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A CustomMade Connection leads to the Making of an Heirloom

Posted by Marcie in CustomMade Connections, For Customers, For Makers on October 28, 2011

Bill Neville is a craftsman on CustomMade and the man behind Caseworks in Chapel Hill, NC. He has been a woodworker for 30 years and is most certainly a master of his craft. Bill has a Fine Arts degree and an eye for the aesthetic which he exhibits beautifully in each and every piece of [...]

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Creative Custom Displays by FAB PDX

Posted by Pedro in For Customers, Maker Spotlight on October 27, 2011

Do you have an idea that is so specific, so unusual, that you despair of ever finding anything like it?  A mountain.  An accounting theme tabletop mini-golf course.  A tailgating trailer for an Oregon Ducks fan.

Yes, the Oregon Ducks.

There is a custom solution.

CustomMade artisans FAB PDX specialize in “building unique pieces that [...]

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Evil Eyes: An Ancient Charm Meets Custom Jewelry Design by Julie Glassman Enamel Jewelry

Posted by Pedro in For Customers, Maker Spotlight on October 25, 2011

The custom jewelry “miniature paintings” designed by artisan Julie Glassman are born on two canvases: the “human canvas” where they will be worn, and the canvas of raw materials – metal, stones, and powdered glass – where she first expresses and sketches her ideas, drawn from her emotions and experiences.

The union of artist and [...]

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Stay on Target: Sophisticated Dartboard Cabinet designed by Mars Made

Posted by Marcie in For Customers, Our Favorite Custom Finds on October 25, 2011

Did you know that one of the earliest dartboards was actually a slice of a tree trunk? Of course, this would make sense with its natural rings and radial cracks — perfect for keeping score. But today, dartboards require a bit more sophistication and versatility.

This  ultra chic custom Dartboard Cabinet was made by Mars [...]

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Unique Future? The Growing Popularity of Mass Customization

Posted by Pedro in For Makers, The Pro Shop on October 24, 2011

“We all want to be unique – that’s what makes us all the same.”

So writer Dave Masters begins his recent article for Humans Invent on the union of our “drive for individuality” with high-tech innovations.  In “Tailor made for the masses: A manufacturing revolution,” Masters takes a look at how mass manufacturing companies are [...]

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Custom Made Sculptures with Musical Themes

Posted by Pedro in Custom Inspiration, For Customers on October 23, 2011

This stainless steel violin and sonata by Metal Expressions, Ltd., “wrapped in the first line of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 2,” has reached a pause.

In the following video, metal artist Ronald Stinson shares his background, demonstrates his techniques, and explains the final step in his creative process.

Another aspect of my [...]

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Stop Wining! Custom Bottle Stoppers

Posted by Pedro in Custom Inspiration, For Customers on October 22, 2011

Equal parts performance, presentation, and drama (or comedy), uncorking a bottle of wine for the first time is a special occasion in itself, whether you’re about to make a toast at a large gathering or just having a quiet dinner at home.  It’s difficult to match the magic of the first time, but custom bottle [...]

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